Opinion

DNR warns that fire danger is high in northern Michigan

While the region still shows the fresh greenery of spring, a lack of recent rain has officials concerned about the tinder-dry, flammable materials that remains underneath. With dry weather conditions persisting across the state, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources urges residents and visitors to use extreme caution with any outdoor activity that could spark a wildfire in the northern Lower Peninsula and throughout the Upper Peninsula. Warm temperatures, dry vegetation and limited rainfall in the forecast are increasing risk of wildfires. Current fire danger ratings are ...

Editorial cartoon for June 2, 2026

Lie at heart of Trump's slush fund

The Orwellian “Anti-Weaponization Fund” Trump has created — the legal equivalent of twirling the combination lock on Fort Knox and driving off with gold bars — purports to be righting a wrong. The bogus (and badly written) “settlement agreement,” which is laughable as there was no ...

Court rules Pentagon illegally banned transgender troops

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pentagon policy illegally banned transgender troops from military service, a divided panel of federal appeal court judges ruled on Monday in another legal setback for President Donald Trump's sweeping agenda. The majority opinion — by a three-judge panel from the U.S. ...

Almanac for June 1, 2026

Today is Monday, June 1, the 152nd day of 2026. There are 213 days left in the year. Today in history: In 2008, a fire at Universal Studios Hollywood destroyed 3 acres of the studio's property, including a vault holding as many as 175,000 irreplaceable master audio recordings from hundreds of musicians including Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Aretha Franklin, Elton John and Nirvana. Also on this date: In 1813, the mortally wounded commander of the USS Chesapeake, Capt. James Lawrence, gave the order, "Don't give up the ship," during a losing battle with the British frigate HMS ...

E-bikes must be respected — and regulated

The intersections in Marquette’s downtown on a weekday are largely empty, relatively speaking, as the hour approaches 6 p.m., after the 5 p.m. traffic glut has cleared. It’s a good thing, too, because a handful of random passersby recently were ringside to a near miss involving an e-bike and automobile, a proverbial close encounter that could have had tragic consequences but luckily didn’t. The e-bike in question was southbound coming down the hill at high speed, approaching the West Washington Street intersection while the auto was turning left in front of it. Ridden by ...