With all the negativity about, it’s a good time, Alpena, to be extremely proud of our Alpena workforce.

Neiman’s Family Market continues to produce, at the Alpena store, our famous bagels in a frozen pre-baked state for our stores. Products are brought up and the supplier then takes them to their warehouse and delivers them to our stores when making regular deliveries.

With Ollie’s coming to the store, our operation needed to make major adjustments. Our landlord has been especially kind and workable as we moved our bagel production to a more efficient area of the store.

To get this accomplished, we have been blown away by the competence and care of not just the local contractors we have used — Goodrich Paving, Meridian Construction, Weinkauf Plumbing and Heating, Omega, and Werth Plumbing and Heating — but the subcontractors that have pushed to get us back up and running. These are remarkable companies, being run by remarkable people, AND they have professional staff that know what they are doing, do it right, and get it done!

Despite being briefly shut down, we desperately needed to be back into production by 7 p.m. July 8. With the OK by Alpena Township over the holiday weekend, sewer lines were connected and all was operational by 5 p.m. the 8th.

I may miss some, but allow me to name the many that Alpena should be most proud: Todd, Tim, Bruce, Paul, Jamie, RB, Ted, Anthony, Jacob, Scott, Jeff, Brett. Josh, Kevin, Dan, Dane, Ryan and others from all over the country.

We always need to thank our police, firefighters, and first responders. But, believe me, local contractors and their crews are above and beyond first rate!

HAL NEIMAN,

Alpena