Established
in 1937

 

Letters to the Editor

(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)
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Typed, double-spaced letters written solely to this newspaper and/or Website are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered.
Cards of thanks are not accepted as letters.
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Toler abilities, fairness reasons for her support
From Cilicia Philemon
Cave Junction

I am writing in support of Dave Toler for county commissioner, as I have known him for many years, and have always been impressed with his abilities and his fairness.

He is concerned about his community, and he is always working hard to make improvements. He is very knowledgeable and competent.

I am quite pleased to finally have a candidate to vote for that I believe in.

Candidate Fasching ‘will handle business’
From Ken LeGaux
Selma

During a recent forum with the sheriff candidates, Brian Anderson should have known of the excessive cost to taxpayers due to excessive overtime by the deputies. I feel that there is poor service as undersheriff, and that the lack of coverage in the county is unacceptable.

Gilbertson boasts of years of experience, but has only 16 years in Iowa when he quit and went to work for Dyn Corp. He says he was a chief of police, but was working in Bosnia being paid $100,000+/- per year tax free. Who cares about Bosnia experience?

We are talking about the USA. And what administrative experience does he have? County business is a huge business.

Don Fasching is the candidate to support for sheriff. A sheriff that will take care of business. He has law enforcement experience, administration experience and a squeaky-clean background.

Check him out. Join the LeGauxs, Millers and friends on the Fasching Boat. We don’t have much time, and he is the best candidate since Bill Brandt was sheriff.

“Economic gain for who? Jobs, jobs, jobs"
From Guenter Ambron
Cave Junction

What is DeFazio up to opposing HR 4200 “Forest Emergency Recovery and Research Act” -- a response to Jennifer Gaskill’s (Springfield) letter to editor 4/12/06 titled, “DeFazio chided for ‘no’ vote.”

The article cites the loss of 14,000 timber-related jobs. I dare to imagine how much more wild land timber corporate lumber company giants would feel the need to fall in order to maintain this many employees. On just the other track perhaps we can support having two cars for every family in China, of course made in America with all inexhaustible American resources.

Currently I believe the overland U.S. fire-fighting industry is about 3.5 billion a year. With enough back-burning perhaps we can at least double this amount posthaste. Jobs, jobs, jobs, more and more spending.

I work as a carpenter here in Illinois Valley. I have family and friends who are and have worked in the “Timber Industry.” I say “have” because many of them were injured, layed off (moving from place to place), or just couldn’t see themselves staying with a trade that is unsustainable in its current condition with such contradictive valued employers (not to cast a shadow on companies that are working on ethically sensible and sustainable methods.)

It is on the leaders of the timber industry itself, the lobbyists, the system, and the politicians that buy in. Very little vision is employed except in maximizing profits. And who gets it? Not you and I, those of us who do the grunt and trade work to earn the billions so the average shareholder can maintain at least a 15,000-square-foot home for their 1.5 children.

And I’d like to add how many of our timber workers get good living wages, compensation, insurance, benefits and enjoy long-term local employment. I know some have done well, but my impression is that the majority have been really squeezed.

Of course, don’t bite the hand that feeds us, but what are we really being fed?

DeFazio has good reason to vote “no” on HR 4200. Just on the basis of economics alone. Rep. Walden worked real hard to listen to a lot of people in drafting the legislation, but the end result is deafening and a virtual free-for-all for industrial giants, not to mention the tax burden it will levy on the people.

Anyway, I’d like to hear from more timber and lumber workers.

People of Oregon ‘fortunate with DeFazio’
From Crystal Griffin
Cave Junction

I am writing about the letter dated April 12 from Jennifer Gaskill from Springfield about Peter DeFazio and the salvage logging bill that Greg Walden has sponsored.

We are fortunate to have DeFazio looking out for the people of Oregon. He is not against salvage logging, but is for protections against violations we have seen by the timber industry. Our representative has kept in touch with his constituents. At www.defazio.house.gov, you can find out exactly what he is doing for the people of Oregon.

Gaskill says in her last paragraph that Oregon has lost 14,000 timber-related jobs since Peter DeFazio has been in office, but that is misleading. The timber industry should take a closer look at its own logging practices in regard to the decline in access to Oregon’s valuable resource.

I am talking about the timber companies that are from out of the area. The policies of Rough & Ready Lumber Co. took into account preservation for the future with careful long-range planning.

I saved a copy of the “Daily Triplicate” in Crescent City dated Sept. 18, 2002. A front-page article reads, “July 14th, A California Department of Forestry helicopter crew spots the Sour Biscuit Fire in a remote and roadless section of forest. About 100 acres is burning and the crew asks Oregon officials if they should attempt to extinguish the blaze. Oregon fire officials deny the request, saying they don’t believe the helicopter can have an impact.”

I’ll leave that for the readers to ponder.

Oh, and a P.S., DeFazio voted against going to war with Iraq.

Cessa Vichi called asset for county library
From Mara Carnes
Cave Junction

After reading George Long’s scathing letter demanding that Cessa Vichi resign, I had to laugh about the ignorance being spread in our community by people who seem to only want to hurt the library system.

Cessa is a true gem to have in our library system, and I think it’s unfair to judge her when Long
doesn’t seem to even have a clue about how the library functions.

Long should not be so quick in his judgments. If he had his facts straight, then I could see his argument, but attacking something he knows nothing about could be called contemptible. Our libraries need support, not some ill-advised husband to a library worker starting rumors about a system that is only trying to serve our community.

It’s sad that he thinks spending his time spreading misinformation is helping anyone. He talks about accountability, but where is his for causing problems in a time the libraries need all the support they can get?

I see the damage he is causing by his misinformation,. If the libraries close, many children in this valley no doubt could thank him for helping destroy their libraries and taking away all the summer reading activities they need and enjoy.

Is he proud of himself?
The fact is that the training money was not paid by the taxpayers, it was grant money from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Long should get the story right next time.

Cessa used the money the Gates gave them for what it was intended for, training and education to help build a better library system. I applaud Cessa for her efforts to serve our community and save our libraries.

We need more people like her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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