Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at 7:22 PM

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Opinion:

Letters

Applause for Conservancy

Applause for Conservancy

To the editor: In contrast to the recent letters published in this paper, I applaud the Leelanau Conservancy for their creation of a wonderful trail system! The trails for biking are well designed, minimally impactful on the Forest, and provide a superb outdoor recreational experience. The trails are not very wide and therefore, they are one way only. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Greater Good is important

Greater Good is important

To the editor: One of the fundamental principles in a democracy is making decisions based on the Common Good. The FOIA issue currently facing the entire Leelanau County government is a solid case of actions which threaten this greater good. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Committed to EMT/Fire Services

Committed to EMT/Fire Services

To the editor: After a series of public meetings and some on-line misinformation we wanted to confirm our commitment to EMT/Fire services while maintaining our fiduciary responsibilities to our taxpayers. In September we negotiated a three-year agreement with our EMT/Fire services, lifting their compensation from last in the County to toptier. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Mental health concerns

Mental health concerns

To the editor: According to the MDHHS CON Annual Survey, psychiatric emergencies are the second most common reason people present to Acute Care Hospitals across the state (cardiac emergencies are at the top of the list). Our local Munson ER is reflective of this reality; in each of the last seven years people sought emergency services primarily because of their hearts and heads. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Hope for 2024

To the editor: Looking ahead to 2024, I am hopeful that as a community we will open our hearts and minds to see our neighbors through eyes rooted in kindness. As we face uncertainty in our world, we are our best as members of society when we look and act with kindness toward our brothers and sisters, particularly those who are struggling. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Caring, charitable community

Caring, charitable community

To the editor: Growing up in a city back east, I often heard stories of the kindness and generosity of rural America. And when I moved to the area 25 years ago, I began to experience it. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Adhere to ‘transparency’ policy

Adhere to ‘transparency’ policy

To the editor: In the 2016 fundraising for the original 700 acre Palmer Woods project, the Leelanau Conservancy communicated to prospective donors that the land would be used for cross-country skiing, hiking, and passive recreation. No reference was made to mountain bike trails, and mountain bike trails are certainly not “passive recreation.” Nevertheless, in the 2019 fundraising for the 350-acre addition to Palmer Woods the Conservancy accepted funds from a major donor in return for agreeing to construct mountain bike trails on the entire 1,050 acre “park.” It is now clear that some of those who donated to the original project would not have donated had they known that mountain bike trails would later be constructed on that property — certainly the numerous neighbors who are upset about the mountain bike trails, and undoubtedly others who consider these trails as a departure from the Conservancy’s stated mission of “Conserving the Land, Water and Scenic Character of Leelanau County.” The Conservancy’s Transparency Policy, published on their website, states that “we place a high value on transparency and honoring donor intent”. 01/03/2024 07:41 PM

Join the CROWD

To the editor: I just came in from turning my compost pile, one reason to be grateful for a warm first day of winter. Nosignof wormsor other insect decomposers, so they know it’s winter and are safely buried down in the earth below. 12/27/2023 04:58 PM

Guardrails needed

Guardrails needed

To the editor: The Gun Violence Archive verifies that 38,568 Americans died of gunshot wounds in 2022. Included in that grisly total are the victims of the 646 mass shootings that took place in 2022. 12/27/2023 04:58 PM

Vote blue

To the editor: It’s been 11 years since 20 precious elementary students and six adults were murdered at Sandy Hook. I remember the tears running down my face as I watched the national news. 12/27/2023 04:58 PM

The gift

To the editor: Yes, it is almost Christmas and what is the greatest gift you have ever received? Something you treasure and are most thankful for. For me the gift was my parents, Flora and Joe. 12/27/2023 04:58 PM

Looking forward to Year of the Dragon

Looking forward to Year of the Dragon

2024 is the Year of the Dragon, and I expect to act accordingly. Every year, my late grandmother, Ollie Koons, would dress the entire house with the yearly Chinese Zodiac sign as a good omen for the former rambling-gambling woman. 12/27/2023 04:58 PM

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