Bouquet: Iron Mountain Public Schools congratulates Scholarship Administrator Mel Laydon on her upcoming retirement after 30 years of service in many roles. She started as an aide in the Central School computer lab, moved to athletics, next to the High School guidance office, and for the past ...

Bouquet: Have you noticed the lights on the Pine Mountain ski slide? It is only occasionally lit but what a sight to witness. Beautiful, to say the least. It can be seen for miles around. What an asset to the community. Thank you, Kiwanis Ski Club, for a job well done on the hill. Hope the ...

State officials are recommending families review fire safety plans at home during National Community Risk Reduction Week, which started Monday and extends through Sunday. “The number one thing that families should focus on is creating a fire escape plan,” said Orlene Hawks, director of the ...

Tempted to try your luck — or skill — with online sports betting or gaming? Now that it’s available in Michigan with the state Gaming Control Board’s authorization, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel recommends reading the fine print first before signing up to use these online ...

It’s an understatement to say Michigan’s government transparency record is dismal. The state regularly lands on the wrong end of worst-in-the-nation rankings for government accountability. Those ratings, lists that often place our state at or near the wrong end, repeatedly highlight ...

In the same week that coronavirus deaths in the U.S. hit another one-day high at over 4,300, officials in two Upper Peninsula counties spoke out in opposition to the shutdown regulations. First, the Delta County Board on Jan. 11 announced it passed a resolution making Delta County a sanctuary ...

From Karen Klenke, president, Niagara Area Historical Society, Niagara, Wis.: Can’t thank The Daily News enough for the support you have given the Niagara community over the years — especially us at the Niagara Historical Society. With your support, we can connect with those who would ...

One more worry at the start of tax season: The Michigan Department of Treasury warns state residents with past-due tax debts to be aware of a scam making the rounds through the U.S. Postal Service. In the scheme, taxpayers receive a letter about an overdue tax bill, directing individuals to ...

The Michigan State Capitol Commission earlier this week banned the open carry of firearms in Michigan’s Capitol. Good move, but it didn’t go far enough. The timing was right to do this. Most of us know what happened on Jan. 6 when an out-of-control mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, which ...

The state Legislature is the only entity vested with authority to regulate conduct in the Capitol. But people should respect the Michigan Capitol Commission’s decision to ban open firearms inside the State Capitol until it is successfully challenged in the courts. The Michigan State Police ...

With the holiday season behind us and maybe a bit more time on our hands, it’s time to think of how we can give back to our communities while filling our mid-winter days. During National Blood Donor Month, we ask our readers to consider providing the life-saving gift of blood if they are ...

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer got it very nearly right recently in terms of criminal justice reform. The governor signed a package of bills aimed at keeping those who present no threat to public safety out of jail. The legislation, stemming from a task force she appointed, reduces a number of traffic ...

As we enter the second full week of January, we will also enter a new phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program in Michigan. Starting today, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is moving forward with vaccinating residents who are 65 and older; frontline essential workers ...

Bouquet: I look forward to Suzanne Killian’s weekly column. Her ideas and subjects are so interesting, especially for seniors, though I am much older than she is. Hopefully she continues in The Daily News.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proclaimed January 2021 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Michigan. “Human trafficking happens to children, women and men every day in our country and around the world,” Whitmer said. “It is often a hidden crime that can take different forms — including ...

To see it unspool — to watch the jumbled images ricochet, live, across the world’s endless screens — was, as an American, a struggle to believe your eyes. But there it was, in the capital city of the United States in early January 2021, a real-time breaking and entering the likes of which ...

Should he be confirmed, President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Denis McDonough, has a lot of work to do to restore trust in the agency — and to do right by the men and women it serves, including a great many right here in the Upper Peninsula and ...

With Michigan’s snow shoveling season upon us, the Michigan Primary Care Consortium is offering guidelines to avoid personal injury or more serious health care consequences that can be connected to clearing away that white stuff. Of special concerns are individuals facing chronic back ...

As 2020 drew to a close, more relief appeared on the way for Michiganders. On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a $106 million plan that will provide relief to businesses and fund efforts to fight the economic impact of the coronavirus, according to an Associated Press ...

Bouquet: On Thursday, after 12 years in public office, I officially became a former sheriff of Menominee County. Serving as your sheriff has been a great honor for me. I have complete confidence that Sheriff Mike Holmes, the deputies and staff of the sheriff’s office will carry on the ...