Opinion
Closed Borders, Closed Minds
Guest Opinion
By Isiah Smith, Jr. | Oct. 11, 2025
I’m writing this from the Scandic hotel in Malmö, Sweden, far from the deliberate internal weakening of the United States of America. It is an incredible blessing to be able to leave the country and connect with people from various cultures and different worldviews. It is a blessing that refreshes and inspires, offering renewed focus and sparks of hope that we have not felt in our home country in a long time. … Read More >>
Incompetence in a Losing Game
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Oct. 11, 2025
We don’t care who’s to blame for the government shutdown. That politicians think we do is just more evidence of their remarkable incompetence. The federal government has shut down 10 times since 1980, and each time it was because one party or the other believed punishing the people they are supposed to be representing was somehow politically advantageous. They tell us they are all about serving their constituents, but no constituent has … Read More >>
Tax Fairness Will Benefit All Michiganders
Guest Opinion
By Denzel McCampbell | Oct. 4, 2025
Whether or not we want to admit, taxes are the bedrock of a healthy society. Without taxes, there would be no public roads and bridges, no firefighters, no libraries, and no public schools. We’d lose out on scientific research, public parks would fail to flourish, and struggling families would be left to their own devices to figure out how to pay for basic needs like food, housing, and healthcare. And yet, to … Read More >>
Around Town in October
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Oct. 4, 2025
Let’s check in and see what’s happening locally, given how depressing national and international news has become. In Traverse City, we’re not quite done fiddling with State Street. It was two-way, then for a long time it functioned quite nicely as a west-to-east one-way street for a few blocks. But when construction on the parkway restricted some east-west flow, it went back to being two-way. The decision has been made by the … Read More >>
More Guns Won’t Make Us Safer
Guest Opinion
By Quinn De Vecchi | Sept. 27, 2025
For the first time in a very long time, I found myself walking the streets freely without any sort of fear. Every step on the refurbished sidewalk felt like a new beginning. I entered metro cars and sat right in front of the sliding doors. When someone walked in, no fear. When I walked out, no fear. I had spent over a month in Brussels, Belgium, in June to stay with some … Read More >>
Housing Progress by the Numbers
Guest Opinion
By Yarrow Brown | Sept. 27, 2025
Northwest Michigan is moving the needle on housing, but we have a long way to go. You have probably heard us talk about the numbers over and over. Where are we right now? What is the state of housing in our region? You will have to come to the 11th Annual Northwest Michigan Housing Summit to dive in deeper, but I will give you a preview in this column. The Housing Needs … Read More >>
Protection Lost
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 27, 2025
The federal courts have always been the last line of defense for our basic rights as outlined in the U.S. Constitution. If state legislatures, Congress, or the president crossed into forbidden territory, we could count on federal appellate courts to rein them back in thereby protecting our rights. It is no longer clear that protection exists. Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act protects individuals from being discriminated against when voting. The … Read More >>
Common Ground at the Market
Guest Opinion
By Cathye Williams | Sept. 20, 2025
Summer is certainly Michigan’s most popular season, but fall always comes in a close second. No big surprise. In autumn light, the air is golden. The woods and hillsides and the view out my window are pure Disney technicolor. My kitchen counters and my Instagram feed are both filled with the last of the local harvest—dark shiny eggplant, bright peppers, squash, and apples…even purple potatoes! There is no blank space anywhere inside … Read More >>
Ethics of Thrifting
Student Guest Opinion
By Tess Tarchak-Hiss | Sept. 20, 2025
In my last mall adventure, I had a dilemma: I found the perfect pair of jeans. A pair of low-rise pants that didn’t sag or drag—I felt extremely Destiny’s Child. The cut was trendy; the style was in; the jeans were mine. Or it could have been, if I didn’t have a moral meltdown about a bunch of bootlegs. I’ve gotten 90 percent of my clothes from a variety of secondhand sources: … Read More >>
The Enemy Is Us
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | Sept. 20, 2025
Nothing Charlie Kirk ever said rationalizes, much less justifies, his murder. Celebrations to the contrary were, and continue to be, reprehensible if for no other reason than a three-year-old little girl and a one-year-old little boy are left without a father. At the same time, his near beatification by some seems excessive. His death does not erase what many considered offensive comments or positions. There is a certain irony in the fact … Read More >>
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