In May of this year, I celebrated 12 years at the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce. So much has changed about the community in that dozen years. This column is dedicated to some of the positive changes I have seen in that time. Probably the biggest positive change I have seen is the ...
Today, the world marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied troops’ invasion of occupied France at the beaches of Normandy during World War II. It remains the largest beach invasion in history, turning the tide of the war to the advantage of the Allied troops and leading to changes in ...
In Tuesday’s edition, reporter Steve Schulwitz told us about the Alpena Municipal Council’s efforts to update the city’s fireworks ordinance to comply with a new state law on Michiganders’ use of consumer-grade celebratory explosives. The new law specifies the times and dates when ...
Beware of those unamious votes. It’s a well kept secret in university boardrooms that, whenever a new president needs to be hired, the board may be bitterly dividied in private but, in an attempt to wallpaper over those differences, the members agree that, in public, there will be a ...
“Next stop, real world” was the headline Crystal Nelson’s coverage of Hillman’s high school graduation ceremonies in Monday’s edition. As of today, most students in Northeast Michigan have reached that next stop, having turned their tassels and picked up their diplomas and headed ...
A government of the people works best when the people are really part of it. That spirit is on full display in Presque Isle County, where, according to a report last week by News reporter Julie Riddle, a private logging company has partnered with the county Road Commission and the Michigan ...
As the 2018-19 school year winds down in the weeks ahead, when do you believe districts should send students back to class? Michigan is one of only three states in the country that mandate school starts after Labor Day. This year, Labor Day is Monday, Sept. 2, making most school starts for ...
Earlier this week, a think tank chief and journalist caused a stir when he tweeted out a made-up quote attributed to President Donald Trump. “President Trump in Tokyo: ‘Kim Jong Un is smarter and would make a better President than Sleepy Joe Biden,’” tweeted Ian Bremmer, president ...
For as long as we can remember, salmon and Rogers City have seemed synonymous. Yet, as we all know, few things seem “forever” anymore, and the chinook salmon fishery in Lake Huron has suffered from some tough years, recently. Yes, it still exists, but not in the same numbers and size ...
I would hate to be in line at McDonald’s behind a congressional Democrat. “I’ll have the Big Mac ... no, wait. There’s a lot of fat in that. Then again, you only live once, right, ha ha! But, really, I shouldn’t. Maybe I should get some Chicken McNuggets instead. I wonder if the ...
It was another beautiful Memorial Day weekend in Alpena, and so begins what many would call the most beautiful time of the year: summer in Northern Michigan. Cottages being opened, plans being made by those who live here and those that do not to visit and enjoy our own slice of paradise. So ...
We believe Alpena and Northeast Michigan bursts at the seams when it comes to the arts. For an Up North region, the cultural “vibe” overflows with rich experiences and talent. Evidence of that is what will happen tonight as Alpena Art Walk 2019 runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m. During that ...
One complaint I often hear from the public is about the lack of speed limit signs on the highways where the speed limit was increased in 2017. I also frequently hear about how thOse increases were done to simply make speed traps to generate money for the state. An email I received reads ...
As the crow — or in this case, seagull — flies, Mackinac Island is about 80 miles from Alpena. By car and ferry, it’s around 100 miles. But, right now, the island is closer to Alpena than ever. It’s not due to the earth’s current rotation or some mystery of the universe — or ...
In Wednesday’s edition came the news that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration has created a new office within the Michigan Department of Natural Resources that aims to focus on the outdoors not just as a natural resource worth preserving, but also an economic resource worth promoting. ...
This weekend, reporter Julie Goldberg brought us the news that Alpena Community College now has a two-year waiting list for its utility technology program (those are the students you see up on the tall poles on campus). The classes for climbing courses already are full for this fall and the ...
The Republicans had the Democratic governor teed up. They had the votes to jam her with a no-fault car insurance package she warned she would veto if it got to her desk. The popular wisdom was, “This is a political no-brainer: Send her the legislation. Let her veto it, and then Republicans ...
“We don’t need a lot of time for a little while, but instead a little of your time for a long while.” — Beckie Thomson, president of the Alpena Optimist Club In Saturday’s edition of The News, reporter Steve Schulwitz brought us the story of several area service clubs who are ...
I used to view Memorial Day as the first holiday weekend of summer. Working at a campground, it was hard not to. All the campground employees worked endless hours over the Memorial Day weekend each summer as the campground filled to capacity. These days, I appreciate that fact, but now I ...
One of the things I hope to do with this column is provide a forum for readers to ask questions about how The News operates and why we do the things the way we do. I have always said we can’t expect folks to be transparent with us if we aren’t transparent with them. This is your ...