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Letters to the Editor

I owe an apology to Alpena schools officials

I met with the superintendent of Alpena Public Schools today and learned some encouraging news. First, I would like to apologize to the teachers and the staff of APS regarding my indoctrination comment. My biggest concern was the actual textbooks coming from Scholastic going into APS, as they have an overt desire to push their agenda. APS does not buy textbooks from this publisher. I also learned that the Scholastic Book Fairs are run by a separate 501(c)3 organization made up of parents who decide where to buy books from. They can choose whom they like to provide books. As ...

Vote yes on Aug. 6 on library’s tax proposal

Dear Editor: On behalf of the League of Women Voters of Northeast Michigan, I am writing regarding the Alpena County Library millage renewal request. The League supports public libraries and is strongly urging a “yes” vote on Aug. 6. This renewal is needed to provide the necessary resources to continue its excellent programs and services. The library is a real asset to our community. The Northeast Michigan League of Women Voters advocates for an active and informed electorate and urges voters to vote yes on the millage renewal. Sincerely, DORIS FEYS, President, League ...

Please, let the professionals run our library

I am (again) prompted to write about The News using unnecessary incendiary language in their coverage. In the Thursday, June 20 story about the county commissioner and library board meeting, this sentence was delivered: “The committee wanted to know why the books, parts of which are too graphic for The News to describe in detail, ended up being purchased and placed where they are.” Why? I would think that most books on the topic of sex education are too sensitive to be shared in a local newspaper. Kids are exposed to so much conflicting messaging and information. All of our ...

Smalenberg deserves our vote for state House

Please vote for the only military veteran in the race, Todd Smalenberg. Todd Smalenberg is a patriotic American who has served his country both in the military and in the private sector. He grew up in northern Michigan and is now seeking to be our state rep. Todd is pro-gun, pro-life, pro-fiscal-responsibility, and pro-freedom. Todd will help reduce the bureaucratic waste that is sucking the life out of our free market, and he will fight the rising cost of living. Most importantly, Todd will not be voting like the current rep has for Gretchen Whitmer’s corporate welfare fund that has ...

Inappropriate books at APS, like the library

Now that the inappropriate material in the children and teen sections of the public library has been exposed to the public, what everyone should know is that the books are also in the Alpena Public Schools libraries. On top of the library books being present, we have more indoctrination going mainstream in our schools. The largest publisher of school books, Scholastic, puts out the following resource guidance: “Scholastic publishes a Pride Guide now, encouraging educators to distribute queer literature and books about transgenderism to elementary students, to use pseudo-pronouns, ...

Library brings us opportunity to learn, grow

To the editor, I did not expect to spend the last week of May reading a story about a remarkably bright octopus and yet there I was, determined to finish the book before the author came to Alpena on June 3. I’ll admit, I still had 60 pages left and was reading right up to the lights being dimmed in the auditorium, but I wasn’t going to miss one of my favorite special programs hosted by the Alpena Public Library. I became completely absorbed in the story that was outside of my typical choice of books because I was too curious to hear more from Shelby Van Pelt, who spent 51 ...