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Families should learn the signs of drowning

For World Drowning Prevention Day on Saturday, a trauma expert in Wisconsin warns that drowning can be fast, silent and difficult to recognize when seconds count to react in time. World Drowning Prevention Day, observed annually on July 25, serves as a reminder that many drowning deaths are preventable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings occur in the United States each year, an average of 11 deaths per day. An additional 8,000 near-drownings are treated in emergency departments annually. “The biggest thing ...

Absentee ballots, early voting sites offer options for primary

At a time when voting by mail has been increasingly challenged — President Donald Trump has repeatedly leveled unfounded claims of fraud against absentee ballots, including in his prime-time speech a week ago in which he called them “inherently corrupt” — state election officials this week said more Michigan voters are opting to use this method this summer. With two weeks left before the Aug. 4 primary election, 572,553 Michigan voters had already cast their ballot, according to data publicly available on the relaunched Michigan Voting Dashboard, mi.gov/votingdashboard. Voter ...

MSP reminds public it’s OK2SAY for safer schools

The state’s OK2SAY program — a means for reporting potential harm or criminal activities directed at students, school employees or schools — had a busy year in 2025, officials said. OK2SAY recorded 10,777 tips, its second-highest use volume since its 2014 start, Michigan State Police stated in a news release marking the release Tuesday of the 2025 OK2SAY Annual Report. The number highlights the vital role OK2SAY “plays in safeguarding Michigan’s youth and fostering safer school environments,” according to MSP. The goal of OK2SAY is to stop harmful behavior before it ...