LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Rotarians wowed by local food choices!Dear Editor,
During the evening of May 12, Elk Rapids Rotarians hosted the 2022 District Conference kickoff event at the Edward C. Grace Memorial Harbor. Visiting and local Rotarians and guest dined on the tasty foods provided by the following establishments: Pearls, Ice Cream Peddlers, The Flour Pot Bakery and Coffeeshop, Royal Farms, TJ Charlie’s, Cellar 152 Pub and Provisions, River Street Market, American House Wood Fired Pizza, Town Club, The Local, Traverse Bay Farms / Fruit Advantage, and The DAM Shop at Elk Rapids Marina. During the balance of the Rotary District Conference, I continually heard from Rotarians how impressed they were with the outstanding offerings of food at the event. Many Rotarians, including locals, said they were unaware of the variety of excellent food choices available in the Elk Rapids area. We locals are so spoiled! Thank you to all these food providers for making this District Conference kickoff event so very special! Sincerely, Gary E Chenoweth Rotary District 6290 Governor Elk Rapids Rotarian Pleased to get people talkingDear Editor,
I’ve seen pushback on my May 5th letter about concerns with Second Step curriculum, which I sincerely thank you for. I’m pleased it got people talking. I knew some would misunderstand, there would be assumptions made, and there would also be people agreeing with me. I’m not doing this because I want to, but because it’s my obligation as a parent. I don’t wish to disrespect educators or discredit their admirable efforts. I’m simply shining a light on widespread dangers and harms that are happening. This isn’t hysteria, but very real. I understand some being triggered by words like socialism. Because I used this language, they assume I’m trying to interject politics into school. On the contrary, I am combating it. CASEL is interjecting politics into schools. This is not hyperbole. This is openly what CASEL is advocating for, what they call “equity.” They wholeheartedly embrace the postmodern view that we must induce critical consciousness to “redistribute power,” “transform inequitable settings and systems, and foreground social and emotional competencies needed for civic engagement and social change.” This transformation is indoctrination. We can only hope that Lakeland’s implementation of the digital program will not move us toward a “transformative” direction this fall. Sally Nagy Rapid City How should our tax dollars be spent?Dear Editor,
Here are my thoughts on the May 19th Milton Township County Commissioner meeting. There was a proposed property tax increase, and also an opposing amendment that would’ve actually resulted in a property tax cut. What ended up passing amounted to a modest tax increase, but not the full tax hike. Our county is currently ranked #1 in reserve cash on hand on a per capita basis. As a combat veteran, I understand the principles of preparedness and forward planning. As a business owner, husband and father, I also understand the principles of budgeting and having a rainy-day fund. With inflation spiraling out of control, affecting food, gas, services, and everything in between, is now the right time to be raising property taxes? Given that our financial status is as healthy as it is at the county level, how much cash in the bank is enough? Do you think that our tax dollars would be better spent by our government, or better left in the hands of the private sector? Caleb Pero Williamsburg |
Parental involvement criticalDear Editor,
I was somewhat troubled with a recent letter in your publication. This contributor indicated that the selection of school curriculum should be left to experts well versed in adolescent psychology and educational sociology. The problem with this advice is that these sciences are very inexact. In fact, all of the studies in the social sciences are suffering from a “replication crisis”; i.e., different researchers doing the same study come up with different results. Too many of these studies are found to reflect the bias of the person doing the research. One thing that has been reliably effective determining student educational success is parental involvement in their child’s education. At times this involvement may be troublesome to the school system, require administrators to sell the public on the curriculum, and at times requires administrative adjustments, but it is essential. Parents/taxpayers must be allowed to contribute more than their dollars to the public schools. Jim Ribby Rapid City A cost-saving effort?Dear Editor,
I am irritated beyond belief with Crystal Lake Clinic and the unceremonious departure of Dr. Maureen Street. First of all, let me say that in my 60+ years, I have never had a more caring, attentive and competent physician as Dr. Street. Unlike many in the field of medicine today, she is willing to take the time to listen to patients as well as explain conditions and procedures in terms we all understand. Like hundreds of others in our community, I hold her in the highest regard. For Dr. Street to be removed without warning and without any prior mention of when or why to her patients is a colossal failure and breach of professional ethics by Crystal Lake Clinic in my personal opinion. I am told that her replacement is a physician’s assistant. Really? A mere cost-saving effort? All my future appointments were canceled with no explanation. But I have no idea why because Crystal Lake hasn’t said diddly to me, or anyone else I know of. John Caestecker Kewadin Upset by turn of eventsDear Editor,
Just writing to say that we are extremely upset about the recent sudden termination of our super primary care doctor, Dr. Maureen Street, by Crystal Lake Clinic in Benzonia. Dr. Street has been our primary care doctor since she returned to Elk Rapids in 2018. There are many people in this area who are her friends and patients, and who agree with our assessment, and are very upset by this turn of events. Thank you for this opportunity to express our views. Chuch and Jacquie Thiel Elk Rapids Letters to the Editor:
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