Thank you to the organizers of the Kingsford High School Class of 1971 50th reunion, Deb Church and a host of classmates who helped. They gave us an opportunity to see old friends, reminisce and reconnect. It was a special evening. When you are elected as a class officer, little do you realize that your task will follow you through life. Again, thank you! You did a wonderful job.

The Kingsford Class of 1971 was filled with quality people. Fifty years later, it was evident they took their good qualities into their careers and communities. They are citizens who demonstrated the American values of hard work and dedication.

I love the Upper Peninsula, particularly the Iron Mountain/Kingsford area, and I always wanted to return … of course, to be a Flivver again. What I see now in my beautiful hometown has saddened me. I am referring to the many marijuana outlets throughout town. Why is this happening and who is making all the money? Marijuana will always be a gateway drug and in time it will ruin your community. Studies have linked adolescent usage to later schizophrenia. Mental health creates lots of issues. States where there has been widescale usage of this drug have an uncharacteristically low literacy rate. Parents who are high don’t care if their kids do their homework, much less become future productive citizens of their community. The list of taxpayer burdens goes on — property care and desire to work to earn a living, to mention a few.

I am from a very nice small Wisconsin town. Years ago, our city council was considering having a casino built on the edge of town. Casinos have a whole lot of negative ramifications. The citizens of our town recognized this. They attended city council meetings to express their concerns. Family heads let it be known that they did not want to raise their children in a town with a casino and would leave, taking their families and professions elsewhere. In the end, the city council denied the request for a casino. Our town still is a sweet place to raise a family.

Our cities have many challenges, and in the long run to add marijuana to the mix will only lower the quality of life. Where are the family heads in Iron Mountain-Kingsford? Where are your civic, church, professional and education leaders? Why are you not attending council meetings and petitioning your civic leaders to do what is best for the future of your cities, for your children? Please do not let your communities be ruined.

I will always love Iron Mountain-Kingsford, but now I would think twice about returning.

Thanks but NO thanks.