Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Commissioner gathering information

EDITOR: I read today where Steve Viau is seeking information about a millage to help my fellow veterans. The Public Act 214,1899 designated 1/10th of a mill be collected to assist veterans, that would be $.10 per thousand dollars of property value. Back in 1899 that was probably a great sum of money. These days, not so much. Back in 1899, if a veteran or family were found in need the maximum could be drawn was $10 What would $10 buy these days? Google Tells us that “$10 in 1899 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $362.46 today, an increase of $352.46 over 124 years. “ In ...

Escanaba mill employees

EDITOR: For the past month and a half, we as a community have heard about the unsafe conditions of working at the Billerud Paper Mill. The cases of people contracting blastomycosis and the long-term effects this will have on these people’s families are saddening. We understand that there has been a recent study into the matter of what may be causing this issue but as a community, I feel we seek much more transparency from our biggest provider of jobs in Delta County. The lack of transparency can be scary to not only the families of mill workers but everyone in Escanaba. A ...

County board meeting

EDITOR: I just finished watching the Delta County Board of Commissioners meeting of the whole which took place on Tuesday evening, March 28. I am mortified and embarrassed to think that this is what is being preserved and made available on YouTube for people everywhere to watch. All of the meetings have become an exercise in frustration and confusion, but this one may take the cake. There is little to no effort on the part of certain commissioners to compromise. Commissioner Barron seems to think that he is the only one who knows what is necessary in the hiring process for a new ...

9.2 billion dollars

EDITOR: The State of Michigan has a surplus of 9.2 billion dollars. That is $9,200,000,000. 92 thousand million. Do you know what that means? It means that the state took more from us taxpayers than was needed. The state is not a company or business. If my company has a good year, we make more money, a bad year and we make less. That is business. The state of Michigan is not a business. There is an estimated 10 million people in Michigan, so are we each going to get a $92 check? Doubt it. Maybe Governor Whitmer can now make good on her campaign promise to fix the roads. She said that ...

Tunnel delay

EDITOR: I can’t help but think there is something crooked going on here. Enbridge wants to replace an aging, above ground, pipeline in the water under the Straits of Mackinaw. They want to build a tunnel that would fully encase pipelines. Big enough for a vehicle to drive through. Right now if there is a leak, divers would have to be brought in from somewhere, and then down to fix leak. Under new Line 5 tunnel, someone could drive to leak, and make repairs and no oil would get into the pristine waters. Enbridge would pay for this. The Governor has made it a priority to kill this ...

Gladstone left out

EDITOR: It is exciting to hear about cruise ships coming to Escanaba this year. The article on Saturday talked about all of the Escanaba businesses that could benefit and also having bus trips to Pictured Rocks. Just a few miles to the north is the wonderful City of Gladstone and there was no mention of arranging transportation to Gladstone. In full disclosure, I was the Gladstone Downtown Development Authority and Gladstone Economic Development Coordinator for five years. However, I am no longer in that position and this is written as a citizen of Delta County who also has business ...