As the wind whips up and the house shakes with the vibration of thunder, the planning begins.

The sounds of spring are certainly in the air.

The other day while sitting in my cubicle, a certain odor washed over my area. Didn’t know what it was, but let’s just say I had a rather odd reaction.

Although I am a 15-year veteran of ABC Newspapers’ reporting staff, I have recently re-entered rookie status.

After feeling like the 2010-2011 winter would never end, the 2011-2012 winter feels like a well-earned reprieve from the normally slow warm-up we experience in Minnesota.

If there is something that is always on my mind, it’s books.

Who does a better job with the role of Willy Wonka in the film adaptations of Roald Dahl’s delightful tale of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?”

Sleep is definitely not overrated.

With the summer-style weather wrapping itself around the area, my thoughts have skipped over spring and are gearing up for the summer season.

Language has always fascinated me.

by Elyse Kaner A few weeks ago when I read about the death of author and Wall Street Journal columnist Jeffrey Zaslow, as fast as humanly possible, I called the library to reserve a copy of a best selling book “The Last Lecture,” which he co-authored.

by Samantha Lefebvre Hi my name is Samantha Lefebvre and I am a 21-year-old sports reporter.

by Sue Austreng You know that old cliche that says “When March comes in like a lion, it goes out like a lamb”? Well, for my family and I, March 2011 indeed came in like a lion.

by Eric Hagen I still have many of my books packed in boxes even though I moved to my new home during the summer of 2009.

by Mandy Moran Froemming This week marks an anniversary of sorts for me. It has been five years since I packed up everything I owned and moved to the United States.At 29 years old, I unexpectedly found myself to be an immigrant.

by Tim Hennagir I’ve become a fast and hard convert to all the adages about the benefits of youth hockey. It’s the best investment a parent can make in molding a healthy child.

by Jason Olson This might come as a radical statement or seem counter productive at a time when we’re trying to make sports and everything else in life as safe as possible.

by Tammy Sakry Writer’s Block. Yep. I got it. When I heard I had the block this week I moaned.

by Kelly Johnson How about that weather?

by Elyse Kaner When I recently wrote a story on the alarming increase in the number of homeless children in Anoka County, Rhonda Sivarajah, Anoka County Board chairperson, said the solution was up to the community. “This is a community plan, not a government plan,” she said about HeadingHome ...

by Sue Austreng Peering past the near horizon at the intriguing mystery of a brand new year, many will resolve on New Year’s Eve to break bad habits, reach milestone goals, renew and untangle fractured relationships, start life anew.

by Eric Hagen From start to finish, 2011 will be a year I will remember for many years.