By Sara Goodman I guess it’s official that Matt Mitzel has flown the coop. He kept threatening to do it, and I kept hoping it would happen, but now that it has, I feel a little let down. I had a lengthy list of potential demeaning topics, insulting comments and snarky one-liners all ready to go in response to his numerous jabs at my column. I think he knew it was eventually going to get pretty hot in the kitchen, and he couldn’t handle the heat. Let’s hope bingo night doesn’t get too difficult for him to manage, or Munich will be out another exciting weekly event.

By Bob Simmons, CEO Simmons Multimedia A few weeks back, you’ll recall I was setting out on a solo road trip to a broadcaster’s convention in upstate New York. I set out on Friday afternoon, May 17, arriving at my first overnight stop in Wisconsin Dells around 9 p.m. that same evening, not having any idea what was waiting for me there. My trusty Google Maps app informed me there was a traffic delay, and if I chose to select the re-route option, I would save 20 minutes on my journey - so I did. Unbeknownst to me, Wisconsin Dells was hosting the Automotion Classic Car Show this very weekend. Google Maps had me on a zig-zag course to my hotel, and approaching the main street, I pulled in between a couple of classic cars - the drivers of which appeared very irritated with me and laid on their horns in frustration.

As has been too common lately, I’m under a blanket in a sweatshirt in front of the fireplace penning this letter to you. That’s fine in the winter, but it’s June.

I’m having a very, VERY busy week but an exciting one for sure. I was asked last minute by Frost Fire to assist as an instructor for their youth ENCORE Arts Camp! I was able to get enough of my regular work done over the weekend to free up some time to teach art this week.

June is struggling to warm up, but we did have a summery day at the lake last weekend. Cake Wars was a big hit and may very well become an annual event.

I took a trip down memory lane at a cousin’s graduation party in Grand Forks on Saturday. It was for Joseph Nowatzki, grandson of my great uncle, Bill Nowatzki, who many of you might know as a long time teacher at Edinburg School.

Last week on Wednesday, we had water in our basement. Not from the 3.5 inches of rain we had gotten a few days prior, but from a broken pipe leading to our front water spigot.

So this week’s musings will take a different tone. I was raised by parents who instilled in me from a very young age to never discuss politics all heard of the ‘Third Rail’ being used as a metaphor for subjects that are charged or untouchable. When I embarked on my career in broadcasting and media in the mid 1970s, this concept was the general rule in newsrooms. Keep your opinions to yourself, be impartial, and report the facts.

Rhubarb season is here again! If you haven’t noticed yet, it’s rhubarb season. I love rhubarb.

I’ll admit it - I’m not as young as I once was. Like many of you who farm or own retail or service businesses, I do a lot of different things in our family’s operations. In our radio division, I’m also the Chief Engineer, meaning when something can attest to any number of Christmases, Thanksgivings, etc. that have been interrupted by a failed transmitter or mission critical piece of equipment. Radio is 24/7/365.