Letters to the Editor
I.V. Lions Club, Michels gain great gratitude
From Carolyn Robertson
Cave Junction
I appreciate this opportunity to publicly recognize Illinois Valley Lions Club, and particularly member Sam Michel and his wife, Hilma, for the gracious use of a walker. I needed it recently when I fractured a bone.
I also want to take the opportunity to inform folks in Illinois Valley of the huge supply of medical equipment the I.V. Lions Club provides anyone in need -- without charge. This is truly an outstanding and most commendable community service.
Experience provided on defensible space work
From Sharon Silva
Kerby
While reading De Spellman’s letter to the editor in the Aug. 1, 2007 edition of Illinois Valley News I had an old anger reawakened.
If people want to go to the meetings De is hosting and listen to her talk about what a good thing SB 360 is going to be, fine. However, if she has someone in mind to help you with your defensible space area and fuels reduction around your home, it would be best to think twice.
A few years back, while De was employed by Illinois Valley Fire District as the fire prevention coordinator, I contacted her for help with making a defensible space around my home. She came to my house with a man who was supposedly very good at this sort of work. De set the dollar amount, even called me back to say they had under-bid the cost. Long story short, for the defensible space, and fuels reduction on 5 acres the cost was $4,800.
Yeah, I know, I was an idiot to agree with this. However, at the time, even my good friends were telling me I could trust De. I felt she had to be correct in what she was saying because she was backed by the good name of our I.V. Fire District.
Long story even shorter, the goon she sent up here to work demanded money from me from day one, and did not do what De promised me he would do. I paid him (I know -- stupid, stupid, stupid -- but he was an intimidating kind of guy).
Also I was afraid my wheelchair-bound Vietnam veteran husband was going to kill the guy for not doing the work De promised us he would do. I thought it best to pay him and get him off my property and out of my life.
What he did do, according to I.V. Fire Chief Harry Rich, was make a “bad situation worse.” He came to my home to view the devastation. By that time, De had been terminated from her position as fire prevention coordinator.
The chief told me that it was not part of her duty as an employee of the fire district to set up the contractor, or to bid on the price of the job. De should have simply given me a list of contractors I could phone to make arrangements for the work to be done.
I believe it is my civic duty to warn people to be aware of any person De claims is an expert in creating defensible space and fuels reduction. Hopefully she is no longer engaging in this practice. She and her “expert” sure set us back, and I don’t want anyone else to go through what we have been through.
Her promises to “make it right” never materialized. We could not even get our $300 rebate, as the work was so poorly done.
With the possibility of SB 360 on the horizon, many people, including myself, are recognizing the need to have their properties as fire safe as humanly possible. I spoke with Rich last week (Aug. 3). He told me that anyone who plans on having fuels reduction and defensible space created on their property need to make sure they use a contractor with a farm and forest license, who is insured and bondable.
So learn from my stupidity. If De recommends someone to you, don’t trust him just because she said so.
Land of Enchantment reader likes ‘Noose’
From Paloma Martinez
Taos, N.M.
While checking the Internet for information about something in the state of Illinois, I accidentally came across your Website (illinois-valley-news.com) and began checking it out.
Frankly, I am quite favorably impressed with what you put out there from your community. Your articles are well-written, and you seem to have a handle on what’s significant in your area for your readers.
I especially enjoyed your Police Blotter. I’ll be checking your site every week, and perhaps visit your valley some day, as I am a silversmith and painter, and your valley seems to have a large artistic population.
Some parts of Bible he finds disturbing
From Wally Hardie
Selma
Faith in any God implies a lack of faith in humanity.
When I was very young and encouraged to attend Sunday school and church, I was instructed to love this God that the Bible presented me. We were told to read our Bible, although I know that few did.
In reality, they don’t really want you to read the Bible; at least not very much. Part of the Good Book, as it is called, began the ending of my church-going days.
God forbade any show of mercy, and, according to I Samuel, demanded the slaughter of man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. In the Book of Exodus through Judges, God said that large numbers of certain segments of the population should be killed, and that the young girls should be raped and enslaved.
My God took no account of innocence or good intentions. He killed poor Uzzah for touching the Ark of the Covenant to keep it from falling off its oxcart. In Samuel 6 he had 42 children torn to pieces by bears for making fun of Elisha, who was a bald man.
I became horrified as a child when reading the
Bible. Why anyone would wish to traumatize their child with horror stories is beyond me. There are more loving ways and depth of need than worship and hate.
In ancient Egypt, the deceased had to recite the Negative Confession before Maat, the judgment goddess, in order to enter Paradise. Part of it goes:
“I have done no evil, I have not inflicted pain, I have made no one weep, I have harmed no animal. I have not robbed the poor. I have not fouled the water.
“I have not trampled the fields; I have not behaved with insolence. I have not judged hastily. I have not stirred strife. I have allowed no one to suffer hunger. I have not increased wealth at other’s expense.”
‘Church sale’ position perspective offered
From Ali Madjdi
Takilma
Man walks down the street; slips and falls. To bystanders it’s comical; to the victim it’s tragic.
One man’s tragedy is another’s comedy.
Kendon Leet finds the situation (Tribe disputes land sale, Illinois Valley News, Aug. 1, 2007) “comical and repetitive.”
A church gets sold; Leet represents the seller, and gets a commission.
As fast as crud is coming to the surface in this deal, it will not be long before those of us who have endured the tragedy could be laughing at Leet and his associates. Think “comical and repetitive.”
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