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App launched to help youth quit tobacco, vapes

Youth in Michigan now have a new way to access free help to quit using tobacco and nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and vapes. The My Life, My Quit program has launched a mobile app, making it easy for teens to get confidential support from their smartphones, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. “This new app will meet teens where they are with tools that support quitting tobacco products,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, chief medical executive, said in a recent news release. “We are grateful My Life, My Quit worked with young adults to update ...

Is another era of political violence upon us?

In his life's work, Charlie Kirk, the rising star in conservative politics, did not give me, or millions of Americans like me in the political center or left, a great deal of optimism about the direction of our nation's partisan politics. But his brutal assassination, captured in horrific ...

Local political parties do right thing

We absolutely applaud the actions of the Marquette County Democratic and Republican parties in the wake of the heinous killing last week of Charlie Kirk. Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University last Wednesday. A suspect is in custody. The easy play for political parties and politicians here and elsewhere would be to attempt to make political hay from this act of violence. Indeed, we are troubled to report, a great many have. Thankfully, the parties in Marquette County took a higher road when they released the following statement: "The Marquette County Democratic Party and ...

Dickinson board must resolve Open Meetings Act issues

Under Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, “a person must be permitted to address a meeting of a public body under rules established and recorded by the public body.” Dickinson County Board allows two citizens’ times during its regular meetings — one near the beginning and one near the end — limited to five minutes per person. During Monday’s meeting, as Jason Gibbs of Iron Mountain prepared to address the board, he was directed by Chair Dan Harrington to remove his cap while speaking. Gibbs declined. Harrington responded that Gibbs would have to remove his hat or “be ...

Both parties should demand RFK Jr.’s removal from post as HHS Secretary

How many times is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. going to be allowed to lie right to U.S. senators’ faces about his deliberate dismantling of America’s vaccine shields before they finally insist that President Donald Trump remove this dangerous anti-science zealot from the nation’s top medical post? Kennedy, who never should have been but is Trump’s secretary for Health and Human Services, was at it again Thursday morning. In unhinged, ranting testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, the nation’s foremost anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist repeatedly claimed to be rescuing the ...

MDHHS honors those in recovery from substance use

Each September, Recovery Month provides an opportunity to celebrate the courage of individuals living in recovery and to raise awareness that treatment works and recovery is possible. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has declared September as Recovery Month in Michigan. As part of that, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has stressed its commitment to building a framework of recovery-oriented care across the state, with investments in prevention, treatment, harm reduction and long-term supports to help more residents achieve and sustain recovery. “Recovery Month is an ...