Opinion

Almanac for Sept. 23, 2026

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 23, the 266th day of 2026. There are 99 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 23, 1952, Republican Sen. Richard M. Nixon of California salvaged his vice presidential nomination by appearing on TV from Los Angeles to refute allegations of improper campaign fundraising in what became known as the "Checkers" speech for its reference to his family's cocker spaniel. Also on this date: In 1780, British spy John Andre was captured along with papers revealing Benedict Arnold's plot to surrender West Point to the British. In 1806, the Lewis and ...

Why did Michiganders elect El-Sayed?

Abdul El-Sayed was born, raised, & schooled in Michigan. His parents had relatives in Egypt. He never met some since they died young of preventable diseases because they didn’t get the childhood vaccines there we do. So he became an Epidemiologist: a public health investigator of effects of diseases & injuries in populations. He worked in public health, not big money medical practices because he cares about people & families. He sees how U.S. lower wage earners get less healthcare & their life expectancy is 10-15 years less than wealthier people! Why is that OK in ...

Editorial cartoon for Sept. 22, 2026

Not Quite Grateful for a Broken Arm, but It's a Reminder of People's Amazing Resilience in the Face of Disabilities

On the Sunday evening of Labor Day weekend, after a delightful dinner with close friends, I tripped over one of those ubiquitous electric rent-a-scooters. I went down hard, landing on my knee and arm, though luckily not hitting my head. At home that night, I couldn't even bend my left elbow ...

Almanac for Sept. 22, 2026

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 22, the 265th day of 2026. There are 100 days left in the year. On Sept. 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, declaring all enslaved people in Confederate states should be freed as of Jan. 1, 1863, if the states did not end the fighting and rejoin the Union. Also on this date: In 1776, during the Revolutionary War, Capt. Nathan Hale, 21, was hanged as a spy by the British in New York. In 1957, Haitian women were allowed to vote for the first time, 153 years after Haiti became an independent country; ...

Two Ballot Proposals, Two Very Different Choices

In November, Michigan voters will decide on two state ballot proposals. They may sound hard to understand, but both would affect everyday people. Proposal 2026-1 asks voters if Michigan should hold a meeting in 2027 to rewrite the state constitution. Proposal 2026-2 would change campaign finance rules. It would stop some utilities and large government contractors from giving campaign money to officials who make decisions that affect them. It would also make more political ads show who paid for them. Proposal 1 may sound like a fresh start, but it could cost taxpayers a lot of money. ...