On turning 80

In my oughts I learned about dependency and nurturing.

In my teens I learned about the wider world and searched for a place in it.

In my twenties I learned about love and responsibility.

In my thirties I learned about growth and limitations.

In my forties I learned about loss and new love.

In my fifties I learned about change and new opportunities.

In my sixties I learned about new relationships and goals.

In my seventies I learned about aging and appreciation.

In my eighties I hope to continue learning humility because there is so much I don’t know or understand. I do know that I am grateful for all who are a part of my life and for the Alpena community.

KEN DULLY

Alpena

Why Pride exists

Pride exists because for generations, LGBTQIA+ people have been shamed, silenced, criminalized, and killed for simply existing. It began as a protest — most famously at Stonewall in 1969 — against police brutality and systems that punished people for who they loved or how they expressed themselves. It has never been just a party. It has always been about survival, visibility, and the demand for equal rights.

Today, the same forces that made Pride necessary still exist — only now, they hold school board seats, preach from pulpits, and shout into microphones about “protecting children” from queer joy and existence. They attack library books, ban rainbow flags, and label anyone outside their worldview as dangerous. But their fear doesn’t come from being harmed — it comes from losing control.

Ironically, the hate and backlash we see now are the clearest reminders of why Pride is still vital. When people try to erase LGBTQIA+ lives from public view, Pride says: We’re still here. When queer youth are targeted and isolated, Pride says: You are not alone.

So to those who rage against Pride: You are the reason it exists. Every protest sign, every parade float, every rainbow flag is a response to the harm you cause. And every year, we will keep showing up — louder, brighter, and more united — until hate no longer has a place to hide.

MOLLY STEPANSKI

Posen

Rely on credible sources

In my column of June 7, 2025, entitled “You Can’t Tell A Book By Its Cover,” I wrote of the difficulty of determining credibility in a bombardment of misinformation.

I also wrote about studies revealing our propensity to accept dogma at face value — easy answers to complex problems — even though we sacrifice our independence and subject ourselves to conformity in doing so.

I wrote about our need to protect our independence by obtaining information whose validity we can trust, a determination we cannot always make for ourselves.

We need to rely on sources whose integrity has been established over time.

Much of the information we receive is edited and conveyed by organizations owned by billionaires, others by corporations whose primary purpose is generating income, and still others by corporations seeking political favor. Of course, there are those information mills that seek only to benefit some group of politicians or political operatives.

It can be like listening to gas bubbles escaping from a swamp.

But some sources have earned our trust, and one of them is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. It’s listener- and viewer-supported, the listeners and viewers being us. Only 19 percent of its budget comes from taxes. Little enough for the measure of confidence it delivers.

But its tax support is being threatened. The preservation of our independence, sustained by accuracy, is being jeopardized by politicians who feel threatened by any diminishment in reliance on dogma.

Public Broadcasting isn’t perfect. It is, after all, a human endeavor, but the pictures on its cover are not of wealthy personalities, egotistic politicians, or captains of some industry.

The pictures on the cover of The Corporation for Public Broadcasting are pictures of us. It’s one of those rare books you can tell by its cover.

Don’t let them deny you the read.

DOUG PUGH

Alpena

PEACE RALLY

I am hosting a PEACE RALLY on June 14, Flag Day from noon to 3 p.m. for anyone who believes we need peace in our country, our counties and our cities. We want to see respect for the American Flag, Veterans, Police, and respect for our country. Many Americans are upset by the hatred and disrespect displayed for America, the American Flag, the symbol of our great nation. I am saddened by the violence, the protests, the antisemitic violence displayed on college campuses. I am even more saddened that God has been removed from our schools, our cities, and even the Pledge of Allegiance. Our founding fathers fought, died and sacrificed all for our freedom, our nation and our right to worship. Lately, on the news, in the papers, on the internet, all I see is a nation divided. It is time to stand up for our Country, and not tear it apart. My RALLY is for peace and love to return to our nation. Please attend to show support for the USA, the American Flag, the return of God and return of Patriotism. If you are a church or Christian organization or just believe in peace in Alpena, Montmorency, Alcona and Rogers City, and would like to set up a booth to get your message out there, you are welcome to do so. Bring your U.S. flag. God will prevail over darkness and hatred and will shine a light on our nation.

JOANN PINKERTON

Alpena

Free tutoring program

As APS has no remedial classes for grades 3to 8 for math, reading and writing, I decided to start the first annual “Tutor Co-op.” This program is free for all students and the teachers/parents volunteer their time to assist the children.

It will be a six-week program with tutors teaching two days a week and for a couple of hours a day. A total of 24-hour instruction.

There will be a meeting of parents and volunteer instructors on June 14. This is where we match up children with instructors. The parents and instructors will set their own schedules for what works best. We have three different locations available if needed.

The program will run from June 15 to July 31.

Please call 989-255-5938 if your child needs help or you would like to volunteer your time to help a child succeed academically.

Truth in advertising… I started a political action committee to get conservative board members elected in Northern Michigan. My focus is to get our children a better outcome in school. They are our future! www.nmlce.com.

Right now, 60+ percent of students are below grade level in reading and math.

Parents and teachers, if you have a calling to volunteer to help kids, we would appreciate your serving.

BRUCE HEATH

Ossineke

What Flag Day means to me

Flag Day is a reminder that my grandfather served in World War I and worked his whole life at the Calcite Mine in Rogers City as a shovel operator. My father who worked his whole life working at AP Super Service in Rogers City and father-in-law served in World War II, My Uncle Jim lost his life in World War II, and my husband served in the Vietnam War as well as many of my cousins.

Their service made The United States a Great Country and it just sickened me to see the face of a draft dodger on the American Flag and one who called them suckers and losers. This man is demanding a Big Birthday Party for himself on this, of all days! For all those who served and died to make sure we had our Freedoms of Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness this is a slap in their faces. As we watch daily our freedoms being taken away, We the People again are being called on to fight to keep our freedoms.

MARY O’NEILL

Presque Isle

We must stand up

On Jan. 6, 2021 Donald Trump became an insurrectionist by not doing anything for four hours.

Letting police officers get beaten and killed trying to protect the Capitol. Now he wants a parade for himself there.

Then Trump pardons about 1,400 of them when he gets reelected on day one.

Now he’s pushing for Marshal Law on peaceful demonstrations, like they do in communist countries.

Our 250-year history as a democratic society is being jeopardized by the shredding of our Constitution and our judicial system. Those who serve our country are not suckers and losers.

Donald Trump the con man, compulsive liar is not fit to be president of these United States, he acts like a communist leader.

We need to stick with NATO and Europe and our allies to defeat communism to protect Freedom for All!

We must stand up for Ukraine, not give in to Russia, they are giving us rare Earth that we need, it’s a fair tradeoff and we are not doing it alone, we have NATO and the European Union backing us all the way.

BARRY HALLECK

Alpena