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Editorial

As temps rise, so do risks for kids, pets and vehicles

With the arrival Sunday of the summer solstice, the hottest temperatures of the year are likely ahead for the region. With that in mind, it’s worth keeping in mind AAA’s tips to help motorists keep their children, pets and vehicles safe during the warmer months. Excessive heat can pose great risks to motorists. Within just a few minutes the inside of a car can become dangerously hot, AAA warned in a news release. Since 1998, 1,049 children have died due to Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke, according to noheatstroke.org. In 2025 alone, 33 children died in hot cars nationally. Six have ...

Father’s Day: Dad plays key role

Sunday is Father's Day, when dad's contributions to family and folks are recognized. The physical act of creating a child, for some, can be an easy thing. But raising that child is an act that requires great care, deep thought, patience and a lot of love. That’s the difference between a man who has simply sired a child and one that put in the time and effort to earn the title of father. Whether you enjoy doting dad with gifts, or strictly abhor the commercialization of the whole thing, Father’s Day is often associated with buying something for him. Either way you look at it, we ...

Prison workers worth money being paid — and then some

There are few professions that are inherently more stressful, grueling, and, indeed, dangerous, than that of a modern day prison guard. The people employed by the Michigan Department of Corrections every day face a mixed bag of murderers, rapists and thieves. The inevitable result is terrible wear and tear on these workers with symptoms of alcoholism that can sometimes reach 20 percent of the work force — and that’s according to the MDOC itself. One recent study found that nearly one in four of all MDOC workers met the criteria for post traumatic stress disorder while 47 percent ...

Remembering a hero from long past

It's our sincere belief that warts or no warts, these United States of America remains a singular force for good in the world, which can be demonstrated many ways but one in particular grabbed our attention recently that may have passed unnoticed to many people. Last Saturday, flags at state buildings in Michigan were flown at half-mast in honor of a fallen hero from a war long ago. U.S. Army Cpl. George F. Sepsey in late 1942 was assigned to Company M, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32d Infantry Division, and deployed in present day Papua New Guinea. Sepsey, who grew up in downstate ...

Pulte should not head national intelligence

In the 20th century, Americans learned how government abuse of secrets can threaten liberty. It happened during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency, the McCarthy era and J. Edgar Hoover’s long reign at the F.B.I. After the Watergate scandal, however, Democrats and Republicans joined forces to put in place new rules and procedures to prevent federal officials from using sensitive information to harass political opponents. That system, while never perfect, largely succeeded in preventing the politicization of law enforcement and intelligence. President Trump has dismantled these safeguards ...

Michigan has guides for choosing safe fish to eat

Planning to drop a line and collect a stringer of fish, fresh out of the lake, river or stream? The state has some advice on what to consider before consuming the day’s catch. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has released the 2026 Eat Safe Fish Guides to help Michigan residents choose fish that are best for them and their families. The Eat Safe Fish Guides provide consumption guidelines for eating locally caught fish. Guidelines are based on levels of chemicals found in the portions of fish people eat, typically the filets. Test results from the MDHHS Bureau of ...