We always hear about the so-called War on Christmas, where people feel that they can’t say “Merry Christmas” for fear that you might be considered insensitive to those who celebrate other holidays, such as Hanukkah.

Things are getting back to normal as the threat of the coronavirus has gone from a deafening roar to almost a faint whisper. Events are coming back in at least a partial form, if not at full strength. The requirements that we hide from anyone not living in our homes and avoid public places like the plague — pardon the poor comparison — have been scaled way back.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, one of the most significant issues facing Wisconsinites was the high cost of prescription medications. With routine health care and medication being vital to a patient’s well-being, increases in medication costs can create untenable, unsustainable situations for our most vulnerable — including deciding between medications and other daily necessities.

It happens all the time. A member of the public or representative of the press will file a request under Wisconsin’s open records law, which applies to all state and local government entities. Instead of records, the requester gets a bill. “The city will require pre-payment in full before we begin fulfilling your request,” read one such response, dated March 17, to a citizen requester by the assistant city attorney of Fond du Lac.

In a traditional university setting, students learn and grow through their interactions with peers and faculty.

Wisconsin dairy farmers were treading water in 2020, kept afloat by direct payments from the federal government. The aid resulted in a sharp decrease in herd exits: 360 dairy farms went out of business in Wisconsin last year compared to 818 closures in 2019. When I read the latest statistic, my first reaction was relief. It’s a sad state of affairs when the average loss of one dairy farm a day in Wisconsin feels like good news.