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Letters to the Editor

MLB prayers

It’s the last of the ninth inning in Arizona. The home team is trailing by two runs but has the bases loaded with two outs. The pitcher pauses as he approaches the mound. He removes his hat and places it over his heart, closing his eyes to pray. The batter waits outside the box, making the sign of the cross before stepping in. Timeout is called. The manager, catcher and all the infielders gather at the mound to assess the situation. Action resumes. The pitcher throws. The batter swings and connects, driving the ball deep into the outfield. The runners are in motion as the ...

Jets should stay over Lake Huron

I know the National Guard has to train and I appreciate the fact that the CRTC here in Alpena has the facilities to allow them to do that. What I don’t understand is why they create the sonic booms over the city of Alpena. There is plenty of room over Lake Huron to reach the levels that create the boom that would be far away from the city. I was at a doctor appointment when one happened and the NP jumped at the sound of it. I can’t help but wonder what would happen if a doctor was in surgery when one happened. They need to keep the jets over Lake Huron when they create the sonic ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...