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Letters to the Editor

News misrepresented Northeast Michigan TNR

On June 5, The Alpena News published an article in the Local News section titled “Kitten season in Alpena County,” written by Courtney Boyd. Within this article it states: “Northeast Michigan Trap Neuter Return (TNR), a nonprofit program in the region that specializes in trapping feral and hostile cats, neutering them, and releasing them back into the wild …” On June 7, Alpena News published a similar article within the Editorial and Columns section titled, “It’s kitten season; spay and neuter your pets,” which had a similar message about Northeast Michigan TNR. ...

I don’t see the U.S. as a third-world country

Recently, two very special holidays were celebrated across our country — Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. In my home, both brought a considerable sense of pride in this country we do call HOME. But, apparently, this same sense of pride seems to have been lost by one of our political candidates … Donald J. Trump. He consistently refers to his birthplace as a third-world county and does NOT seem to find anything that has been accomplished over the past several years as worthy of his acknowledgment. Such things as the lowest unemployment rate in decades, job creation at an ...

I cannot imagine this town without a library

As a member of the Board of the Trustees for Alpena County George N Fletcher Library, I cannot tell you how to vote on our upcoming millage, but I can provide you with facts that may help you to make your decision. The upcoming millage is a renewal of our current tax rate that provides the library with about 80% of its funding. Voters are not being asked for additional taxes. The millage in simple terms keeps the books on the shelves, the programs going and the staff employed. Without the millage money, the library would likely have to close the doors to the public. The library is a ...

Book challenges not about protecting children

In recent years, challenges against certain books from local libraries have surged (65% in 2023). Most of these demands have been about books depicting or written by LGBTQ+ people and people of color, as well as books that talk about puberty, teen pregnancy, consent, and sexual assault. It is clear that these are attempts to silence already marginalized communities, and “protecting children” is not the goal. According to First Focus on Children, a bipartisan children’s advocacy organization, banning books does the opposite: They limit children’s learning, while negatively ...

US’s filthy rich continue to support Trump

Dear Editor, “Wealthy Wall Street backers continue to support Trump despite his criminal conviction, drawn by his promises to cut taxes and regulations,” by Anusuya Lahiri, Benzinga Editor, May 31, 2024. The unlimited shame and greed of these people is unimaginable. Consider: Their wealth becomes totally meaningless if we have no country to live in. Underhanded, vile and obscene, these are the filthy rich! Let’s give them a break, convicted felon Trump and his GOP sentenced to no jail time? Trump and his GOP not being held meaningfully accountable for any of their illegal ...

Vote yes because library offers tax bargain

I am writing in support of our library. I will be voting YES to renew the operating budget of the library on Aug. 6. Why? Because the library is hands-down the best deal I get for my tax dollars. It costs me less than half the price of Netflix for a year and I get access to thousands of books, DVDs, and magazines — and not just hardcopy! Even if I work late and can’t make it to the library in person, I can use the free library “Libby” app to read magazines and books on my phone from home. I can also use the free service Kanopy to stream movies (take that Netflix!). I ...