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Letters to the Editor

On sheriffs, The News’ recent ERPO article

Recently, the Alpena News published an article about the passage of Michigan’s Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, (ERPO). The article failed to mention the heavy burden of proof that petitioners of ERPO must produce before an order is granted. A simple Google search is helpful to concerned citizens. Aside from that, however, the article mentioned both the Alpena and Presque Isle County Sheriffs’ opposition to the passage of ERPO. Both sheriffs’ apparently view ERPO as either unconstitutional or as an assault on the public’s right to own, carry and use weapons. Our ...

To those who don’t support animal control

I am writing to let you know I did go to the meeting at the Alpena County annex building on April 17 to discuss the animal control facility at the fairgrounds. They went all around that subject and I did not stay for the whole meeting. They had decided to do an article in the newspaper regarding a vote to see if anyone was in favor of animal control or not. The article was in The Alpena News to see if you were in favor of animal control. This small article did not specify that this vote was also to be at the courthouse and sheriff’s office, for those of you that do not have a ...

Why isn’t Bergman doing more for veterans?

The US House of Representatives just voted along party lines for the Debt Ceiling Bill. That means that our Representative Jack Bergman voted to cut funding for our Veterans. Jack would rather cut benefits for our veterans than raise taxes on the rich 1%. Jack is always saying he is fighting for our veterans and this is just another example where he proves he does not! We need to ask why he is not protecting our service men and women who have put their lives on the line for our great country. MARY O’NEILL Presque Isle

The end of democracy in the United States

Fifty years of legal precedent and the United States Constitution all violated in a national policy of religious discrimination. It is now left up to the “individual states” or, should we say, separate countries how they will discriminate against women: Forced rape, incest, miscarriage, life-threatening, six months, 12 weeks, at the point of conception, and of course — when you are only thinking about it. Also, hold health care providers and all other witnesses accountable. Where are we going as a nation? Add in a few guns and a little violence and we’ll have a national ...

Thoughts on David Sedaris’ visit to Alpena

In response to Anne Gentry’s piece in the April 28 edition of The Alpena News on the importance and value of public libraries (with which we agree wholeheartedly, as did, e.g., the ancient Egyptians, see the Library at Alexandria), we focus on one sentence near the beginning of her column: “A packed crowd in the Stanley Beck auditorium at Alpena High School, filled with nearly 700 attendees enraptured by the words of author David Sedaris.” Now, our housemate is a big David Sedaris fan. We find his writing clever and amusing, verging on hilarious. Based on what we’ve heard of ...

On animal control: Alpena deserves more

The citizens of Alpena County, Michigan deserve more than the ‘bare minimum’ required by the state for animal control. We currently have what the state is envisioning for the future of Animal Control Officer departments. What we do not have is adequate space needed. There are numerous aspects of that position that require someone with knowledge of how to care and control all types of animals including dangerous ones such as dogs. We currently have that person, Michelle Reid, as our ACO working under the sheriff’s office as a deputy. This allows her to enforce the current laws. ...