West Shore Community College (WSCC) is holding a forum this Monday at 5:30 p.m. in the Center Stage Theater in the Arts and Sciences building to hear from residents regarding renovating the pool. Five days is not much notice to allow residents time to schedule or reschedule, and make arrangements to attend the meeting.
Please, if you can’t attend, send a letter with someone who can speak for you, call now, or send an email to the college (tstadler@westshore.edu) to voice your support.
I have a copy of the report from the pool auditor contracted by WSCC in October of 2023. The report is very complimentary of the construction of the pool and provides three options to sustain the pool. The most basic option is a Myrtha RenovAction system for $735,000, the most complicated is a total revamp of the natatorium at $3.5 million dollars.
Regardless of the route chosen, I believe the West Shore Community College pool is a necessary feature that supports the health, safety, and well-being of the community. Please make every effort to attend this forum in spite of such short notice, and support the pool.
Deb Del Zoppo
Ludington
Passed bills need to be sent on to Governor
Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall is holding hostage nine bills already passed by the full legislature, preventing Governor Whitmer from signing them into law.
HB 6058, amends the Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act so that the health care premium price spike being faced by public employees can be avoided and help them better afford their family’s health insurance. It includes teachers, firemen, police officers and other public employees.
Three other bills allow corrections officers to join the Michigan State Police retirement system. Holding those bills negatively impacts the retirement plan options of hundreds of officers in the 102nd district.
Another bill disallows garnishment of income received from unemployment insurance, disability payments, workers’ compensation benefits or federal and state-earned income tax credits
Holding up these bills not only shows contempt for the Michigan Constitution, but intentionally blocking this legislation from becoming law harms thousands of public workers and their families across the state.
The Michigan constitution states: Every bill passed by the legislature shall be presented to the governor before it becomes law.
The Court of Claims recently ruled they must be sent to Governor Whitmer but issued no mandate so Speaker Hall has refused to release them.
House Republicans should be fighting for Michigan families to de-stress their lives, but continue throwing up roadblocks causing immeasurable harm to public employees.
Please pressure State Representative Curt VanderWall (517) 373-174 by calling his office to demand that Speaker Hall do the right thing and release the bills immediately.
Eric Lampinen
Manistee
Baldwin prison has poor management record
I write this letter, after seeing the headline in Saturday’s paper, about the GEO Baldwin prison possibly re-opening.
I’m just going to give a taste of firsthand being there, starting with the latest. At the end of last year I was contacted by the department of labor, on wages I was owed by GEO. I come to find out they were underpaying us, not paying the prevailing wage. You can look it up online, yet they squirmed out from actually paying back three years, as I’m only getting back pay for 9 months.
Going back from there, the drivers were forced to do more than their hours of service, by the assistant facility administrator, 2nd in charge. I was told “you aren’t part of GTI, GEO transport, you are part of the actual facility, so you do what I tell you, or I can find replacements for you.”
This in itself put my CDL at risk and I could have lost it if MDOT checked my paperwork. There was an audit, around 6 months prior to closing, from an overseer from another facility, who started in on the drivers, who informed him of what was said/forced of them. He ended going back up the ladder to the AFA, who was not happy they were caught.
As I go backward, during the three contracts I was there, 5 + years I saw a lot. One that sticks in my mind, the upper management, a few were decent. But one in particular was not.
In March 2020 my mother passed in the morning. Two hours later, I get a call demanding I come in at 4 — “it will take your mind off this” they said, so I went in. I told a Lt. on duty, in tears, what was said, and they sent me home by their contract, their own policy, I had 3 days to mourn then get back to work.
That sergeant denied ever telling me to come in. Why would I make up a passing of a parent?
There is a lot of other things, a long list, and if anyone wants to ask me any questions, feel free. I have paperwork backing me up.
As for only having so many people there, with any federal contract, they are extreme on who gets in — big background checks. They couldn’t find enough qualified people to staff the last time, so they ran people into the group, people were calling in over and over, and as stated, drivers were forced to work overtime to fill in because of upper management’s poor management. Yet, the company promoted the poor managers, while dumping on the good/faithful employees, as the saying goes.
Michigan Works, take heed, you would be complicit if they open again, after treating the employees so badly.
Kevin Tauchus,
Fountain
Praise for LACA’s programming
LACA (Ludington Area Center for the Arts) hit one out of the ballpark Saturday night.
LACA brought in a professional band from Chicago for a measly 25 dollar ticket. This 6 member band played 3 ½ hours, songs of the 60’s and 70’s. The drummer, keyboard, 3 electric guitars were top notch.
One guitarist wore striped pants and a flowered shirt. The vocalist sang songs from the Beatles, the Door and more. As he sang Elvis songs he added those iconic Elvis moves.
There was a dance floor as young and old danced. This venue is known for its acoustics and with ‘Backforward’ sound system the music produced is the best I have ever heard.
Thanks to those LACA people who plan, coordinate and finance top quality talent to this small remote town of Ludington. I am signed up for every event.
Linda Johnson,
Ludington
Truth in Politics
The 47th President was elected, in part, because of various media organizations who repeated falsehoods disguised as factual news. Many people were influenced by this propaganda and as a result believe in an alternate reality.
As example:
Who was invaded twice: Russia or Ukraine?
Is this administration interested in world peace or attempting to purchase Ukrainian mineral rights at a fire sale price?
Was Jan. 6 a peaceful protest or a bloody coup attempt?
Do massive indiscriminate tariffs help or hurt our economy?
Is threatening the ownership of Greenland and other vulnerable countries smart?
There are many examples of questionable motives and conduct exhibited by our President who is essentially immune from prosecution thanks to his selectively appointed Judges to SCOTUS.
We must watch what this administration does and do whatever is necessary to protect our Democracy.
Ivan Peterson,
Scottville
