Opinion

While compiling profiles in election years, it’s always interesting to see what sorts of citizen-centric goals are a part of candidates’ campaign platforms. These are the type of projects or protocols that can benefit all residents in their daily lives and make the...

The following was written by Dean Ridings, CEO of America’s Newspapers. In the past five months, Congress has responded to the coronavirus public health crisis with several emergency relief measures, including the stimulus checks sent to individuals and households,...

Election Day is less than a week away and local voters have their fair share of proposals and candidates to consider on August 4. We hope that you’ll exercise your right to vote and take an active role in deciding who represents you at all levels of government. Some...

We regularly expound the importance of shopping local because everyone—residents, business owners and municipalities—benefits from keeping our dollars local. The message is essentially the same when it comes to education too. We’re only about one month away from the...

Campaigning, like just about everything in 2020, will look different than usual because of the pandemic. There will be fewer public events and opportunities for candidates to meet and greet voters. No summer fairs or festivals to set up a booth. No parades to hand out...

In the coming school year, Imlay City students will be fortunate to have a new “classroom” to explore. The school garden, currently flourishing on former tennis courts behind Weston Elementary School, is a grand community effort that has the potential to teach every...

Birthdays are supposed to be happy occasions but this year the 244th anniversary of our country’s birth feels different. Current events are weighing heavily on our minds and dominating our conversations too. For the past three months we’ve been fighting a pandemic...

Outgoing city manager Tom Youatt has accomplished a lot on behalf of the citizens of Imlay City in just the six years he’s been on the job and city commissioners recognize that fact. The mayoral proclamation presented to Youatt at his last meeting comprises a...

Sometimes we pay a price for the mobility we generally enjoy. During the coronavirus pandemic and associated stay home orders, that mobility was restricted and it was especially evident on our state’s roadways. The Michigan Department of Transportation estimates that...

The role of city manager is an important one. From overseeing departments and employees to crafting budgets, addressing citizens’ needs, serving as the city’s spokesperson and advising city commissioners—the person who holds this job performs many critical tasks....