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Letters to the Editor

NEMCSA Head Start effectively managed, trusted

I was disheartened to read the recent article, “Programs at Head Start negligent, mismanaged,” in The Alpena News. While the GAO report raises serious concerns about interim-managed Head Start programs, it is unfair and misleading to paint all Head Start programs with the same broad brush — especially those run by longstanding and trusted grantees like Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA). As a former teacher and principal in Northeast Michigan, I saw firsthand how NEMCSA’s well-run Head Start program gave children a strong academic foundation and essential ...

Our taxes should pay for going the extra mile

My sister has a concern: There is a 16-year-old neighbor girl who has to walk a half mile to the bus stop at 5:30 a.m. (In town, it is three blocks to the farthest bus stop). She walks 1.5 miles at 3 p.m. to reach home. She has been told not to accept rides from anyone, including people she knows. My sister has raised concerns to the bus manager and to Eric Mitchell at the high school. They have said that they have a set bus route and have made arrangements with the parents to pick her up … but no one does. So everyone knows that regardless of the weather, she is walking a mile ...

Voters, we really just don’t want trust erased

Editor: Our democracy stands off the cornerstone of the three branches of government. The 1st district elected Congressman Jack Bergman to study the needs of our region and country and to craft laws to meet those needs. In addition, as an elected Congressional representative, we gave him the “power of the purse” under the U.S. Constitution (USC 1301) to take part in appropriations to fund programs developed to serve America’s interest throughout the world. Congressman Bergman met that duty by participating in allocations that not only serve American interests abroad but ...

Thankful to still have a local paper in Alpena

Today was a Banner Day! I warmed up my tea and settled in to check out the obituaries (ensuring that MY name wasn’t on it) and from there working my way through our local newspaper. We’re lucky, you know; the numbers of communities that still have local newspapers is rapidly going south! But I learned something new and that is exciting! Jackie Krawczak sharing her newfound knowledge about fishing was a really neat insight to the “WHY” of fishing! Then when I started on Joe Gentry’s so well researched explanation of FOOD DESERTS which truly affects us all, I called ...

Donald Trump’s four years of insanity starts

President Biden is and was a better president on his worst day as opposed to Trump on his best. By the way, he never had a best. Proof: Biden was never convicted of 34 felonies, never convicted of sexual assault (the narrow definition of rape in New York saved him from a rape conviction), never gleefully confessed to assaulting women on tape for all to see (real example for everyone’s children), never humiliated women, the military, handicapped, elderly, and the United States itself, cheated contractors for work done, never called for violence towards Americans, never allowed tens ...

Will we exist only in flames after four years?

Ladies! and Gentlemen! Please grab your seats it’s a lifetime ride! Republicans to the right democrats to the left! Everyone will be treated equally! (Snicker) If you are pregnant please sign the NDA agreement to avoid a fine and/or prison time if an early delivery occurs. Fear not women, while on the tracks of losing your hard-fought rights, the all-knowing conductor says, “Sit between two men and on the curves they can grab you below the belt to hold you in place.” Hear the wheels clacking to the asinine tariffs and taxes on the middle and poor classes while the rich get richer. ...