Opinion

Almanac for Oct. 9, 2026

Today is Friday, Oct. 9, the 282nd day of 2026. There are 83 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 9, 2009, President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize for what the Norwegian Nobel Committee called "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples." Also on this date: In 1910, a coal dust explosion at the Starkville Mine in Colorado killed 56 miners. In 1962, Uganda won independence from British rule. In 1963, a mega-tsunami triggered by a huge landslide at Vajont Dam in northern Italy destroyed villages and ...

Editorial cartoon for Oct. 8, 2026

AAA: Fall’s the time of year to beware of deer

Fall is the most dangerous time of year for deer-related crashes, AAA warns. Deer-vehicle collisions peak between October and December during mating season, with more than 1.5 million crashes occurring annually, resulting in roughly $1 billion in vehicle damage and about 150 human fatalities, AAA advises. In fact, deaths from collisions with animals -- mostly deer -- increased from 89 in 1975 to 210 in 2024, according to AAA. Drivers face the greatest risk at dawn and dusk, particularly on rural roads near wooded areas, waterways and farmland, AAA advises. All of which the Upper ...

The system worked in the Cornell 7 case

We've heard it from politicians, celebrities and influencers -- the system failed the accuser in the Cornell 7 case. This near-universal view is advanced with great certainty and a sense of outraged righteousness, but mistaken nonetheless. Based on the information available to them at the ...

Almanac for Oct. 8, 2026

Today is Thursday, Oct. 8, the 281st day of 2026. There are 84 days left in the year. Today in history: On Oct. 8, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire began; more than 300 people died and more than 17,000 structures were destroyed during the three-day blaze. Also on this date: In 1862, Union forces beat back a Confederate offensive in the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky's biggest and bloodiest engagement of the Civil War, leading to hundreds of casualties but ensuring the state would remain under Northern control. In 1956, Don Larsen pitched the only perfect game in a World Series as ...

The tsunami of campaign ads

You can’t escape them unless you turn off the TV. One after another with barely enough time for commercials hawking adult diapers and a cure for toe fungus they come. They are repetitious and annoying. One candidate promises to lower gas and grocery prices and criticizes the incumbent for ...