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As our children head back to school, teachers need our support

Editorials and columns

For the past several years, I have enjoyed viewing friends' photos on Facebook of their children heading back to school. Many now have children in college, while some still have kids in high school. My friends often post their kindergarten or elementary school pictures next to the current photos to proudly show how much their children have grown. I can tell by the half grins on some of my friends' kids' faces that they were probably thinking, "Mom, whyyyy do you post these pictures of me every year?" I always find these reactions amusing, but I believe that when they are older, they will ...

Talking ourselves into failure

Editorials and columns

There are a couple of stories that seem unrelated but are very related. They show the story of a country that used to build things and has decided, without ever quite admitting it, that building is too hard. Start with the missiles. Rep. Mike Turner was on television last week talking about ...

The normalcy of American wars

Editorials and columns

The war in Iran is unlawful and unconstitutional, but in post-World War II America, it is normal. Here is the backstory. When President Donald Trump decided to begin bombing Iran last June, he did not state a coherent or lawful reason for doing so. His director of national intelligence and ...

Social media: The primary news source

Editorials and columns

That whirling sound you heard was "Uncle Walter" * (see bottom of page) spinning in his CBS grave while the accompanying thud above ground was in the mainstream news media outlets across the state and the world. They were hearing for the first time that the majority of news consumers are being ...

The good things we have come from God

Editorials and columns

One of my favorite things to do in life is to hike, but there’s a caveat to that. There has to be something worth seeing for it to be a worthwhile hike. So, if you can hike along a beautiful river, a lake, or an overlook, I’m in. My absolute favorite type of hike though is one that leads ...

Cheers & Jeers and the ADA

Letters to the Editor

Each year near the anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26, 1990) I reflect on the progress my community has made in making our part of the State more accessible. Here are this year’s top cheers and jeers. Cheers: · The City of Alpena for the redevelopment of Culligan Plaza. After a few setbacks, including a loud call from citizens to reconsider the original proposed design, we now have an accessible community space. As part of that project, we also are blessed with accessible public restrooms. · The City of Alpena for the ...