Last week, Denmark commemorated and observed a longstanding and beloved American tradition. For as long as anyone can remember, fall has brought with it Homecoming and all the associated rituals and traditions. The undertaking has become so commonplace that few even stop to wonder just why we do it each year.

While cheese may be the food northeast Wisconsin is most associated with, booyah is no doubt a close second. For generations, residents of the area have flocked to church picnics, fundraisers and family parties to enjoy the hearty stew throughout the year with a multitude of varieties emerging. While everyone from the region knows full well what booyah is, it is relatively unknown outside the Midwest.

Last Friday night, the Green Bay Packers faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles in a historic regular season opener in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In doing so, the NFL shattered norms by forcing themselves onto another continent as well as a previously unprecedented day of the week for professional football.

This week, students and staff across the Denmark area and beyond will be heading back to class for another school year. With it will come the regular hectic hustle and bustle of buses rolling and students attempting to return to a normal schedule.

On January 21, 2010, in the landmark case "Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC)", the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 vote to strike down a prohibition on corporate independent expenditures toward political campaigns. In layman's terms, the decision removed restrictions on corporations, unions and nonprofit organizations from financially supporting political candidates on grounds of free speech.

At last week's Village of Denmark Board Meeting, I was disheartened to hear multiple reports of a growing issue related to minors in the municipality wreaking havoc on public and private property. These wayward youth seem to have made a habit of causing as much damage as possible when left to their devices throughout town.

This summer, I have made it a goal to get out and enjoy the numerous parks and nature trails our area has to offer. I believe we are very lucky to have access to great natural areas including the Devil's River State Recreational Trail, Neshota Park and Maribel Caves County Park. For the most part, I have been happy to find that most of my fellow visitors have respected the natural wonder and refrained from disturbing it with trash.

Last Thursday, Americans across the country observed their Independence Day. The Fourth of July is undoubtedly the most American of holidays and is rooted in our struggle for sovereignty during the birth of our nation. For this week's editorial, I would like to take a look at the origins and genesis of Independence Day to better understand how it is observed today.

Last month, I was happy to report Bank First will be investing in the Denmark community with a brand new branch building to be constructed next year. I was once again disappointed to discover The Denmark News Facebook audience did not share my enthusiasm and instead filled the announcements comments section with negativity toward the project.

This past weekend, my duties for The Denmark News tasked me with covering two beloved local summer traditions. For longer than I have been on this earth, generations of people have flocked to both the annual Curran Community Club Softball Tournament as well as the yearly Maribel Lions Picnic. This year was set to be no different with a busy weekend jam-packed with fun and excitement being prepared for by both groups.

This week, many readers may be wondering why they received their copy of The Denmark News a day early. Others will probably wonder why there is no mail service on Wednesday. The answer is the United States’ newest federal holiday--Juneteenth. While most probably know the day is genuinely associated with the African American community, it seems few understand its history or its meaning.

This week, I am deeply saddened to wish the warmest of farewells to our esteemed sportswriter --Kelly Fenton. Over the past two years, I have had the honor and pleasure of working with Kelly and I will be forever grateful for his kindness, thoughtfulness and direction.

This week, I had the honor and the privilege of taking part in the annual DHS Fine Arts Banquet as both a presenter for the fall musical and spring play as well as an observer for my duties as a reporter. As always, I was blown away by the sheer amount and level of talent on display in our community's young people.

This Monday, across the nation, Americans will observe Memorial Day. While most know that the holiday is meant to honor deceased members of the American armed forces, few understand its complicated origins. So, for this week's editorial, I would like to examine how and why Memorial Day came to be.

As the Denmark area winds down another year of the busy rummage sale season, I found myself wondering the reasoning behind this ubiquitous tradition. While annual rummage sales have come to be a hallmark of the spring season, when one takes a step back, the tradition can seem a bit odd.