Opinion

Almanac for Sept. 15, 2026

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 15, the 258th day of 2026. There are 107 days left in the year. On Sept. 15, 1963, four Black girls were killed when a bomb went off during Sunday services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. (Three Ku Klux Klansmen were eventually convicted for their roles in the blast.) Also on this date: In 1835, Charles Darwin reached the Galápagos Islands aboard the HMS Beagle. In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws were enacted in Nazi Germany, depriving German Jews of their citizenship. In 1940, the tide turned in the Battle of Britain in World War II, ...

When stinging insects become a painful problem

It's the time of years when stinging insects that normally keep their distance can become a problem. Late summer is peak season for bee, wasp and hornet activity - and the time of year when stinging insects can be at their most aggressive, Emplify Health by Bellin warns. Stinging insect colonies have grown to their largest size and are at their most active as they transition toward nest defense ahead of winter. This transition triggers a more aggressive and defensive behavior toward anything they perceive as a threat, Emplify Health advised in a news release. At the same time, as ...

Editorial cartoon for Sept. 15, 2026

When war comes home: A Constitutional warning

A failed war does not end when the drones stop flying. It creates a new danger: A government that refuses to admit defeat and a president who, having failed abroad, seeks muscular victories elsewhere. The war against Iran is a case study in the limits of military power, the dangers of ...

Editorial cartoon for Sept. 14, 2026

The Presidential Fecklessness Weakens National Security

This letter was addressed and sent to congressman Jack Bergman on Sept. 7 Mr. Trump has been consistently antagonistic towards military service. While the Vietnam War raged, many young men avoided the draft by going to Canada. The president avoided the draft using a medical deferment by claiming bone spurs. Years later, the president’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, asked the president for medical documentation relating to his bone spurs. President Trump didn’t give him any and said, “You think I'm stupid? I wasn't going to Vietnam.” Retired four-star Marine General John ...