Growing up there was always a particular kid who was a little bigger than the rest of the class. He would use his size to intimidate other kids on the playground. He would then turn to name calling or teasing if his size did not intimidate the others. He was known on the playground as a ...
Islamic terrorism is not confined to the Middle East. It is a threat far to the west in Nigeria, too. When President Donald Trump and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari met at the White House, they discussed a variety of topics. Among them were economic issues and security. Buhari may ...
Last week’s conviction of entertainer Bill Cosby on a charge of sexually assaulting a woman was a milestone, in a way. Some people consider Cosby the funniest man they ever heard deliver a monologue. For years, millions of Americans viewed him as a model for fatherhood. And many black ...
I am about to make a full disclosure. It’s one of those things people don’t like to do themselves but seem to enjoy when other people do it. I’ve been writing this bi-weekly column for 2 1/2 years now but I’m not at all sure what it is I’m doing. The column has followed a ...
During her time as U.S. secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice had to navigate the quagmire that is Washington, D.C. One wonders whether she found the world of college basketball to be even more of a swamp. Rice headed a commission formed to recommend solutions to rampant corruption in NCAA ...
TV debate moderator: Mr. Pensler. As a GOP candidate for the U.S. Senate, what is your position on allowing guns in schools? Sandy Pensler: I am not taking any positions on state issues. Moderator: Mr. Pensler, what is your stance on raising taxes to fund mass transit? Mr. Pensler: ...
Let’s hear from the public what they want in air service at Alpena County Regional Airport. That was the decision of Alpena County commissioners this week — one we think was a good idea. The commissioners asked for, and were granted, an extra week to make their recommendation to the ...
I recently visited Traverse City, while I was there I had a chance to walk their harbor area. What I noticed at the boat launch area is that they have a senior citizen seasonal rate of $20. This started me thinking of the recent increase at the Alpena boat harbor, $50 seasonal $7 daily. I made ...
Everyone loves to talk about the weather. Thus, if I were to ask you to remember back to this point two weeks ago, you would sigh and think “Oh my yes, that snow was terrible!” A week ago sports fields still were covered in snow. In fact, as of earlier this week a major portion of ...
I witnessed an act of kindness today that made me proud to be a member of our Alpena community and compels me to share with every citizen. At around 11:50 a.m. on the 18th, a neighbor of mine became stuck in her driveway. Even six days after the major storm we all endured, it's impact is still ...
Have you ever seen the show “Naked and Afraid?” The first time I heard of it I laughed about how ridiculous it sounded. They will create a show about anything. Then I saw it once. And then several more times. It’s an interesting show. I have no desire to be on the show (the thought of ...
As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease. Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed each year and this does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected. Symptoms vary, but include tremors, difficulty with balance, swallowing, chewing, speaking, and ...
Come Heller high water… ∫ I can always smell the aroma of consultants when it comes to media. What they've ruined most recently are sports highlight shows, which now, as if by law, have to include loud, thumping music during highlights, loud, obnoxious ex-jocks hee-hawing about the ...
Alpena Community College’s utility tech students are at it again, bringing home first place from the College Powerline Rodeo held earlier this month in Nebraska. ACC has an impressive history in this competition, winning first place in 2010 and 2015 as well. The success of the students ...
If you visit Google and begin typing “rural America” in the search bar, Google will offer you some suggestions on what you may be looking for: “Rural America dying,” “Decline of Rural America,” “Rural America is the new inner city.” These are popular topics and phrases that ...
Big government’s standard answer for any problem is to insist it needs more power, usually in the form of additional burdensome regulations. Time and time again, however, the public sees clearly that the problem is ineffective enforcement of existing rules. The ongoing scandal involving ...
Little did I know how much my life would change when I had children. I thought I was busy before I had kids but now it seems like there are never enough hours in the day to accomplish tasks and I am never “caught up”. And, my personal free time is stuck in a tar pit somewhere next to the ...
North Korea’s claim it will suspend testing of nuclear weapons is the show of good faith that absolutely had to precede direct talks between that country’s dictator, Kim Jong Un, and U.S. President Donald Trump. But Trump is right to adopt what, at first glance, may seem to be a ...
Gov. Rick Snyder never wanted to go there in the first place but instead of digging in to oppose it he relented to his "legislative partners" and signed legislation to privatize the food service in the state prison system. And then the fun began. Too bad nobody was around to remind this ...
Are U.S. officials being played like the proverbial violin by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un? Let us hope not — but at the same time, let us not make the mistake of assuming there is a sincere, humane bone in Kim’s body. Mike Pompeo, the CIA chief soon to become secretary of state, ...