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Letters to the Editor

Oval Office story should have been front-page news

Last Saturday’s Alpena News (March 1) reported a pivotal moment in geopolitics, not on the front page, but rather past the notice about changes in the billing cycle for water services, past the list of winning lottery numbers, past the “Cheers and Jeers” section, past the editorials, stock market numbers and a story about impending tariff threats, past the weather forecast for the upcoming week, past the sports page, a review of Oscar nominations and the TV viewing lineup, past the crossword puzzle and horoscopes (almost there), past the “Dear Annie” advice column, and the ...

Medicaid cuts may impact area children

As a former consultant and educator of high-needs infants, I can attest to the importance of reminding families of PL 94-142, or IDEA (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 1975). In short, this act ensures that all children, regardless of ability, have the right to a free and appropriate public education. This legislation grew from the era of de-institutionalization. Moving children and adults with special needs from government-run institutions into their communities meant that families had to bear the high cost of daily life, medical care, and education. PL 94-142 also ...

Americans are tougher in unity than in division

Growing up in Hubbard Lake, we only had three TV stations, no 24-hour Cartoon Network back then. So most Saturday mornings you could find me munching my Coco Pebbles and getting my weekly cartoon allotment. Often, a PSA aired for the Peace Corps, it would dynamically transform my life’s path. It claimed to be “The toughest job you’ll ever love.” My kid brain thought, “What a dumb commercial. When I grow-up I want an easy job.” But somehow the idea ruminated through AHS graduation, a year at ACC, graduating from Ferris with a B.S. in Construction Management, and finally, after ...

Protect funding, staffing to support farmers

Look, farming is tough enough without the government making it harder. There’s a program that’s been around since 1996 that is helping farmers and landowners protect their soil and water while keeping their farms productive. It’s been a lifeline for small and mid-sized farmers who don’t have deep pockets. It’s called the Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) run through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Well now, Washington is cutting funds and staff from many programs, including a freeze on all USDA programs, and it’s creating real problems for ...

Rain garden at AHS could be beneficial

I was thrilled when I heard about a possible rain garden at Alpena High School. The rain garden would be installed in the unused gravel portion of the AHS parking lot which is being rebuilt and resurfaced this summer. APS has no future use for this area. APS will incur no costs for the construction of the rain garden, which is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Sustain Our Great Lakes program through Huron Pines. Stormwater carries pollutants like road salt, motor oils, and litter into local waterways via storm drains. This rain garden would capture ...

Community fortunate to have a library like ours

Dear Editor, A couple of days ago I had the privilege of viewing a film (for free!) at the Alpena County Library. It was titled “Free for All: The Public Library” and it was an interesting documentary on the history of public libraries in the United States. I learned that many of the early librarians were women — before women could even vote — and that they were committed to free information, serving everyone in the community, and encouraging everyone to read what they wanted to read. I feel fortunate to live in a community that has a library like ours. I think most of the ...