Today's Opinions

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. is probably rolling over in his grave at the news of Sen. Arlen Specter's switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party - and conservative Republicans' reaction to it.

Lodge, like Specter, was a moderate Republican from a northeastern state. He won election to the U.S. Senate three times from Massachusetts before losing a re-election bid in 1952 to John F. Kennedy. That was a close loss that many blamed on Lodge's spending most of his time managing Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential campaign instead of working on his own campaign.

"Settle down, boys" were close to being among the sternest words Father Theodore Heck could muster to a group of fidgety kids in a late 1970s religion class.

As an all-knowing 10- or 12-year-old, I judged the monk to be an old man already. He was in his 70s, a former professor and seminary rector who had adopted our small country flock in New Boston after "retirement."

It's finally arrived. Spring. While it's technically been with us for more than a month, the weather is finally providing the warmer temperatures and bright-blue skies we've needed to bring us out of the winter blues.

And with this beautiful weather come blooming trees and flowers and, of course, growing grass needing mowed. Perry County has an abundance of natural beauty, both out in the county and in our own communities and it can only stay beautiful with some help.