EDITOR:

I am 61 and love the U.P. State Fair. I buy a weekly pass every year. I buy corn dogs for $3 and $4 each. I can get them six for $3 or $4 in the store. I love the petting zoo. You get the idea. I take issue with the people in charge of the fair. Three issues:

Number one was the traffic. The main highway through town was backed up to Lincoln Fair Plaza all afternoon Saturday. 30th Street was just as bad. Fair management wasn’t offering any help. When contacted, Public Safety said that “the lieutenant is aware of it.” He didn’t do anything, but he was aware of it. Two hours later, Public Safety showed up and closed half of the entrances/exits. The reason is issue number two. If you were fortunate, you got to park on the newly-installed parking area by the shiny new building with the new asphalt. If you got there early enough, you got a place to park in the grass after you put it into four-wheel drive. Which brings up issue number three. There was a huge hole in the exit by Fairview Estates (gate 9?). It was there on Sunday before the fair and it got worse by Sunday at the end of the fair. A couple loads of dirt or gravel could have helped.

These are just a few of the issues that, if corrected, could have made this a better experience. Of course, the Authority didn’t deal with any of this because they were busy showing off the shiny, new building. There are a lot of things that have to be dealt with behind the scenes. I understand that. However, there needs to be a “hands on” person to take care of the physical property. I have worked at the fair several times in the past 45 years. I’m not just complaining. I have lots of solutions to the issues that most people have. I would offer some solutions. I would do it outside of the shiny, new building.

Tom Grant

Escanaba