November 4, 2024

The Detroit News has just reported “First case of omicron identified in Michigan in Kent County,” in article bylined by Hani Barghouthi, Craig Mauger, and Sara Rahal.

Piece opened by noting that it “was detected Thursday in a fully vaccinated Kent County resident ….

The west Michigan patient tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec 3, and genomic sequencing confirmed it was the highly contagious omicron variant and was reported to the state on Thursday, according to a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services statement ….

Michigan became at least the 22nd state to report the variant. Omicron was named and designated a variant of concern by the World Health Organization on Nov. 26, about two weeks after it was first detected in Botswana and South Africa ….

via Lifeway Research (December 28, 2021)— "New Year's Resolutions Focus on Health, God and Money," by Aaron Earls: After a season in which avoiding sickness was on most everyone’s mind, many Americans say their New Year’s resolutions address their health .... As people contemplate their 2022 resolutions, more than 2 in…

– January 23, 2022
re United States Supreme Court decision in Carson v Makin— Lifeway Christian Resources referenced Article 12 of the Southern Baptist Faith and Message, which "deals specifically and uniquely with the topic of education. ... our confessional statement affirms, Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. As we shall see, one…

– June 21, 2022
via Samaritan's Purse— "Samaritan's Purse is operating multiple medical facilities in various parts of Ukraine and providing food and non-food relief items through church partners in both Ukraine and Moldova": Samaritan's Purse continues to provide medical relief to displaced Ukrainians, serving them at our Emergency Field Hospital on the outskirts…

– March 13, 2022
via Samaritan's Purse (March 28, 2022)— "Franklin Graham Meets with Samaritan's Purse Team in Ukraine": Work continues as fighting rages in eastern Europe. Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, traveled to Ukraine this past weekend to meet with our teams who have been at work there since the early stages…

– April 3, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (April 1, 2022)— "Called: Living the life God created you to live," by Karen Blanchard, women's life group leader with Lakepointe Church in Shelby Township, Michigan: The words “called” and “purpose” are buzzwords in our culture today. People are constantly searching to find their calling and purpose…

– May 1, 2022
via America: The Jesuit Review (May 20, 2022)— "On May 20, Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said in a public statement that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a life-long Catholic, will be barred from Communion in her home diocese of San Francisco. Gloria Purvis, the host of America Media’s 'The Gloria…

– May 22, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (June 1, 2022)— "A small church serves as a large witness in the wake of Taylor tornado," by Mike Durbin, State Evangelism Director for the Baptist State Convention of Michigan: An EF3 tornado ripped through Gaylord tragically taking the lives of two people and injuring more than…

– June 5, 2022
via Baptist Beacon (May 2, 2022)— "Be the Church in the marketplace" by Coye L Bouyer, founding pastor of Kingdom Life Church, in Lansing, Michigan: This is a classic story of what God can and will do when lay people begin to take seriously the Lord’s call on their life to…

– May 15, 2022
via Center for Faith and Culture (January 10, 2022)— "How Christians Can Prepare for the US Supreme Court's Monumental Abortion Ruling," by Jessica Prol Smith, fifteen-year public policy write-in Cumberland, Maryland: "Know your audience and seek to win hearts, not just minds .... Christians believe that every image-bearer — born…

– June 26, 2022

1867 Weber-Blaess one-room schoolhouse in 2014 winter storm

“Timing” Is an Important Factor for Capturing Historic Photographs

January 17, 2014

Some of the most memorable images in history were made by simple matter of having a person with a camera who was there when the moment presented itself. Others come from anticipating the moment and getting out after it. This is an example of the latter. The photograph above was made last week — on the tail of a winter storm that officially dumped 10.6″ of snowfall on the Saline area. Winds, drifting snow, and biting ....

John Anderson of Saline Arts & Culture Committee works with volunteers to organize historical records from Meredith Bixby estate and former downtown marionettes museum

This is where the path begins for return of “Meredith’s Marionettes” to its properly recognized place on world stage

January 4, 2019

When we told you that the Saline Arts & Culture Committee was planning to hit the ground running today with Bixby marionette asset organization yesterday, what were the first thoughts that came to mind? [1,2,3] Perhaps more importantly, why did it take well over a year to get from initial charter to action? As anyone who’s taken intended inference from the closing scenes from Raiders of the Lost Ark should know, there is a world ....

Larger community logistics planning is needed to help local businesses survive protracted COVID-19 infection curve

March 19, 2020

On Monday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed an Executive Order that closed numerous “places of public accommodation” in support of “precautions to mitigate potential transmission of COVID-19, including social distancing.” [1-8] Although its restrictions are set to expire on March 30, an increasing number of experts believe such measures will need to remain in place much longer. Much, much longer. [9] As somewhat of an offset, Executive Order 2020-9 “does not restrict a place of business ....

Mayor formed task force to consider allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in Saline, but who will be helped?

April 24, 2019

A lot of people don’t see any difference between the use of marijuana by the public at large and medical marijuana use. Especially in this area, Hash Bash still comes to mind. Those not afraid to date themselves may cite Cheech and Chong. Proof of just how funny coverage of this subject matter continues to be in the main, the current issue of Detroit Metro Times parodies a popular self-help book series on its cover ....

The Class of 2019 Is Coming Up Next: Who Needs Professional Senior Portraits?

May 13, 2018

Not coincidentally, today is Mother’s Day. That doesn’t just mean remembering one’s mother, but being cognizant that those mothers themselves are remembering how they earned the title. For some the countdown to having their former little one fly the nest has mere weeks remaining. For others, the next year before their high schooler becomes a senior then sprints to that same finish is imminent, unable to be stopped by any force of nature or nurture. ....