Opinion

Almanac for May 4, 2026

Today is Monday, May 4, the 124th day of 2026. There are 241 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened fire on student demonstrators during an anti-war protest at Kent State University, killing four students and wounding nine others. Also on this date: In 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, a labor demonstration for an 8-hour workday turned into a deadly riot when a bomb exploded, killing seven police officers and at least four civilians. In 1904, the United States took over construction of the Panama Canal from France. In 1942, the ...

Editorial cartoon for May 4, 2026

How a weaker dollar is quietly making life more expensive

NEW YORK (AP) — A hidden force is quietly pushing up costs for everything from your summer vacation to your weekly grocery bills: a weaker U.S. dollar. The dollar has fallen about 10% against other major currencies since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, a pullback ...

It’s time to fire FBI director Kash Patel

Kash Patel, the conspiracy theorist and podcaster turned FBI director, is sleeping on the job — literally. According to a recent report from The Atlantic, members of Patel’s security detail have, on multiple occasions, had “difficulty waking Patel because he was seemingly intoxicated.” At one point last year, a request was made for equipment used by SWAT teams in order to get through to the FBI director because he “had been unreachable behind locked doors.” The Atlantic’s reporting makes clear what has been obvious from the start: Patel is unfit to lead the FBI, and ...

The Trump surveillance state

The Fourth Amendment protects all persons from warrantless government searches and seizures of their persons, houses, papers and effects. It requires that warrants be supported by probable cause of crime and specifically describe the place to be searched and the persons or things to be ...

Perna hits it out of the park

ESCANABA -- It is always inspiring to me when I see groups of individuals that share a vision and successfully plan to make something special happen for our community. Mark Perna is a renowned speaker, delivering over 80 keynotes across North America on an annual basis. He is also a ...