Breaking News

Editorial

AAA warns of higher crash risks on Valentine’s Day

Planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day today with that special someone? AAA encourages Michigan drivers to keep safety at the heart as well as romance. As more couples go out for dinners, parties and late-night outings due to Valentine’s Day falling on the weekend, officials expect an increase in dangerous driving behaviors, AAA advised. “A Saturday holiday is likely to bring heavier traffic, more celebrations, and a higher risk of impaired and distracted driving,” Adrienne Woodland, spokeswoman for AAA — The Auto Club Group, said in a news release. “If your evening ...

The Wall Street Journal says the mass deportation strategy is backfiring

How does a Republican lose by 14 points in a safe conservative Texas state Senate seat that President Trump carried by 17 points in 2024? Answer: When there’s a voter backlash against the Trump Administration, notably its mass deportation debacles. That’s what happened Saturday in a special election to fill a GOP seat in Tarrant County in the Fort Worth area. Democrat Taylor Rehmet, a labor union leader and veteran, romped over Republican Leigh Wambsganss, who had a Truth Social endorsement from Mr. Trump and vastly outspent Mr. Rehmet. The election timing was awful for Republicans ...

Tariffs vs. the working class

For decades, politicians have sold tariffs as a tonic for the working class. In reality, one particular group seems to benefit more than any other from trade wars: Washington influence peddlers. The United States collected some $288.5 billion in tariff revenue last year, up from $98.3 billion in 2024, thanks to a barrage of new levies imposed by the Trump administration. These tariffs, designed by elite lawyers in D.C. and implemented with highly technical and specialized language, presented a unique opportunity for lobbyists to charge large corporations exorbitant rates to seek relief ...

Study shows seat belt use rising in Michigan

Results of a recent study indicates Michigan appears to be moving in the right direction again in terms of seat belt use In 2025, the state recorded its highest seat belt use rate since 2019, according to a grant-funded direct observation study by Michigan State University. The study, which took place in May and June across 200 Michigan locations, found the state’s seat belt use rate was 93.2%, an increase of 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. By contrast, the 2024 rate of 92% marked a 20-year low. The previous three years showed rates of 92.4% in 2023; 92.9% in 2022; and ...

Caution urged when buying and using home pesticides

Got a problem with pests in the home? Be careful about what you choose to use as a treatment, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development warn. The two departments recommend avoiding purchasing unregistered pesticides containing dichlorvos, including two in particular with the brand names “Sniper” and “Nopest.” Despite their potentially harmful health effects, Sniper and Nopest remain available for purchase via online marketplaces, where they are marketed as insecticides for home use, MDHHS and MDARD advised ...

Trump focuses on foreign policy, voters worry about cost of living

President Donald Trump kicked off his midterm campaign travel with a bipolar economy: huge growth but plummeting consumer confidence. How he navigates that tension will determine how badly Republicans fare this fall. This was the president’s message in Iowa: “Our economy is booming. Incomes are rising. Investment is soaring. Inflation has been defeated. Our border is closed.” There are good metrics to lean on. The economy grew at an annualized 4.4% rate in the third quarter. Inflation, while still above the 2% target, has slowed dramatically, with prices rising 2.7% year over ...