In today's world, it can be hard to feel any optimism when looking forward to the future of the world and humanity's place in that future. It seems that whenever modern writers, artists and academics envision what the future may hold, they all seem to see a bleak and desolate hellscape corrupted by all that makes man bad and devoid of all that makes them good.

This week, the world will observe a peculiar "holiday" that only comes once every four years. On Thursday, "Leap Day" will be celebrated commemorating the oddity that is February 29. For this week's editorial, I would like to examine Leap Day and some of the traditions that have surrounded the quadrennial peculiarity throughout history.

This week, high schools and communities across the United States are celebrating “National FFA Week”. To commemorate this, The Denmark News has once again teamed up with The Denmark FFA and FFA Alumni and a number of area businesses and supporters to produce our annual special section detailing the chapter’s wide range of activities and initiatives over the course of the last year.

With the Super Bowl now over, I cannot help, despite how hard I may try, but turn my mind to the year's next big national showdown with far more real and long-lasting implications. After a  NFL Championship that felt like a bizarre rerun of 2020, it looks the American people will have to also endure another rematch on the national stage this November.

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the Friends of Neshota Park's annual candlelit winter night hike. Throughout the last year and a half writing for The Denmark News, I have time and time again found myself impressed with the Friends of Neshota Park and their commitment to a great local park.

Recently, I have once again begun delving into my genealogy. I have long been fascinated with the history of the various branches of my family tree and deeply desired to uncover the secrets therein. This is not the first time I have attempted this undertaking. On multiple past occasions, I have told myself "Okay, let's do it," and began the journey into uncovering my own family history.

This week, reporting for The Denmark News brought me back to The Denmark Historical Museum to learn more about the historical society that calls it home and their impressive collection within. Although I have already visited the museum many times, I am always happy for the opportunity to return and dive deeper into our community's collective past.

This week, I attended the first ever Kris Kringle Festival at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Denmark. One of the event's festive activities was a wagon ride through parts of the village to do some good old fashioned Christmas caroling. 

Last Wednesday morning, children across the reading area were delighted to find stockings filled with treats and treasures courtesy of the mysterious "St. Nicholas". Every year, this beloved tradition is celebrated across our area in the lead-up to Christmas, giving an excuse to begin celebrating early as well as tide over children's cravings for holiday gifts.

Maybe it’s the fact that December is now upon us, maybe it’s the snowy weather, but I cannot help myself from finally starting to get into the Christmas spirit. While many people start observing the holiday season as soon as Halloween is wrapped up, I prefer to wait in order to make the time more special.

This week, reporting for The Denmark News brought me face-to-face with numerous examples of the awesome things that are possible in our small communities when their people work together. At the same time, our nation collectively observed Thanksgiving last Thursday setting aside time to reflect on what we are grateful for.

This week, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the biggest and most significant developments of my brief time writing for The Denmark News officially begin.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincerest appreciation and deepest congratulations to the students, staff and administration at Denmark Middle School for their organization, dedication and conduct in their execution of last Friday's Veterans Program.

Now that Halloween has passed and November is firmly upon us, it is time for some in our society to act like Christmas Day is next week. Major retailers already have replaced their fall and Halloween displays with yuletide merchandise and all too soon Mariah Carey will start belting her haunting herald of the season "All I Want for Christmas" across every speaker in existence.

One thing that continues to concern me more and more is the seemingly ever-growing political divide in our country. It seems that, every day, the two sides of the political spectrum grow further and further apart while piling anger, hate and vitriol in the growing gap in between. It has gotten to the point that partisan politics in this country have reached such a fever pitch  that the idea of "common ground" seems all but non-existent.