Opinion

A good time of year to tidy up neighborhoods

With several recent days in the 30s and 40s and perhaps a bit more, many early signs of spring can be seen in Marquette County and around the Upper Peninsula. It can be delightful to watch the snow and ice melt away. However, soil and pavement are not the only things that become visible as the snow melts: A quick drive around the Marquette area reveals long-buried plastic bags, cups, wrappers, receipts, cigarette butts and other litter melting out of the ice and snowbanks. It’s especially troubling to see this occur in our community year after year because litter, animal waste and ...

Swalwell suspends California governor run after sexual assault accusations

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell suspended his campaign for California governor on Sunday after sexual assault allegations that he continues to deny. "I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that's my fight, not a campaign's," Swalwell ...

Killing and indifference

Is personal freedom a reality or a myth? Does the government execute the will of the governed or the will of those who finance its officials? Does the Bill of Rights restrain the government? Are the levers of government power pulled by those the governed have elected or those we don't see? Do ...

Editorial cartoon for April 13, 2026

Thanks to OSF St. Francis Hospital, Rampart EMS

This week’s Bouquet goes to OSF St. Francis Hospital and Medical Group and Rampart EMS — From Teri DeMenter: Sending thanks to the staff at OSF St. Francis Hospital and Medical Group during my recent stay on March 16, during the big snowstorm. I could not breath due to RSV. I was transported to the hospital by ambulance by two young, brave women. God bless you, my angels. No roads were plowed. When arriving to the hospital, staff members were working from the day before and sleeping at the hotel across from hospital. Some of the nurses snowmobiled and skied to the hospital to ...

Almanac for April 11, 2026

Today is Saturday, April 11, the 101st day of 2026. There are 264 days left in the year. Today in history: In 1945, during World War II, U.S. Army troops liberated the Buchenwald Nazi concentration camp near Weimar, Germany. Also on this date: In 1814, Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated as emperor of the French and was banished to the island of Elba. (Napoleon later escaped from Elba and returned to power in March 1815, until his downfall in the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815.) In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln spoke to a crowd outside the White House, saying, "We meet this ...