Breaking News

Editorials and columns

What lurks outside the frame

I consumed a lot of horror movies during my teen years. For a couple of my friends, my room became the hub where we watched the standard fare of slashers, munched on overly processed snacks, and critiqued the characters' decisions as they ran for their lives. We, of course, would make better, smarter decisions. Ah, to know more as a teenager. As a teenager, horror was distant. The victims were fictional, and the violence was entertainment. But my room was a safe container where my friends and I could consume fear without consequence. Our appetites finally slowed when the horror ...

Karmelo Anthony’s race doesn’t matter

The system failed Karmelo Anthony -- he stabbed someone to death and is going to jail for it. If this doesn't strike you as an injustice, you haven't been paying attention to the voices defending the 19-year-old who was just sentenced to 35 years in prison for murdering another teenager at ...

Belfast Is burning, and the media won’t say why

Nearly three decades after the end of the Troubles, Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, is once again on fire. On Monday, June 8, a Sudanese "asylum" seeker attacked a local man on the street with a kitchen knife, slashing him across the face and neck. Graphic video of the attack, which blinded the victim in one eye, rapidly spread online. The suspect, identified as Hadi Alodid, has been charged with attempted murder, possession of a knife in a public place, and making threats to kill. In response, Belfast erupted. Rioters took to the streets, hurling bricks and bottles at ...

The kind of community I’d like to live in

In my role supporting The News’ editor, I get the opportunity to put together the paper once in a while. This means I am communicating with our dozen or so local and guest columnists, reading, editing, writing, et cetera, et cetera. On Friday, I had the opportunity to read Lenny Avery’s ...

Why I don’t plan to stop drinking alcohol

Is a glass of wine with dinner going to increase your chance of getting cancer or another serious illness? For the past few years, we've been deluged with studies and news accounts suggesting that the answer is yes. This week, the USDA reinstated a caution in its dietary guidelines about ...

What comes next?

Last week, I attended my nephew's high school graduation. Like most graduations, it was filled with excitement. Proud parents took pictures. Grandparents fought back tears. Friends celebrated together. And at the end, hundreds of caps flew into the air. As I watched those students celebrate, I found myself thinking about a question that probably crosses the minds of a lot of people in Northeast Michigan. What comes next? Not just for my nephew, but for all of those graduates. Will they stay here? Will they find careers here and be able to build a life here? Will they leave ...