Visit us at 3016 75th St., KenoshaThankful for the expertise and guidance, so needed during our loss.James K.SR121825December 18, 2025Volume 23 - #26WITH THE STEEPEST DECLIINE IN FOUR DECADES... WHY ARE SO MANY WOMEN LEAVING THE WORKFORCE?
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3 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Quitting ‘on my own terms’: Why more women are exiting the workforceVases of flowers and notesscribbled with messages ofsupport are scatteredthroughout Hana Kim’shome in Goodyear, Arizona.Her friends and family sentthem after she announcedher decision to leave her job.Ms. Kim left her role as amarketing executive at aninsurance carrier on Dec. 1,after months of stricter inperson work requirementsand a long commute toPhoenix made it difficult forher to maintain the care sheprovides to her mother athome.“I felt like it was a decisionthat could have been avoidedif the company were moreabout flexibility and metdifferent kinds of employees’needs,” says Ms. Kim, whowas originally hired to workremotely.Ms. Kim is part of amovement of women whoare leaving their jobs. Morethan 330,000 women ages20 or older have left theworkforce this year,according to an analysis bythe National Women’s LawCenter. In the first half of2025, the employment rateof mothers of children underage 5 declined by its steepestdrop in four decades,according to research byMisty Heggeness, anassociate professor at theUniversity of Kansas whostudies gender economics.“The past year broughtunusual pressures foremployees and the highestlevels of discontent in fiveyears,” noted a recentreport on women in the U.S.workforce by Lean In, awomen’s advocacy group,and McKinsey & Companyconsultants.Return-to-workmandates, a federal rollbackunder the Trumpadministration of diversity,equity, and inclusion policies,including some gearedtoward women, and ashortage of affordable carefor dependents are allaffecting whether womenstay on the job, says JasmineTucker, vice president ofresearch at the NationalWomen’s Law Center inWashington.“The trends over time arenot looking good,” says Ms.Tucker. “We say ‘leaving thelabor force,’ and it soundslike it’s an option, but I thinkthe reality is that they arebeing shoved out.”Not everyone views apullback of women from thepaid labor force negatively.Popular right-wingpodcasters like Allie BethStuckey and Alex Clark talkabout the benefit of mothersprioritizing time with theirchildren and say societalnorms put too muchpressure on women to puttheir careers first.Facing the “flexibilitystigma”During the pandemic,remote or flexible workhelped usher some womeninto the workplace. In 2023,the percentage of prime-ageworking women (in the 25-to-54 age range), reached anall-time high of 75.3%, drivenlargely by an increase ofcollege-educated womenwith young children.Many employers this yearretreated from the remoteand hybrid work that wasinfused into certainprofessional roles during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Thefederal government requiredemployees to return to fivedays in office, as did Amazonfor its corporate staff. Onestudy found that more thanhalf of Fortune 100 workersthis year had fully in-personpolicies for the first timesince the pandemic.The Lean In and McKinseyreport published last weekfound that one-quarter of124 companies surveyedreported scaling back ordiscontinuing remote orhybrid work this year. Aflexibility stigma is one of the“biggest factors holdingwomen back from work,”according to the report’sauthors, who found thatemployees who use flexiblework arrangements are seenas less committed and areless likely to receivepromotions orsponsorships.At the same time, costs ofboth child care and eldercare are rising faster thaninflation, which putspressure on individuals todecide whether they canafford to remain in theworkforce.“In two-parenthouseholds, when we can’tafford the cost of child care,we usually send the personwho is the lower-incomeearner home to take care ofthe kids,” says JessicaKriegel, chief strategy officerat Culture Partners, aconsultancy group. “Thataffects women,” she adds,since the pay gap betweengenders has grown for thepast two years. In addition,she notes, about 80% ofsingle parent households areheaded by women.Looking for solutionsViews on how to helpwomen – and men – balanceprofessional work withcaregiving responsibilitiesrange from greater childcare support to more taxcredits for parents.Last month, New Mexicobecame the first state toprovide universal,government-funded childcare for all families,regardless of income, usingfunding from state oil andgas reserves. New York’sincoming mayor ZohranMamdani campaigned on apromise of universal childcare.At the federal level, thetax and spending bill passedby Congress over thesummer included severalprovisions meant to supportworking families. Thoseinclude a permanentextension of the child taxcredit, increased tax creditsfor employers who providechild care assistance, andtax-advantaged savingsaccounts for children knownas “Trump Accounts.”Policymakers can offersupport by investing inparental leave and highquality, affordable child care,subsidized by thegovernment, says ProfessorHeggeness at the Universityof Kansas. “Mothers andunpaid family caregivers, thatgroup of individuals in oursociety, are too big for us tofail them,” she says.Critics of universal childcare raise concerns aboutfunding, quality, and theimpact on children. VicePresident JD Vance, whilerunning for Senate in 2021,wrote an op-ed in The WallStreet Journal criticizing aBiden administrationproposal to spend $225billion on child care asharmful to children. (Otherstudies show high-qualityearly childhood benefitingchildren academically andsocially.)“Young children fromaverage, healthy homes canbe harmed by spending longhours in child care,” Mr.Vance wrote. “Ourdemocracy might becomfortable with the tradeoffs here – higher grossdomestic product and moreparents (especially women)in the workforce on onehand, and unhappier,unhealthier children on theother. But we ought to behonest and acknowledgethat these trade-offs exist.”Dr. Heggeness expects thelabor participation rate forwomen to rebound.“Women, and mothers inparticular, tend to be veryresilient,” she says. “Womenwill look for other ways toget back into work.”“It feels reallygratifying”Ms. Kim in Arizonabelieves she made the bestdecision she could forherself and for her family,despite initially feeling as ifshe was giving up on acareer that she “worked sohard to get.”Shortly after leaving hercorporate job, she launchedher own marketingconsultancy, fending off herself-doubt about leaving asteady paycheck andfocusing on the control she’dgain over her schedule.When she decided it wastime to pack up her office,Ms. Kim posted about herdecision online. Her postgathered more than 2,000likes and 250 comments. Herprivate messages filled upwith other women who lefttheir jobs to provide carefor loved ones, telling hershe wouldn’t regret herdecision.“There was a second thatI was thinking ... maybe this iscrazy,” she says. “I’m justtrying to do what I knowhow to do and do it on myown terms. It feels reallygratifying.”By Victoria HoffmanSmart Reader is published bi-weekly by Carmichael CommunicationsEditor & Publisher/Frank J. Carmichael • Assistant to the Publisher/Reanna Stockdale Sales/Kim Carmichael, Elaina Myers, Madison Giannini • Editorial Manager/Jason Hedman Ad Design & Layout/Glen Kelly, Dylan Valenta, Francis Flex Reception/Sarah ColemanCarmichael Communications 1420 63rd St. Kenosha, WI 53143December 18, 2025Volume 23 Number 26262-564-8800 • 1-800-568-6623 •www.hap2it.comHana Kim works on building her own marketing consultancyat her home in Goodyear, Arizona, Dec. 5, 2025.
4 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800The job market needs workers. The newest ones are over age 75.At a time when America’spolitical class has decidedsome people are too old tobe president, the economy ispointing in anotherdirection: The fastestgrowing segment of thelabor force is the 75-andolder worker.By 2030, the federalgovernment projects, theirnumbers will nearly double. While much of thatgrowth is simpledemographics – a hugecontingent of baby boomersis moving into their 70s – itdoesn’t appear to explainthe entire phenomenon. Fora growing share ofAmericans, working well intoone’s 70s, 80s, or even 90sseems preferable to a fullretirement.Some of them are famous,such as septuagenariansinger Dolly Parton andactor Meryl Streep,octogenarian actor HarrisonFord and musician MickJagger, and nonagenarianprimate expert Jane Goodalland uber investor WarrenBuffett.“This is my exercise.”How older workersbenefit the economy.Then there’s Pat Callahan,who like many not-sofamous Americans retiredand then went back to work.“I’m not at the Y workingout; this is my exercise,” saysMs. Callahan, who retired inher late 60s and a little overthree years ago beganworking part time for herdaughter’s startup, JM MoveManagers. The Mountainside,New Jersey, companyspecializes in helping olderpeople every step of the wayas they downsize and moveinto new accommodations.Now in her mid-70s, Ms.Callahan spends anywherefrom 8 to 12 hours a weekhelping people discard ordonate belongings, packingup what they want to keepand unpacking andorganizing it in their newplace. She even hefts boxes ifthey’re not too heavy, shesays. “I don’t think I’ve everworked a job where peopleare so grateful for yourhelp.”This surge in olderworkers is not unique to theUnited States. It providesbenefits to developednations around the world. Itboosts the share of peoplecontributing to theeconomy, provides neededworkers at a time whensome portions of theworkforce are shrinking and,potentially, eases thepressure on retirementbenefits systems if itpersuades governments toraise retirement ages.Despite these benefits andthe increasing visibility ofpeople of traditionalretirement age on the job,the negative stereotypingbased on age – known asageism – persists.Learning to lift agebased labels“Ageism is alive and well,”says Jacquelyn James,founder of the SloanResearch Network on Aging& Work at Boston College.“Anyone can make a jokeabout an older person.They’re a geezer, or they’ve‘lost it.’ They can’t do the jobor are slow. ... The discussionabout [President Joe] Bidenhas probably set us backquite a bit.”The problem,gerontologists say, is thatrather than understandingphysical and mentallimitations as a specificchallenge for a specificindividual, such challengesare generalized as “gettingold” and pinned to an entiresegment of the population.The reality is quite different.“I know a lot of guys whoare in their early 80s whoare still flying,” says DanaLyon, a former SouthwestAirlines pilot who at 65 tookmandatory retirement and,13 months later, startedworking again. In his late 60s,he now flies charter planesfor a startup in Texas andplans to continue four or fivemore years, he says. “I loveflying.”While many of thoseworking into their 70s havecut back their hours andconsider themselves retired,some remain quite active.Bob Iger retired as Disney’sCEO at 70, spent less than ayear in retirement and thenreturned to his post twoyears ago at the behest ofthe board of directors. At 84,Nancy Pelosi, while nolonger speaker of the House,is active politically, andhelped persuade PresidentBiden, who is 2 ½ yearsyounger, to end hisreelection campaign lastmonth.More often than not, olderpeople stay in their jobsrather than find new ones.This is especially true ofprofessionals, such aslawyers and professors, aswell as small-businessowners, says Gary Burtless, asenior fellow emeritus at theBrookings Institution, aWashington think tank. Second and thirdcareersJob-seekers over age 65have a hard time gettingemployers to respond totheir applications, let aloneoffer them a job, says Ms.James at Boston College. But there are exceptions.At Stanford University’sDistinguished CareersInstitute, experiencedprofessionals leaving theirprimary career take a yearto explore possibilities. Aneuroscientist is nowpublishing her wildlifephotography; a trial lawyer iswriting mystery novels,according to Katie Connor,the institute’s executivedirector. After working as anenvironmental engineer,founding a coffee company inHong Kong, taking time offto raise her children,lecturing at the University ofColorado at Boulder andeventually running its careeroffice, Ms. Connor came tothe institute to figure outher next step. It turned outto be heading up theinstitute.Thinking outside the boxis a big factor in a successfultransition, she says, as well as“being curious and beingwilling to be a beginner. Itcan make all the difference. ...There are structuralproblems [for older jobseekers looking for achange]. But I also thinkthere are problems in ourown mindset about aging.”Want to work versusneed to workThe rise of older workersalso has its darker side. Roughly half of those onthe job working past age 65are working because theyhave to, not because theywant to, says CraigCopeland, director of wealthbenefits research at theEmployee Benefit ResearchInstitute, a policy researchnonprofit in Washington.About 1 in 3 older adults iseconomically insecure, manyof them Black or Hispanic,according to the CensusBureau.Another downside is thatboomers hanging ontohigher, better-paying jobs canbreed resentment amongyounger workers. “Theyoung guys, they go: ‘You’retaking my spot. You’re an oldman. Get out of there so Ican move up,’” says Mr. Lyon,the pilot.The visibility of suchworkers can increase envyand even ageism, especially ifthe older workers arestruggling at their jobs,Teresa Ghilarducci, anexpert on retirementsecurity at the New Schoolfor Social Research in NewYork, writes in an email. But“on balance, older workersovercome ageism. [Ms.Pelosi] has never been moreeffective. ... She is old andprobably still peaking.” By Laurent BelisePat Callahan, who is in her mid70s, recently went back to workEli Trujillo poses inside hisbarbershop in Cheyenne, WyomngFOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800HELP WANTED:Please email [email protected]’re looking for upbeat Servers/Bartenders to join our crew! If you’re friendly, fast on your feet, and a team player, we want you. Mostly Friday and Saturday nights 6:30 PM - 11:30 PM.SR121825Prepay for your funeral now and the price will be guaranteed. 8226 Sheridan Rd. Kenosha, WI 53143(262) 652-1943 041725www.kenosha-funeral-services.comComplete Funeral (starting at)…… $8,790Includes: Professional Service Fee, Embalming, Other Preparations, 1 Hour Visitation, Funeral Service, Graveside Service, Use of Funeral Coach & Other Necessary Vehicles, 20 ga. Steel Non-Sealing Casket.Make An Appointment To Pre-Plan Your Funeral TodayKenosha Funeral Services and CrematoryQuality • Value • ServiceWhen you need it the most
5 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Salute or push back? When a military order’s legality is in questionLawmakers gathered inclosed-door briefings towatch a video of a U.S.missile strike on a boat thatthe Trump administrationclaims was bringing drugs toAmerica.The footage showed asecond attack ordered byAdm. Frank M. Bradley, thenin charge of the U.S.military’s secretive JointSpecial OperationsCommand. There isbipartisan agreement thatthe strike killed two shirtlesssurvivors holding fast to anoverturned hull.The debate on Capitol Hilland beyond, which beganwith a published reportabout the orders governingthat Sept. 2 boat strike, nowcenters on whether thestrikes were legal and onwhether the order for asecond strike on survivorsviolated military law.On those points,lawmakers watching thesame video came away withstrong views that fell alongparty lines.The top-rankingDemocrat on the HouseIntelligence Committee, Rep.Jim Himes of Connecticut,said he saw “two individualsin clear distress, without anymeans of locomotion, with adestroyed vessel, who werekilled by the United States.”Sen. Tom Cotton, theArkansas Republican whochairs the Senate IntelligenceCommittee, saw “twosurvivors trying to flip a boat– loaded with drugs boundfor the United States – backover so they could stay inthe fight.”That September attackwas the first in what hasbecome a broader U.S. boatstrike operation in theCaribbean Sea and PacificOcean, in which more than80 people have been killed.The Sept. 2 strike, and thedebate surrounding it, is acase study in the sorts ofwrenching decisions U.S.military leaders are chargedwith making, and for whichthey are required to studyethics, moral reasoning, andmilitary law. More broadly,the Trump administration’sentire campaign against whatit calls “narco-terrorists,”treating them for the firsttime as enemy combatants,has been criticized by somemilitary experts as illegal.The result is tension facedby U.S. troops empoweredto kill for national securityor political ends as theycarry out missions: Theycould face harsh criminalsanctions for obeying anunlawful order – ordisobeying a lawful one.“That is the burden everymilitary person bears,” saysretired Maj. Gen. StevenLepper, who served as an AirForce lawyer and instructedtroops on the laws of war. “Itis why they are trainedcontinuously on their legalobligations.”What kind of trainingabout legal orders doservice members get?All new service membersare instructed in the laws ofwarfare, including basics suchas the Geneva Conventions,rules of engagement, and theUniform Code of MilitaryJustice.Officers who lead troops,particularly those enrolled atAmerican militaryacademies, get morenuanced training – includingrequired courses in ethicsand moral reasoning, amongother subjects.A tenured professor atthe U.S. Military Academyuntil he resigned earlier thisyear, Graham Parsons foundthat there was “no debate”when it came to classroomdiscussions about followingillegal orders: Cadets agreedthey would never do it.“That’s just bedrock.”But the tougher casestudies he presented toArmy cadets forced them tograpple with questions suchas how much riskcommanders should take tominimize civilian casualties atthe expense of their owntroops’ safety. The law oftenisn’t clear on such points,Professor Parsons says. Butamong military leaders,“there is an obligation tomanage that line.”To learn how to do that,West Point cadets debategiving and receiving ordersthat are “not clearly illegal,but maybe clearly wrong,” hesays.One of his students’favorite case studies involvesa film called “Lone Survivor,”which has charactersportraying Navy SEALsdebating whether to kill acouple of Afghan goatherders who stumble upontheir mission – and couldgive it away should theyinform the Taliban.“Of course, they do theright thing [and let theherders go unharmed], but itcomes back to bite them.”The goat herders do tell theTaliban, and Taliban fightersambush the SEALs.Lively classroom debateensued. “My sense was thatmany were sympathetic, ormore open, to the idea thatthey should’ve killed theseguys,” Professor Parsonssays.Eventually, though, mostconcluded that killing thegoat herders was notmorally justifiable and thatkilling them ultimatelyproved to be unwisestrategically as well. Forthose who thought theherders should have beenkilled, “We would always say,even if you disagree, youshould know that the lawsays if you kill these people,you could be prosecuted”for war crimes.Further up the ranks, U.S.military generals arerequired by congressionalmandate to take a five-weekworkshop when they receivetheir first star to brush upon topics such as civilmilitary relations and thelaw.How strong is thepressure to obey anorder, regardless of itsperceived legality?Military law is clear: Anorder from a superiorshould be presumed lawfuland is disobeyed at the perilof the subordinate.That includes orders thattroops might suspect areillegal, but are not. These arereferred to by Peter Feaver, aprofessor at Duke Universityand an instructor in thecourse for new generals, as“awful but lawful” orders.Members of the top brasssometimes have theimpression that they canrefuse orders that forcethem to do immoral orunethical things, RichardKohn, a professor emeritusspecializing in militaryhistory at the University ofNorth Carolina at ChapelHill, told the Monitor in aninterview earlier this year.He teaches the workshopalongside Professor Feaver.“We tell them, ‘There’snothing in the UniformCode of Military [Justice] ormilitary law that says you canrefuse an order just becauseyou think it’s immoral orimproper,’” Professor Kohnsaid.But they also receivepointers on how to artfully,tactfully, and at timesforcefully push back whenoffering their best militaryadvice to their civilianbosses.Military leaders generallyhold that encouraging youngsoldiers to second-guess asuperior’s orders canundermine discipline and thesmooth operation of lifeendangering missions.The law endeavors tomake it easier for the rankand file to follow orders bystating that an unlawfulorder is one so obviouslycriminal that a person “ofordinary sense andunderstanding” wouldclearly recognize it as, oralready know it to be, illegal.And when they have deepdoubts about orders, theyare taught to requestclarification from theirleaders, raise issues up thechain of command, or even,in some cases, to “slow roll”them.Still, the pressure to followunlawful orders can besignificant.When he was invited tospeak to sophomores takingan Ethics and MoralReasoning for Navy Leadersclass in 2003 at the U.S.Naval Academy, HughThompson warnedmidshipmen about this.An Army helicopter pilot,Mr. Thompson found himselfin the Vietnamese village ofMy Lai in 1968 as a massacrewas taking place.U.S. troops werebayoneting and shootingunarmed people, many ofthem women and children.Of the more than 500 killed,more than 150 were underthe age of 12.Mr. Thompson landed hishelicopter in the line of fire“to prevent their murder,”reads the Soldier’s Medalcitation he was awardednearly 30 years later. Heconfronted the Americancommander who hadordered the killings and toldhim that he was prepared toopen fire on U.S. troopsshould they harm any morecivilians.Mr. Thompson was “nopeacenik,” he told themidshipmen. “I wasn’t thatkind of guy. You know, I call alieutenant ‘sir.’”He attributed themassacre to low-levelleadership, racism, and“negative peer pressure”that many soldiers thereappeared to face in obeyingorders. Of the 190 or so U.S.troops at My Lai, roughly 13to 18 took active part in thekillings, Mr. Thompson said.The rest stood aside.Treated by manyAmericans as a traitor whohad mutinied, Mr. Thompsonwas threatened withprosecution by lawmakersbefore being recognizeddecades later as a hero.How likely is it thatAdmiral Bradley orothers will be chargedwith taking illegalactions?Based on reports fromAdmiral Bradley’s closeddoor hearing, the Trumpadministration is continuingto build its case that theUnited States is in armedconflict with cartels and thatthe boat crews, which italleges are carrying drugs,are “combatants,” many legalanalysts say.The drugs, Trump officialsfurther argue, should beregarded as lethal weaponscoming to American shores.Critics of this argumentsay speedboats are notwarships – and in somecases might not even becapable of reaching America.They also argue that whilethe 11-person crew killed onSept. 2 might have beenrunning drugs, they would bedeemed criminals, notenemy fighters.“Having drugs on [a] boatis not the same as having anarmed force being arrayedagainst your military,” saysMr. Lepper, a founder of anew consortium of retiredU.S. military lawyers calledthe Former JAGs WorkingGroup. “We have argued thatunless there’s more to itthan that, what we’re seeingis not lawful.”Beyond this, some militarylaw scholars consider thesecond strike on the twosurvivors as an attack onshipwrecked persons. This iscited explicitly in theDefense Department’s Lawof War Manual as an unlawfulact. “I personally have usedstory continues on page 12Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican and chairman of the Senate IntelligenceCommittee, speaks to reporters at the Capitol after a briefing regarding militaryefforts to identify and strike drug boats, in Washington, Dec. 4, 2025.
6 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800No one has faced trial for 2020 ‘fake electors’ plan. In Wisconsin, it might happenThe effort to overturn the2020 election by organizingslates of alternate electorsfor President Donald Trumpbegan in the swing state ofWisconsin. Now, the fitfulattempt to hold thoseorganizers accountablemight hang on what happensthere.Three people charged inwhat became known as the“fake electors” plan are incourt for a pretrial hearingin a case that is one of avanishing few still movingforward.Trump electors werecentral to the campaign’sattempt on Jan. 6, 2021, toprevent Joe Biden from beingcertified as winner of the2020 election. Mr. Trump’slawyers sought to strongarm Vice President MikePence into delaying the votetally by Congress on thegrounds that several states,including Wisconsin, hadsubmitted “dual slates” ofelectors.Those electors representeach state’s actual votes forpresident. If Mr. Pence,presiding over the vote tallyin Congress, had agreed toMr. Trump’s demand to countthe alternate slates or to letCongress decide the winner,Mr. Trump could haveremained in office despiteMr. Biden receiving morevotes. After Mr. Pencerefused, a crowd of Trumpsupporters stormed the U.S.Capitol.Nearly five years on, nocampaign officials or advisershave been tried fororganizing the fake electorsin seven battleground states.A court in Georgia recentlyended a criminal case inwhich Mr. Trump and 18other defendants had beenindicted in August 2023 forracketeering and otheroffenses. In September, ajudge in Michigan dismissed acase against 15 Republicanscharged with fraud forcertifying Mr. Trump as the2020 winner. Criminalprosecutions in other stateshave stalled or facedsetbacks.That makes Wisconsin apotential test case foraccountability for what wasconsidered a national crisisof democratic legitimacy,which continues to cast ashadow over how America’selections are run.Last year, Wisconsincharged three Trump alliesover the fake-electorsscheme. Two, James Troupisand Kenneth Chesebro, wereattorneys for the Trumpcampaign; the third, MichaelRoman, was Trump’s nationaldirector of Election Dayoperations. They each face11 counts of alleged forgery,each carrying prison terms.The three were among 77people pardoned last monthby Mr. Trump for all conductrelating to the scheme and“their efforts to exposevoting fraud andvulnerabilities in the 2020Presidential Election.” Thatpardon – largely symbolicbecause none face federalcharges – doesn’t apply,however, to state courts.(Mr. Trump also haspardoned or commuted thesentences of more than1,500 people charged inconnection with the Jan. 6attack.)None of the 10 fakeelectors, who met secretly inWisconsin’s statehouse onDec. 14, 2020, as the state’slegitimate electors werecasting their votes for Mr.Biden, has been charged.Instead, Wisconsinprosecutors are focusing onthe people who developedthe fake-elector strategy.“It was these lawyers inWisconsin who cooked upthe whole scheme andexported it to the rest of thecountry,” says Jeff Mandell,the co-founder of LawForward, a left-leaning lawfirm in Madison, Wisconsin.In 2023, Wisconsin’s fakeelectors settled a civillawsuit brought by LawForward, admitting to theirrole in the scheme. Mr.Troupis, a retired judge whowas Mr. Trump’s attorney inWisconsin, and Mr.Chesebro, a New Yorkattorney who has since beendisbarred, were both part ofthe settlement. It includedthe release of emails, texts,and memos that detail howMr. Chesebro’s legal theoryof alternate electors wasenthusiastically adopted byMr. Troupis and shared withthe Trump campaign. Mr.Chesebro then providedtemplates for other states toprepare slates of electors forMr. Trump.“They knew what theywere doing, and now they’retrying to escape theconsequences,” says Mr.Mandell, referring to defensemotions to dismiss the case.Joseph Bugni, a lawyer forMr. Troupis, declined tocomment on the felonycharges. Lawyers for Mr.Chesebro and Mr. Romandidn’t respond to emailedrequests for comment.Mr. Troupis criticizedWisconsin’s AttorneyGeneral Josh Kaul after hisindictment, telling reportersat the courthouse that “thisis a political case. This hasnothing to do with the law.”He accused Mr. Kaul, aDemocrat first elected in2019, of hurting the cause ofjustice.Last month, he told SteveBannon’s “The War Room”show that Democratswanted to put him on trialso that they could revive“the Jack Smith case,”referring to the federalindictment of Mr. Trump forattempting to overturn the2020 results, which wasabandoned after the 2024election. “They’re going totry the Jack Smith case inDane County, Wisconsin,next summer on livetelevision,” he said.Scheme was “afantasy” in WisconsinMr. Troupis and othersinvolved in the scheme haveargued that Democrats didthe same in 1960, whenthere was uncertainty aboutHawaii’s presidentialelectors. Of the two slates ofelectors submitted toCongress, the votesultimately went to John F.Kennedy.But this analogy doesn’thold water, says MichaelRosin, an independent legalscholar who has studied the1960 election. Hawaii washolding a recount at thetime, whereas Wisconsin hadalready held a recount thataffirmed Mr. Biden’s narrowvictory. The electors inHawaii met openly in thesame room with the state’sgovernor, who certified bothsets of paperwork.“In 1960, it was veryimportant to the new stateof Hawaii to do everythingright,” he says.The Republican electors inWisconsin could haveinserted legal language thatmade their votes conditionalon the election result beingreviewed by the SupremeCourt, he says. But theirslate would still not havebeen certified as alternateelectors, as Hawaii’s was in1960.“This was just a fantasy onthe part of Chesebro thatthey could change the pathin Wisconsin andelsewhere,” Mr. Rosin says.Mr. Chesebro was alsoamong those indicted inGeorgia’s electioninterference case. Hepleaded guilty in October2023 to a single charge andagreed to cooperate withprosecutors. By then, FultonCounty District AttorneyFani Willis had become anational political figure whoseemed poised to bring Mr.Trump to trial. Mr.Chesebro’s insideknowledge of the fakeelectors scheme, alsopursued in Georgia, madehim an important potentialwitness.But Ms. Willis suffered aspectacular fall a few monthslater after it was revealedthat she had hired a specialprosecutor for the case withwhom she was romanticallyinvolved. She was removedfrom the case lastDecember. A judge endedthe case last month after Ms.Willis’s replacement said itwasn’t feasible to proceed, asMr. Trump’s presidential termwould delay any trial forseveral years, deprivingdefendants of their right to aspeedy trial.“The legal question isreally secondary to thepractical questions,” saysAnthony Michael Kreis, anassociate professor of law atGeorgia State Universitywho has followed the case.Mr. Trump’s criminalindictment in Georgia,where he had urged thestate’s top election official in2020 to “find” sufficientvotes to flip the outcome,became fuel for his politicalcomeback in 2024.Supporters rallied to defendJames Troupis addresses member of the media after acourt appearance in Madison, Wisconsin, Dec. 12, 2024.story continues on page 13TORCASOAnd So Much More...Purses • Backpacks • Belts and most leather goods3305 60th Street • 262-654-3839Now Open Mon. - Fri. 9:30am-5pm • Sat. 9:30am-1pmFull Service Repairs Done In HouseSR100622PaulaRay GetReady ForWinter!Wh SR060525y settle for wood posts when you can get lifetime steel posts. 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7 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800OPINIONFormer New HampshireGov. Chris Sununu took to aMidwest stage and let it rip.Democracy is not imploding;the United States willsurvive, he said.The nation will see newadministrations after thispresidency, he counseled.Some you might like as avoter; others you will not.Now, go verbally joustwith your neighbor over aproposal at city hall until youfind some common ground.Or, if you prefer, attend yourchild’s school board meeting.In a nutshell, these werethe remedies Sununuoffered, very valid ones, forthe malaise that hovers overnational politics. Take it froman out-of-office politician.Apparently, it’s freeing tostep away from beingbeholden to an upcomingpolitical campaign.Sununu is part of theprivate sector now. InSeptember, the four-termgovernor became presidentand CEO of Airlines forAmerica, a trade associationand lobbying group.He appeared as the guestspeaker for Evening at theSquare 2025, a program ofKansas City-based AmericanPublic Square. (Disclosure,I’m on the American PublicSquare board and very muchagree with the organization’sgoal to promote fact-based,civil conversations onimportant civic topics.)Sununu delivered. TheRepublican addressedproblems looming over thenation, including our $38trillion national debt. He alsooutlined the top problems ofnational politics, beginningwith the need for termlimits. He pointed out that itwas a Democrat from NewHampshire who broke ranksand helped end thegovernment shutdown inNovember.U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheencould do so, he said, becauseshe’s not running again.Shaheen captured her seatin 2008 from older brotherJohn E. Sununu who hasannounced that he is runningagain to reclaim it, althoughChris Sununu didn’t mentionthat part of the back story.He did slam the big moneyof political campaigns. Darkmoney and giant super PACsare a “colossal mess,” he said.In fact, if Sununu had triedto run again, the campaignwould have cost $100million.“Ninety-five percent of themoney would have comefrom outside of the state andhave nothing to do with mybrand, with what my citizenswanted, with what we reallyneeded for the state of NewHampshire,” he said.Consultants who reap thefinancial benefits are part ofthe scam of campaigns thatcan stretch from 18 monthsto more than two years.Sununu also decriedgerrymandering. Redrawingcongressional districtsexplicitly to grab extra seatsfor one party or the other isalmost impossible to undo,he said.He called the currentgerrymandering of Texas, atthe hands of the GOP-ledlegislature, “terrible,” andCalifornia’s Democrat-ledresponse “awful.”OPINIONPresident Trump gotwhat might be consideredsome good news last week,though most of the majorAmerican media ignored it.According to a UK DailyMail/J.L. Partners survey,the president’s approvalrating increased from 45percent to 47 percentbetween November 21 andDecember 4. The pollincluded 1,000 registeredvoters who participated inonline surveys; the marginof error is 3.1 percent, so itcould be a wash, but at thispoint any good news is aplus for the administration.The administration alsotook credit for lower gasprices which it said hadfallen to under $3 dollars agallon nationwide, except inCalifornia where theaverage price for a gallon ofregular is $4.36 as ofDecember 6. State andfederal excise taxesincrease the cost to anaverage of $4.50 forregular, the highest in thenation. Even in Californiagas prices are lower thanthey have been in recentyears.Democrats areconspiring to make“affordability” their onlyissue ahead of the midterm elections. They may besetting a trap forthemselves, not onlybecause it has been thepolicies of the previousRepublican administrationsthat have experienceddelayed price drops, butbecause what’s happeningin the current economybears a strong resemblanceto another scenario 40years ago.Remember the “miseryindex”? That was the labelapplied to the economicpolicies of Jimmy Carterwho presided over doubledigit inflation, double-digitmortgage rates and doubledigit unemployment.Ronald Reagan faced theseeconomic challenges as heentered office in 1981.Democrats won 26 seats inthe House in the 1982 midterms, padding theirmajority, largely becauseprices for everythingremained high. Reagan andmembers of hisadministration said what isnow being said by Trump –that things would getbetter and that it took timeto repair the damagecaused by Carter’s fouryears in office.The repairs would come,but it took nearly all ofReagan’s first term beforevoters could feel it. Reaganwas also confronted withthe twin monsters ofinflation and stagflation. Hecut taxes, eliminatedunnecessary regulationsand spurred investment. By1984 when he ran for reelection and won in alandslide it was “Morning inAmerica,” the theme of ahighly effective political ad.President Trump isemulating Reagan bycutting taxes, deregulatingand shrinking the size andcost of government. Hesays his tariffs are bringingin trillions of dollars andhas promised “rebatechecks” for the poor andmiddle class.The UK Daily Mail pollcredits the two-pointuptick in Trump’s approvalrating to stabilizing prices,resulting in “spendingrecords … over theThanksgiving holiday,despite concerns over anaffordability crisis whichTrump has branded a‘Democrat scam.’ BlackFriday and Cyber Mondaybroke online spendingrecords. Over theThanksgiving weekend,$44.2 billion was spentonline alone, according toan Adobe Analytics report.”In addition, the stockmarket’s upward trendcontinues, fattening the401K and other mutualfund accounts for retireesand those still working.The president has hit theroad to “sell” his economicplan, as Reagan did. Heshould remind voters howwe have seen this play outbefore and the results. Hemight ask a question thatshould be more thanrhetorical: “Why would youconsider returning topower those Democratsand their policies thatcaused the economicproblems, instead of votingfor Republicans who arestarting to make headwayin solving them?”Democrats and theirmedia allies will try to closevoters’ eyes and urge themto rely exclusively on“feelings.” Trump andcongressional Republicansshould ask voters if theywish to return to theCarter and Biden past, ormove forward with Reaganlike policies that produceda brighter economic future?Is the economyabout to turn inTrump’s favor?with Cal ThomasReaders may email CalThomas [email protected] for Cal Thomas’ latestbook “A Watchman in theNight: What I've Seen Over50 Years Reporting onAmerica\" (HumanixBooks).my turnstory continues on page 7Overwhelmed by the doom and gloom of national politics? Head to City Hallwith Mary SanchezReaders can reach MarySanchez [email protected] follow her on [email protected] Donald Trump attends a meeting of his Cabinet in theCabinet Room of the White House on December 02, 2025Chris Sununu, president and chief executive officer ofAirlines for America, speaks during a Senate Committee onCommerce, Science and Transportation hearing on CapitolHill on Nov. 19, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
8 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800OPINIONDecember 7, 2025marked the 84thanniversary of Japan'sdastardly attack on PearlHarbor. Only a handful ofsurvivors are left. And veryfew Americans were alivethen. Hence, Pearl Harboras past wars and battles, ispassing into the distantmists of time.What is interesting is thata surprising number ofvisitors to Pearl Harbormemorial for the USSArizona, in which anadmiral, Isaac Kidd, and1,177 of his shipmatesperished, are Japanese.That suggests how muchtimes have changed. Japan isnow a close and trusted ally.So is Germany. AndAmerican allies in that warare now on opposite sides:China and Russia.One wonders whatconditions will be like 84years from now in 2109.Not even Hollywood orNetflix could come close inits movies portraying thatfuture. But let's compareDecember 1941 andDecember 2025 to showwhat has changed.Franklin DelanoRoosevelt was president.FDR was considered themost powerful president atthat point with his NewDeal legislation andattempts to pack theSupreme court. Democratsheld 267 out of 435 Houseseats and 66 out of 96 seatsin the Senate. The war inEurope had consumed FDRas he used every means tosupport Great Britain thatstood alone against theHitlerian juggernaut.The economy was finallyemerging from theDepression. In 2025 dollars,the U.S. gross domesticproduct was about $2.8trillion and the debt about$1.5 trillion to $2 trillion.The population wasabout 133 million.Disparities between richand poor, measured by theGINI coefficient, was 42%,That means moderate tohigh inequality.The literacy rate was96%. Life expectancy was64, two years after SocialSecurity kicked in.Television was in itsinfancy. Radio and themovies were in their prime.Aviation was still in its earlystages. Jet engines andnuclear weapons had notbeen invented andintercontinental travel waslimited. Penicillin was rare,as were antibiotics, andchemotherapy had notbeen invented. Eighty-eightpercent of Americanfamilies owned cars andonly a handful hadpassports.Today, Donald Trump hasamassed power far beyondwhat FDR could haveimagined. The SupremeCourt seems determinedto expand that power, too.Congress however is onlymarginally in the hands ofRepublicans. In the Senate itis 53-47 (with twoIndependents caucusingwith the Democrats). In theHouse, the Republicanshave a 219-213 majoritywith three empty seats.Instead of regardingEurope as a close ally, theTrump administration hasbeen dismissive accusingEuropeans of becoming\"non-European\" indemographic content.While FDR passed LendLease to come to Britain'sdefense, Trump now wantsEurope to assume a fargreater burden inprotecting its nationalsecurity and aiding war tornUkraine.U.S. focus has shifted tothe Indo-Pacific region, andChina has been designatedthe top U.S, defensepriority, if not the \"pacing\"threat Not only jet enginesare in service. Rockets blastinto deep space as onemeans of deliveringthermonuclear weapons onan enemy.In 2025, the U.S. GDP is$29 trillion and its nationaldebt is approaching $40trillion. The population hadalmost tripled to 340million. Life expectancy ismore than 78 years, 16years after Social Securitypayments could bereceived. But literacycollapsed to about 79%, andthe disparities betweenbetween rich and poor,measured by the GINIcoefficient, is about thesame.Medical proceduresdeemed miraculous in1941, such as treatmentsfor cancer and transplantsfor vital organs, are routinein 2025. Ninety-onepercent of Americans owncars.Where moods wereconcerned, most Americanshad not recovered yet froma decade of Depression. Theworld scene was also grim.The Spanish Civil War hadended. Hitler had occupiedEurope. And Americanswere divided about beingdrawn into a second worldwar. Pearl Harbor changedthat.American anger at thesurprise attack unified thenation. The military wouldexpand from severalhundred thousand to 11million. Defense productionbrought women into theworkforce. The fact is thatPearl Harbor rejuvenatedAmerica and Americans.Today, not less thanthree-fifths and as many asthree-fourths of Americansbelieve the nation is headedin the wrong direction.Government credibility isnon-existent. And politicshave become, by anymeasure, nastily uncivil andperhaps never so dividedsince the Civil War.The question is whatdramatic event could havethe chastening effect ofPearl Harbor, if any?Answering that questionmay be impossible. Andextending the changes from1941 to 2025 to 2109 doesnot seem to present ahappy picture. PerhapsHollywood can do better.A whole lot has changed since the days ofPearl Harborwith Harlan Ullmanmy turnHarlan Ullman is UPI'sArnaud de BorchgraveDistinguished Columnist; senioradviser at Washington'sAtlantic Council, chairman of aprivate company and principalauthor of the doctrine ofshock and awe. His next book,co-written with Field MarshalThe Lord David Richards,former U.K. chief of defenseand due out next year, is WhoThinks Best Wins: PreventingStrategic Catastrophe. Thewriter can be reached on [email protected] Ullman joinsHappenings Q&A on Fri Jan 2nd at 9:20am on AM1050 WLIPA surprising number of visitors to Pearl Harbor memorial for the USS Arizona, inwhich an admiral, Isaac Kidd, and 1,177 of his shipmates perished, are Japanese.Sununu didn’t mention it,but the state where hedelivered his remarks,Missouri, is embroiled in agame of redrawingcongressional districtsoutside of the usual U.S.Census-delineated period.The goal of the Republicanled Missouri legislature is totake the Democrat-held seatof U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver.The day after Sununuspoke, more than 300,000petition signatures weresubmitted in an effort toplace the newgerrymandered map beforevoters. Numerous lawsuitsare ongoing, and it’s sure toplay out in the courts first.Sununu also showed up asa fire breathing optimist. Andhe adamantly advised turningto issues closer to home.The Sununu legacy ofpolitical involvement beganwith his mother, who waselected to the school board.His father, an engineer,followed suit, first runningfor the local planning board.It’s a more maternal, andlocal start to how his fathereventually became governorand served in the WhiteHouse as chief of staff toGeorge H. W. Bush.“Find your skill, find yourthing at the local level, andengage,” Sununu advised.He’s right of course.It’s one reason that themedia is increasingly hyperfocusing on local issues. “Wehear about national politics,but what really impacts ourfamily’s life, is what’shappening locally, and that’swhere you can have themost impact,” the formergovernor said.Finally, Sununu recountedthe long view – insights froma conversation with formerPresident George W. Bush.The nation, Bush toldSununu, made it through theCivil War, then WWI andWWII, with the institutionsthat make up our checks andbalances intact. Bush pointedto the tremendous nationalpain following theassassinations of the 1960s:Martin Luther King, Jr.,Robert F. Kennedy and JohnF. Kennedy.In the aftermath of suchbloodshed, some peopletried to argue that theAmerican experiment wasover. And yet, the nationmoved forward and showedsimilar resolve after theterrorist attacks ofSeptember 11, 2001.Not everyone in thecrowd agreed with the rosyperspective. Each person inattendance could probablyhave listed an element ofnational politics that deeplytroubles us.Sununu wasn’tdownplaying the seriousissues. But he emphasizedthe resilience of the nation.“It’s not like this amazingexperiment of the UnitedStates is dwindling,” he said.He pressed forinvolvement, notdisengagement, beginninglocally, neighbor to neighbor,which requires listening withempathy.“Democracy is not beingthreatened,” he concluded. “Iwould argue democracy is asstrong as ever before,because people areengaging.”The packed audience, justbeing present, proved hispoint.Mary Sanchezcontinued from page 6
9 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Eating a healthy diet mayhelp reduce the risk of amiscarriage, according toresearch at the Universityof Birmingham.Researchers analyzed 20studies that exploredwomen's eating habits inthe months before andshortly after conceiving ababy to see whetherstudies showed anassociation with a lower orhigher chance ofmiscarriage. The study waspublished in the journal\"Fertility and Sterility.\" Researchers found that adiet rich in fruit, vegetables,seafood, dairy products,eggs and whole grainsreduces miscarriage risk.When compared to lowconsumption, high intake offruit may be associated witha 61% reduction inmiscarriage risk and highvegetable intake may beassociated with a 41%reduction in miscarriagerisk. The researchers founda 37% reduction for dairyproducts, 33% for grainsand 19% for seafood andeggs.Led by Dr Yealin Chung,researchers also looked atwhether predefined dietarytypes, such as theMediterranean diet orfertility diet, could also belinked to miscarriage risk.They could not findevidence that following anyof these diets lowered orraised risk. However, awhole diet containinghealthy foods overall, orfoods rich in antioxidantsources, and low in proinflammatory foods orunhealthy food groups maybe associated with areduction in miscarriagerisk for women.However, a diet high inprocessed food was shownto be associated withdoubling of miscarriagerisk.The studies included inthe analysis focused on thepericonception period -- aperiod before and duringthe first three months ofpregnancy. Data collectedfrom a total of 63,838healthy women ofreproductive age wasincluded, with informationon their diets typicallycollected through foodfrequency questionnairesfor each study.The bottom line? Ahealthy diet is alwayshelpful, including for thosewanting to conceive.Charlyn Fargo is aregistered dietitian withSIU Med School inSpringfield, Ill. food & recipesDiet and miscarriage risksNutrition News with Charlyn FargoCaramelized Leek and Asparagus Crustless QuicheServes 6For the filling:1/4 cup olive oil5 leeks, light green and white part only,cleaned and thinly sliced1 pound pencil thin asparagus, cleaned and cutinto thirds, use the tips and the top of thestalks about, 4 cups1/2 shredded carrots, optionalSalt and pepperFor the quiche:6 eggs2 cups milk1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon saltFreshly ground black pepperFor the side salad:2 cups arugula1/4 cup favorite vinaigrette1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan onmedium-high heat. Add the leeks and saute forabout 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally,or until lightly caramelized. Add the asparagusand saute for about 4 to 5 minutes or untilcrisp tender, stirring occasionally. Theasparagus will turn bright green. Season withsalt and pepper. Cool.3. Combine the eggs, milk, cheeses, flour,baking powder and salt and pepper in amedium bowl and whisk until completelyblended.4. Place the leek mixture on the bottom of agreased 11-inch quiche pan and evenlydistribute.5. Place the quiche pan on a foil-lined bakingsheet and bake for about 45 minutes or untiljust firm. The center should be slightly jiggly.While the quiche is baking, toss the arugulawith the vinaigrette and reserve.6. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10minutes. Cut into slices and serve immediatelyalongside arugula salad.Crustless quiche has become a beloved classic at our Christmas brunch, always taking centerstage at the holiday table. Quiche, once a novel French dish that took America by storm in the1960s and ’70s, traditionally features a custard base with cheese and often vegetables, all bakedinside a flaky crust. Sliced like pie and served with a simple green salad, quiche became thesignature entrée for elegant lunches.While a crisp, buttery crust is delicious, omitting it does little to detract from the rich, custardy,and cheesy filling. In fact, the absence of crust gives this quiche a lighter texture that my family nowspecifically requests. It’s wonderful to have a cherished family dish that everyone looks forward toduring the holiday season.Although asparagus is typically a spring vegetable, pencil-thin stalks often appear at the marketaround the holidays. If asparagus isn’t available, thinly sliced zucchini makes a perfect substitute. Thecombination of Parmesan and Gruyere cheeses infuses the custard with a nutty, zesty flavor. Whileshredded carrots are optional, they provide a lovely contrast of color against the green vegetables.Adding a touch of flour and baking powder gives the custard additional structure and a slightpuffiness. This dish is a festive and flavorful addition to your Christmas celebration.By Diane Rossen WorthingtonServings: 63 cups chopped fresh or frozen, thawed and drained rhubarb (about 12ounces)2 cups sliced strawberries (about 12 ounces)3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided2 tablespoons cornstarchZest of 1 orange1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger1/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided1 cup rolled oats1/4 cup white whole-wheat, whole-wheat pastry, all-purpose or all-purposegluten-free flour4 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons canola oil or other mild-flavored oil such asgrapeseed or safflower1 teaspoon ground gingerPreheat oven to 350 F. In large bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, 2tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, vanilla, chopped ginger and 1/8teaspoon salt. Transfer to shallow 2-quart baking dish. In medium bowl,combine oats, flour, remaining 1 tablespoon sugar, butter, oil, ground gingerand remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle crumb mixture over fruit. Bakeuntil fruit is bubbly around the edges and topping has browned, 30 to 35minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving. Per serving: 213 calories, 3 g protein, 29 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat (2 gsaturated), 4 g fiber, 10 g sugar (6 g added), 97 mg sodium.Low Sugar Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
10 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Q: What is your opinionon saving apps, like Acornsand Robinhood? Are they agood way to save money?A: I’m all in on anythingthat encourages you to saveyour money and get a jumpstart on retirement, and thatincludes where you bank andsaving-friendly apps. Thatsaid, some lean into savingand investing withgamification and gambling,which makes me a bitqueasy.Q: My current advisor hasinformed me that he’ll soonbe increasing his fees. Afterbecoming much moreinformed and doing a lot ofresearch, I’m at the pointwhere I’d like to move theaccount and manage itmyself. Is this doable? If so,what’s my first step?A: Moving is definitelydoable. Your first step is toinitiate a direct rollover fromyour current advisor’scustodial firm to whereveryou decide to open yournew accounts. Thendetermine if you want tomaintain the same allocationthat you had.If so, and the old accountwas populated with passiveinvestments (index funds),you are ready to go. If youowned funds or assets thatyou do not want to keep,you will need to factor intaxes, if it is a taxableaccount. Keep an eye on thefees for the replacementfunds and don’t forget torebalance on a periodicbasis.Q: My wife and I havespoken to a financial advisorwhose compensation wouldbe one percent of the valueof our portfolio. That onepercent comes to about$6,000 this year. He haslooked at our investmentsand says he can do better forus. Is one percent acustomary fee?A: One percent isstandard on accounts up toabout $2,000,000. But, if thisperson isn’t doing anythingbut managing your money,then I would encourage youto keep looking for someonewho offers comprehensivefinancial planning. Also, I amoften dubious of advisorswho promise “doing better”as part of their pitches.Q: I recently was notifiedthat I’m part of the highlycompensated club and I’mnow only able to contributea portion of my Roth 401(k),not the full max amount,which is what I’ve been doingfor the last several years. I’mcurious what tax advantageoptions I have at this pointthat would be best to utilize.A: One option is toconsider a backdoor RothIRA. But there is a caveat: todo so, you can’t have anexisting traditional IRAaccount. If that’s the case,you would make a nondeductible contribution intoa traditional IRA and thenimmediately convert it to aRoth. Most major firms willhelp you execute a backdoorRoth. Another idea is toutilize a health savingsaccount, if your employeroffers it. HSAs offer a tripletax advantage which in theworld of financial planning ispretty much a grand slam!Q: When my nieces andnephews were born, Iopened up an UTMAaccount for them and madecontributions on a monthlybasis. After 13 years I have anew nephew coming and Iwas wondering with the new529 rules, should I stick withthe UTMA or use a 529?A: New rules or not, Itend to favor a 529 plan overthe UTMA account. But thenew rules make the 529 evenmore compelling. Foraccounts that are open for atleast 15 years, you cantransfer up to $35,000 ofunused 529 funds to a RothIRA in the beneficiary’sname. The annual transfershave to comply with the IRAlimits in that given year.The U.S. economy isgrowing, and the stockmarket is up, so why are somany Americans feeling leftbehind?“The economy looksbetter on paper, than inreality for many,” says DianeSwonk Chief EconomistKPMG. In a recent interviewthat I conducted with herfor my podcast, Swonk saidwhat we are seeing is a Kshaped economy.Here’s how it works:Picture the letter K. The toparm goes up, whichrepresents those parts ofthe economy that are doingwell, like tech (specificallythose companies withexposure to artificialintelligence) and highearners who own homesand investments.On top of these twodistinct groups, manycompanies that wereexposed to the Trumptariffs, tried to front-runthem by loading up oninventory in March and July.Those purchases, along withmassive AI spending(estimated to account for40 percent of economicgrowth this year), has juicedup economic activity, andpropelled the stock marketto new highs.For those who ownedstocks, that was great news.And while there is evidencethat the pandemic created anew generation of investors,they still account for a smallshare of the overallownership in the stockmarket.According to data fromthe Federal Reserve, the top10% of Americans by wealthown a record high 89% of allU.S. stocks held byhouseholds. With the S&P500 index up over 85% overthe past five years, not tomention house prices thathave jumped about 50%during the same timeperiod, this group has seenmassive wealthaccumulation.Meanwhile, the bottomarm of the K representsindividuals (and thosesectors that rely on them)who make less than$175,000 a year, who areworried about their jobs,and who are contendingwith still-high prices.These folks may haveexposure to the stockmarket inside of theirretirement plans, but thesmaller account values andthe length of time beforethey can access the fundsmeans that they are farmore focused on their dayto-day experience in theeconomy.That experience ishighlighted by elevated pricelevels in big spendingcategories, like “child care,elder care, health care,housing, and automobilecosts,” says Swonk. Theyawning gap between themiddle/low and upperwealth echelons shows upin University of MichiganSentiment Index, as the vastmajority say that they arefeeling pessimism about theeconomy.Nobel laureateeconomist Paul Krugmannotes that “by conventionalmeasures it (the economy)isn’t doing badly enough tojustify the extremelynegative views Americanscurrently hold.” And yet,people now “have a worseview of the economy nowthan in mid-2022, wheninflation hit around 9%; inthe immediate aftermath ofthe financial crisis, whenunemployment was indouble digits; or in 1980,when the economy was inrecession and had doubledigit inflation.”Part of the issue with lowconfidence is anxiety aboutthe labor market. Evenwithout official data duringthe government shutdown,workers are well-aware oflayoffs, which despiteheadlines about largecompanies like Amazon, areespecially acute in smallcompanies; a reduction injob availability; and overallwage stagnation.I asked Swonk about herrecent article where shequoted John F. Kennedy’swords from a 1963 speech:“a rising tide lifts all boats.”The problem that we see inthe K-Shaped economy “isthat all boats do not risewith the tide. Some are notseaworthy, others areanchored in place and toomany lack the means to owna boat.”Swonk notes that unlessthe economy reacceleratesin a more inclusive way,there is a risk that someAmericans will slip beneaththe water’s surface.Jill Schlesinger, CFP, is a CBSNews business analyst. Aformer options trader and CIOof an investment advisory firm,she welcomes comments andquestions [email protected]. jill on moneyYour questions,answeredby Jill SchlesingerIs the economy A-OK?by Jill SchlesingerTraders work on the floor of the New York StockExchange on Dec. 2, 2025, in New York
11 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800I don’t know of a livingperson that looks forwardto an expensive service call.Your AC may quit on thehottest day, your kitchensink may get clogged withegg shells three hoursbefore your Thanksgivingguests arrive, or yourfurnace or boiler maydecide to take the night offduring a wicked cold spell.I’m going to share a few tipsin this column that shouldsave you many hundreds ofdollars.You may think I don’tsuffer as you might, but I’mnot immune to service calls.Just last year, my wife calledme on a frigid Decembermorning while I was at myson’s house. She awoke to avery cold house. I hadstayed the night at my son’shouse, 70 miles south. I wasdoing back-to-back days ofwork, helping him finish hisbasement.Our relatively newmodulating boiler hadstopped working. I rushedhome and immediately sawthe error code on the digitalreadout. I tried to restartthe boiler. It would light andstart to fire up, but then itwould shut down. I switchedout the ignitor (think of anautomobile spark plug) butthat did no good. I was outof options. It was time tocall in a boiler pro.My wife has manyexpensive orchids, and wecouldn’t allow them toperish with the droppingtemperatures. I called a localcompany that servicedboilers. Two hours later, atech was here. Before hecrossed my threshold, theprice was already $300, as itwas a Saturday.He spent an hour tryingto get the boiler to workand was running into deadends. Finally, he took off theclamp holding thecombustion-air intake pipeto the boiler. The boilercould now get air from thebasement mechanical room.Instantly, the boiler startedup and ran perfectly.Ten minutes later, thetech and I had removed theoutdoor cover for theintake and exhaust pipe. Aflat beech tree leaf hadsomehow found a waythrough a narrow 1/2-inchslot. Each time the boilertried to fire up, the leafwould be pulled against theintake pipe, robbing theboiler of air. A sensor wouldshut down the boiler as asafety. Ten minutes afterthat, the tech was swipingmy credit card for an $800service call.I’ve selected three of thetop things you can do withease to prevent service callsor damage to the delicatesurfaces of your home. Let’sget started.Plumbing clogs might rankin the top three service callsof all time. There arenational companies devotedto nothing more thansnaking out drain clogs.Many other plumbersspecialize in this muchneeded service. In almost allcases, you, the homeowner,do very silly things thatcreate the clogs.Food waste and greasecreate the most commonclogs. The basket strainer inyour sink often has fournarrow slots that preventlarge food waste fromgetting into the drain pipes.This is not enough. Youshould be using a veryinexpensive strainer that fitsinside your existing basketstrainer. This secondarystrainer is made with a finemesh stainless steel screen.The holes are so small thata peppercorn would becaught in the mesh.Purchase one or two ofthese and stop all foodwaste from getting intoyour pipes. Food wasteoften doesn’t make it to theprimary building drain inyour home. It begins tobuild up and clog the pipeimmediately behind yourkitchen sink cabinet. Sop upall grease from plates, pots,and pans with used papertowels. Try to minimizegrease going down yourdrains.Garage door service callsare no doubt high on the listof unnecessary expenses.Many people neglect theirgarage doors. It’s veryimportant to keep the rollerwheels lubricated and thetracks clean.It’s vital to keep thepowerful springs that lift thedoor rust-free. A rustyspring can snap withoutwarning. Springs withinmiles of saltwater corrodemuch faster than normal.You can prevent rust byspray by painting thesprings, or you can spray thebare metal with apenetrating oil. Never try toadjust this spring. Leave thatto a professional. But youcan get on a short stepladder and safely spray thisspring with a lightweight oilto prevent rust. It’sexpensive to replace abroken garage door spring.The failure to rememberbasic high school chemistryknowledge can also drainmoney from your checkingaccount. You can ruinpainted surfaces in yourhome with aggressivecleaning practices. My owndaughter did this to ourentrance hall walls using amagic pad that’s beenbanned from my house. Sheburnished the flat wall paint,trying to clean off stains.Now there are randompolished spots that willrequire me to repaint thewalls.Water is the universalsolvent. Food stains, mud,dirt and so forth oftencontain some amount ofwater. Stains bond very wellto walls and furniture oncethe water evaporates.All you have to do isrehydrate the stain, and inmany cases, it will come offwith minimal rubbing. Youcan rehydrate a stain bygetting a small paper towelwet. Squeeze out the excesswater. Apply the towel ontothe stain and press it againstthe stain so the wet towelcontacts the stain. Wait 15minutes and then try togently rub the stain. You’lldiscover, in most cases, thestain disappears with verylittle effort.If you’ve not priced outwhat painters charge thesedays, there’s a good chanceit will take your breath awayto find out what it will costto paint a couple of walls. Towash painted walls, use asimple solution of liquid dishsoap and water. That's allyou need to make wallslook new. I prefer to use aninexpensive grout spongewhen washing my paintedwalls.Try it on just one wall,and you’ll be amazed.Remember, do the samething with the sponge as youdid with the paper towel.Get the wall wet with thesoapy water, let it sit for fiveminutes, then come backwith the sponge and rinsethe wall with clear water.The five-minute dwell timeis enough to produceprofessional results.How to avoid expensive service callsAsk the Builder with Tim CarterSubscribe to Tim’s FREE newsletter atAsktheBuilder.com. Tim offers phonecoaching calls if you get stuck during a DIYjob. Go here:go.askthebuilder.com/coachingTim Carter joinsHappenings Q&A on Mon Dec 22nd at9:20am on AM1050 WLIP Paramount sees hundreds quitover return-to-office orderParamount saw roughly600 employees opt to leavethe company instead ofcomplying with its directiveto return to the office fivedays a week, the mediaconglomerate disclosed in aregulatory filing.The company stated in thefiling that it gave employeesin its Los Angeles and NewYork offices the choice oftaking a severance package ifthey were unwilling to giveup working from home.Paramount began phasing itsreturn-to-office planbeginning in January 2026 aspart of what it described inthe filing as creating \"a moreconnected, agileorganization\" that wouldunlock its \"full potential.\"The news comes less thantwo weeks after Paramountbegan slashing what isexpected to amount to 10%of its jobs spread across itstelevision, film, streaming andcorporate divisions. The cutsbegan with about 1,000 of itsU.S.-based jobs with another1,000 to follow, ParamountCEO David Ellison wrote ina memo that was madepublic late last month.The regulatory filingstated that the cuts wouldallow the company to\"streamline decision-makingand reduce the friction thatcan prevent great ideas fromadvancing.\"The restructuring followsParamount finalizing itsmerger with Skydance Mediain August, creating the newentertainment giantParamount Skydance. Thetransaction was delayed byPresident Donald Trump's$10 billion lawsuit againstCBS News, a Paramountsubsidiary, accusing it ofdeceptively editing a 60Minutes interview with thenDemocratic presidentialnominee Kamala Harris.While Paramount said thelawsuit was meritless, itsettled with Trump for $16million. That cleared the wayfor the merger, but drewcriticism that the companycapitulated to Trump andsuggested it amounted to abribe.Paramount drew furthercriticism for cancellingTrump critic StephenColbert's late-night talkshow on CBS. However, JonStewart, another Trumpcritic, recently renewed hiscontract to host The DailyShow every Monday throughDecember 2026.By Josh Martin
12 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Dear Cathy, I readyour column and alwayslearn something, so thankyou for that. I volunteer at alocal rescue and often bringyour column in to sharewith others.I have a 10-year-oldterrier mix and two-yearold chihuahua, who Iadopted a year ago. Thatwas the best thing I everdid for my older dog whohad always been an onlydog. They'reinseparable and my husbandand I adore them both.My issue, however, is thebarking when the doorbellrings or someone knocks.The little chihuahualiterally brays like a donkey.That sounds funny, but youcannot talk to anyone atthe front door. She barkswhen she likes you andwants more attention, andbarks at the door whenAmazon delivers packages.If we have a scheduledappointment I can put herin another room, treat herand praise her and thebarking is manageable andminimal. But naturally it's thoseunexpected knocks on thedoor when I find myselfyelling or slapping anewspaper, basically losingmy cool. I have triedsitting with her and talkingcalmly, petting her oroffering treats (which shewon't take at that time). Iam at my wit’s end becauseI can't break this cycle andit really is terriblydistressing.Please share yourwisdom. She's a delightfuldog and we love her. But it'simpossible to get someonethrough the front door. —Lorraine, Tucson, ArizonaDear Lorraine, Thankyou for reading and sharingmy column – and forvolunteering with a localrescue. That means theworld to me.Now, about that barking.Believe it or not, your littleone is just doing her job.Dogs were our firstdoorbells – the originalhome security system. Withhearing about four timessharper than ours, they candetect sounds up to aquarter of a mile away. So,when she barks at the door,she’s not misbehaving; she’sbeing the loyal lookoutnature designed her to be.That said, it can beoverwhelming, especiallywith surprise visitors. Whileyou can’t stop her fromalerting you, you can teachher when to stop. Startwith the “quiet” cue, orsaying “thank you, I got it.”When the barking starts,calmly say one of thosecommands, and wait for asplit second of silence. Themoment she pauses, rewardher. If she’s too worked up tostop, toss a super high-valuetreat onto the floor toredirect her attention(something you only giveher when training – thinkunsalted chicken). Sheshould stop barking tofollow it, so praise herwhen she does using thosecommands, followed by amarker word, like “Bingo,”to mark the desiredbehavior. Toss another treatonto the floor if she followsthe first one.You can’t practice thismid-chaos, so you will needto have someone ring thebell on cue. That way youcan practice withoutopening the door. Inaddition to the doortraining, practice shortimpulse-control exercisesthroughout the day, like“sit” and “wait,” beforemeals and treats to helpbuild her patience, whichwill carry over to doorbellmoments.You won’t stop her fromalerting you, but withpractice, she’ll learn thather job ends once she’s toldyou someone’s there.Dear Cathy, I recentlyadopted a two-year-old cat,and she’s wonderful, exceptshe scratches the furnitureeven though she hasmultiple scratching postsaround the house. I’ve triedmoving the posts, usingdeterrent sprays, andtrimming her nails regularly,but she still prefers thecouch. What else can I doto train her to use herscratching post instead? —Janice, Las Vegas, NevadaDear Janice,Scratching is a natural andnecessary behavior for cats.It helps them stretch, markterritory, and shed old nailsheaths. The trick isn’t tostop her from scratchingbut to make the right spotsmore appealing than thecouch.Try placing a sturdyvertical post (covered insisal, not carpet) directly infront of her favoritescratching area near thefurniture. Sprinkle catnip oruse feline pheromone sprayto encourage her to use it.Or provide a few of herfavorite treats to lure herto the post. Once she startsusing it, you can slowlymove it to a moreconvenient spot.During this training, ithelps to have a deterrent,like putting double-sidedtape on the furniture tohelp her break the habit.She shouldn’t like how thetape feels to her paws andwill leave that spot aloneafter a few tries. There arealso lots of furnitureprotectors these days madeespecially because of cats.Training takes longerwith cats than dogs, so bepatient.Pet Worldwith Cathy RosenthalAs well as being a recuringguest on Happenings Q&A,Cathy M. Rosenthal is alongtime animal advocate,author, columnist and petexpert who has more than30 years in the animalwelfare field. Send your petquestions, stories and tips [email protected] to teach dogs whento stop barkingCathy Rosenthal joinsHappenings Q&A on Thu Jan 8th at 9:20 on AM1050 WLIP Weasel-like fisher seenin Cleveland for thefirst time since 1800sCleveland Metroparksannounced a fisher -- ananimal related to weaselsand ferrets -- has beencaught on camera in a citywildlife area for the firsttime in over a century.Cleveland Metroparks, asystem of nature preservesacross the Cleveland area,posted wildlife camerafootage to social mediashowing the fisher recordedon Metroparks land inCuyahoga County earlierthis year.The Ohio Division ofWildlife said the footagemarks the first confirmedfisher sighting in the countysince the species wasextirpated from the area inthe mid-1800s.\"This is tremendouslyexciting, as this is yetanother extirpated nativeOhio mammal species to bedocumented for the firsttime in ClevelandMetroparks,\" Metroparksofficials wrote on socialmedia.\"The return of fishersand other extirpatedspecies like otters, bobcatsand trumpeter swans are aresult of conservationefforts and emphasize theimportance of our healthyforests, wetlands,waterways and naturalareas in ClevelandMetroparks.Firefighters rescue cowwith head stuckbetween two treesFirefighters in Englandteamed up with aveterinarian to rescue acow that somehowmanaged to get its headstuck between two trees.The Hampshire and Isleof Wight Fire and RescueService said firefightersfrom Kingsclere respondedalongside animal rescueteams from Lyndhurst andWinchester when the cowwas found with its headstuck between two ashtrees in Crux Easton.A local veterinarian wasalso summoned to thescene to supervise therescue and ensure the cowwas not injured.The rescuers used atelescopic handler to liftthe cow to a positionwhere the trees werefurther apart, safelyextracting the animal.The bovine was notinjured, officials said.IUP General Feed Store2429 Sheridan Road • Zion, IL 60099847-731-3333Your local stop for... 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13 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800After a particularlyharrowing night of Russiandrone and missile strikes thismonth, Viktoria Horbanknew exactly what shewould do to lift the spirits ofher beleaguered city nearthe front lines of Russia’swar on Ukraine.“I thought, today is theright day to put up theChristmas decorations inthe shop,” says the ebullientstore clerk at Ramazan, awomen’s fashion shop onSloviansk’s main square,where she has “helpedwomen feel beautiful” for 23years.“I knew the tree and thetwinkling lights would cheerpeople up,” she says. “Withall the sadness anduncertainty we areexperiencing, I thought weneeded something happyand bright.”Despite valiant efforts likeMs. Horban’s, these are farfrom the happiest of times inSloviansk, a city in Ukraine’seastern Donetsk regionknown for its ceramicsindustry – and which is lessthan 20 miles from the front.A turbulent decade sawthe city briefly seized byRussia-backed separatists inApril 2014, then liberatedmonths later at high cost byUkrainian forces, only to facethe accelerating violence ofthe full-scale invasion whichbegan in February 2022.Now, a depopulated andlargely economically inactiveSloviansk is again underthreat.Russia’s onslaught ofstrikes against civilianinfrastructure here hasrecently intensified, whileRussian forces on theeastern front line, stalled andperishing at devastating ratesover the summer, have againmade small – but forUkrainians, demoralizing –territorial advances.But perhaps mostharrowing for the people ofSloviansk are RussianPresident Vladimir Putin’srepeated vows to take all ofUkraine’s Donetsk region –70% of which his forcesalready occupy – eitherthrough a diplomaticagreement or militarily.Even as Ukraine and itsEuropean allies mountresistance to U.S. pressurefor territorial concessions,that menacing vow putsSloviansk and theneighboring industrial city ofKramatorsk in Mr. Putin’scrosshairs. And it leavesSloviansk’s residents, nowthought to number less than50,000, down from 111,000in January 2022,contemplating a forbiddingfuture for themselves andthe city they call home.For one thing, they arewell aware of the scorchedearth tactics Russia hasresorted to in the territoryit has seized. The nearby cityof Pokrovsk, which afatigues-clad Mr. Putinclaimed last week had fallento his forces, offers the latesttestimony. Drone footageaccessible online shows alifeless, bomb-blasted urbanexpanse of collapsedbuildings and charredvehicles. Posts from Russianmilitary media depictsoldiers raising the Russianflag over destroyedmunicipal buildings.Oleksandr Syrskyi,commander in chief ofUkraine’s armed forces, saidfive square miles inPokrovsk’s north remain inUkrainian control.“We don’t want toleave”“We all know what Putinis saying. Of course, it is veryscary, and it makes us thinkwhat we might have to dofor our family’s safety,” saysNataliia Grigorova, whorecently brought husbandAndrii and son Mykyta on atour of the Christmasdecorations in Sloviansk’sMulberry Park, where she isemployed.“But we don’t want toleave, we have made ourlives here,” she adds as shesmiles tenderly at Mykyta,who watches ducks floatingon a park pond. “Sloviansk isour home.”The lament and worrythat grips people here overthe geopolitical vise theirregion is held in isaugmented by knowledgethat U.S. President DonaldTrump appears to be sidingwith Mr. Putin on his demandfor all of Donetsk. TheUnited States once vowedto support Ukraine againstRussia “as long as it takes.”White House officials aswell as European officialsbriefed on Mr. Trump’s lateststab at a Ukraine peace plansay territorial concessions,and specifically the ceding toRussia of all of the largerDonbas region, whichincludes Donetsk, are indeeda key feature of theproposal.President Trumpexpressed frustration overUkrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy’sresistance to the plan. Then,a day later in London,European leaders advisedMr. Zelenskyy to stand firmon his refusal to cede toRussia any territory underUkrainian control – including30 percent of Donetsk,where an estimated 100,000Ukrainians live.Mr. Zelenskyy has saidthat giving up all of Donetsk– including the cities ofSloviansk and Kramatorsk –would not only gift Mr. Putinterritory it might otherwisetake him years to conquer,but it would also open thegates to a Russian invasionof regions south and west ofDonetsk.Mr. Zelenskyy said onWednesday he’d be sendingFirefighters Dmytro Udalov, Sergii Sukharev, and Pavlo Chernyisay they have Vladimir Putin's threats on their mindsIn a region coveted by Putin, how one targeted city carries onSalute or push back?continued from page 4that example whenconducting law-of-wartraining,” Mr. Lepper says.Military officials, includingAdmiral Bradley, havereportedly told lawmakersthat the hull still containedcocaine and that anotherboat could come along andretrieve it. The survivors,they further argued, couldcommunicate theirwhereabouts to facilitatethat move.If this is an accuraterendering of the admiral’sresponse, then he makes aplausible case for the legalityof a second strike, saysretired Maj. Gen. CharlesDunlap, a former deputyjudge advocate general forthe Air Force and nowexecutive director of theCenter on Law, Ethics, andNational Security at DukeUniversity’s school of law.Professor Dunlap notesthat immunity from attackfor shipwrecked belligerents“is conditional on refrainingfrom any hostile act orattempt to escape,”according to theInternational Committee ofthe Red Cross. The ICRCspecifically includes“attempting to communicatewith one’s own party” as anexample of a hostile act.Whether Admiral Bradleyand troops will be chargedwith any crimes hinges inpart on the investigation thatlawmakers have promised toundertake, analysts say, andultimately also on whetherthey support the ways inwhich Trump officials areendeavoring to redefineenemy combatants and thenature of armed conflict.For now, the admiral’sexperience spotlights theresponsibility senior officersbear, as the administrationannounced on Thursday thatthe U.S. military attackedanother boat – the 22ndsuch strike since Sept. 2 –killing four more people.By Anna Mulrine Grobestory continues on next page120921Call or email anytime!In person office visits by appointment only.Please call to schedule.5401 60th St.Kenosha, WI [email protected] SoensMay the holiday season bring youpeace, joy & happiness.Merry Christmas!!Sherwood Forest Meat MarketSherwood Forest Meat MarketLOCAL SMALL FAMILY FARM ESTABLISHED IN 1966(262)721-2828 • 5814 6th Avenue, Kenosha SHERWOOD-GAMEFARM.COMGIFT CARDS AVAILABLE121125“Educational Gymnastics at its BEST”Donna’s Gym-nasticsRegister online at donnasgymnastics.com5717 6th Ave. Downtown Kenosha(262) 818-8888 • Call For HoursFun for all ages! 6 mos & up!Give your child the Gift of Fitness!GIFT CARDS AVAILABLE• Tumbling • Fitness Warriors • Cheerleading • Tumbling & Mini Tramp • Gym-Nastics•Birthday Parties • Private Lessons & More 121825Gift Cards Available!Buy $25 Get $55821 6th Avenue, KenoshaScan for updated hours & daily specials!4520 8th Avenue Kenosha WIUPTKENOSHA.COMMon. - Fri. 11am - Bar Closing Sat. - Sun. 9am - Bar ClosingGift Certificates AvailableBuy $25 Get $5 $50 Get $10 $100 Get $20 1211252217 52nd St • (262)658-4882Buy $100 Worth Of Gift CardsGET $25 FREESome restrictions apply, stop in for details.
14 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Fake electorscontinued from page 5him against what he called“lawfare” by Democraticprosecutors, and hiscampaign swept asideopponents in the Republicanprimary. His campaign soldbranded items featuring Mr.Trump’s booking mugshotfrom Fulton County.“A moment ofpotentialreconciliation”That the Georgia case hascollapsed is regrettable, andnot simply because justicehad not run its course, saysProfessor Kreis. He says atrial would have servedanother purpose: setting therecord straight about anelection that Mr. Trump stillfalsely claims he won.“It was fundamentally, inmy view, a moment ofpotential reconciliationwhere people could seethrough evidence for theirown selves that there was agroup of people who werelying to the American publicin order to keep themselvesin power,” he says.In 2022, Congressamended the ElectoralCount Act to clarify the VicePresident’s ceremonial rolein the certification of votes inCongress.After the presidentialelection in 2028, VicePresident JD Vance, who isexpected to seek the GOPnomination, would presideover that process. Mr. Vancesaid last year that had hebeen in Mr. Pence’s position,he would not have certifiedthe 2020 election results andthat states should havesubmitted “multiple slates”that Congress should “havefought over.”Mr. Mandell says he doesn’texpect a future presidentialcandidate to try anotherfake-electors scheme. But heargues that it’s still importantto hold the Wisconsinmasterminds of 2020 toaccount after Mr. Trumpissued preemptive federalpardons.“If the message is, ‘no harmno foul’ ... we create theincentives for somethingmore extreme next time,” hesays.By Simon Montlakean amended peace plan tothe U.S. “soon.”“How would youfeel?”At the dress shop, Ms.Horban says that, though Mr.Putin’s pledge directlythreatens the people ofSloviansk, it should also be ofconcern to the wider world.“I would ask anyone, howwould you feel if someonecame to your house and saidto you, ‘One way or anotherI will take your home, so youmight as well just give it tome?’” she says.But the Russian leader’sthreat also has implicationsfor international security, sheadds. “If Putin gets his way, tome, it says we have returnedto the days when it’s the guywith the biggest stone whowins.”At Sloviansk’s Fire Station37, senior firefighter andrescue coordinator DmytroUdalov confirms that Mr.Putin’s words are the talk ofthe town – no doubt part ofthe Russian president’sobjective.“Everyone is aware ofwhat he said, they knowwhat Russia does in theplaces it occupies, and itmakes them scared,” says theSloviansk native. To explain“what Russia does,” he turnsto firetruck driver PavloChernyi, who transferred toSloviansk from Pokrovsk inJanuary.“The fear that what I livedthrough in Pokrovsk mightbe repeated here – whodoesn’t have that feeling inhis stomach?” Mr. Chernyisays.Mr. Udalov says the lastthree years of firefightingand rescue operations inSloviansk have demonstratedjust how much moredangerous and challengingemergency service work hasbecome.“We now have to dealwith the glide bombs and thedrones,” he says, indicatingthe anti-drone netting thatnow cloaks the firetruckslike a fishnet. “We have toworry about the doubletaps,” he says, referring tothe Russian practice ofhitting a site, waiting foremergency services toarrive, and then striking thesame spot to maximizecasualties.Just hours after Mr. Udalovspoke, a Russian glide bombstruck a Sloviansk apartmenttower, killing one woman anddestroying or damagingdozens of apartments.As repair work gotunderway the next morning,emergency workers in limegreen vests tossed chunks ofplaster, insulation, andmangled appliances fromexposed upper floors.Volunteers with the Angelsof Salvation humanitarianorganization cut plywood tocover blasted windowsagainst the cold.Outside one building’sdoor, a group of Jehovah’sWitnesses waits to help a“sister in faith” move outbelongings while her unit isrepaired.“These are very stressfultimes in Sloviansk, all we cando is help each other andpray to God to support oursister Liudmyla who lost herhome, and all of us livinghere,” says NataliiaBorzenkova, a nurse whoplans to stay in Sloviansk “fornow” because her job issecure.Her fellow churchmember Hennadiy Kumpansays he has only swearwords he’s not supposed touse to describe Mr. Putin, sohe vows to keep quiet. Buthe then offers: “How am Isupposed to feel whensomeone comes to my placeand says, ‘You can’t live here,I’m taking it’?”For many in Sloviansk, thesign that Mr. Putin’s vow hastaken a critical step closer tofruition will be the day localadministrators declare amandatory evacuation ofchildren. That, they say,would be a dark day inSloviansk’s fight to remain aplace where families can liveand flourish in safety.At Fire Station 37, Mr.Udalov says it’s always theelderly who most resistleaving and relocating tosafer areas. He understandstheir “sentimental feelings”for their homes, but saysholding out until the lastminute also puts others indanger.And while he has nodesire to leave hishometown, Mr. Udalov sayshe tells himself his life wouldnot be over just because itwas no longer in Sloviansk.“I’m not so attached tothis place as the elderly are.If I lose my apartment, I canrent one somewhere else. Ihave even thought,” he adds,“that if it happened soon, Iwould be able to see howthey celebrate the New Yearin another city of Ukraine.”By Howard LaFranchiThe Grigorov family pose in Sloviansk'sMulberry Park, Dec. 7, 2025Russian occupationcontinued from previous page5403 52nd St. • 262-656-1717Kenosha, WI 53142 • bandlofficefurniture.comSanta Just Loves HisNew Office Chair112422Locally Owned & Operated for Over 30 YearsNew and Like NewNice List? Ask him to bring you one. Naughty List? Stop by and we will hook you up.SR112025 SR06151930DAYGUARANTEEDLOWEST PRICEWE WILLMEETPRICEBEAT ORANY ADVERTISEDon any tire we sellwith the purchaseof 4 tiresFREELIFETIMEROTATIONS Over 18 Brands including BFGoodrich,Bridgestone, Michelin, Goodyear & more!262-694-15007110 74th PL, Kenosha, WI“Located next to Menards”YOUR CERTIFIED GM SERVICE CENTER... 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15 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800DEAR MAYOCLINIC: I’ll admit I tendtoward negative self-talk, andI’m frequently stressed outabout work, family andhealth concerns. I knowother people have problemstoo, but I feel like theyhandle it better. What can Ido to help myself and be arole model for my children?ANSWER: Resilientpeople are made, not born.There isn’t a gene or apersonality trait forresiliency. It’s a skill you canpractice and strengthen, justas you would a muscle.Becoming more resilient issomething you can developat any age or phase of life.1. Identify three goodthings at thebeginning or end ofyour dayThese don’t have to behuge. For most people,positive events are in thelow- to moderate-sizerange, like running into afriend at the store, finding aforgotten dollar in a pocketor learning that the weirdnoise in your car onlyrequired a quick andinexpensive fix.What matters isn’t theintensity of positiveexperiences; it’s thefrequency of recognizingthem.This exercise helps trainour brains to pay moreattention to the positive. Tryidentifying three good thingsevery day for two weeks, andyou’ll automatically beginrecognizing those positivekernels.2. Practice gratitudeAsk yourself, “Who orwhat am I grateful for?”Once again, this is more thanjust big things because it’seasy to forget all the smallthings you appreciate.A study conducted amongnuns asked them to counttheir blessings rather thanburdens. They were dividedinto two groups. One kept adaily journal of theirblessings; the other was thecontrol group. Researchersfound that the nuns whoexpressed more gratitudelived up to a decade longerthan those in the controlgroup.To practice this resiliencyskill, regularly jot down whatyou’re grateful for or sendsomeone a gratitude letter,email or text.3. Try somethingdifferentYour brain loves noveltyand the new. Notice the newplayground equipment at thepark or take a differentroute to the store. At thestore, pick up an item you’venever tried before.4. Spend time innatureNature is full of novelty.Notice the beauty aroundyou: what’s in the sky above,the bark patterns on a treeand how light streamsthrough clouds after astorm. Try spending fiveminutes outdoors andmentally noting what yousee, smell, hear and feel.5. Focus on what youcan controlYou’re stuck in traffic.There’s nothing you can doabout the fender benderthat just happened ahead ofyou. Do you get all workedup? Or do you take deepbreaths to tamp down thestress and evaluate thesituation? Are you in danger?No. Are you going to miss aflight? Probably not.Is there an exit ahead youcan take? Yes. Is this atragedy or an inconvenience? Inconvenience.Will this matter 10 daysfrom now? No.Focus on what you cancontrol: your reaction to thesituation.6. Foster relationshipsRelationships are essentialto resiliency. You can connectwith friends and family fordifferent reasons. It’s thesepeople who you value andwho value you. They’re theones who will be there foryou when faced with thechallenges of life, both largeand small.7. Be mindfulMindfulness is focusing onthe moment and payingattention. But being mindfulis tough. The brain is easilyhijacked from the now bythoughts of the past andfuture and judgmentalthoughts about ourselvesand others.The next time you’re in aconversation and your mindstarts wandering off to whatyou’ll say in response, pullyour attention back to thespeaker.You don’t need to tackleall these strategies at once.Pick one and play aroundwith it.Strengthening yourresiliency muscle is ajourney. Working on this skillthroughout your life can helpyou grow. It’s also a skill youcan teach children and setthem up to be more resilientas they face the ups anddowns of life. — RoseanBishop, Ph.D., Psychiatry &Psychology, Mayo ClinicHealth System, Mankato,MinnesotaMayo Clinic7 strategies to build resiliencyhealth Study suggests air pollution contributes to clogged arteriesAir pollution could becontributing to cloggedarteries, a new study says.People exposed long-termto common air pollutantshave an increased risk ofadvanced heart diseasecaused by hardened arteries,researchers reported at theannual meeting of theRadiological Society ofNorth America, in Chicago.Even air pollution levelsnear or below governmentstandards were associatedwith early signs of heartdisease, researchers found.\"Even at low exposurelevels, air pollution isassociated with more plaquein the coronary arteries,\"lead researcher Dr. FelipeCastillo Aravena, acardiothoracic imagingfellow at the University ofToronto in Canada, said in anews release.Further, the more airpollution a person had beenexposed to during theirlifetime, the greater the oddsthat their arteries wereclogged, results show.For the study, researcherstracked the heart health andair pollution exposure ofmore than 11,000 adultstreated at three hospitals inToronto.The team used chest CTscans to look at patients'heart arteries and estimatedtheir air pollution exposureusing environmental dataand the patients' homepostal codes.Results showed that foreach 1 microgram per cubicmeter increase in long-termexposure to particle airpollution, there was:• An 11% increase incalcium build-up in thecoronary arteries.• A 13% greater odds ofmore arterial plaques.• A 23% increased risk ofheart disease caused byclogged arteries.Exposure to another formof air pollution, nitrogendioxide, showed similartrends but with smallereffects, researchers said.There also weredifferences between menand women, researchersfound.\"In women, long-termexposure to fine particulatematter was linked to highercalcium scores and moresevere narrowing of thearteries,\" Castillo said. \"Inmen, higher long-termexposure to fine particulatematter was associated withhigher calcium scores andhigher plaque burden.\"This study couldn't draw adirect cause and effect link,but only shows anassociation between airpollution and heart health,researchers noted.More research is neededto understand why airpollution might harm theheart and blood vessels, andto firm up a causal linkbetween the two, Castillosaid.\"This is one of the largeststudies to link long-termgaseous and particulate airpollution at contemporaryexposure levels withmultiple markers ofcoronary artery diseaseassessed by cardiac CT,\"senior researcher Dr. KateHanneman, a cardiacradiologist and vice chair ofresearch at the University ofToronto, said in a newsrelease.\"Heart disease is thenumber one cause of deathglobally,\" Hanneman added.\"The results of this studyadd to the growing body ofevidence that air pollution isa modifiable cardiovascularrisk factor and reinforce theneed for further research tounderstand why theseassociations differ betweenmen and women.\"Findings presented atmedical meetings should beconsidered preliminary untilthey're published in a peerreviewed journal.By Dennis ThompsonPeople exposed long-term to common air pollutantshave an increased risk of advanced heart diseasecaused by hardened arteries, researchers reported
16 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Healthy routines can survive holiday chaosThe holidays can bringtravel, busy schedules andfamily events, and for manypeople, that means healthyhabits slip. But experts saystaying well during this timedoesn't require perfection.It's not just the schedulethat gets in the way, it's theexpectations we put onourselves, Samantha Harden,an associate professor in theDepartment of HumanNutrition, Foods andExercise at Virginia Tech, saidin a news release.\"We expect to have timeoff and be our 'best selves'when we step back fromwork and have all the spaceto create healthy routines,\"Harden said. \"We setourselves up for failurethinking we'll be swimmingin time that is actuallyusurped with all our otherholiday activities -- ones welove and the ones weloathe.\"Instead of waiting for the\"perfect\" moment to restartroutines, Harden suggestsblending healthy choices intonormal holiday activities.A few examples include:• Habit stacking: Pair ahealthy action withsomething you already do,such as sharing one thingyou're grateful for afterbrushing your teeth ortaking a short walk afterdinner.• Gamifying: Turn activitiesinto friendly challenges,\"such as a plank challengeevery time dishes arecompleted or having a bingocard of movement breaks,\"Harden explains.• Involving others: Invite afriend or family member to afitness class or call someonewhile walking outdoors.• Travel hacks: \"Movewhenever you have time,stay hydrated, and giveyourself ample time sobackups and delays do notadd more anxiety,\" Hardensaid.Harden also recommendsthinking about health asmore than exercise ornutrition.She said there are sixareas of well-being:Happiness, mental andphysical health, close socialrelationships, meaning andpurpose, character andvirtue, material and financialstability.\"Maybe during the holidayseason, you're putting lesstime or other resources intoyour physical well-being, butyou're putting more intoyour perception of closesocial relationships,\" Hardenexplained. \"Let that beenough on your well-beingchecklist.\"\"During the holidays andalways, don't think of onemeal, day or season awayfrom healthy habits meansfailure,\" Harden said. \"An allor-nothing approach doesnot work for most things -don't let the act of being ahuman become even harderby having expectations thatdon't match your goals,behaviors, circumstances orresources.\"By I EdwardsDespite the chaos of theholidays, year-round healthhabits do not need to discarded.Partner support improves heart attack recoveryHearts are oftenassociated with love,especially around Valentine'sDay.That's more relevant thanyou might think, a newevidence review says.The support of a belovedpartner can dramaticallyimprove recovery for peoplewho've had a heart attack,heart failure or other heartrelated emergency,researchers reported in theCanadian Journal ofCardiology.Based on these results,researchers recommend thatintimate partners beincluded in cardiacrehabilitation programs, tohelp support patients' hearthealth.\"We need to treat theheart and nurturerelationships to enhancehealth behaviors, mentalhealth and, possibly,cardiovascular outcomesamong those with heartdisease,\" lead researcherHeather Tulloch, an associateprofessor at the Universityof Ottawa Heart Institute inCanada, said in a newsrelease.\"This could lead tostronger emotional andsocial adjustment duringpatients' recovery andultimately to better healthbehaviors,\" she added.For the study, researchersanalyzed 16 previous studiesinvolving 1,444 cardiacpatients and their partners.The studies focused oncouples-based programs thatinvolve both partners inrecovery and lifestylechanges.This approach focuses onthe crucial role of thepartner in helping a heartpatient -- say, by cookingheart-healthy meals,encouraging regular exerciseor making sure medicationsare taken as directed.Results showed that in77% of the reviewed studies,patients had better hearthhealth behaviors if they hadtheir partner's participationand support.However, there's little dataon how these couples-basedprograms affect the quality ofthe relationship itself, oreach partner's emotionaladjustment to the patient'sillness, researchers noted.\"Sometimes heart diseasebrings couples closertogether, but often it's achallenge for the relationshipand both people in it,\"Tulloch said. \"We've learnedover the years that cardiacevents do not only happen tothe patient, but to thecouple.\"Researchers recommendthat more study be done oncouples-based heartrehabilitation programs.\"Interventions that includethe partner as an activeparticipant and meaningfullyaddress what's happening inpatients' relationships oughtto be developed and tested,with the aim of helpingcouples better cope withheart disease by enhancingtheir mental and physicalhealth and the health of theirrelationship,\" Tulloch said.By Dennis ThompsonCocoa, berries found to protectheart health during long sitsA hot cup of cocoa or tea,an apple or a bowlful ofberries might help protectthe heart health of couchpotatoes or desk jockeys, anew study suggests.Those foods and drinksare all rich in plant chemicalscalled flavanols, and a labexperiment showed thatthey might prevent bloodvessel problems caused bytoo much sitting, researchersreported in The Journal ofPhysiology.\"Consuming high-flavanolfoods and drinks duringperiods spent sitting down isa good way to reduce someof the impact of inactivity onthe vascular system,\" saidsenior researcher CatarinaRendeiro, an assistantprofessor of nutritionalsciences at the University ofBirmingham in the UnitedKingdom.\"Given how commonsedentary lifestyles havebecome and the increasedrisk this can have to vascularhealth, using flavanol-richfood and drink, especially incombination with breakingup periods of inactivity bygoing for a short walk orstanding up, could be a goodway to enhance long-termhealth, no matter theindividual's fitness level,\" shesaid in a news release.Previous studies havelinked hardened arteries toan increased risk of heartdisease, strokes and heartattacks, researchers said inbackground notes. Prolongedsitting is known to at leasttemporarily impair bloodvessel flexibility, increasingblood pressure.\"Whether we are sitting atdesks, behind the wheel of acar, on a train, or on the sofareading a book or watchingTV, we all spend a lot of timeseated,\" Rendeiro said. \"Eventhough we are not movingour bodies, we are stillputting them under stress.\"Flavanols occur naturallyin some fruits, tea, nuts andcocoa beans, researcherssaid, and have been shown toprotect blood vessel healthduring periods of mentalstress.To see whether flavanolsmight help protect bloodvessel health, researchersrecruited 40 healthy youngmen -- 20 with a higher levelof fitness and 20 who wereless fit.All the men consumedeither a high-flavonol or lowflavonol cup of cocoa, andthen sat still for two hours.Everyone who drank thelow-flavonol cocoaexperienced a reduction inthe flexibility of their armand leg arteries, suggestingthat better fitness won'tnecessarily protect peoplefrom the detrimental effectsof sedentary behavior,researchers said.However, everyone whodrank the high-flavonolcocoa did not experiencesuch reductions, regardlessof their fitness levels, thestudy showed.\"Importantly, after thehigh-flavanol drink, bothfitter and less-fit participantskept their (arterial elasticity)the same as it was beforesitting for two hours,\"researcher Sam Lucas, aprofessor of cerebrovascular,exercise and experimentalphysiology at the Universityof Birmingham, said in a newsrelease.This is the first study toshow that flavanols mightprotect against blood vesselproblems related to sittingaround and that thisprotection is independent ofa person's physical fitness,researchers said.\"It is actually quite easy toadd high flavanol foods toyour diet,\" lead researcherAlessio Daniele, a doctoralstudent at the University ofBirmingham, said in a newsrelease.\"There are cocoa productsavailable in supermarkets andhealth stores which areprocessed through methodsthat preserve flavanol levels,\"Daniele said. \"If cocoa isn'tyour thing, fruits like apples,plums and berries, nuts, andblack and green tea are allcommon kitchen staples andare readily available.\"By Dennis Thompson
17 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800'100 Nights of Hero' and other films, TV based on graphic novelsMark Kurlansky haswritten 40 books, but he’s bestknown for “Cod” and “Salt,” twoworks in which he looked atcommon food items with fresheyes. He has a signature gift forinviting readers to consider thefamiliar in new ways, which is why“Cod” and “Salt” becamebestsellers.Kurlansky is up to somethingsimilar in The Boston Way,his new book about how 19thcentury pacifists navigated theprospect of an American civil warto end slavery. Hundreds of bookshave been written about the CivilWar, but Kurlansky breathes newlife into the subject by taking amore novel slant. He focuses on asubset of Americans in andaround Boston who saw slaveryas an unmitigated evil, but werehorrified by the thought that theirfellow citizens might try to settlethe matter by killing each other.Readers might wonder ifKurlansky, who’s best known forwriting about food, is up to thechallenge of a Civil War narrative.But in addition to his chroniclesof cod and salt, along with livelyvolumes on oysters, milk, salmon,and onions, he’s also churned outbooks of social history, including“1968: The Year That Rocked theWorld,” and “Nonviolence: TheHistory of a Dangerous Idea.” Inan author’s bio on the dust jacketof “The Boston Way,” Kurlanskymakes his own views onnonviolence clear. We learn thathe “refused to serve in theVietnam war, and has opposedevery war since.”But wasn’t the cause of freeingAmerican slaves worth fightingfor? The case for a nonviolentalternative was made mostvigorously by William LloydGarrison, a Boston abolitionistwho rests at the center ofKurlansky’s story. Garrisonpredicted that if emancipationcame about through violence, itwould create even more hatred,delaying by at least a century theday when African Americanssecured their rights. “It has beentaking even longer than that,”Kurlansky concludes.“The Boston Way” appears at atime when polarized politics areinviting some socialcommentators to wonder ifAmericans might collectivelytake up arms against eachother again. Such a prospectmight seem unthinkable tomost of us, but as Kurlanskysuggests, the thought of civilwar seemed unthinkable tomany antebellum Americans,too. Like last year’s “TheDemon of Unrest,” ErikLarson’s account of the daysjust before the attack on FortSumter, “The Boston Way”persuasively immersesreaders in the national moodshortly before the Civil War.Kurlansky drops us into thislong-ago world quickly – soquickly, in fact, that readersmight need some time to gettheir bearings.John Brown, the militantabolitionist who would eventuallybe hanged after seizing a federalarsenal, pops up on the first page,and the trouble starts a fewsentences later when he andGarrison get together in Bostonin 1857 and debate the best wayto end slavery.“The meeting was a disaster – ashouting match, according tosome accounts,” Kurlansky tellsreaders. Brown was unswayed byGarrison’s calls for nonviolence,using Old Testament passages toinvoke notions of vengeance anddivine wrath. Kurlansky seems tosmile on the page as he quotes astandard rebuttal to sucharguments from abolitionist LydiaMaria Child: “What a convenientbook the Old Testament is, whenever there is any fighting to bedone.”Child, a bracing and often wittywriter, is one of the stars of “TheBoston Way,” and other leadingwomen thinkers of the day,including Margaret Fuller, Susan B.Anthony, and Elizabeth CadyStanton, show up, too. Kurlanskypositions the cause of nonviolentopposition to slavery within alarger spirit of social experimentthat has long defined Bostonpolitical culture. But even byBoston standards, Child and herallies were ahead of their time.“Child was one of several womenof prominence in the abolitionistmovement,” Kurlansky writes,“and soon others joined. This initself was a growing controversyin a society where women werenot expected to be involvedin politics.”Kurlansky’s chapters buzzlike a period version of a talkshow, with chattyappearances by Ralph WaldoEmerson, Henry DavidThoreau, John GreenleafWhittier, and FrederickDouglass. One complicationis the book’s lack of an index– a vexing omission given itsmultiplicity of figures and itsambitions as a work ofscholarship. There is, alas, no need forspoiler alerts in discussing“The Boston Way,” sincereaders know that Garrisonand like-minded thinkerscouldn’t steer their fellowcountrymen away from armedconflict. But Kurlansky argues thatthe efforts of Garrison’s circle,known as the Boston Clique,weren’t in vain.“The great leaders ofnonviolence, charismatic figuressuch as Mohandas Gandhi andMartin Luther King Jr., are oftenremembered as rarefied geniuseswho hatched their ideas from theether,” Kurlansky writes, “but theideas and tools of nonviolentactivism have been pursued bymany people many times, andthough a small group innineteenth-century Boston maybe little remembered today, whatthey did, what they learned, andwhat they taught, have lived on.”By Danny HeitmanThe new film 100Nights of Hero bringsto life the Isabel Greenberggraphic novel.The \"fairy tale romance\"film stars Maika Monroeand Emma Corrin as thenoblewoman Cherry andher maid Hero, who must\"fend off a dangerouslyseductive visitor,\" Manfred(Nicolas Galitzine), asCherry's \"neglectfulhusband' is away.The movie is directed byJulia Jackman and also starsAmir El-Masry, Charli xcx,Richard E. Grant andFelicity Jones.\"Making this film hasbeen a longtime dream,ever since I first picked upIsabel Greenberg'sgorgeous graphic novelyears ago,\" Jackman said.Other graphic novelshave inspired TV series andmovies. Here are 9 more.'Butterfly'The Prime Video series,which arrived on thestreamer Aug. 13 and airedfor one season, is adaptedfrom Arash Amel's 2014graphic novels and followsfather-daughter spies.The show stars DanielDae Kim as David Jung andReina Hardesty as hisdaughter Rebecca.Rebecca grew up thinkingher father was dead, only tolearn that he disappeared inan effort to protect her.\"Butterfly is therealization of a longtimedream to bring togetherAmerican and Koreanstorytellers and create ashow that bridges twocultures that I love deeply,\"said Kim of the project. \"Icouldn't be happier withthe creative team we'veassembled, both in front ofand behind the camera.\"Piper Perabo, LouisLandau, Kim Ji-hoon, ParkHae-soo, Kim Tae-hee,Charles Parnell, SeanDulake, Nayoon Kim, SungDong-il and Lee Il-hwa.'Here'The 2024 film is based onRichard McGuire's 2014novel and stars Tom Hanksand Robin Wright.The feature follows\"multiple families and thespecial place they inhabit,\"an official synopsis states,and includes teenageversions of both Hanks andWright.The duo is also shown aselderly adults in their 80s.Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly,Michelle Dockery, GwilymLee, David Fynn andOphelia Lovibond also star.Here reunited Hanks anddirector Robert Zemeckis,who worked together onForrest Gump andCastaway.'Snowpiercer'The 1982 novel byJacques Lob inspired boththe 2013 film and 2020AMC series.Bong Joon-ho, whodirected the feature, wasamong the post-apocalypticthriller's executiveproducers.The show ran for fourseasons and follows asociety that lives on a trainfollowing a freeze thatovertakes Earth.Jennifer Connellyportrays Melanie Cavill inthe series, a leader onSnowpiercer, while DaveedDiggs' Andre Layton helmsan expedition beyond NewEden.Mickey Sumner, IddoGoldberg, Sean Bean,Rowan Blanchard, AlisonWright, Katie McGuinness,Lena Hall, Sam Otto,Chelsea Harris, MikeO'Malley, Roberto Urbina,Sheila Vand, Clark Greggand Michael Aronov alsostar.\"It ends in an interestingplace, but could also beinterpreted as a beginning, ifthat's what people decidethey want to do with it,\"Connelly said. \"I thought itwas a fulfilling ending.\"'Watchmen'The 1987 graphic novelsby Alan Moore and DaveGibbons led to the 2009feature and 2019 series onHBO.Billy Crudup, CarlaGugino, Malin Akerman,Jackie Earle Haley, MatthewGoode, Patrick Wilson andJeffrey Dean Morganstarred in the film, while theseries featured DonJohnson, Regina King, JeanSmart, Jeremy Irons, TimBlake Nelson, Tom Mison,Louis Gossett Jr. andFrances Fisher.Set in 1985, the storyexplores an alternatetimeline that could havehappened if superheroesexisted.'Blue is the Warmest Color'The 2013 film, whichtook its inspiration from JulMaroh's 2010 novel, isdescribed as \"the story of ayoung lesbian couple'sbeginning, middle andpossible end.\"\"Determined to fall inlove, 15-year-old Adele isfocused on boys. But it's abooksOpposed to slavery, but also against a war to end itcontinues on page 18Jennifer Connelly stars in “Snowpiercer”
18 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800The top 25 books for 2025FictionAmity, by Nathan HarrisBook-loving, risk-averseColeman journeys fromNew Orleans to Mexico in1866 to find his sister, June,and the greedy patriarchwho once enslaved them.Vivid, evocative, andthoughtful, Nathan Harris’story of courage andcharacter is an absolutewinner.Isola, by Allegra GoodmanAllegra Goodman’s novelfollows the story of real-lifeFrench noblewomanMarguerite de la Rocque deRoberval in 1542.Orphaned at 3 years oldand robbed of her fortune,she’s dragged aboard a shipsailing for New France byher guardian, only to beabandoned on a desolateisland. Her transformation– and ignited faith – isastonishing.Good Dirt, by CharmaineWilkersonCharmaine Wilkersontells the story of EbbyFreeman, her griefencumbered family, and atreasured clay jar crafted bytheir enslaved ancestor.Yanked into the spotlight asa child by tragedy, Ebbyfinds herself again in itsglare after a wedding dayhumiliation. Wilkerson’swinning novel shiftsbetween Ebby’s mentalhealth escape to France andthe family’s resilient, 19thcentury predecessors.Fortitude and forgivenessabound.Vera Wong’s Guide toSnooping (on a DeadMan), by Jesse Q. SutantoThis charming sequel haseverything that made thefirst book such a treat –found family, generosity,outstanding food – and upsthe stakes with a mysterythat adds an unexpectedgravitas. Jesse Q. Sutantowrites about her ownmother being scammed,and the poignancy andcompassion she brings toher characters make “VeraWong” an antidote for ourall-too-selfish times.The Emperor ofGladness, by Ocean VuongAt the heart of OceanVuong’s achingly beautifulnovel “The Emperor ofGladness” is a despairing,bookish 19-year-oldVietnamese American manwho forges unexpectedbonds with strangers. Theseinclude an 82-year-oldWorld War II refugee fromLithuania and co-workersat a fast-food restaurant.Vuong, a prizewinning poet,evokes the beauty of adepressed, postindustrialConnecticut river town inlanguage that shimmers.Maya & Natasha, by Elyse DurhamTwo Soviet-era dancers –twin sisters – vie for asingle slot at the famedKirov Ballet. The lengths towhich either sister will goto derail the other’s careertestifies to the desperationof artists hemmed in by arepressive government.Ambition, love, cruelty, andthe longing for forgivenesscircle one another warily inElyse Durham’s darklyatmospheric debut novel.The Correspondent,by Virginia EvansIn Virginia Evans’ debutnovel, protagonist Sybil VanAntwerp believes “reachingout in correspondence isreally one of the originalforms of civility in theworld.” She and hercorrespondents navigatelife’s troubles whilesearching for forgiveness,love, and second chances.Have your tissues handy. Allegro, by Ariel Dorfman“Allegro” featuresWolfgang Amadeus Mozarttrying to track down thetruth about the last days ofJohann Sebastian Bach. Andas if that’s not enoughcomposers to fill asymphony hall, a letterdelivered to GeorgeFrideric Handel might holdan important clue. ArielDorfman clearly has areverence for both classicalmusic and its history. As forthe solution? “I think theanswer is always music,”Mozart says.The Dream Hotel, by Laila LalamiIn Laila Lalami’sunnerving speculativenovel, archivist SaraHussein is detained forhaving a problematic “riskscore” due to violentdreams. Baffled, desperate,and increasingly enraged,Sara builds alliances, battleshopelessness, and strains todemonstrate her innocencein the face of institutionalsuspicion and weaponizeddata. Privacy never soundedso good. The ImpossibleFortune, by Richard OsmanThe Thursday MurderClub is back, and theyounger generation is inneed of an assist from theCoopers Chase RetirementVillage gang. RichardOsman knows why readerslove his quartet, and thisouting features narrativeasides from Joyce, connivingfrom Elizabeth, and theunexpected delight ofIbrahim on the dance floor.The Wayfinder, by Adam JohnsonAdam Johnson plungesreaders into the SouthSeas. Faced with dwindlingresources on a remoteisland, young Kōrero andher family yearn to set sailfor their ancestral home.But warmongering kings,dynastic turmoil, anduncharted oceans await.Mighty and mythic, thenovel is a captivating sagaabout endurance andpurpose. Going Home, by Tom LamontA trio of unlikely Britishmen are tasked withunexpected fatherhoodduties in the care of adelightfully inquisitive 4-year-old named Joel. Thenovel’s unforgettablecharacters and emphasis oncaregiving and friendshipspread a poignant and joyfulmessage.A Case of Mice andMurder, by Sally SmithShy barrister GabrielWard loves his quiet life inthe Inner Temple,surrounded by his booksand routines. Then the lordchief justice of England endsup dead – and barefoot –on Gabriel’s doorstep. Themouse in question is aliterary one: Gabriel isdefending the publisher of achildren’s book. The settingis ingenious, and Sally Smithcarries off the interlinkingplots with aplomb.NonfictionWe the People, by Jill LeporeJill Lepore’s sweepinghistory of the U.S.Constitution focuses onthe amendment process,arguing that the Foundersintended the document tobe revised. Polarization hasmade the ratification ofnew amendments nearlyimpossible, and Leporewarns that authoritarianismand political violence aremore likely when theConstitution cannot beadapted to the times.Buckley, by Sam TanenhausWilliam F. Buckley Jr.,editor of the conservativeNational Review, shapedthe conservative wing ofthe Republican Party. JoeMcCarthy, BarryGoldwater, and RonaldReagan were all indebted toBuckley’s intellectualleadership. Sam Tanenhausbrings the iconic figure tolife in this evenhanded,insightful, and well-writtenbiography. The Place of Tides,by James RebanksJames Rebanks, an Englishfarmer, writes about howhe found renewal during astay on the Norwegianisland of Fjærøy assistingone of the last “duckwomen.” Anna Måsøy notonly provides a haven fornesting eider ducks, butalso imparts life lessons.I Am Nobody’s Slave,by Lee HawkinsLee Hawkins’ devastatingmemoir details the harshrealities of growing up in amiddle-class Black familywith deep, unacknowledgedancestral wounds linked tothe family’s enslaved past.Hawkins manages to escapehis troubled home life, andcomes to realizations aboutslavery’s ongoing legacy. The Containment, by Michelle AdamsLegal scholar MichelleAdams traces schooldesegregation efforts in hernative Detroit and theirreverberations throughoutthe North. She focuses hercompelling narrative on the1974 Supreme Courtdecision in Milliken v.Bradley, which ruled thatmajority-white suburbanschool districts could notbe forced to desegregate.Mark Twain, by Ron ChernowMark Twain wasAmerica’s first moderncelebrity, using multipleplatforms – books,newspapers, the lecturePRINT & E-BOOKS NONFICTION PRINT & E-BOOKS FICTION1. The Widow (Grisham)2. Brimstone (Hart)3. The Correspondent (Evans)4. The Secret of Secrets (Brown)5. The Housemaid (McFadden)6. Project Hail Mary (Weir)7. Sweet Venom (Kent)8. Alchemised (SenLinYu)9. Return of the Spider (Patterson)10. Nash Falls (Baldacci1. 1929 (Sorkin)2. How to Test Negative for Stupid (Kennedy)3. The Look (Obama/Koop)4. Nobody’s Girl (Giuffre)5. Heart Life Music (Chesney/Gleason)6. The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk)7. The Gales of November (Bacon)8. The American Revolution (Ward/Burns)9. Greatest Sentence Ever Written (Isaacson)10. Poems & Prayers (McConaughey)NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERScontinues on page 18
19 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800circuit – to advance hispresence as a brand. In thisdetailed portrait, RonChernow tells the story ofan author whose gifts as amedia influencer seem toanticipate our own culturalmoment.Aflame, by Pico IyerTravel writer andspiritual thinker Pico Iyerhas spent time at aBenedictine hermitage inCalifornia, a seeminglyidyllic setting. “Aflame”takes a closer look at hislongtime retreat. Byreminding us that no placeis perfect, Iyer pointsreaders to the restfulsilence they might find intheir own hurried lives.Storyteller, by Leo DamroschAlthough Robert LouisStevenson is known mostlyas a writer of books forchildren, the 19th-centuryliterary titan should becelebrated for the widerbody of his work. That’s thepremise of “Storyteller,”Leo Damrosch’s newStevenson biography, whichpromises to attract newreaders to Stevenson.The Great ChineseArt Heist, by Ralph PezzulloIn the last 15 years,several European artmuseums have fallen preyto carefully planned raidsof Chinese antiquities.Almost none of the stolenpieces have beenrecovered. Ralph Pezzullotraces these robberies tothe end of the SecondOpium War in 1860 andthe destructive looting ofthe Old Summer Palace inBeijing by British andFrench troops. But who isstealing these treasures,and where are they going?Tonight inJungleland, by PeterAmes CarlinIt’s hard to believe thatBruce Springsteen’s “BornTo Run” – one of the mostacclaimed albums in rockhistory – was almostburied by ColumbiaRecords. After the youngmusician’s disappointinginitial sales, executives hadplanned to drop him fromthe label. Peter AmesCarlin tells of the album’screation, and how iteventually securedSpringsteen’s stardom.Dark Renaissance, byStephen GreenblattStephen Greenblatt’sskills as a scholar,storyteller, and literarycritic are all on display in“Dark Renaissance.” Thisgripping book about theshort, daring life of theElizabethan dramatistChristopher Marlowemakes an eloquent case forhis work’s beauty and slyunorthodoxy. Its chillingportrayal of Elizabeth I’srepressive reign alsoreminds us of the damagewrought by uncheckedpower.Hostage, by EliSharabiEli Sharabi, kidnappedfrom his home on an Israelikibbutz on Oct. 7, 2023,and held by Hamas for 491days, has written a searingaccount of his captivity andhis will to survive. Heexperiences deprivationand loss, but his unshakablelove of life inspires.Graphic novels come to the screencontinued from page 16Best books of 2025continued from previous pageblue-haired girl she meetson the street who reallypiques her interest,\" anofficial synopsis reads.Lea Seydoux, AdeleExarchopoulos, SalimKechiouche, AurelienRecoing, Catherine Salee,Benjamin Siksou, MonaWalravens, AlmaJodorowsky, JeremieLaheurte and Anne Loiretstar.The movie won the Palmed'Or at the CannesFilomFestival.'30 Days of Night'The film adaptation of the2002 novel by Steve Nilesand Ben Templesmitharrived in 2007 and starredJosh Hartnett.\"In a small Alaskan town,thirty days of night is anatural phenomenon,\" anofficial synopsis states. \"Veryfew outsiders visit, until aband of bloodthirsty, deathlypale vampires mark theirarrival by savagely attackingsled dogs. But soon they findthere are much moresatisfying thirst-quenchersabout: human beings. One byone, the townspeoplesuccumb to a livingnightmare, but a small groupsurvives -- at least for now.\"A trailer for the filmshows a woman beingsnatched out of her windowand dragged into the dark.'Persepolis'Marjane Satrapi's 2003novel inspired the 2007animated movie of the samename.Satrapi, who directsalongside VincentParonnaud, \"draws apoignant story about ayoung girl in Iran during theIslamic Revolution, whenpeople hopes were dashedas fundamentalists tookpower,\" an official synopsisstates.The voice cast includesSimon Abkarian, DanielleDarrieux, CatherineDeneuve, ChiaraMastroianni and GabrielleLopes.'A History of Violence'The 2005 film wasadapted from John Wagnerand Vincent Locke's 1997novel.\"A small-town dinerowner stops a robbery andgrapples with theaftermath,\" an officialsynopsis reads. \"When hisfamily comes under threat,he must confront his past.\"The thriller-drama starsViggo Mortensen, MariaBello, Ed Harris, WilliamHurt, Ashton Holmes, PeterMacNeill, Stephen McHattie,Greg Bryk, Heidi Hayes andKyle Schmid.'From Hell'Alan Moore and EddieCampbell penned the 1991graphic novel that wouldserve as the inspiration forthe 2001 film.Johnny Depp, HeatherGraham, Ian Holm andRobbie Coltrane star in thefeature, which is directed byAlbert Hughes and AllenHughes.\"In 1888 London, aScotland Yard investigatorsearches for Jack TheRipper,\" the official synopsisstates.Several more of Moore'sworks have been adaptedfor film, including TheLeague of ExtraordinaryGentlemen, Constantineand V for Vendetta.By Jessica InmanREMINDER: Maximum 3 Listings Per Person. MiscKENOSHA CAR CLUB monthly breakfasts are at 8am on the first Tuesdays of each month at the Gateway Cafe, 3619 30th Avenue GERMAN CONVERSATIONALIST GROUP - KENOSHA/RACINE If you speak German or are enthusiastic about the German language and culture, come and join us. There are no membership fees and attendance is whenever you are available to join. Meetings will be held in the Kenosha and Racine area. This is an excellent group to practice speaking German as members' language skills are from beginners to advance and we all have a good time. Please contact me if you are interested in joining - Susan Blust [email protected]. LIONS CLUB BINGO Come have some fun! Doors open at 4:00. Raffles, pull-tabs and pregames start at 6:45. Bingo 7:00-9pm. Wednesdays. 2700 9th St.,Schlader Building, Winthrop Harbor. Food Sale Rita Rinelli Memorial Mass: 12 noon on Saturday, June 21 at St. Elizabeth Church, Eighth Avenue at 48th Street.REMEMBERING SILVIO RUGANI - July 20, 1893 / August 29, 1975.FOR SALESofa w/Oak trim, excellent condition/quality. Smoke/Pet free home. $250.00 Curt 262-865-0193 2019 Kodiak Model travel trailer Price 15,900 Exterior White Discrimination Has 3 Queens size beds Refrigerator, fridge and stove, toilet, and shower and heating and air conditioning. Everything works perfectly Contact 262 620-6755 Snowmobile Trailer, 3 place Triton with winch. $3,200 OBO 262-948-1864 please leave message Free HO modular layout including track, transformers and a lot of buildings. Frame is custom and comes apart easily. Layout is 8' wide by 32' long. Each 4'x 8' section is modular,.and there are 8 sections. Smallest new layout could be 8'x 8' Layout is in a basement with easy access to the outside door. Located in Kenosha. If interested, please call 262-960-9047 Lots of American Fostoria for sale. Please contact:Karon Baumgarten 3 1 7 - 7 6 4 - 7 6 6 2 [email protected] heater new. $55. 262-498-4021. Contact info: Val Zamecnik email address:[email protected] phone:262-498-4021.Left-handed golf club set. Wilson Pro-Staff clubs and Knight bag. Barely used. $125.Call or text 262-960-5477One burial lot in Northshore Garden of Memory in North Chicago. Very nice location. Discounted price. BowFlex exercise unit like new. All there including leg exercise unit and book. 600.00.Call Herb at 847-305-0897. Please leave message if I miss your call. Gas Tank, new for 73-87 GMC Blazer $100 Transfer case for 73-87 GMC $100 Milk Cans $15 Call Alex 262-945-1275Ariens Snowblower; 5 HP, 24\" cut. $175 Call Jim 262-857-9650 leave messageVarious Farics, prices start $1/yr (262) 629-0291 New Air Fryer $35 Coffee Table $20 (262)771-8764 Two ramps for vehicles, Beanie Babies (Regular and McDonalds), and Two Schwinn bicycles. BEST OFFER. Call 262-654-6485.Beautiful Sunset Ridge Memorial Park Kenosha. Located in lovely setting in the Garden of The Last Supper. Section H, Lot 113. 5&6, pair $1,800 OBO. Please contact Mary at 262-496-9711. (2) grave sites in All Saints Cemetery. I'm asking for $1,000 each plus transfer fees. Call (608) 317-9518 Elizabeth Smith [email protected] CADET LAWN tractors, old 1962 to 1976. Decks and other attachments. Glenn at 262-891-2377. Leave message Amana 21.3 cubic foot. Black electric stove, self cleaning. Asking 300 each or 500 for the pair 414 419 7978 John Deere Tractor Lawn Mower with Briggs & Straton engine and Frame Cutting Deck FOR sale for PARTS ONLY 847-244-9256 NO texting - Please leave a voicemail Large Craftsman table saw, $100 OBOEldridge peddle sewing machine, early 1900's, best offer- Milwaukee Plumbers band saw, $50 OBO Call Tom (224) 219-3645 Lake Front Property Ready to rebuild existing home & Garage 1.48Acre on Large Spring Feed Lake in North East WI near Green bay WI. Located in Marinette county in the town of Lake Great Fishing, & water skiing Tubing Jet skiing Air Boat all Water sports activities call (847) 244-9256 Various Fabrics - Price per yard. Call for info(262) 629-0291Beanie Babies 200+ $200. Proform Treadmill, new belt $300. 7' vinyl boat with new motor, 4-cylinder with accessories $500. (262) 652-5929TREK 900 TANDEM 26\" 21 speed. Updated tires and rims. Excellent condition. Two new helmets plus accessories. $500 OBO 262-883-4210Sears ZigZag sewing machine and cabinet. Fine condition, All attachments. Model #1750 Asking $60 (262) 657-60493 OUTSIDE ALUMINUM screen doors. 1- 30 in. wide, 2-36 in. wide $ 30.00 each. all hardware call 262-652-2649; leave message FUN FAMILY BOAT 2006 Bayliner 175 Capris Bowrider w/trailer, Mercruiser 3.0L 135HP I/O motor, custom covers, Bimini w/cover, power trim & steering, stereo, Dave 262-455-1079 leave message ROOMS FOR RENT Shared LR, Kitchen, bathroom by Silver Lake $480 a mo. includes wifi and laundry please call for more info (262) 758-136Collectibles for sale watches, clocks, pens and more. Call Don 262-694-7573 47\" diameter round table $30, girls bike $50 Call Kathy 262-909-7968BABY CAR CARRIER&Pack 'n Play crib[excellent condition],carriage[used good condition], cat carrier[medium]Cy 262-351-0129 4835 5av 08 RAM too many new parts to list. Serious inquiries only. Text message to 262-705-9999. Chad SekurisLIKE NEW TIRES SEE IN KENOSHA AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL, TEXT OR STOP BY. $4440 NICE ECONOMICAL WELL MAINTAINEDWANTED. Mobile Mig Welder Small job need to complete by MKE Airport. Negotiable rate. ( 7 3 4 ) 7 6 8 . 0 3 3 8 jacobsendaniels.com Cut grass and weeding. Call 2628980605MODEL TRAINS. All scales. Call for a quote upon viewing. 262-331-0392. WANTED TO BUY: Vintage Movie Posters, Comic Books, LP Records, Vintage Toys, Horror VHS, Horror Memorabilia, Science Fiction Pulps & Magazines, Video Store Promotional Items. PH 262-237-0318. WANTED TO BUY: Old Post Cards, B&W Photos, B&W Photo Albums, Vintage Advertising, Old Hunting Licenses & Advertising, Scrapbooks, Old Misc.Paper, Old Automobile Advertising, Fountain Pens, Gillette Razors & More. Local Collector/Neutral Safe & Secure Site to meet if desired. Cash Paid. Call or Text Stan 262-496-1822 LOOKING FOR NURSES Aid for in home care. Call Barbara 262-455-3953 Old Computers Wanted. Call, text, or voicemail on (262) 595-7556 and ask for Mike.SERVICES. . Krause Lawn Care offers dethatching, aerating, overseeding, mulching & weekly mowing! Call or text 262-612-9142 for your FREE estimate today! “Tax Preparation & Advisory Services. 20+ Years Experience. Virtual Or In-Person. For Appointment Call Or Text 262-496-2208.I Will Do Seamstress Work, Run Errands, Do Shopping & Dr. Appointments., Etc.If Interested Please Call Gayle At 262-748-4748I'M LOOKING FOR house to share for reasonable rent in exchange for household needs for a senior vet consideration. 847-340-3446 Ron. Kenosha/Union Grove area.LAWN MOWING SERVICES Reliable lawn care services in Kenosha & Pleasant Prairie. call/text 262-914-9796 [email protected] & MEDICARE EXPERT. Appointments only. Se Habla Español. 262.833.7070CHINESE LANGUAGE / CALLIGRAPHY LESSONS: Fun, fascinating and very cool. Beginning and advanced - all ages! Text Dr. Tim at 520.704.3832.DOLL CRAFTERS! FREE REMNANTS...IDEAL FOR MAKING DOLL CLOTHES. ALSO VARIOUS DOLL CLOTHES PATTERNS.CALL - 262-551-8478 AND LEAVE A MESSAGE IF NO ANSWER.DRUM LESSONS Private instruction. Band, orchestra, marching and drum set. Rock and many other musical styles. Learn to read music. Call Tom for details. 262-818-2869. PROFESSIONAL LED TEETH WHITENING for a fraction of the price! $99 at cabana tan spa. call to book: 262-843-2411. 20 minute session = a bright white smile! mycabanatan.com FAST COMPUTER SERVICE including network support, spyware removal, upgrades and PC repair. For friendly service with a smile, call Vikkex today! Phone 262-694-7746 Computer Installation. Call, text, or voicemail Mike at (262) 595-7556. VEHICLES0 142K MILES LIKE NEW TIRES COLD A/C SEE IN KENOSHA AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL, TEXT OR STOP BY $25002005 Mercury Sable, 90k miles, leather interior. Has vacuum leak, needs tow. Clean title in hand. Great project car. $1500 OBO. Call/text 262-612-91421999 Sebring Convertible Very good condition $2,590 OBO Call or test Bob @262-945-9224 2003 Subaru Baja - Good running condition$4,950 OBO Call or text: Bob @262-94592242017 FORD F150 One Owner 4wd 4 Door See In Kenosha At 4121-7th. Ave. 217k Miles 262-237-1343 Russ Call Text Or Stop By $7495 Very Nice TruckDUAL EXHAUST SYSTEM Ram V6 dual exhaust system custom built.Make offer. 262-942-12662009 JEEP LIBERTY 4WD SEE AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 KENOSHA RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL OR TEXT 195K MILES $4450 NICE JEEP READY FOR WINTER2013 CHRYSLER 200 Loaded Limited See At 4121-7th. Ave. 53140 Russ 262-237-1343 Call Or Text 189k Miles $4950 2002 XK8- White Jaguar Convertible Good Condition - 38K Miles $18,500 obo Call or Text Bob 262-945-92241999 - Sebring Convertible - good Condition $2,850 obo Call or text Bob (262)-945-92241981 Datsun/Nissan 280ZX low mileage Loaded Glass T top's Hatch Back Stainless Steel MFG wheels New Clutch New break System New thermostat & radiator 5 speed New Interior Exterior Blue/Silver call 847-244-9256 Please leave a message 2003 GMC Envoy 142K miles Great Shape, Garage Kept 1 owner, Leave Message $6000 obo 262-515-4386 1994 Honda Goldwing Aspencade 64K miles Great Shape, Black, Leave Message $6000 obo 262-515-43864X4 4DOOR SEE IN KENOSHA AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL, TEXT OR STOP BY $9995 1/2 TON NICE TRUCK AT A NICE PRICE 1991 CHEVROLET CORVETTE one owner, yearly maintenance, 12,000 original miles, original parts $38,000 Email [email protected] GMC Box Truck 1986 OH Door 35 V8 (nearly new) solid body, 2\" oak floor in box, needs some work $1200. Snowblower $100262-857-2695 Leave message or email [email protected] 2018 NISSAN ALTIMA $4950 ONE OWNER FLEET MAINTAINED LIKE NEW TIRES 287K MILES KENOSHA AT 4121-7TH. AVE. 53140 RUSS 262-237-1343 CALL, TEXT. 2011 Toyota Sienna Silver 8-pas- senger Minivan, strong engine, smooth riding, 184k miles, excellent for winter driving, it also has a backup camera. $5,495, text Don at 920-809-0833 FREE CLASSIFIEDS!E-mail your 170 character classified to: [email protected] Please include your contact information in the classified. (Name and Phone number / e-mail address) First 3 words will be boldface type. NO ANIMALS. • NO PERSONALS ALLOWED.CLASSIFIED DEADLINE IS MONDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, 2025 AT 12 NOONFREE CLASSIFIEDS! Employment/Opportunities • Lost & Found • Miscellaneous Real Estate • Rentals • Rummage Sales • Vehicles • Wanted
20 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Looking for familyactivities when thekids/grandkids are homefrom school? I highlyrecommend you useVisitKenosha.com whenlooking for fun things to seeand do in the Kenosha Area.Here’s a sampling ofactivities to do:The Holiday Gnome Huntcontinues through the endof the year at PringleNature Center: find gnomesin Bristol Woods Park andwin a prize! During openhours, stop in the naturecenter to visit the gnomephoto booth, make a craft,or pick up your own gnomesouvenir. This program isfree, self-guided, and suitablefor all ages.As part of Christmas atKemper, see the historic1860s Durkee Mansion fullydecorated for Christmas;there is no cost. The old andthe new are blended into amagical holiday experienceby the talented designers ofthe Durkee YuletideVolunteers. This year'stheme is A Snowy WinterFantasy. The mansion will beopen Saturdays and Sundaysthrough January 11: 1:30 PMto 4:30 PM.The Magic at MuniHoliday Lights Displaycontinues through January4: Fri.-Sat. 5:00 PM to 9:00PM and Sun. 5:00 PM to 8:00PM. The City of KenoshaParks Department presentsthis free event. Strollthrough the 1/3-mile loop atWashington Park MunicipalGolf Course.Take a Reindeer BarnTour at Paris Deer Park. Youmust make a reservation inadvance. The remainingdates are December 19-21and December 27-28. Theadmission fee includes: atour of their barn, a cup ofanimal feed, feedingopportunities with thereindeer, and photoopportunities.The wonderful HolidayTrain Display is up untilJanuary 4 at the KenoshaPublic Museum. It’s free tovisit the museum and thedisplay. On December 30,Wintersaurus Camp will beheld at the museum for ages6-10. There’s a fee for thecamp.Also at the museum,check out the 50 States ofMind: The Art of Bill ReidExhibit. In celebration of the250th anniversary of theUnited States, local artistBill Reid presents 50 Statesof Mind, a playful journeyacross the country thatblends wordplay, travel, andsculpture. The World ofSharks Exhibit is also up atthe museum!Visit the Wagons AwayExhibit at the free KenoshaHistory Center. One of themost nostalgic type of carsis the station wagon. FourKenosha-made stationwagons, across three eras ofAMC history, are on display:the peak of the 1950s familycruising in a Rambler Classic770 wagon, two sleepermuscle wagons: Rebel andMatador, and the iconic 70sHornet Sportabout.More winter break ideasinclude strolling through theDinosaur DiscoveryMuseum, Civil War Museum,Pritzker Military Museum &Library, or an art gallery. Create your own art atAlpaca Art or Pinot'sPalette. If you haveexperience working withclay, Lemon Street Gallery &ArtSpace has the ClayStudio, which is a self-serveworkspace.Plan a fun outdoorouting! You can go downhillskiing, snowboarding, andtubing at Wilmot Mountain.Free ice rinks are set up atVeterans Memorial Park inDowntown Kenosha andHansen Park in Bristol. Sledding, snowshoeing,and cross-country skiing arepopular activities at localparks, too! You can rentsnowshoes at PringleNature Center to use atBristol Woods ParkFor more winter ideas,check out our FUN 101 listat VisitKenosha.com/FUN101. This is a list of 101Things to See & Do in theKenosha Area for $10 &Under (Many are FREE!)!There are still manyholiday events (includingNew Year’s Eve ones)happening in the comingdays: go toVisitKenosha.com/Holidaysfor the Merry & BrightEvents Calendar.What to do duringWinter Breakby Meridith Jumisko, Visit Kenosha
21 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800healthlifestylecommunityKenosha County Aging & Disability Resource Center newsDecember 18, 2025Memory CafeThe Memory Café is a monthlygathering for persons living withMild Cognitive Impairment, earlystage Alzheimer’s, or a relateddementia, and their care partners tosocialize and have fun. Join othersalong with the Kenosha CountyADRC's Dementia Care Specialist,Alex Troupis, for a Memory Café. The next meeting will be on January13 at the Kenosha NeighborhoodSouthwest Library, 7979 38thAvenue. Meetings are offered thesecond Tuesday of every monthfrom 1-2 p.m. For more informationand to register call the ADRC at262-605-6646.Caregiver CoffeeClub for those caring for someonewith dementia ADRC offers support groupfor those caring forsomeone with dementiaKenosha County Aging & DisabilityResource Center (ADRC) offers asupport group to help familycaregivers who care for someonewith Alzheimer’s disease or otherform of dementia. Join othersengaged in helping their loved onesmanage day to day living. Relax, chatand learn helpful tips and strategies.The Caregiver Coffee Club meetsthe first Wednesday of each monthfrom 10-11 a.m., the next meetingwill be on January 7The support group is available inperson or virtually. Facilitated byAlex Troupis, Dementia CareSpecialist with the Kenosha CountyADRC. To register call 262-605-6646.Online LearningPlatform for FamilyCaregivers OfferedFreeTrualta is a free online educationaltool for family caregivers inWisconsin. Trualta helps caregiverslearn about health issues, caretechniques, and managing care forloved ones. The Aging and DisabilityResource Center of KenoshaCounty offers registration supportfor Trualta.If you provide care for a loved one,friend, or neighbor, you areconsidered a family caregiver. As afamily caregiver, it can be hard tofind the right resources. Even harderwhen your time is limited. Trualta’scollection of professional content isdesigned for the family caregiver tomake it easier to manage care athome. Trualta is available 24 hours aday, 7 days a week, 364 days a year.With lessons as short as 5 minutes,Trualta makes it easy for you to fitcaregiver training in whenever itworks for you. Trualta providespractical caregiver tips andtechniques that you can start usingright away. With Trualta, you can alsolearn alongside other caregivers inyour area and learn from others’experiences.In addition to learning skills tomanage your care receiver’s currentcare, Trualta’s learning library canhelp you prepare and plan for whatthe future holds. Discover ways toconnect with your loved one and beconfident you’re doing your best.To participate, caregivers will needinternet access and access to acomputer, iPad, or other tablet.Participants will receive an emailwith a link to register. To register,call Margaret Ricchio at the ADRC,262-605-6650 or [email protected] Memory ScreenMondaysThe Kenosha County Aging &Disability Resource Center (ADRC)offers free, confidential memoryscreens every Monday, 8 a.m. -noon. Memory screens aresuggested for anyone concernedabout memory changes, at risk ofAlzheimer’s disease due to familyhistory, or who wants to check theirmemory now for futurecomparison.Some memory problems can bereadily treated, such as those causedby vitamin deficiencies or thyroidproblems. In general, the earlier thediagnosis, the easier it is to treatmemory loss. Memory screeningcan:• Provide relief for individualsconcerned about normal memoryloss• Lead to diagnosis of treatableconditions• Offer the ability to make lifestylechanges early when they have thegreatest potential for positive effectand the opportunity to participatein making future decisionsWarning signs of dementia includeforgetting people’s names andevents, asking repetitive questions,loss of verbal or written skills,confusion over daily routines, andpersonality changes.Screening results are not adiagnosis, and individuals who haveconcerns are encouraged to pursuea full medical exam. Appointmentsare recommended. Interestedpersons may call the ADRC at 262-605-6646 to make an appointment.
22 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800REGULAR SENIOR DINING SITES• Meals include dessert and beverage• Suggested donation: $5• Open to anyone age 60+ and aspouse regardless of age• Reservations must be made by10am the day priorKenosha Senior Center2717 67th StMonday - Friday, 11:30amReserve at 262-351-6246Parkside Redeemer Church2620 14th PlaceMonday - Friday, 11:30amReserve at 262-552-7737Lakeside Towers5800 Third AveMonday - Friday, 11amReserve at 262-455-7919Westosha Senior Center19200 93rd StMonday - Friday, 11:30amReserve at 262-358-5554Village Pub of Silver Lake307 N Cogswell DriveWednesday & Friday, 11:30amReserve at 262-358-5779Going on Medicare? Learn about the decisions you’ll need to makeThe Kenosha County Aging & DisabilityResource Center (ADRC) offers no-cost,unbiased, Medicare workshops for those new toMedicare, or who want to learn more. Trainedbenefit specialists will be available to answeryour questions and discuss the decisions you’llneed to make, including the basics of Medicarecoverage, options for private health and drugcoverage, and public benefits that can help withhealth care costs. If possible, sign up for aworkshop 3-4 months before your Medicarestarts.UPCOMING MEDICARE 2026 WORKSHOPS: Kenosha County Job Center, 8600 Sheridan Rd• Wed, January 21, 10 a.m. – noon, Room N2• Wed, February 18, 1 – 3 p.m., Room N2Kenosha County Center, 19600 75th St• Thur, March 19, 1 – 3 p.m., Conference Room ADue to limited seating, reservations are required.Call the ADRC at 262-605-6646 to make areservation or to learn more.
23 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800This column willdiscuss a specialprocedure that the SocialSecurity Administrationroutinely uses to helpindividuals protect theirrights to potentialbenefits. It's called a\"protective filing date.\" Ina nutshell, if you contactthe SSA and tell themyou intend to file forsome kind of SocialSecurity benefit and givethem your name andSocial Security number, itestablishes a record thatcould be used as astarting date for anySocial Securityapplication you might filelater on. Although thatprotective date is usuallygood for only six months.The best way toexplain this procedure inmore detail is byanswering somequestions I got fromreaders about this issue.Q: My wife recentlytried to sign up for SocialSecurity. She wanted herbenefits to start thismonth when she will be66 years old. But then theSocial Security rep gother all confused becausehe said their recordsshowed that my wifecalled them back in June.And he said because shedid that, she has to starther benefits in June at alesser rate than what shewould have been due hadshe been allowed to starther benefits this monthas she wanted. She got soconfused that she justhung up and ended thecall. Now we don't knowwhat to do. Can you helpus? (By the way, my wifedid call the SSA back inJune. But she told themshe was just thinkingabout filing for benefitsand wanted someinformation about theprocess.)A: I've got a hunchyour wife misunderstoodwhat the SSA rep wastelling her. Or possibly hejust didn't do a very goodjob of explaining thesituation. When your wife calledthe Social Securitypeople back in June, theyestablished a \"protectivefiling date\" of June forher. And that simplymeans that if at somepoint within the next sixmonths she decided toactually file for benefits,she could start thosebenefits in June if shewanted to. Despite whatthe agent supposedlytold your wife, it did notmean that she must startthose benefits in June.So, if your wife wantsher benefits to start thismonth at age 66, she canhave them start thismonth. It's just that shecould decide to havethem start in June if shewanted to. If she did that,she'd get about 3% lessper month in ongoingbenefits. But on the otherhand, she would get a bigback paycheck. Q: I've been readingyour column for years,and I've also read yourSocial Security book. So Ithink I'm a pretty goodSocial Security expert.I've got a friend who is 64years old. And sherecently started herretirement benefits. Andshe told me she got acheck for retroactivebenefits. But I knew fromreading your column andbook that retroactivebenefits can only be paidto people who havereached their fullretirement age or older. Itold her this couldn't be,since she was only 64years old. But sheshowed me her bankstatement, and sureenough, there was aSocial Security depositfor about $8,000 in backpay benefits. So how didthat happen?A: It all has to do withthis protective filing datebusiness. You are rightthat normally, you canonly get retroactivebenefits if you are pastyour full retirement age.Or to put that anotherway, the law says that noretroactive benefits canbe made if they involvethe payment of reducedretirement benefits. I will bet my nextSocial Security check thatthis friend of yourscontacted the SSA anumber of monthsbefore she finally decidedto file for benefits. Andwhen she did sign on thedotted line, they usedthat protected date asher filing date. That's whyshe got the backpaycheck.And even though shegot that back paycheck, ittechnically was not aretroactive payment. Inother words, on SocialSecurity's books, it's as ifshe filed her claim onthat past protective date. Q: I will reach my fullretirement age in twomonths. I'm still not sureif I want to file for mySocial Security to startthen or wait until I'm 70.I recently got a letterfrom the Social Securitypeople telling me that if Idon't file for benefits bythe end of this month, Iwill lose any retroactivebenefits I might be due. Icalled the SSAimmediately and a reptold me something abouta \"protected date\"because I called them lastAugust asking somequestions. Now I'm allconfused. What's this allabout?A: When you calledthem in August, that setup a \"protective filingdate\" of August. Andbecause those dates aregood for six months, theletter you got was simplyinforming you that youhave another month todecide if you want to useAugust as a possiblestarting month for yourbenefits.But it sounds like youdon't want to do that.You said you want yourbenefits to begin eitherwhen you reach your fullretirement age or at age70. I can understand whythat letter confused you.But again, it really wasjust protecting yourrights to those pastbenefits. If you don'twant the back benefits,just ignore that letteryou got. Q: I recently startedmy Social Security at myfull retirement age. I havea neighbor who is aboutthe same age, and he didthe same thing. But hegot a retroactive benefitcheck. He said it wasbecause he first calledSocial Security aboutfour months ago, andthey used that date as hisstarting month. I alsocalled Social Securityabout three months agowith some generalquestions. But I didn't getany back pay. How come?A: I really am not sure.But here is an educatedguess. I'll bet when yourneighbor called, heexpressed more of aninterest in filing forbenefits, and as part ofthat process, gave theSSA rep his name andSocial Security number.And that set this wholeprotective filing dateprocess in motion. Onthe other hand, whenyou called, I have a hunchyou just asked somequestions and neverexpressed an interest infiling for benefits. Younever gave them yourname and SSN, no recordwas made of the call andno protective filing datewas established.social securityProtecting your right to benefitswith Tom MargenauIf you have a SocialSecurity question, Tom Margenau has twobooks with all the answers.One is called \"Social Security-- Simple and Smart: 10Easy-to-Understand FactSheets That Will Answer AllYour Questions About SocialSecurity.\" The other is \"SocialSecurity: 100 Myths and 100Facts.\" You can find the booksat Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or youcan send him an email [email protected] youEfforts to stop weedimpaired driving areignoring the traffic riskposed by a stoned dad orgrandpa, a new studysays.About 1 out of 5 (20%)people 50 and older whouse weed reportedthey'd driven while highat least once during thepast year, researchersreport in the January2026 issue of the journalDrug and AlcoholDependence.Further, middle-agedadults and seniors whouse cannabis daily ornearly daily are threetimes as likely to getbehind the wheel aftertoking, compared withthose who use weedrarely, the study found.\"So much of the effortto reduce 'driving whilehigh' through awarenesscampaigns has focusedon young people, but ourfindings show this is across-generationalissue,\" lead researcherErin Bonar said in a newsrelease. She's a professorof psychiatry at theUniversity of MichiganMedical School in AnnArbor.For the new study,researchers analyzeddata from the Universityof Michigan's NationalPoll on Healthy Aging.The poll surveyed 3,379people 50 and older,including 729 who'd usedweed at least once in thepast year.The poll found thatmore than a quarter(27%) of people 50 to 64had used weed at leastonce in the past year, and17% of those 65 andolder.Of those who usedweed, 27% said they getstoned daily or almostdaily. On the other hand,43% said they usedcannabis only once ortwice during the pastyear, 14% said they usedmonthly and 16% weekly.Overall, men were 72%more likely than womento drive after using weedproducts, researchersfound.The poll also askedpeople why they useweed. More than half(52%) said they use it tomedicate a mood-relatedor mental healthproblem, and 67% saidthey use it to help themsleep.Those who use weedfor mental healthreasons were twice aslikely to say they'd drivenstoned, researchersfound.Messages aimed atolder weed users mightalso explain:• How today's morepotent cannabis couldimpact them, comparedto the weed they had asteenagers and youngadults.• The effects of agingon their cognitive andmotor abilities and howweed might worsenthose effects.• The potential forinteractions betweenweed and prescriptiondrugs.By Dennis ThompsonMiddle-aged adults, seniors more likely to drive while high
24 SMART READER December 18, 2025 FOR ADVERTISING RATES CALL 262-564-8800Dear Eric: My oldestsister recently lost herhusband of 40 years. Hehad health issues, but hisdeath six months ago wasunexpected. They had nochildren. They moved awayfrom our hometown manyyears ago and made a veryhappy life together.My other siblings and Istill live in our hometownand have always gatheredon Christmas Eve with ourfamilies. We would love oursister to come “home” tobe with the family this year,as it will be the firstChristmas our sister will bealone. However, she isresistant.She is not used totraveling (especially duringthe busy holiday season)and is not altogethercomfortable navigating theairport, although theairport in her city is veryefficient, and signage makesnavigation easy. It’s a briefflight from her city to ourhometown.I’m torn betweenrespecting her feelings ofdiscomfort and beingheartbroken at the thoughtof her spending Christmasalone. She does have manyfriends, but I don’t know ifany of them might extendan invitation to her to jointheir celebrations.Yes, we have consideredflying to her city to be withher, but then we sacrificeour Christmas Evetradition with our ownfamilies. Is that selfish? Wejust want to do the rightthing, and I need someperspective. – FamilyConundrumDear Conundrum:Though this will bepublished quite close to theholiday, I hope it’s not toolate to include your sisterin your plans. Travel to her,full stop. Traditions areimportant, but they’re onlyas meaningful as the peoplewho participate. So, yourtradition can withstandswitching or splitting intoseparate events for a year,or a couple of years.Surely, it’s not feasible for everyone to pick up theirfamilies and go visit yoursister, but if one or two ofyou can see her this year,think of how impactful thatwill be. Another option is topreserve the Christmas Evetradition and fly to see herafterward, thereby creatinga new tradition.The most importantthing is that the traditioncontinues to serve theneeds of the people whouphold it. If it doesn’t, it’stime to change. Ask herwhat would be helpful andmake your plan together.Dear Eric: I’m 75 and Ihave a problem I've dealtwith for a long time. It hasto do with bullies. In schoolI had fists shaken in my face,I was laughed at because Iwas skinny, shy and had badpimples. I couldn't wait toleave school each day.At a very large company Idid well professionally,however, the bullying neverstopped. It consisted ofpeople talking over me atmeetings or one-on-one,laughing when I walkedthrough an area. At onepoint management tried tomake me supervisor overfour people. One memberwas loud, outspoken, a bullyand would make fun ofeveryone.To this day, I relive all thetimes I walked away fromor endured bad treatment.I'll never see them again,but the events still play inmy head now and then.Since then, I've learned thatthey or their wives eachhad health problems. I sayto myself \"what goesaround comes around.” It'seasy to say \"get over it\" butI can't seem to. How do Iget past reliving thosepainful events? Even writingthis was painful. – Living inthe PastDear Past: I’m sorryfor what you experienced.The way other people havetreated you is not yourfault. And, while you can’tgo back and undo what’sbeen done, it is possible tochange your relationship tothe memory. This isn’t“getting over” it, but it doeshave the potential todisempower the memoryand free you.Right now, the pain of thebullying and the resentmentthat resulted are,understandably, taking up alot of real estate in yourmind. It sounds like thistreatment, at school and atwork, was never fullyprocessed, which meansthat you weren’t given whatyou needed to heal from it.Consider talking to atherapist with theexperiences you had. Youcan go into these sessionswith a simple goal: I don’twant to be tortured by thememories of bullying. Atherapist can provide a safespace to unpack whathappened, uncover otherareas in your life thatconnect to this treatmentand help you develop healthcoping strategies.Think of it as akin to theprocess of physical therapy,in which an injury in onepart of the body mightrequire you to strengthenanother part of the body inorder to heal. Sometimesrecovering from trauma isthe same. These bulliesplanted an idea about youin your head. It doesn’t haveto be true, and it doesn’thave to stay in there.asking ericSiblings want toinvolve distant,widowed sister inholiday traditionBestselling author R. EricThomas brings his signaturewit and warmth to “AskingEric,” an advice columntackling life’s quandaries.Drawing on his stint asSlate’s “Dear Prudence,”Thomas dishes out insightful,humorous guidance fornavigating relationships, work,and everything in between
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