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Editorial

Fall migration means bird flu could spread

While highly pathogenic avian influenza has not been detected in Michigan’s domestic animals since March, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development encourages animal owners to remain vigilant and take preventative measures as wild birds that may carry the virus complete their fall migration. “Since the current outbreak of HPAI began in February 2022, the most common cause of disease spread has been wild birds. As wild birds have started to migrate this year, the virus is already being detected in poultry from North and South Dakota,” State Veterinarian Dr. Nora ...

People endangered by ransomware

Internet experts call it ransomware, a very particular type of virus that infects computers and restricts users’ access to their files or threatens the permanent destruction of their information unless a ransom — anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars — is paid. The virus typically announces themselves by popping a message up on screen — supposedly from the FBI or another federal agency — saying that because you violated federal law your computer will remain locked until you pay a fine; or, you get a pop-up message telling you your personal files have been encrypted ...

Veteran suicides should shock everyone

A page 1A story in Wednesday's Mining Journal should have shocked all who read it: in a nutshell, the piece underscored the fact that 17 veterans each day die by suicide in this country. That's more than 6,000 per year, for those readers wondering about the math. Considering that all demographic groups these days seem to be beset by suicide, the fact that veterans find themselves included in these grim statistics comes as no real surprise. But the sheer number, might we say, is jarring. Overall, Wednesday's story told of an origami display at the Oscar G. Johnson Veterans ...

U.P.’s color season just starting

It’s something that's easy to do, letting time slip through one’s fingers. But a front page story and photo package on Tuesday should remind us all: catch the Upper Peninsula’s spectacular color season before it’s gone. With a few days of summery weather here and there, it might be simple enough to be lulled into a state of denial that the leaves will be falling in rapid fashion. But that’s what will happen, so we encourage everyone to take a look around at the start of Mother Nature’s glorious color show in wooded areas all over the U.P. Of course, the season starts ...

Inflation still a persistent force in our economy

Our friends on Wall Street and in Washington keep saying that inflation is vanquished as they hope — plead — for lower interest rates. Yet the economic data aren’t bearing out their optimism, as the Labor Department’s consumer price report for August revealed earlier this month. Consumer prices climbed 0.4% in August and 2.9% over the past year, both the most since January. Price increases last month were broad-based, hitting food consumed at home (0.6%), alcohol (0.6%), children’s shoes (1.5%), clothing (0.5%), new cars (0.3%), used cars (1.0%), housing (0.4%), hotels ...

Advice on avoiding animals on the road

If roadkill isn’t enough evidence, an insurance company has data that indicates Michigan drivers and animals come into contact all too often. Research indicates Michigan ranks second in the nation for animal collision claims with more than 126,000 filed from July 1, 2024, to June 30 of this year, according to State Farm. Only Pennsylvania had more at 147,000 claims. For risk of crash, West Virginia is No. 1 with risk at 1 in 40 for an animal-vehicle crash, followed by Montana at 1 in 53, neighboring Wisconsin at 1 in 58 and Michigan fourth at 1 in 61. The national average is 1 in ...