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Letters To The Editor

Save Old Town

To the Journal editor: Old Town Negaunee makes up about 320 acres. The Negaunee City Council on Jan. 18 voted 4 to 2 to rezone 5 acres of it — at the corners of Cyr and Snow streets — from public use to multi-family residential, despite the fact that the vast majority of the packed meeting (over 60 citizens) were opposed to the rezoning and many spoke during public comment to say so. Afterwards, citizens mobilized to take action and found they had recourse. In just a few short days, they successfully petitioned for the necessary signatures, leaving the city council with a choice, ...

Bergman off base on aid vote

To the Journal editor: U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman’s official house.gov website states “He is shaking up the status quo in Congress.” That is apparent most recently by voting no on House Resolution 8035, the Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act. The vote from Bergman, R-Watersmeet, to abandon a world democracy and U.S. ally trying to defend itself against a foreign aggressor is surprising. A threat to Ukraine is a threat to NATO allies, a threat to NATO is a threat to the United States. That is shaking things up! Further, Bergman’s biography states he “will ...

Possible wolf solution

To the Journal editor: Live trapping wolves in the Upper Peninsula and relocating them in the lower peninsula where the numbers are higher, could be the answer. Relocate say 100 or 150 over the desired number in the U.P. Relocation could possibly have a number of benefits: Higher deer numbers in lower Michigan would be reduced. The high wolf numbers in the U.P. would be reduced. Perhaps the deer population in the U.P. would gradually increase. Since wolves kill the sick and injured, there would be less transmission of C.W.D. in the deer herd. Another benefit could be a possible ...

Communication needed here

To the Journal editor: One can only wonder how a community that historically came together to solve issues has become so divided with comments to each other having become so unproductive. This is not just the case for the community in question this is a statewide problem. The two arguments in, Ishpeming especially, that one has been seeing are as follows: “You did not grow up here” or “It is time for the locals to let the new people take over” does not help with community growth/sustainability. That type of dialogue is closed. It does not lead to a sense of open ...

Time to Step UP

To the Journal editor: Nearly a quarter of Michiganders are not physically active during their leisure time. This is very concerning as low levels of physical activity and a sedentary lifestyle increase the risk for many health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, obesity and depression as well as pre-mature death. For rural areas like the Upper Peninsula, where physical activity levels are often lower than those for urban areas, this is an even greater concern. Last year the “Promoting Physical Activity for Americans Act” (S.397) was introduced to the U.S Senate. This bill ...

Wise investments

To the Journal editor: America can make no better investment than in its young adults. President Biden’s forgiveness of college student loan debt does nothing to solve higher education’s runaway financial costs nor does it serve future students or those seeking further training and skills outside academia. In 1892, a Committee of Ten, formed by the National Education Association, recommended eight years of elementary education, four years of high school, and a five day school week. In the early 1900s, those with greater education received earnings 1.5 to 2 times higher than ...