Increased turnout leads to budget OK       It is a "stop the presses" kind of day when voters in Howell pass a school budget, and that is exactly the type of day it was on April 15. For whatever the reason, Howell is a town where residents rarely approve the tax levy that is proposed by the Board of Education to fund the coming year's K-8... More ... Red State/Blue State Guns and Bibles sure aren't exclusive to flyover country DAVE SIMPSON & GREG BEAN       A political discussion between Red State conservative Dave Simpson - a former reporter, editor, publisher and columnist - and Greg Bean, Blue Stater and executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. More ... Coda Finally, a matter upon which we seem to agree GREG BEAN       I get letters. Man, do I get letters. And nothing I've written in recent memory got as many letters in the form of e-mail messages as my recent column on Comcast and my misery over losing the History Channel when the company went all digital March 27. More ... Are We There Yet? If the shoe fits, then go right ahead and wear it LORI CLINCH       As I sat in the kitchen chair the other night, I said in reference to the article that I was reading, "Well, if that isn't straight from the horse's mouth." Although I was speaking to no one in particular, when I looked up at my family, I was met with a variety of looks. More ...