Opinion

Almanac for Sept. 19, 2026

Today is Saturday, Sept. 19, the 262nd day of 2026. There are 103 days left in the year. On Sept. 19, 2022, Great Britain and the world said a final goodbye to Queen Elizabeth II at a state funeral that drew presidents and kings, princes and prime ministers — and crowds who thronged the streets of London. Also on this date: In 1796, President George Washington's farewell address was published. In it, America's first chief executive advised, "Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all." In 1881, the 20th president of the United States, ...

Editorial cartoon for Sept. 19, 2026

If the Kennedy Center Stays Closed for Now, So Be It

Go ahead, President Donald Trump, keep the Kennedy Center closed. Don't give it money for necessary repairs. This is low-hanging fruit for Americans done with your extortion schemes. They don't have to submit to small-bore intimidation like this. They can just shrug at the demand that your ...

Bike lane additions to Ludington

With the addition of bike lanes on Ludington Street, please remember that the new bike lane is that. A bike lane. Not a pedestrian gathering place to chat. Not a "swerve allowance" for motor vehicles. If you are parking, please, please, please check your driver's side mirror well before swinging open your door into the path of an oncoming cyclist legally in the path. And when pulling back into the traffic again, check, check, check your mirrors. Swivel your head and look back before you cross the bikeway into the path of a cyclist legally using their lane. Having been a year-round ...

Free AI

Cell phones made my life easier. So did the internet. Artificial intelligence may enrich it even more. But lots of people are worried. "Stop AI or we're all going to die!" shout protesters. It's possible that AI will decide that we humans are in the way and imprison us or kill us. Not ...

Editorial cartoon for Sept. 18, 2026