Established
in 1937
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Letters to the Editor
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary,
including statements made as fact, are
strictly those of the letter-writers.)
* * *
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.
* * *Thinning operations cause her to query
From Cathy Seitz
Cave JunctionRe: The Oct. 18 biomass forum at Lorna Byrne Middle School: I liked seeing spokesmen from the environmental, government, native, and logging communities.
Perhaps soon we can unite in managing our public and private land in a way that our grandchildren will thank us for.
The big question is, will this result in thinning where it is needed, or will more ancient trees be sacrificed? The last speaker admitted that it was necessary to take “some larger trees” to make a thinning operation pay. In
other thinning timber sales on public lands this has meant sacrificing old-growth. Can we be sure that won't happen?Right now, on $8 Mountain Road, the tops of huge trees (some unburned) lie where they took only the bottom halves for “fire salvage.” The stuff is way too big to haul in anything smaller than a log truck. Yet it is part of the “slash” that “needs to be burned” -- the biodiesel “resource.”
Let’s find a way to stop cutting old-growth. Why is it still going on? Biodiesel will only work in the long run if it is really about forest care -- not just another short-term profit scheme to reduce our mountains’ majesties to tiny seedlings in tree farms.
‘Noose’ Website gains good commentary
From Stephanie Burnakus
Grants PassHoly cow, Bob -- I can see right off that these three look like terrorists, especially that little one. Not! (Referring to Bob’s Corner of Dec. 21, 2005.)
Just started reading your wonderful online newspaper. Love it.
Still more compliments about ‘Noose’ Website
From Sally Smith
Grants PassI just want to say that I love reading “Illinois Valley News” online.
Kinda’ funny that the “I.V. News” is online, and the “Courier” is not.
I also want to ask if the obituaries could be included in the online edition? As a genealogy addict, it would be helpful to people in other parts of the country.
Liberal left not to his liking
From Gregory D. Anderson
Cave Junction“It’s the economy stupid!” Remember that mantra during the Clinton campaign?
Just a couple years ago Kerry told us we had the “worst economy since Herbert Hoover.” Now however, to paraphrase “AlGore” -- Everything that is supposed to be up is up and everything that is supposed to be down is down.
The Dow Industrials are reaching new highs; interest rates remain at historic lows. Consumer spending continues to be high. Unemployment of 4.6% is lower than the averages of the ‘70s, ‘80s or ‘90s. Deficits are nearly half of what they were just a couple years ago.
Military enlistment goals are being met. The Service Sector growth has been much better than anticipated. Tax revenues are far greater than expected due to Bush tax cuts for all taxpayers. The U.S. economy has created 6.6 million jobs during the past three years.
Home ownership is the highest in history. The wages gain of 4% is higher than the 3.3% average annual wage growth in 25 years. Corporate tax collections have climbed 76% during the past two years. Personal income tax payments are up 30.3%.
All this in spite of 9/11, hurricanes, corporate scandals, the war on terrorism and corruption of a few legislators on both sides of the aisle.
Now Nancy Pelosi says she can change all this in 100 days if the Democrats take over the House, and I believe her. Harry Reid says he too will change things, as soon as he explains how he made a million dollars on a questionable land deal. No word as to the involvement of his lobbyist sons.
Democratic Sens, Kennedy, Durbin and others have promised us if they control the Senate there will be changes as well. No more listening to calls to known terrorists overseas. They also believe terrorists should have the protections of our Constitution.
And now the secular left supports the ACLU, trying to drive Christianity underground and destroy the Boy Scouts of America. Few Republican voters approve of the reckless spending by the present Congress, but allowing the Democrat Liberal Left to take over is unacceptable.
Anderson, Gilbertson views expressed
From Jim Morris
Grants PassThis is in response to Wendy Scruggs’ letter (in the Grants Pass “Courier”) suggesting that sheriff candidate Gil Gilbertson has run a negative campaign and that Undersheriff Brian Anderson is the kind of honest, experienced leader this county needs.
Gilbertson, having run a positive primary race, has brought up a lot of negatives regarding Anderson’s day-to-day management of the sheriffs office during this general election. As a person who has occasion to read the reports of events written by members of that office and to interview other witnesses to the same events, I believe the criticisms Gilbertson has brought forward are well-deserved.
Much is being made by Anderson supporters that Gilbertson does not have the experience, etc. to run the sheriff’s office, and therefore we should not vote for him.
The fact is, Anderson does have a record of performance, and it is not exemplary. If Anderson intends to run on his record, his record needs to be aired in order for the voters to cast an informed ballot.
During the last two months alone I have seen several cases where deputies have severely overreacted to events, employed unnecessary force, utilized equipment for which they had not received training, had victim’s immediate family members put in charge of the arrest of the alleged perpetrator, and received direct orders from Anderson to forcibly enter the home of a suspected misdemeanor subject.
This last event tied up a number of sheriff’s patrol units for a protracted time.
Having not been present during these incidents, I don't like, without sufficient information, to question the actions of members of the sheriff’s office in a given situation. However, having been in like-situations on many occasions, I can say I would have handled it differently, and, in talking with other experienced law enforcement officers and supervisors, so would they.
These actions showed poor judgment and a complete lack of supervision.
Through no fault of their own, many members of this sheriff’s office are ill-trained and poorly, if at all, supervised. It is a situation that Anderson has to be aware of and yet has not seen fit to address.
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