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Letters to the Editor

Appreciate the successes!

January brought us chilling temperatures, but Alpena residents fostered a warm environment for the 14th Annual Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s International Film Festival. The amazing filmmakers displayed journeys of self-discovery, seeking out unchartered territories, and making positive changes. Alpena’s outreach through NOAA emphasizes our ongoing responsibility for the preservation of our Great Lakes. The people within each film and their dedication to their cause are undeniably impressive, including topics of plastics in the water, shutting down line five, ...

Toxic masculinity is poisoning our country

We see in the actions of ICE such as kidnapping a five-year-old in order to get to the father, a form of masculinity, which is toxic and has a negative impact on our society. Toxic masculinity is characterized by fear, weakness, racism, aggression, and lack of empathy. You can tell this because of the masks, the inability to identify with name tags and the brutality of many of the arrests, even of United States citizens. They are poisoning our country by creating an environment filled with fear and depression. I picture the image I saw on the screen of an 80+ year old veteran, hands ...

A workforce update from Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium

Workforce development doesn’t stand still — and neither can we. Across Northeast Michigan, rapid changes in technology, global markets, and economic policy are affecting both employers and workers. Conversations about artificial intelligence, tariffs, supply chains, and shifting public funding aren’t just national headlines — they have real impacts on local businesses and families. At Michigan Works! Northeast Consortium, our role is to help our region navigate that change with confidence. For employers, that means adapting to new technologies, rising costs, and a competitive ...

The newest directive

Since his appointment to the president’s seat, School Board President, Eric Lawson, has tried a variety of strong-arm tactics meant to suppress public comment at school board meetings. First he stationed Sheriff Deputies at board meetings to forcibly remove attendees who might clap during a meeting. (This story went viral due to the absurdity.) Lawson followed this up with threats of defamation lawsuits should anyone speak the unflattering truth about what board members Costain, Dziesinski, MacArthur and Lawson, himself, are up to. It has to be an unprecedented and embarrassing first ...

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 ...