MM 2003 // C. Thomas Bailey

Many North Americans are delighted to know that they have a chance to see the northern lights, a sight of great interest according to its recent popularity surge on social media. The northern lights, or Aurora Borealis , are born from shifts in solar winds in the Earth's magnetosphere. This causes ionization of electrons and protons within the atmosphere, resulting in brush strokes of brilliant colors across the night sky. (The northern lights as seen in Wisconsin. From USA Today ) To the geographically favored (and even to the geographically unfavored), seeing these lights is an activity of great joy, wonder, and beauty. So they're kind of a big deal. As of November 12, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Center Administration (NORA) predict that select North Americans could glimpse the auroras both tonight and tomorrow night. Clearly, the lights get enough buzz to warrant government-backed organizations and forecasts. (The predicted breadths of tonight's and tomor...

 The Philippines is estimated to be on of the world's most ecologically vulnerable countries according to the National Public Radio (NPR) , facing approximately 20 typhoons and storms every year. But only recently have two typhoons of great magnitude ran rampant throughout the country: Typhoon Kalmaegi and Typhoon Fung-Wong. As of November 10, The two typhoons have an estimated casualty count of 250. Kalmaegi was (currently) the deadliest of the duo, contributing to at least 96% of the total deaths.  After making landfall in the Philippines, Kalmaegi moved west through Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The sudden mudslides and flash floods were devastating, with winds reaching 92 miles per hour. Survivors found sanctuary in various public buildings; schools and evacuation centers were were prime for refuge. (Effects of Kalmaegi in the Philippines. From the Guardian ) While Fung-Wong is much more granular in its kill count, the cyclone has displaced up to 1.4 million Filipino resid...

You might often hear people describe themselves as not being a "math person." You might know some intellectuals who struggle with long division or recognizing algebraic equations. You might even relate to both of the qualities just described. This is not a display of poor education or failing intelligence; no, this is most likely a struggle with numeracy. According to the U.S. Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , numeracy  is categorized into two types: "subjective" and "objective" numeracy. "Subjective numeracy is a person’s reported confidence in understanding mathematical data. Objective numeracy measures a person’s actual math skills." (Image from Freepik ) Numeracy is an invaluable skill, applicable even outside of an academic setting. Like the National Numeracy C harity states, numeracy can be used to interpret data, statistics, charts, and diagrams; manage and solve fiscal problems; and overall improve one's confidence in ...

There's no faster way to divide or alienate your Thanksgiving dinner table than by the dreaded, impending mention of politics. Politics is one of the most mind-numbing topics to have ever been conceptualized. It's also one of the most important ones, and its conceptualization is par for the course in any developing country. A rich understanding of just what policies and systems make up a country's (hopefully your own) government is crucial for any responsible citizen. (Image from Business Insider ) The study and application of the inner-workings governments is called civics. The United States has had many iterations of its own government since its founding fathers' departure from Great Britain. Nowadays, however, the U.S. government can be divided into three central branches: legislative, judicial, and executive. Each are important for maintaining the checks-and-balances of the country. But what exactly does each of them do? Legislative: The Senate and the House Also ...

The original concept of a listening post is a bit different than how journalists might use the term today. Originally used to describe any station that intercepted enemy intelligence, listening posts in the world of journalism comprise the many places one might pick up on gossip and rumors. These haunts can include barber shops, churches, campuses, anywhere where people are likely to discuss recent news and events. (The OG listening station. Taken by Jeff Geerling ) My listening post of choice is Magnolia's very own KZHE Broadcasting Station. I don't mean simply tuning my radio into their frequency (100.5 for those interested in classic country music); rather, I am a frequent, in-person visitor of the very station. Every Tuesday and Saturday, I sit in the booth and record a few commercials, either for the local university or various local stores. This is a great method for learning about the tons of activities taking place in town. Some information can be a tad irrelevant to ...

 This coming Saturday, on Oct. 18, 2025, a series of harsh hail and thunderstorms is predicted to hit Arkansas and its residents, meteorologists and forecasters claim. The National Weather Service (NWS) suggests that impending tempestuous winds, hailstorms, and tornadoes could possibly rock Arkansas this weekend. However, as with most forecasts, these predictions carry an air of uncertainty. (A map of the U.S. depicting this Saturday's weather) A briefing about this inclement contingency was made by the NWS the morning of Oct. 15 (three days in advance), detailing two climatic scenarios that could occur: SCENARIO ONE: A rapid cold front mainly hitting western Arkansas, bringing severe thunderstorms in the morning. SCENARIO TWO: A glacial movement of the cold front, landing in the state later in the afternoon. Of the two, forecasters say the second scenario would be far more devastating, as the noon's "daytime heating" could catalyze atmospheric instability. Meteor...

Within the past two weeks, the Columbia County Sheriff's Department has released their latest list of arrests. Accessed via the Magnolia Reporter, the list recounts the following persons and alleged crimes: SEPTEMBER Rodrick Brewer (38) - Domestic Battering (third degree) Tyress Saunders (18) - Terroristic Act Angela Stone Adcock (45) - Left Scene of Accident, Property Damage OCTOBER DeKel Smith (25) - Shoplifting Cameron Davis (33) - Failure to Appear Antonio Brewer (39) - Possession of Marijuana Troy Watson (31) - Endangerment of a Minor (first degree), Violation of Child Safety Seat Law, Driving without Headlamps, Driving while Intoxicated, No Driver’s License Rebecca Scott (64) - Possession of Methamphetamine Denver Elmore (48) - Failure to Appear Coquisha Ellis (37) - Battery (third degree) More information can be found  here , as well as the Columbia County Sheriff's Department website. (Image from Vecteezy ) - C. Thomas Bailey