When could anyone have expected that being a champion in the battle against cancer would be a political liability? It will be, if some of his opponents for the Democratic Party nomination for president have their way. While vice president, Biden had called for more research into cancer. ...
As any Michigan student will know from their studies, in 1837, before Michigan was admitted to the union as a state, a dispute with Ohio had to be worked out. When the smoke cleared from that dispute, a contested strip of land that includes the city of Toledo was deeded to Ohio. In exchange, ...
Please vote yes on the library’s millage renewal in the upcoming election. The Alpena County Library is a cornerstone of our community. It is literally built on an historic corner of our community’s downtown and serves as a regional hub. This is the point from where the first permanent ...
I have and will continue talking about the virtues of journalists and newspapers and defending the work they do, because I think a free and independent press is vital to a functioning democracy. But I don’t want to imply journalists are without fault. Last weekend, I watched “When ...
Broke, broker, or broken? Is it today we break, yesterday we broke, and many times we have broken? It really isn’t that all confusing if you think about it. Presque Isle County is broke, the powers that be, the brokers, broke it and for many years we have lived in a broken community. ...
On the surface, it seems harmless enough. After all, who wants to envision runaway horses on Mackinac Island of all places? Allegedly to prevent that from happening, and to ensure the historic charm of the island, sitting on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk this week is legislation that allows ...
A recent New York Times article titled “The business of healthcare depends on exploiting doctors and nurses” explains how providers are forced to take on increasing workloads and responsibilities without compensation by relying on their high moral and altruistic values of doing what is best ...
At 58, I like to think I’m still a hip, happenin’ guy. But, as it turns out, I’m not. Out of 20 “old-school” behaviors that a USA Today article says positively no one does anymore, I still do 12. Possibly 14. But definitely not more than 16. OK, it was 18. For instance, I still ...
I am not sure if Letters to the Editor is the most appropriate forum for pro-choice/pro-life debate, but after reading recent letters I feel I must comment. Mr. Mike Westfall (PI) states everyone other than a “Christian” is hypocritical regarding their abortion views. Mr. Westfall, you ...
My wife, Stefanie, and I had the wonderful opportunity to listen to Joe Grimm, the author of “The Faygo Book,” tell his story of the origin of that beloved Michigan pop, Faygo. It was presented by the Presque Isle District Library System with support from the 2019 Michigan Notable Books ...
We give thanks to those who gave their lives 75 years ago on D-Day, so that we now can live in freedom. Now, we can do more than give thanks, we can be worthy of their action. We are the government, each one of us. What happens on our watch is up to us. We need our good health, education, and ...
Forget climate change for a moment. Let’s talk about something with real gravity. It’s probably just me, but is gravity getting stronger? Could it be that gravity and age are related? Maybe it is that size does matter. Whatever the unsolved mystery is, I am convinced something is ...
Alpena now can boast of being home to national champions. Four young men from Alpena High School — Jadon Duncan, Drew Seabase, and brothers Josh and Aden Smith — last weekend finished the distance medley relay in the Emerging Elite division in 10:12.38, about 100 meters in front of the ...
Every year for several years now, my mom and I have volunteered at a bicycle event hosted by the League of Michigan Bicyclists. About 120 bicyclists arrive in Alpena on the Thursday before Father’s Day and stay to Sunday. They have three ride choices Friday and Saturday and two on Sunday, ...
Congratulations to Alpena High School students for improving some key statistics on attendance, tardiness, and behaviors. Reporter Julie Goldberg’s story in Wednesday’s edition gave us a long list of statistics worth celebrating. From the 2017-18 school year to the 2018-19 school ...
New holidays and special observances are a dime a dozen. Sometimes, it seems we have too many. But one gaining popularity is well worth noting — and celebration by each and every American. It is Juneteenth, to be observed on Wednesday (June 19). It is a celebration of the end of slavery ...
The current Democratic attorney general and the former GOP attorney general are not exactly drinking buddies. In fact, they are not much of anything other than being from opposite ends of the political spectrum. Normally, when one political party takes over from another, there is a civil ...
Mexico’s still relatively new leader, who took office only in December, had seemed even before this month to be attempting to do more to keep illegal immigrants from crossing the border into the United States. But U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on some imports from ...
After initially approving a set of regulations and rules dealing with blight and property inspections that riled their constituents, members of the Alpena Township Board of Trustees are being exceptionally deliberate in updating the rules to make sure they get things exactly right. We ...
We wish all Northeast Michigan fathers a special day tomorrow. On this Father’s Day weekend 2019, we share with readers eight facts on fathers the Pew Research Center recently released. The facts provide a glimpse into the role of fatherhood at this time in the U.S.: 1) More and more ...