PORT HURON, MI — A Port Huron artist is among 90 finalists in Michigan’s 2026 “I Voted” sticker contest, with her design now in the running to be distributed to voters across the state in November.

Sydney Reed, a 22-year-old Port Huron resident and Marysville High School graduate, advanced to public voting after submitting her “Pure Michigan” design to the Michigan Department of State.

Her design features a Michigan sunset, a Kirtland’s warbler perched on an apple blossom branch and the Mackinac Bridge in the background.

“I’ve always been the artsy child in the family,” Reed said.

The Michigan Department of State received 2,095 submissions this year — more than four times the number submitted during the contest’s inaugural run in 2024. Members of the Michigan Collegiate Student Advisory Task Force selected the finalists before public voting opened June 1.

A review of the Department of State’s voting forms shows Reed’s design is the only finalist from St. Clair County among the 90 entries.

Reed said she nearly passed on the opportunity to enter.

Although she first learned about the contest on Instagram, she said her boyfriend, Kevin Adriaens of Clarkston, encouraged her to create a design and submit it.

“I was actually quite hesitant about designing a sticker,” Reed said.

Art has long been a central part of Reed’s life. She describes herself as largely self-taught but said she also received guidance from family friend Ann Marie Morgan of St. Clair.

While attending Marysville High School, Reed took Advanced Placement art classes, exhibited work at showcases at St. Clair County Community College and earned a Silver Key award through the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Reed credits former Marysville art teacher Joanie Kernohan with helping shape her development as an artist.

“I spent hours in her classroom after school working on my projects and just getting to know my teacher,” Reed said. “She mentored me so much and has made me a better artist.”

Reed collaborated on several murals at Marysville High School, creating pieces that promote kindness, encouragement and positive mental health messages.

(KNSI) — Minnesota has a mix of good news and concerning metrics in the latest Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Economic wellbeing shows strength, but like many other states, fourth grade reading proficiency is down.

The report shows Minnesota ranks fifth nationally in overall child wellbeing, placing it in the top tier of states and making it the highest-ranking state in the Midwest. Despite this high standing, Minnesota is identified as one of the states where children’s overall wellbeing worsened between 2019 and 2024, experiencing the fifth-steepest decline in the country during that period.

Minnesota’s performance is exceptional for economic wellbeing, ranking second nationally, up two spots from 2025.

Children in poverty: 10% (121,000 children)
Parents lacking secure employment: 20% (251,000 children)
High housing cost burden: 20% (257,000 children)
Teens not in school and not working: 4% (14,000 teens)

The state ranks fifth for health, down one spot from last year.

Low birth-weight babies: 7.5%
Children without health insurance: 4%
Child and teen death rate: 24 per 100,000
Overweight or obese children and teens: 25%

Child and teen deaths rose 8% between 2019 and 2024. Low birth-weight babies ticked up slightly. Youth obesity improved slightly after spiking during the pandemic. Health insurance coverage held steady at 94%. On the mental health front, nearly one in five high schoolers experienced major depression in 2023.

The state ranks fourth in family and community, with kids growing up in strong, supportive environments, up from seventh last year.

Children in single-parent families: 28%
Household heads lacking a high school diploma: 6%
Children living in high-poverty areas: 3%
Teen birth rate: 7 per 1,000

The state falters in education, ranking 21st, down from 17th last year.

Young children (ages 3 and 4) not in school: 55%
Fourth graders not proficient in reading: 69%
Eighth graders not proficient in math: 66%
High school students not graduating on time: 16%

Overall, proficiency levels declined dramatically, essentially undoing a decade of progress. Nationally, fourth graders not proficient in reading rose from 66% to 70%, while eighth graders not proficient in math jumped from 67% to 73%. These indicators are closely tied to future workforce readiness and economic success.

Despite significant pandemic disruptions, the national rate of high school students graduating on time was the only education measure that did not lose ground, improving slightly from 86% to 87%.

The Kids Count Data Book ranks Minnesota among the top states for child wellbeing, but education remains an area where the state continues to lose ground.

The full report is available here.

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NEW MADRID COUNTY, Mo. (KAIT) – An 18-year-old Paragould woman was flown to a Memphis hospital following an early morning crash.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported the crash occurred at 12:45 a.m. June 9 on State Highway 153 north of Gideon in New Madrid County.

The victim was southbound when her 2026 Kia K5 ran off the road and overturned, the crash report stated.

The woman, who was not wearing a seatbelt according to MSHP, was flown to Regional One Medical in Memphis with serious injuries.

Editor’s Note: As of Nov. 1, 2024, the Missouri State Highway Patrol no longer includes the names of those involved in traffic and boating crash reports.

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