In my limited free time, you’re most likely to find me snuggled on the couch with a fur babe in my lap, watching a good documentary. A few weeks ago, one stopped me in my tracks: Join or Die. It was thoughtful, accessible, and quietly a powerful reminder that joining groups isn’t just a ...
Two summers ago, I toured the former Huntington Bank Building at 200 W Chisholm St with a close colleague shortly after it was put on the market for sale. There was a lot of carpet. A lot of dropped ceilings. A lot of tubes in the basement, and a lot of bank safe deposit boxes. As we walked ...
I wanted to take a moment to thank the Alpena school board for what they’ve been accomplishing. Over the past several months, there has been no shortage of criticism and negative commentary, much of it louder than it is helpful. Through it all, this board has stayed focused and kept working. The focus sure shows! At the most recent meeting, the board approved moving forward with a new PE classroom and weight room. Anyone who has seen the current space—often called “the dungeon”—knows just how overdue this is. For years, it was talked about, but nothing changed. Now, it ...
A couple months ago, a community member speaking to the school board during Community Comment time, referred to Sarah Costain as the school board member with the “attendance problem.” The community member never said Costain’s name, but everyone knew exactly who he was referencing. In Costain’s first year on the school board she missed over 30% of all school board meetings. If this was Costain’s employment she wouldn’t have a job by now. If she were a student she would be in a truancy program. It’s impossible to do any job when you simply do not show up. School board ...
The future of the Alpena County Fairgrounds has dominated local conversation in recent weeks, and for good reason: there's a major development proposal on the table, multiple parties are involved, and the stakes are high. This has also been moving very fast—perhaps too fast. In the rush, concerns have been raised, confusion has spread, and one conclusion seems to have taken hold: that the Alpena County Fair Society Board (ACFS) is part of the problem. We'd like to offer a few answers. The Fair Society has been the steward of the Alpena County Fair for well over a century. We love ...
What are you grieving this morning? That was the crux of a question posed at church this past week as it got all in attendance to reflect and ponder. For some it might have been the loss of a loved one. Others might be grieving an individual’s economic circumstances and bad decisions. ...
