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Letters to the Editor

Women veterans office proposed

EDITOR: Women veterans have always played an active role in the United States military, dating back to service to our nation’s first military in the Revolutionary War. Now, they serve all of us in roles in every branch of service, ranging from fighter pilot to intelligence analyst to infantry to medics and many, many more. These women who have signed up to serve our nation deserve our respect and support - and there are more than 43,000 women veterans in Michigan alone. Unfortunately, women veterans face challenges in returning to civilian life. Women veterans face higher ...

Support for local law enforcement

I am outraged at what is happening in our major cities today. Police officers are being ridiculed, attacked and beaten. These people are not protesters. They are criminals. I would like to thank the men and women of our community who protect and serve. Kingsford Public Safety, Iron Mountain Police Department, Dickinson County Sheriff’s Department and the Michigan State Police. You are appreciated. May God bless each and every one of you.

Absentee ballot safest way to vote

We are volunteers with Voters Not Politicians and citizens of Iron County concerned about the effects of COVID-19 on voter safety in polling places during the August primary and November general elections. VNP has launched the VoteSafe program to ensure safe, secure access to the ballot for every Michigander. Normally, polling places are ideal — they offer specially trained people who care about fair elections to help us; we also get to see our neighbors. But these are not normal times. Many older residents in our county are especially vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic and we’ve ...

With freedom, responsibility

We’ve heard it before — with freedom comes responsibility. We have freedom of speech, but it’s a crime to yell “fire” in a crowded movie theatre when there is no fire. We have freedom to drive a car when we’re old enough, but we must have a license, proper registration, insurance, wear seat belts and not be intoxicated to be a legal driver. It is illegal to park in a handicapped space without a permit. These freedoms are sometimes limited not only to protect ourselves but just as importantly to help and protect others. Let’s get to the main issue affecting all of us ...

A suggestion to reopen schools

A plan for reopening school in our community: — Half of students attend school Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Home school online on Tuesdays and Thursdays. — Second half attend school Tuesdays and Thursdays. Home school online on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This leaves room for social distancing and other safe practices while students still get some live classroom time and personal attention from our great teachers. As our community gets better and the COVID-19 dissipates, we can move to full-time school attendance.

BLM movement mischaracterized

EDITOR: This is in response to the Letter to the Editor on July 8 from Ms. Trask. Ms. Trask admonished the Iron Mountain City Council on the resolution they passed affirming the Black Lives Matter movement. Ms. Trask stated that BLM’s “agenda is dangerous and includes leaders who threaten the country if they don’t get what they want.” I found this odd so I went to the source. I tend to do that when I question something that doesn’t seem quite right. After reading the Black Life Matters mission statement on their official website, it stated a much different cause than the ...