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Connor Sports puts UP in NCAA basketball tourneys

When college basketball's March Madness rolls around — the NCAA’s men’s Sweet Sixteen play starts today, the women’s side on Friday — Connor Sports gets a chance to be in the spotlight. The Crystal Falls-based company provides the hardwood courts for the tournaments, made from sugar maple harvested in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula and northern Wisconsin. It's thought the trees from this part of the country have the strongest characteristics to hold up over time, a company spokesman told Jeffrey Bonior for an article in Alliance for American Manufacturing, ...

Measles outbreak downstate should draw more reaction

Passing all but unnoticed in recent days were reports of a measles outbreak in the Lower Peninsula. News outlets in and around Washtenaw County say three linked cases have been reported since March 12, all in that county. This isn't good, from at least two vantage points: Number one, of course, is the fact that measles is an extremely contagious and dangerous viral illness that can lead to severe complications like pneumonia, brain damage (encephalitis), and death, particularly in children younger than 5 and unvaccinated individuals. Approximately 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. ...

State promotes financial aid available for higher ed

Michigan officials are touting a significant rise in the number of students who received state financial aid for higher education in 2024-2025, while encouraging more to seek such assistance. The state awarded more than $558.9 million in state financial aid to more than 153,000 Michigan students during the 2024-2025 academic year, as detailed in the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential’s annual State Scholarships and Grants Report. The milestone reflects a 30.4% increase in students served and an additional $183.5 million in aid awarded compared ...