Attorney General Dana Nessel’s decision to charge former Gov. Rick Snyder and members of his administration in the Flint water crisis sets a dangerous precedent that could, depending on the outcome, make public service a high-risk enterprise. She bears the tremendous responsibility to ...

As the holiday season wanes and we all find ourselves with maybe a bit more time on our hands, it’s time to think of how we can give back to our communities while filling our mid-winter days. There are many ways to give back and make a difference locally, such as volunteering, contributing ...

This week’s bouquets go to: From Jo-Ann and Richard Clark: Thank you to our public health department and its Health Officer Michael Snyder. We received our COVID vaccine at Bay College on Monday, January 11. The process of registering and being vaccinated was seamless and well-organized. ...

Reporters here at The Alpena News last week completed an exhaustive series on the availability of broadband technology across the region. The series was both insightful and frightening, in that it revealed that, as a region, we are woefully behind other areas of the country for new technology ...

Michigan taxpayers with past-due tax debts should be aware of an aggressive scam that’s making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury (Treasury). In the scheme, taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill, asking individuals to ...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer got it very nearly right this week in terms of criminal justice reform. The governor signed a package of bills aimed at keeping those who present no threat to public safety out of jail. The legislation, stemming from a task force she appointed, reduces a number of ...

As we enter the second full week of January, we will also enter a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program in Michigan. Starting Monday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is moving forward with vaccinating residents who are 65 and older; frontline essential workers ...

Should he be confirmed, President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs has a LOT of work to do to restore trust in the agency — and to do right by the men and women it serves. President Donald Trump has referred to the federal bureaucracy as “the swamp.” The ...

This week’s bouquets go to: From Menominee County Sheriff Mike Holmes: In 2015, multiple organizations created National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. It is a day to show appreciation to law enforcement officers, and recognition for the difficult and sometimes impossible career they ...

It appears that more relief is on the way for Michiganders. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a $106 million plan that will provide relief to businesses and fund efforts to fight the economic impact of the coronavirus, according to an Associated Press story. Though the plan was a ...

We were pleased to see Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Robert Gordon ease restrictions on a variety of businesses, as well as allow the return of in-person classes at high schools. Yet restaurants remain a target, and it s decimating the ...

Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed January 2021 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Michigan. “Human trafficking happens to children, women and men every day in our country and around the world,” said Governor Whitmer. “It is often a hidden crime that can take different forms ...

Ask most Michiganders their fondest wish for 2021 and you re likely to hear some variant of the one Donald Trump expressed repeatedly throughout his 2020 presidential campaign: All we want, the outgoing president told supporters again and again as he barnstormed a country ravaged by COVID-19 ...

With Michigan’s snow shoveling season upon us, the Michigan Primary Care Consortium is offering guidelines to avoid personal injury or a serious health care consequence. Of special concerns are individuals facing chronic back challenges, heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol, ...

This week’s bouquets go to: From Anne and David Schaaf of Escanaba In such a dark world, the heavens were lit up by the carolers who serenaded our home on South Eighth Street. Lovely singing, terrific drums, and their expressions of joy and happiness, gave us the beauty of ...

Did Santa bring you the ugliest gift this year? Did Uncle Harold get you the sprocket locket that he knew you couldn’t live without? Want to try and get something better? Returning gifts make most of us quake in our boots. BBB has tips you should know that will make you that savvy ...

The elections: Yes, all of them. By far, the single most galvanizing topic of the year from local readers on The Sentinel’s opinion page was the presidential election. From how people viewed the President Donald Trump’s day-to-day performance, to his oversight of the response to COVID-19, ...

The pandemic has wreaked havoc in many aspects of our lives, but one of the greatest disruptions it’s caused is in the realm of education. Children across Michigan have lost months of learning this year, and it’s on our state’s school leaders to help them catch up. That should include ...

The social interaction kids get in the classroom with their peers is as important to their learning and development as arithmetic and biology. Many kids just don’t learn well in the kind of environment offered by online courses. And many parents struggle to balance watching their kids at ...

This week’s bouquets go to: From the United Way of Delta County Board of Directors: COVID-19 has impacted all our lives in the U.P. in so many ways. Some have lost loved ones and dear friends. Some have suffered the trauma of illness. Many have lost their jobs or had their income severely ...