Opinion
The Spring of Mothers’ Discontent
Guest Opinion
By Cathye Williams | May 9, 2026
The first day of spring is hardly ever springlike here in the northern latitudes. While we might think that “vernal equinox” sounds very sciency, we all know we’ll still be schlepping around in insulated boots and poofy coats. No one puts away their ice scrapers until well into April. I myself keep a stash of hats and mittens by the door until Memorial Day. Mother’s Day is my season opener. Spring is … Read More >>
And They’re Off, 2.0
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | May 9, 2026
Last week we took a brief look at Michigan’s Republican candidates for governor, so it’s only fair we now look at the Democrats’ far less competitive race. Or, at least it isn’t very competitive yet, but there is a significant wild card we’ll discuss later. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer is term-limited after an up-and-down tenure that saw recessions, a pandemic, and a kidnapping and assassination plot. Despite it all, Whitmer remains popular … Read More >>
And They're Off
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | May 2, 2026
It must be an election year because Congressman Jack Bergman is back to communicating, sort of, with constituents. His recent non-campaign campaign mailer does not mention upcoming elections at all, instead discussing how his office can be of assistance to District 1 residents. Just a coincidence this helpful reminder hits just months before an election. What’s considerably more interesting than Bergman’s election-year visibility is the race for Michigan governor as Gretchen Whitmer … Read More >>
Happy or Right?
Guest Opinion
By Greg Holmes | May 2, 2026
Have you been in an argument lately? Odds are that you have. Our lives are filled with disagreements of all kinds, from petty squabbles to intense verbal fights. Your argument could have been with anyone: your partner, child, friend, coworker or neighbor. Disagreements are a natural part of life, and effectively communicating our differences is essential to navigating our many relationships. But arguments become a problem when the combative parts of our … Read More >>
An Obscene Budget
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | April 25, 2026
We’ve had a couple of interesting weeks. We started and ended and restarted a war of choice against Iran, though we still await the evidence it was necessary. We experienced extreme and destructive weather events and we have been warned more will happen. We did not get the remaining Epstein files which are still not forthcoming. Tucked among all of this while our attention was elsewhere was President Donald Trump’s recommended 2027 … Read More >>
Infant Poverty and Mortality
Guest Opinion
By Justin Mendoza | April 25, 2026
This Michigan Legislature is on track to be the least productive legislative body in our state since 1842—and yes, that’s before the Civil War. Yet one of the things the legislature was able to do in 2025 is try to strip away funding from an essential program for expecting mothers and babies by cutting the Rx Kids program. To add insult to injury, House Republicans fought in court to try to keep … Read More >>
Middle East Crises Then and Now
Guest Opinion
By Bill Steeves | April 25, 2026
U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran on Feb. 28, 2026, rekindling memories of the Middle East Crisis of 1958. Then, Egypt and Syria’s United Arab Republic (UAR) threatened to overthrow Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq, nations strategically important to America and Britain. From 1957 to 1959, I was one of five Marines providing security at the American Embassy in Amman, Jordan. My article, “Crisis in Retrospect,” published in the December 1973 Marine Corps … Read More >>
The Aftermath of the Storm (Again)
From the Editor
By Jillian Manning | April 18, 2026
As I’m writing this, schools across northern Michigan are closed. Dams have failed, people have been evacuated from their homes, roads are washed out, and other critical infrastructure is in danger of collapse. I’ve spent more than two-thirds of my life in this area, and I’m hard pressed to think of a decade (and change) that has seen more 100-year storms or historic weather and climate events. There was the straight-line windstorm … Read More >>
The Appeal of Mars
Spectator
By Stephen Tuttle | April 18, 2026
Things here on Earth aren’t so great. We’re at war with Iran, and they seem to have a different understanding of what being “obliterated” means. We’re apparently at least claiming to run Venezuela and are happily stealing their oil by the “millions of barrels” according to our fearless leader, though he would not use the word “stealing.” Instead, he keeps saying, “To the victor goes the spoils” as if we were in … Read More >>
What Artists Do in Times Like These: A Protest Song Revisited
Guest Opinion
By Annette Summersett | April 11, 2026
In 2005 I wrote a protest song entitled “Americans Anonymous.” I’m sure you can guess why based on timing. Wait! What? There were actually no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? It has been appalling to realize that now, 20+ years later, my song feels even more relevant then it did back then. In those days, fresh off the boat from the U.P. living in Los Angeles and exploring what it meant … Read More >>
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