During his winning campaign to capture the White House, Democrat Barack Obama was harshly critical of the White House record of his predecessor George W. Bush. But once in office, Obama — like nearly all presidents before him — heeded the sage advice of a great chief executive also from ...
A June, 9, 2016 photo from the Associated Press is heartbreaking: mangled bicycles tagged as evidence at the Michigan State Police crime lab in downstate Kalamazoo after a pickup truck driver, allegedly under the influence of drugs, hit a group of cyclists that month. Five people were killed ...
To the Journal editor: Homelessness has become a much discussed issue in our town. While it is not unique to Marquette County, homeless people are especially obvious here because of our small town way of life where people notice and care about each other. In some ways, we are victims of the ...
My old friend, Tom Baldini, used to talk about it, especially in recent years late in the evening when we both realized we were getting older. “I’d crawl across the township on my knees,” he’d say, “to die on my feet and not from a stroke.” We’d agree and have a snort (Tom ...
It’s that time of year again — to look back on the past in hopes that we’ve learned something we can apply to the new year. I’m at the age where there’s a lot more past than future to look forward to, but that also means many more lessons have been learned. Instead of the usual New ...
Thousands of local residents will ring in the new year tonight, bidding adieu to 2017 and welcoming 2018. There are a great many ways to celebrate the occasion, including, perhaps, a special dinner at your favorite restaurant or prepared at home, or gathering with family and friends or ...
2016 turned out to be a year in which it was wise to take Donald Trump as a political candidate seriously but not literally, in the inspired words of syndicated columnist Salena Zito. As 2017 is on the point of vanishing, it’s worth asking whether it’s time to take Trump seriously, if not ...
In the first hour of Christmas Eve, our 9-year-old grandson and his parents arrived here in Ohio after two long flights from their home in hurricane-ravaged St. Croix. His recent life included 10 weeks without electricity in the U.S. territory full of U.S. citizens. In advance of his visit, ...
It may not be exactly the coming of the Messiah, but seeing a front-page story in The New York Times about over-regulation certainly feels like a breakthrough of note. Titled “One Apple Orchard and 5,000 Government Rules,” the story focuses on the Indian Ladder Farms apple orchard in ...
Gerrymander petition a good example of grassroots democracy A citizens group made headlines this week when it turned in petitions containing 425,000 signatures in hopes of getting on the ballot a constitutional amendment that will change the way political districts are drawn. The change ...
Lately, it seems the phrase “get the lead out” has seen an uptick in use quite a bit here in the Great Lakes State. A quick search on the world wide web will tell you the saying means, in rough generalizations, to dispose of whatever is slowing you down and move more quickly. Here in ...
Trump tax cut not the answer To the Journal editor: Now that Republican tax cuts for corporations and the super-rich will add $1.5 trillion ($1,500,000,000,000) to the deficit, how will they fund the massive investment in infrastructure that Trump promised? Will they shrink the bloated ...
WASHINGTON — As the first year of the Trump presidency approaches its end, American democracy finds itself in peril, not only at the White House but at Capitol Hill as well, with both major political parties in chaos. Donald Trump is at the core of both circumstances. At the Oval Office, ...
With the past year’s revelations of questionable conditions along the Line 5 oil/gas pipeline's Straits of Mackinac segment, action by state officials to compel some safety efforts on pipeline owner Enbridge’s part would seem in order. However, we see some potential shortcomings in a ...
To the Journal editor: Negaunee has been in a constant chaotic change in 2017. It now appears a new city manager may be in the wings and the new council is now seated. I want to thank all the city workers for their steadfast dedication and their ability to continually roll with chaotic ...
WASHINGTON — Preaching morality while practicing cupidity can be tricky, but various American governments have done it for years regarding smoking. This mental contortion now has a new chapter. The four largest American tobacco companies (Altria, R.J. Reynolds, Lorillard, Philip Morris) are, ...
The city of Marquette — and, really, the entire community — was handed a blow earlier this week when word came of the unexpected death of Marquette Mayor Tom Baldini. Baldini passed away Tuesday after suffering a stroke over the weekend. Baldini was elected mayor in November after ...
To the Journal editor: This truly is the season of generosity in our community and we have never felt the spirit of Christmas more than we do this year. Our students from Aspen Ridge Elementary School worked incredibly hard this year. Their name, Team ASPEN, stands for Aspiring Students in ...
Republicans have tried, on and off, to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil drilling since the 1980s. The effort has always engendered intense opposition and always been abandoned. A provision for drilling in ANWR is included in the Republican tax bill almost as an ...
You knew it was coming, a spate of brutally-cold days that has everyone talking about memorable Arctic blasts of the past while vowing to not complain next summer when the brutally-hot temperatures set in. With the National Weather Service predicting continued frigid conditions for the rest ...