Otsego County high schools salute Class of 2025 in graduation ceremonies
GAYLORD — Graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2025 were held recently at three Otsego County schools.
Six graduates of the Vanderbilt Area School were acknowledged in a ceremony at the school on Thursday, May 29.
Over 200 students received their diplomas from Gaylord High School in front of family and friends at the football field on Friday, May 30.
Fourteen students received their diplomas from Gaylord St. Mary Cathedral School in a ceremony on Sunday, June 1 at the church on North Ohio Avenue.
— Contact Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Ceremonies salute Class of 2025 at Otsego County high schools
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
It's Pride Month. Is Ohio a safe state for gay and transgender people? What new research says
Pride Month, celebrated annually in June, honors the culture and rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans across the nation through parades, educational events, and more. A new ranking recently released by global LGBTQ+ business platform Out Leadership reveals the most and least welcoming states for members of the LGBT community. In addition to a national overall decline, the researchers say that Ohio saw steep drops in the rankings because of laws targeting LGBTQ+ youth. Here's how Ohio ranks among LGBT-friendly states. State rankings show Ohio landing at No. 39 out of the 50 states, barely escaping the bottom 10 in the 2025 State LGBTQ+ Business Climate Index from Out Leadership. Ohio scored 42.35 out of a possible 100 points. Florida came in at No. 40 with a 42.20 score. Indiana was No. 38 overall (42.67), and Kentucky scored 43.25 points to rank No. 37. The Buckeye State experienced the steepest decline out of all its neighboring Midwestern states, coming in second-last when ranked by region. The analysis also pointed to increased polarization surrounding gay and trans rights as well as a surge in bills that challenge LGBT rights like the 'Don't Say Gay' laws expanded in states like Florida, Ohio, and Texas. This is the second year that Ohio was considered one of the most unsafe states to live in as an LGBTQ+ American. The Out Leadership study scored states in five categories. Each category was worth up to 20 points toward the final score for each state. Here's how Ohio scored: Legal and nondiscrimination protection (13.75) Youth and family support (7.4) Political and religious attitudes (9.2) Health access and safety (6.0) Work environment and employment (6.0) Over the years, Ohio legislators have introduced a wave of bills surrounding the LGBT community. Ohio lawmakers have legislated several state-level bills around LGBTQ issues. Gov. Mike DeWine signed a transgender bathroom ban into law in November 2024. Similarly, DeWine signed House Bill 8, known as the "Parents' Bill of Rights," which would require teachers to notify parents about health and gender identity. The proposed House Bill 190 would require parental permission for name and pronoun changes for students. Senate Bill 132 and House Bill 61, the "Save Women's Sports Act" that pushed to ban transgender girls from playing on female sports teams in Ohio, advanced to the DeWine's desk. So did Senate Bill 50, which would ban conversion therapy for minors. In April 2025, the Ohio Supreme Court reinstated a ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors under House Bill 68. "We look forward to showing once again that the Legislature acted properly in enacting this constitutional law, which protects our children from irreversible medical decisions," Attorney General Dave Yost spokesperson Bethany McCorkle said. Challenging the bill, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) attorney Harper Seldin stated, "The state's ban is discriminatory, baseless and a danger to the well-being of the same Ohio youth lawmakers claim to want to protect. It's also part of a sweeping effort to drive trans people out of public life altogether by controlling our health care, our families and our lives," the Dispatch reported. Ohio is one of 32 states with unenforceable same-sex marriage bans in laws or constitutions, despite growing support among the public. Certain bills have been introduced that support LGBT rights, such as the Ohio Fairness Act, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. However, these bills have not been signed into law since being introduced years ago. These 10 states scored the worst in the Out Leadership rankings. Arkansas (29.50) South Carolina (32.15) Louisiana (33.00) South Dakota (34.80) Tennessee (35.00) Mississippi (37.27) Oklahoma (37.62) Alabama (39.40) Montana (40.62) Idaho (42.07) Massachusetts (93.67) New York (93.67) Connecticut (92.27) New Jersey (90.00) Vermont (89.50) This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Is Ohio safe for gay and transgender people? What new study says
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Who was Harvey Milk? Navy vessel may be stripped of gay rights leader's name
Hear this story A U.S. Navy oil tanker named after civil rights leader Harvey Milk is reportedly set to be given a new title — another apparent move to strip military diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. U.S. officials confirmed to Reuters on June 3 that the USNS Harvey Milk, which was christened in 2021, will be renamed. An official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity that the directive came from Hegseth's office. In a statement to USA TODAY, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth "is committed to ensuring that the names attached to all DOD installations and assets are reflective of the Commander-in-Chief's priorities, our nation's history, and the warrior ethos." "Any potential renaming(s) will be announced after internal reviews are complete," the statement said. The Navy did not immediately respond to request for comment. Here's what to know about Milk and the Navy vessel named after him. USNS Harvey Milk Navy to strip gay rights activist Harvey Milk's name from oil tanker Who was Harvey Milk? Harvey Milk became one of the nation's first openly gay elected officials when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. Born on May 22, 1930, Milk enlisted in the Navy in 1951. He resigned four years later after being officially questioned about his sexuality, according to the Harvey Milk Foundation. Milk moved to San Francisco in 1972, where he eventually became involved in politics. After several failed candidacies for roles in local office, Mayor George Moscone appointed Milk to the city's Board of Permit Appeals, making him the first openly gay city commissioner in the United States, according to the Milk Foundation. A year after Milk won election to the city's Board of Supervisors, he and Moscone were assassinated by a disgruntled former city Supervisor. Milk was posthumously recognized for his work advocating for the LGBTQ community. A statue of Milk sits in San Francisco City Hall's rotunda, and a terminal in the city's airport is also named after him. In 2009, President Barack Obama awarded him the Medal of Freedom. What is the USNS Harvey Milk? Navy ship is named after gay rights leader In 2016, the Navy announced it would be naming a tanker after Milk as part of the John Lewis-class of oilers — which is named after late congressman Rep. John Lewis. The USNS Harvey Milk, which is identified by hull No. T-AO 206, was christened in 2021. After successfully completing acceptance trails, the ship was delivered to the Navy in 2023. It's unclear when the tanker will be officially renamed. A U.S. official told Reuters it would not be surprising if additional ships in the John Lewis class were renamed, since others also honor civil rights leaders. Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk's nephew and the executive chair of the Harvey Milk Foundation, said in a statement on social media that the organization is "heartbroken" to hear of the possible renaming. "His legacy has stood as a proud and bright light for the men and women who serve in our nation's military - including those who have served on the USNS Harvey Milk - and a reminder that no barriers of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, or physical infirmity will restrain their human spirit," the statement said. Defense Department pushes to cut diversity, equity, inclusion programs The potential renaming of the USNS Harvey Milk would mark the Defense Department's latest move to cut diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives across the military. Hegseth nixed identity month celebrations at the Defense Department, like Black History Month and Pride Month. In March, the department pulled down then scrambled to restore websites on military achievements by veterans like Jackie Robinson to information on the Navajo Code Talkers. At military schools around the world, the department has also pulled books from shelves, barred courses and defunded student clubs. President Donald Trump has also vocally pushed to abolish diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Contributing: Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. She can be reached at
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
The American Diabetes Association and The Leapfrog Group Honor 36 Hospitals for Exceptional Inpatient Care
Awards given to hospitals nationwide for leadership in caring for the 30% of inpatient Americans who are living with diabetes ARLINGTON, Va., June 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Diabetes Association® (ADA) and The Leapfrog Group named 36 hospitals across 12 states as 2025 Recognized Leaders in Caring for People Living with Diabetes. The award recognizes each hospital's strong commitment to the safety and well-being of hospitalized people living with diabetes—estimated to be 30% of all people who are inpatient nationwide. Now in its second year, the number of award recipients has more than doubled, reflecting a growing nationwide commitment to addressing the unique risks faced by people with diabetes who are hospitalized. 'We congratulate these hospitals for demonstrating their commitment to patient safety and improving the lives of people living with diabetes. Moving evidence-based standards of care into practice opens doors to improved quality outcomes for people living with diabetes,' said Osagie Ebekozien, MD, MPH, the ADA's chief quality officer. Every year, approximately 8 million Americans living with diabetes are hospitalized and face heightened risks of severe complications, including amputations, comas, and even death. Errors in medication administration, inadequate discharge planning, or exposure to hospital-acquired infections can have particularly devastating consequences for this vulnerable population. 'Protecting people from medical errors and infections is a major challenge in American hospitals, and it's even more of challenge when a person is living with diabetes. So much can go wrong so quickly,' said Leah Binder, MA, MGA, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog focused on patient safety. 'We congratulate this year's recognized leaders for their pioneering approach to ensuring vigilance in protecting these people, and we encourage other hospitals to apply to be a Recognized Leader next year.' The first-of-its-kind designation program evaluates hospitals based on their care for people with diabetes during admission, stay, and discharge. The program operationalizes the ADA's globally recognized guidelines for the treatment of people with diabetes, the Standards of Care in Diabetes—2025, along with Leapfrog's standards for excellence in hospital safety and quality. Recognized hospitals provide safe, high-quality care for people living with diabetes, by implementing blood glucose (blood sugar) testing and hypoglycemia protocols, specialized preparation for inpatient surgery, meals and insulin regimen planning, and robust discharge planning for high-risk people with diabetes. Hospitals are assessed both in the implementation of these processes and structures, and on how well they execute on the standard of care delivered to a random sample of individuals. Hospitals earning the Recognized Leader in Caring for People Living with Diabetes designation include: California: Eden Medical Center Eisenhower Medical Center Loma Linda University Medical Center Loma Linda University Medical Center East Campus Mills-Peninsula Medical Center UCI Health Colorado: Denver Health Medical Center Florida: AdventHealth Waterman Orlando Health South Lake Hospital Louisiana: St. Tammany Health System New Jersey: Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center Shore Medical Center New York: Glen Cove Hospital Plainview Hospital Syosset Hospital North Carolina: Novant Health Matthews Medical Center Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center Novant Health Kernersville Medical Center Novant Health Mint Hill Medical Center Ohio: The Christ Hospital Pennsylvania: Geisinger Bloomsburg Hospital Geisinger Community Medical Center Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital Geisinger Lewistown Hospital Geisinger Medical Center Geisinger Medical Center Muncy Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Tennessee: Maury Regional Hospital Texas: Texas Health Huguley Hospital Titus Regional Medical Center Washington: EvergreenHealth The applications for 2026 recognition opens July 1 and submissions are due January 31, 2026. About the American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people thrive. This year, the ADA celebrates 85 years of driving discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure —and we're not stopping. There are 136 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Through advocacy, program development, and education, we're fighting for them all. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join us in the fight on Facebook ( American Diabetes Association ), Spanish Facebook ( Asociación Americana de la Diabetes ), LinkedIn ( American Diabetes Association ), and Instagram ( @AmDiabetesAssn ). To learn more about how we are advocating for everyone affected by diabetes, visit us on X ( @AmDiabetesAssn ). About The Leapfrog Group Founded in 2000 by large employers and other purchasers, The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps for patient safety. Leapfrog publishes letter grades for hospitals based on how safe they are for patients with the Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade. Leapfrog also sets standards for safety and quality and reports to the public through the Leapfrog Hospital Survey and Leapfrog Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) Survey. Follow us on Twitter ( @TheLeapfrogGroup ), Facebook ( The Leapfrog Group ), LinkedIn ( The Leapfrog Group )and Instagram ( @TheLeapfrogGroup ) and sign up for our newsletter. Contact: American Diabetes Association, Mimi Carmody, [email protected] Leapfrog Group, CURA Strategies, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE American Diabetes Association
