Opinion

Almanac for May 20, 2026

Today is Wednesday, May 20, the 140th day of 2026. There are 225 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, which was intended to encourage settlement west of the Mississippi River by making federal land available for private ownership and farming. About 10% of the land area of the United States (270 million acres, or 1.1 million square km) would be privatized by 1934. Also on this date: In 1861, North Carolina seceded from the Union, becoming the 10th state to join the Confederacy early in the American Civil War. In ...

Recognizing the essential services that EMS provide

Anyone who has had to dial 911 is well aware that along with law enforcement or firefighters often comes an Emergency Medical Services crew, known as EMS. It’s a reassuring sight when they roll up, ready to provide skilled treatment on site and during transport if needed. To honor these essential practitioners who deliver lifesaving care to residents across the state every day, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed May 17-23 as EMS Recognition Week in Michigan. “EMS professionals are there for Michiganders during some of the most difficult and critical moments in their lives,” ...

A lesson in economics for AOC

I am not an economist, but I do have some personal experience with the principles of economics and the rules that allow especially Americans to prosper while becoming more self-reliant and less dependent on government. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, aka AOC, the youngest ...

Almanac for May 19, 2026

Today is Tuesday, May 19, the 139th day of 2026. There are 226 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1920, 10 people were killed in a gunbattle between coal miners, who were led by a local police chief, and a group of private security guards hired to evict them for joining a union in Matewan, West Virginia. Also on this date: In 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England's King Henry VIII, was beheaded at the Tower of London after being convicted of adultery. In 1883, William Cody held the first of his "Buffalo Bill's Wild West" shows in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1921, ...

Trump says he called off Iran strike at allies’ request

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he is holding off on a military strike on Iran planned for today because "serious negotiations" are underway. Trump made the announcement in a social media post Monday after threatening over the weekend that time was running out for Iran to ...

Editorial cartoon for May 19, 2026