“Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.” Mother Jones. We remember those we have lost. Every year more people are killed at work than in wars. Most don’t die of mystery ailments, or in tragic “accidents”. They die because an employer decided their safety just ...

Much of the current public health crisis could have been avoided had the U.S. government listened to scientists who not only raised early concerns about the spread of coronavirus, but recognized that a federal resource to manage an epidemic response was critical to the safety of Americans. ...

National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week has been celebrated this week, April 19-26, recognizing an important component of the medical team. Who are Medical Laboratory Professionals. Why is there an entire week to celebrate their dedication and accomplishments? These people come in all ...

Reporters will sometimes use some very high-tech tools. They analyze data, capture video, audio or photo, compose and edit stories that are then shared to the internet, television, radio and print. However, a reporter’s tools don’t have to be cutting-edge. In fact, even though I’m ...

Right now, Michigan residents can purchase marijuana products curbside from a dispensary, but they can’t purchase plants and gardening supplies curbside from a local greenhouse. People can line up at the party store to purchase liquor and lottery tickets, but they can’t buy paint or ...

Rules are the guidelines that create a civilized society. American Indians say, “No, my friend, that is not the Hopi way.”  In Arabic, it’s said, ”It don’t look good.” The Irish say, “There is no good luck where there is no discipline.” And the medics, guided by the ...

The Open Meetings Act is one of the cornerstones of democracy. It is what forces politicians and government officials to conduct major decision making and discussion in full view of the public and with public input. It is what allows for citizens to have a say in how they are governed on days ...

While COVID-19 is a novel viral disease to the world, viral diseases and pandemics are not a new topic for governments, citizens, and scientists. The world, and the U.S. itself, have seen many life-threatening illnesses before. What can we learn from past pandemics for the fight against ...

I have been in education for 32 years now and have witnessed many challenges throughout my career. I can honestly say this is the toughest situation I have faced. There is no script or playbook to rely on. This is truly an unprecedented time. Even though the situation is difficult, Copper ...

I was born in 1933 in North Dakota, and lived through a great period of change in the early part of my life. And I truly believe we are entering what I choose to call another “chrysalis.” What is a “chrysalis?“ It is the life stage of growth when a caterpillar, underneath a ...

Along with the COVID-19 viral pandemic, the world is suffering a global misinformation pandemic that coincides it and amplifies it online. As is common throughout history during societal upheaval, people come out of the caves of depravity to prey on other people’s known insecurities. Many ...

On Thursday, our Governor issued an executive order that will close all K-12 schools to face-to-face instruction for the 2019-20 academic year. The order also directed K-12 schools to provide learning opportunities for all students until the end of the scheduled school year, but not assign ...

Hello from the bunker (my couch), Reporters pursue a variety of sources when looking for more information for a story. Getting creative isn’t out of the question, but they usually fall into one of the following categories. Newsmakers - These are the people who take part directly in ...

In a few short weeks, COVID-19 has grown from a distant concern to a public health crisis. Although the U.S. had several months to prepare for the virus, when the first case was confirmed on Jan. 21, we were dangerously unprepared. After the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the U.S. created permanent ...

I’d like to touch on the importance of ethics for journalists. Unfortunately, not all reporters have or use their ethics. Personally, I try to adhere to the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics, available online at spj.org. I’ll address the particulars on another day, but ...

In these unprecedented times where everything at the national, state, and local levels is changing on a moment’s notice, it is easy for us all to feel that we are not fully informed about the facts. That is even happening to school district leaders. Unfortunately, we also have many unanswered ...

While there’s no doubt this is a difficult time for people in our communities, we also must remember that nothing is more important than the health and safety of our families, friends and neighbors. I remain in close contact with state officials, hospitals, health experts, school groups, ...

March is a “woe” month, and not just because the virus boom has been lowered on us, or this year’s announcement that March Madness games will be held without spectators, but also dating back to the Ides (15th day) of March, when Caesar was stabbed to death, now considered a day to be ...

I’d like to lay out the very basic steps that are usually taken when creating a news story. Depending on the type of story and organization they can vary somewhat, but these basic steps tend to happen in some form or another. 1) Getting the idea/tip - These story concepts can come from ...

Escalated consumer purchases of many basic grocery items - in response to COVID-19 emergency orders temporarily closing Michigan restaurants for dining in - has taxed the logistical food supply chain throughout the state. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Executive Order issued earlier this week ...