Breaking News

Letters to the Editor

Legislators make classic power grab

EDITOR: It appears that our legislators have gone on strike. They won’t approve any of the governor’s nominations because they don’t like the virus restrictions. The won’t release the FEDERAL education funds until they’ve wrested power away from the state Health Department. Oh, they’d like you to believe they just want to return power to the counties — local control and all that. But in fact, their bills only allow the counties to make decisions based upon parameters set by — you guessed it — the legislature. As power grabs go, this one is a classic. And they’re ...

Prudent to keep mask mandate

EDITOR: Thursday, the Wisconsin State Assembly passed SJR 3, a resolution that formally repeals the governor’s COVID-19 public health emergency order, and, in turn, the extension of his statewide mask mandate. We are a group of legislators from northeast Wisconsin, writing this letter to explain why we joined a handful of our colleagues in voting against the resolution. We believe Gov. Evers’ continued issuance of emergency order extensions, including his mask mandate, is likely illegal. However, it is the responsibility of the judicial branch — not the legislative branch —to ...

Not quite ‘Great Melting Pot’

EDITOR: I was just sitting here thinking that as far back as my grade-school days, which were the 1950s, I have heard that America is the “Great Melting Pot” as a nation. Wait a minute. Right now, today, this month, this year, I am seeing non-white people still being treated as less than white folks. There are movements right now in several states to disenfranchise non-white voters because the non-white voters have swung some crucial elections in those locations. Well, as the old saying goes, “Don’t that take the rag off the bush!” It seems we have only begun to make this ...

Rebuttal to ‘wolf control needed’

EDITOR: In the letter, “Wolf control is needed in region” published Jan. 28, Allen Peterson stated he was bringing facts to the woman who wrote “Wolves are not a problem.” Below are the unsubstantiated claims he calls “facts,” along with the facts. Claim 1. In Hermansville, the deer are almost gone. Fact: The Upper Peninsula white-tailed deer population has been rebounding following several severe winters. Weather, not wolves, has the greatest impact on deer populations. Claim 2. Wolves are increasing at an alarming rate. Fact: According to the Department of Natural ...

A response to UP lawmakers’ statement on Back Forty Mine

On Jan. 25, a joint statement was released by Michigan state Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township) and state Reps. Greg Markkanen (R-Hancock), Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain) and Sara Cambensy (D-Marquette) voicing their continued support for the Back Forty Mine and openly criticizing Administrative Law Judge Daniel Pulter’s recent decision denying the wetlands permit for the Back Forty Mine. These lawmakers suggest that the decision was based on unreasonable “what if” scenarios advanced by those opposed to the mine. The Coalition to SAVE the Menominee River Inc. was a party to the ...

Wolf control is needed in region

EDITOR: This will not be long, just facts. This is to the woman who wrote, “Wolves are not a problem.” I have been hunting for 62 years now. I know facts; this woman does not. The past five years of deer hunting have gotten worst every year. Two years ago, I saw five deer. I hunt with bow, rifle, black powder. There is practically no shooting the last two years. In the Hermansville area, north Menominee County, the deer are almost gone. I have a pack of seven wolves around the past two years. I have trail cam pictures of them. They have killed off or driven away most of the deer. ...