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Lessons learned on a river cruise

I’m writing today as I drift down the Romantic Danube aboard a Viking river ship, a trip I had eagerly awaited for months. I am blessed to be surrounded by wonderful family and dear friends, but truth be told, disappointment has abounded. The river waters proved far too low to navigate, ...

Who does the county administrator serve?

Jesse Osmer, the county administrator, in an obedient and servile missive believed to have been written for an audience of one, wrote an editorial for The Alpena News a couple weeks ago chastising county residents who participated in the school board recall effort. It’s clear what Osmer’s intentions were with his preachy, self-serving diatribe, but it’s surprising that he decided to bring Dennis Schultz into the rant by reminding the community that Schultz has digital copies of the almost 2,000 petitions that were gathered during the school board recall. It’s known that Schultz ...

Gutting Head Start standards will harm rural kids

For over 60 years, Head Start has provided comprehensive education and health services for families struggling to make ends meet. Right here in Michigan, Head Start serves 27,000 children growing up in households with low incomes while also helping their parents pursue educational and ...

The king of debt Sticks our kids with the bill

Trump has made billions since being reelected in November 2024. The underlying transactions are real; what remains disputed is whether they constitute corruption, bribery or merely staggering conflicts of interest. But taking the long view, all of that doesn't count for much compared to what he's stealing from future generations of Americans. Yes, Trump reported more than $1.4 billion in income from family cryptocurrency ventures in 2025, even while setting government crypto policy. Included in that bonanza was his $TRUMP meme-coin business: Reuters estimates the project generated more ...