Sharon Kennedy

Over the years, I often spoke with friends who kept their thermostats at 65 F during the winter months. Believe me, that's cold, but if funds are limited and money is scarce, lowering the indoor temperature is a must. Children wear coats and hats as well as their flannel pajamas when they go to bed. Siblings who argue during the day forget their squabbles as they snuggle together for warmth when night comes. Pets are welcome in bedrooms and act as buffers against wind sneaking underneath windowsills. Some children can't wait for the night to end so they can attend school where warmth is a luxury their parents cannot afford.

Some children can’t wait for the night to end so they can attend school where warmth is a luxury their parents cannot afford.

Sharon Kennedy | The Petoskey News-Review A few weeks ago, my oldest and dearest friend visited me and brought along a story.

A few weeks ago, my oldest and dearest friend visited me and brought along a story. Before I share it with you, I'll introduce her. Some readers will recognize her immediately. She'll remind others of a feisty friend who drives them crazy and tests their relationship. My friend's name is Opal. Her surname isn't important for she has had many throughout her lifetime and survived them all. She's a strong woman. She carries grudges. She doesn't forget certain things like that one time I crossed her a dozen years ago, but still the friendship endures.

My favorite white shirt has a yellow stain on the cuff. It's an old shirt, one I borrowed from my brother's closet years ago and never bothered to return.

Sharon Kennedy Community Columnist Oct. 13, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET

A first-time absentee voter reflects on fear, misinformation and trust in the democratic process, urging others not to let anxiety silence their vote.

Sharon Kennedy Community Columnist Oct. 20, 2026, 6:01 a.m. ET Well, I did it. I completed my “Official Ballot” and dropped it in my apartment's out-going mailbox.

Sharon Kennedy Community Columnist Oct. 27, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET By two years of age, children have learned the Pavlovian principle of conditional association.

Columnist Sharon Kennedy writes about how political rhetoric can condition voters.