Bike lane additions to Ludington

September 19, 2026

With the addition of bike lanes on Ludington Street, please remember that the new bike lane is that. A bike lane. Not a pedestrian gathering place to chat. Not a "swerve allowance" for motor vehicles. If you are parking, please, please, please check your driver's side mirror well before swinging open your door into the path of an oncoming cyclist legally in the path. And when pulling back into the traffic again, check, check, check your mirrors. Swivel your head and look back before you cross the bikeway into the path of a cyclist legally using their lane. Having been a year-round ...

Remembering September 11

September 17, 2026

We had no idea what was about to happen. The setting is Starker Gym, Fort Hood Texas. Our son, a 3-year Iraqi war vet, was coming home after his first tour and we were going to Texas to greet him. The soldiers were supposed to be at Ft. Hood by 4 p.m. Steve called us from Maine, explaining the plane was having mechanical problems and they wouldn’t be there until 1 a.m. We didn’t care… he was coming home! We were one of the first to walk into the gym at midnight. Our first surprise was when we noticed all the signs posted all around the gym. They were everywhere! As the gym began ...

The Presidential Fecklessness Weakens National Security

September 14, 2026

This letter was addressed and sent to congressman Jack Bergman on Sept. 7 Mr. Trump has been consistently antagonistic towards military service. While the Vietnam War raged, many young men avoided the draft by going to Canada. The president avoided the draft using a medical deferment by claiming bone spurs. Years later, the president’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, asked the president for medical documentation relating to his bone spurs. President Trump didn’t give him any and said, “You think I'm stupid? I wasn't going to Vietnam.” Retired four-star Marine General John ...

Enough, please stop

September 10, 2026

The Democrat candidate for Senate in Michigan — Abdul El-Sayed — is a socialist and a man of the Muslim faith who has made terrible anti-Jewish and anti-American comments to the media. Democrats, you have a problem. Do you support this DSA’s questionable character or not? Some of my Michigan Democrat friends tell me they are concerned about El-sayed’s comments. Good. This national wave of self-identified DSA or socialist Democratic Party candidates — who won in primaries — cause their party to consider this direction carefully. Some major Democrat players are not pleased ...

Rebuttal to “Pointed Questions”

August 13, 2026

This letter is a rebuttal to a letter published on Aug. 10, 2026. The letter titled "Pointed questions posed" contains a laundry list of allegations, assumptions, and political rhetoric that Mr. Rich Clark presented as though every accusation were established fact. It isn't. Some examples are highlighted below: The most obvious problem is the repeated leap from “this happened” to “therefore Trump did it for corrupt or murderous reasons.” Those are entirely different propositions. The Iran accusation is a perfect example. You can oppose the military action, but calling it a ...

Back to “cash is king”

August 11, 2026

I believe in supporting local businesses in my community, whether it's the small mom-and-pop gas station on the corner or a large national chain. To me, "support local" isn't just about who owns the business—it's about supporting the people who live and work here, our neighbors, friends, and families. Lately, though, I've noticed more and more businesses adding a 3.5% surcharge for using a debit/credit card. That makes me wonder: why? A debit/credit card is a direct payment from a customer's bank account. Yet many of these same businesses will gladly accept an old-fashioned paper ...