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Whitmer, stay firm on avoiding mandates

Much like last holiday season, Michigan is getting slammed with a wave of COVID-19 infections. While this is discouraging, we’re pleased to see that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is avoiding lockdowns and other orders she relied on for much of the pandemic. In recent weeks, Michigan has led the country in new virus cases and hospitalizations are also on the rise, leading some in the medical community to push for more measures to halt the spread. That’s what’s happening in other countries like Austria and the Netherlands, where officials there are once again turning to draconian ...

Giving Tuesday worth taking time to donate for

For the fifth year, the Portage Health Foundation is raiding money for local charities through its Giving Tuesday. The program that PHF has dubbed “Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is” is one where the PHF will match up to $100,000 total in donations made to local non-profits as part of Giving Tuesday, which will take place on Nov. 30. Giving Tuesday is held annually the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving and is intended to be a bit of an altruistic alternative to the big shopping days of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which officially kick off the holiday season. As we atttempt ...

Panel must obey clearly written redistricting law

There’s no wiggle room in the language of the constitutional amendment that established the Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission. The law states plainly the commission “shall conduct all of its business at open meetings.” Shall, not may. And yet the 13-member panel redrawing the state’s political boundary lines seems perplexed by that unequivocal mandate, as do some of the purported experts who are offering it advice on how to conduct its business. Thursday, the commissioners heard from Nancy Wang, executive director of Voters Not Politicians, who suggested they ...

Homelessness on the rise in the Upper Peninsula

Homeless Awareness Month takes place every November in Michigan to raise awareness about issues relating to housing insecurity and homelessness. The hope is to get communities invested in making a difference on behalf of those who are struggling to find and maintain secure and safe shelter. Michigan’s observance during November, which has taken place for nearly 20 years, has become an essential part of a collective effort to promote awareness and understanding of those experiencing homelessness. These past two years — 2020 and 2021 — have been predictably unpredictable. Providing ...

McBroom deserves honor bestowed by The Detroit News

We were exceedingly pleased to see recently that state Sen. Ed McBroom was named one of several Michiganians of the Year by The Detroit News. McBroom, 40, a Republican farmer from Wacedah Township, made the list because of his chairmanship of the Michigan Senate Oversight Committee, tasked to closely review the 2020 election in the state of Michigan. To the surprise of absolutely no one, the GOP-dominated panel did not find evidence of widespread or systematic fraud in the balloting. “I wanted to have the answers that I felt people were asking for and deserved,” McBroom said ...

What Houghton County can do to keep everyone safe, healthy

Houghton County has been experiencing a significant surge in COVID-19 cases recently. As providers in our community, we are working tirelessly to protect you and your family. We understand that some families have been advised that students may return to school “after 24 hours free of symptoms” while other workers or students have been advised to return to work or school if their COVID test is negative. We want to be clear that our providers are advising patients to follow the CDC guidelines on when to quarantine and when to return to school or work. People who are not fully ...