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Letters to the Editor

Understanding the difference: objective audits vs. subjective opinion

I am writing this letter in response to a letter written about an apology owed to an APS school board member. The author of that letter has the events turned around. At the APS board meeting the district received a perfect audit conducted by an independent, outside CPA firm. The firm praised APS staff for flawless records, strong internal controls, and full compliance, resulting in the highest audit rating available for public schools. Such an outcome reflects exceptional professionalism by the APS business office and staff, particularly the associate superintendent for business ...

Epicenter of Corruption

What follows below is an excerpt from Judd Garrett’s 1/25/26 essay ‘Epicenter of Corruption’ from the blog Objectivity is the Objective. I edited it only to fit the space allowed by the News. ‘The violent protests in Minneapolis, which have recently resulted in the shooting of two violent protesters, are designed to have protesters shot and killed by ICE agents. That is the purpose of these protests: to create such a violent, chaotic environment that people end up dead. I’m going to give the same amount of sympathy to the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti as those two gave ...

No time to be silent

It is difficult to write about the atrocities being committed in our country, but it’s necessary. Violence thrives in silence. Ice is not concerned with ridding our country of criminals, they are concerned with eliminating diversity. Their mission statement is “Protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety.” Preserving public safety doesn’t involve tearing apart families or murdering citizens who were peacefully protesting. Their practices are violent and discriminatory. They have detained ...

A telling confrontation

An ICE agent that could have stepped back (mitigating the situation), instead went through all the necessary acts of drawing, cocking (unless already loaded and ready for action), aiming and firing his weapon directly in shot, after shot, after shot in no physical danger, from the side of the vehicle, at a very close range directly into a women's head. An experienced hunter can tell you that nothing in this shooting was accidental.

Superintendent owes trustee apology

At the last school board meeting, a trustee asked a question after the audit about what checks and balances exist beyond a basic audit. APS operates on a $55 million annual budget and this shouldn't have been a controversial question and it should have been an easy one to answer. Instead the response was embarrassing, but I am sure taxpayers in Alpena County would like an answer too. The question was ignored and the response was a deflective and dismissive attack on the trustee. That response was alarming and unprofessional to me and every taxpayer in Alpena County. When leadership ...

Let us make room at the inn

Christmas is approaching fast. Last minute shopping, whether online or in a store, interrupts our usual schedule. We are quickly trimming the tree and decorating our homes. Hopefully, if you are Christian your decorations include a Nativity scene or creche. After all, the Christmas miracle, the birth of Jesus the Christ, the Son of God is the real ‘reason for the season’. Let us not forget that Jesus was born and spent the first few months of His infancy homeless. His birth was in a cold drafty stable, with no doctor, nurse or midwife. He cried his first breath in the cold ...