Rant and Rave: Reader appreciates refs and umpires for youth sports

RAVE to all youth and high school refs and umpires — the courageous officials who wake up each day and say, “Yes, I would like to be yelled at by strangers for 90 minutes.” You don’t always nail the call, but without you, we’d just have a bunch of teenagers running around insisting they’re right. You are the unsung heroes of organized chaos, and we salute your whistle‑powered bravery.

RANT to the lack of adequate lane markings. A real safety issue on dark and rainy nights, and not much better during the daytime. No excuses!

RAVE to my not-super-sentimental husband of 28 years, who, in the midst of a terrible 2025 for our family, turned to me out of the blue at one point and said, “Thanks for all the things you do that no one notices but that makes everything better.”