I am more than a little curious — in my travels around the U.P., I notice that economic expansion is exploding in Marquette, also Escanaba and, to a lesser extent, Houghton.

Not so with Iron Mountain/Kingsford. Here, we seem to be going backwards. Kmart, Sears, J.C. Penney, Shopko, Arby’s — all gone! And, of all things, we have lost the Goodwill thrift store.

Our hospital may have weathered a crisis. But does any of this suggest a healthy economic environment?

Granted, these closures are not unique to this area but in other communities they have been replaced and then some.

Is this community satisfied with shopping elsewhere or on the internet? Do we not care if we have to go out of town for our health care?

I don’t know the answer but it is beginning to appear it is yes. I sincerely hope not!