Here's the Scoop by Brian Sweeney

Office complaints
It’s not often that I take “column requests,” but I’m making an exception this week.
The owner of this newspaper said to me the other day, “Why don’t you write a column about the complaints people make at work?” Since he’s footing the tab for this, I thought it would be a good idea.

Ready to spend
Finally, we joined the ranks of those folks receiving economic Stimulus Checks. Or, Hush Money, if you will. Don’t get me wrong, any time someone — especially the government — hands me $1,200, I’m a willing recipient. Even if I have to wait a really, really long time to get the dough.

No big surprise
I recently marked a “special” birthday. I am unsure why people make such a big deal out of turning 35, but so be it. Not being much of a “party person,” I gently reminded loved ones — many times — that I really, really didn’t want a party on my behalf. Cake was another story, though.

Long & winding road
Dedicated fans of this column, Scoopies, as they like to be called, were fairly quick to notice that the News was Scoop-less for a couple of weeks recently.

Animal rights. And Wrongs.
A few weeks back, our “Cub Reporter” outgrew her title. What started as an innocent tip about a prospective story ended happily a few days ago with another fine piece of journalism by our new “Buffalo Reporter.” Quite a promotion.
Apparently, bear stories in the Catskills have become a bit boring. Even the tale of a bear breaking into a home and chugging down some champagne doesn’t grab folks like it used to when bear sightings were relatively rare.