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Boosting literacy the goal of March is Reading Month

Boosting literacy the goal of March is Reading Month EDITORIAL MAR 2, 2026 Michigan’s younger students appear to be struggling when it comes to reading. Statewide test results released in August showed 61.1% of third graders and 57.6% of fourth graders did not pass the annual state assessment, a decline from 2024. Take a moment to let that sink in: More than half of Michigan’s third and fourth grade students tested in 2025 cannot read at their age-appropriate level. The results of the 2025 Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress, known as M-STEP, showed only 38.9% of ...

It’s only a break in the weather

Take it to the bank, our area is in for more snow this winter, perhaps much more, given how things have transpired to date. How much and when, of course, who knows? But it’s at least likely that we will continue to have these occasional minor meltdowns during the balance of the season. According to American Family Insurance, it's not too early to start thinking about spring driving challenges. In no particular order, AFI offers these general suggestions: • Look for leftover sand and salt Many towns use sand and salt to combat icy roads — which is great in winter weather. But ...

Public health hanging in balance under RFK Jr.

Almost 250 years ago, George Washington created America’s first mass immunization mandate, relying on science to protect public health. Oh, how times have changed. Back then, smallpox had just helped end the Continental Army’s invasion of Canada. Despite making it all the way to Quebec, thousands of soldiers contracted the disease. Washington feared the same would happen to his own troops, fresh from their surprise victories at Trenton and Princeton. As Washington wrote at the time, “Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect ...

Virtual meeting today on recycling batteries

Whether it’s small single-use batteries, household rechargeable batteries or large batteries for electric vehicles, disposal can pose a significant safety risk to people and the planet. Conversely, batteries contain valuable materials that, when properly managed, can be returned to the supply chain to realize substantial environmental, economic and social benefits. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy is launching a Battery Circularity Program to improve how batteries are collected, recycled and reprocessed across the state. By using recycled materials, ...

Suggestions to stem the spread of invasive species

Invasive species have become such a significant problem that it’s likely the average person can name one with little difficulty, not just casually but in close proximity to where they live. Glossy buckthorn. Eurasian watermilfoil. Wild parsnip. Garlic mustard. Zebra and now quagga mussels. Starlings. English sparrows. That proliferation doesn’t mean invasive species can’t — or shouldn’t — be battled to stop them from becoming more established in the region. This is National Invasive Species Awareness Week, an event guided by the North American Invasive Species Management ...

The Washington Post on nuclear innovation in the age of AI

As America’s energy demands grow exponentially, the country won’t be able to keep up without more nuclear power. For decades, the climate-friendly industry has been held back by overly burdensome regulations, but that’s beginning to change. In the 1960s, plants took about four years to build, and they cost, in today’s dollars, about $1,500 per kilowatt of electricity generated. Now the idea of building a reactor in less than a decade is unheard of, and the cost of construction is six times greater. The Energy Department took steps this month to exempt certain advanced reactors ...