Letters to the Editor: Celebrate that climate legislation will benefit us now, in the future – Petoskey News-Review

Finally climate legislation supported by our Sens. Stabenow and Peters has been signed into law. There is plenty in it that will benefit ordinary Americans.

Overall, the provisions in the law will reduce emissions by 40% ( from 2005 levels) by 2030 and it will lower energy costs. As we all have experienced over the decades, the price of oil and gas fluctuates widely. But according to the data, electricity prices have been more stable than gas and oil prices. So the plan is to move us to clean electric energy production. Some of the provisions include incentives for electric vehicles.

EV tax credits will be $7,500 for new and $4,000 for used. The maximum income for new is $150,000 and used $75,000. This will help low- and middle-income families obtain EVs. There are also home energy rebate and tax incentive programs including heat pumps, water and space heaters, clothes dryers, electric stoves and insulation. Modeling projects that our household energy costs will go down by $1,000.

There is much more in this bill to like. If you would like to know all that is included please go to cclusa.org/inflation-reduction-act-slides. This Citizens' climate Lobby training video authored by Dana Nuccitelli is well researched and thorough.

Ann ScottPetoskey

Our Petoskey library is exemplary

I know I am not alone when I say that the Petoskey District Library helped sustain me during the worst parts of the COVID-19 outbreak. Thanks to the entryway 24-hour-locker pickup system, I was able to pick up my books anytime of the day or night, and not risk contact with others. Were it not for the risk-free checkout system and the multitude of books, DVDs and magazines I checked out, being homebound would have been even more difficult.

As a retired school and public librarian, I have witnessed the democratizing principal at work in the open and accepting environment of the childrens reading room. When children hear a story about someone like them maybe someone who lives in a trailer with their grandma, or has a dad in prison, or who has an unconventional family they suddenly realize they are not alone. When they hear a fable from their ancestors country, they feel like they too belong and are part of the broader community.

Remember the saying that one must walk in someone elses shoes to really understand their perspective? Books can help us gain compassion and understanding about others peoples or places we may never have the opportunity to visit.

When I was a school librarian, our mission was to provide a framework to help address the emotional, educational and recreational needs of students. Our Petoskey Public Library is exceptional in providing a safe, nurturing environment that can make everyone feel valued no matter what their background. Our library is exemplary in providing resources and much needed services for young people in our community.

Mary OlmstedPetoskey

Could any of us now be subjected to the 4th Amendment and all it entails?

As a lawyer for the past 40 years, it troubles me the way our freedoms are being slowly eroded by the actions of our government and agencies. The Fourth Amendment was set in place to protect people from the intrusion of government into their homes and lives without some serious oversight by the courts. Before we became independent from British rule, it was common for the agents of the King to storm into homes in search of subjects whose thoughts and actions may have been contrary to the best interests of the Crown. I thought the Constitution and the Bill of Rights solved that problem and gave us back the peace of mind to be free from the troublesome intrusion of law enforcement agents.

Recent events have shown how nave I had become in the comforting words of the Fourth Amendment, and its assurances that I would be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. How dare the FBI raid the home of our former commander in chief on only the affidavit of sworn law enforcement officers and the scrutiny of a federal judge! Does this set a precedent that means anyone who evades taxes, attempts to undermine an election, sexually assaults women, manipulates the value of their assets to reduce taxes, aides and abets the overthrow of our democracy and its election system, and illegally steals top secret documents, will be subject to investigation? Is that what we have become as a country? Who knows what could happen next if this form of police overreach is allowed to exist. Our courts and jails could be flooded with a glut of politicians and their cronies and enablers.

We could suddenly find ourselves in the cross-hairs of a search warrant after having stolen corporate secrets from our employers, or simply embezzled money. Who wants to be under the gun from police just because they keep their drug stash at home instead of in a warehouse. This opens the door to all kinds of unreasonable law enforcement actions for drug searches, espionage, illegal possession of firearms, tax evasion, harboring criminals, exploitation of illegal aliens the list goes on. Personally, I dont want to wake up some day and discover that I could be held accountable for keeping nuclear secrets in my locked gun cabinet. Wake up, America, and stand up for your rights!

Chuck McMurryCarp Lake

Booing at football games terrible conduct for students

Last night, Aug. 25, the Harbor Springs Varsity football team hosted Elk Rapids. It was a beautiful evening with warm temperatures and excitement in the air for what would be the first game of the season for both teams. The game started off beautifully, and then quickly took an unfortunate and very ugly turn.

The Harbor Springs band and students started to boo very loudly every time the Elks cheerleaders tried to perform a cheer. It was mostly led by their band students, with their band director standing by and doing nothing to put a stop to the rude, unsportsmanlike behavior. The booing then spread around to more in the stands. The fans got louder with every cheer the girls tried to give, mocked them, and even shouted "drop her!" when the girls were raised in stunting positions. It was the most disgusting behavior I've ever witnessed at a high school football game, and the Harbor Springs community should be ashamed.

I am writing to make the Harbor Springs community aware of how sickening everyone behaved that night. They didn't have their own cheerleaders, but that doesn't make it OK to yell and be rude to our girls who have worked hard all summer to cheer for our fans. Maybe it's time to sit your kids down and have a chat about sportsmanship and respect. Do better.

Lori LemmienPetoskey

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Letters to the Editor: Celebrate that climate legislation will benefit us now, in the future - Petoskey News-Review