Last month, I was happy to report Bank First will be investing in the Denmark community with a brand new branch building to be constructed next year. I was once again disappointed to discover The Denmark News Facebook audience did not share my enthusiasm and instead filled the announcements comments section with negativity toward the project.

This past weekend, my duties for The Denmark News tasked me with covering two beloved local summer traditions. For longer than I have been on this earth, generations of people have flocked to both the annual Curran Community Club Softball Tournament as well as the yearly Maribel Lions Picnic. This year was set to be no different with a busy weekend jam-packed with fun and excitement being prepared for by both groups.

This week, many readers may be wondering why they received their copy of The Denmark News a day early. Others will probably wonder why there is no mail service on Wednesday. The answer is the United States’ newest federal holiday--Juneteenth. While most probably know the day is genuinely associated with the African American community, it seems few understand its history or its meaning.

This week, I am deeply saddened to wish the warmest of farewells to our esteemed sportswriter --Kelly Fenton. Over the past two years, I have had the honor and pleasure of working with Kelly and I will be forever grateful for his kindness, thoughtfulness and direction.

This week, I had the honor and the privilege of taking part in the annual DHS Fine Arts Banquet as both a presenter for the fall musical and spring play as well as an observer for my duties as a reporter. As always, I was blown away by the sheer amount and level of talent on display in our community's young people.

This Monday, across the nation, Americans will observe Memorial Day. While most know that the holiday is meant to honor deceased members of the American armed forces, few understand its complicated origins. So, for this week's editorial, I would like to examine how and why Memorial Day came to be.

As the Denmark area winds down another year of the busy rummage sale season, I found myself wondering the reasoning behind this ubiquitous tradition. While annual rummage sales have come to be a hallmark of the spring season, when one takes a step back, the tradition can seem a bit odd.

Throughout my year and a half of working for The Denmark News, I have covered stories in all corners of the village. While most of the municipality's design and layout seems to make sense, one part of town has always baffled me --Daybreak Estates. While it is a very nice and beautiful neighborhood, one feature's absence continues to confuse me --sidewalks.

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Denmark Community Cupboard's first ever fundraiser dinner. Since I started writing for The Denmark News, I have time and time again found myself blown away by the cupboards dedication and commitment to those in need in our community.

In my free time, I sometimes like to delve into researching strange and unique social practices across history and the globe. Recently, while stumbling down the online rabbit hole of unusual food from around the world, I came across one of the most unhinged and shocking culinary customs that seemed far too cartoonishly evil to be real.

Last Monday, the world experienced a spectacular celestial occurrence in the much-anticipated solar eclipse. It also happened to be this reporter's 30th birthday. On my birthday, I tasked myself with the mission of capturing a photo of the meteorological phenomenon. For this week's editorial, I would like to recount my quest to capture the solar eclipse.

This Monday, I observed a personal milestone --I turned 30 years old. While I do not subscribe to most of the over-importance placed on birthdays, I do believe it does provide an opportunity to reflect on where we have been, where we are, and where we are going. So, for this week's editorial, I would like to share some of my thoughts as I embark on the next decade of my life.

This week, my work for The Denmark News took me to four different Easter Egg Hunts. While covering these events, I found myself once again wondering why the tradition was taking place and just what any of it had to do with the East holiday. As a lifelong Christian, I understand the meaning behind Easter Sunday itself but I have always failed to see what the resurrection of our savior has to do with hidden novelty eggs and a giant bunny.

One of the hardest parts of staging a play is finding ways for your actors to connect and understand the material they are presenting. One way to accomplish this is by watching others perform the same show, getting a better idea of how and why things work the way they do. While this can be accomplished by watching recordings, there is nothing quite like seeing a show you are performing in person.

On Sunday, people across the world took part in one of the most well-known and endearing cultural celebrations --St. Patrick's Day. Well everyone is at least somewhat familiar with the variety of traditions associated with the holiday, few realize that many of their origins are not traced to St. Patrick while others are not even from the country of Ireland.