Letters to the Editor
From our weekly issue dated December 17, 2008
(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact, are strictly those of the letter-writers.)
Typed, double-spaced letters are considered for publication. Hand-written letters that are double-spaced and legible also can be considered. “Thank you” submissions are not accepted as letters
Miserable Grinch!
Name withheld by request of writer, ‘who is fearful of retaliation from people with real problems!’
Kerby
All right Rodriguez, you miserable Grinch.
How does it feel to have ruined the Christmas Holidays for so many little children in the Illinois Valley? Rumor has it that you also ran over the Easter Bunny and left him for road kill.
Who’s next? The Tooth Fairy? Oh, by the way, what are you having for Christmas dinner? Perhaps you are serving up a little Rudolf?
Please try not to ruin any more lives.
P.S. And for the people who had disappointed children when they showed up two hours late for the tree-lighting and caroling -- Remember: Jesus is the reason for the season. They should teach their disappointed children that Jesus died so that all of us could be forgiven our sins.
Let’s show the editor a little Christian charity. Let’s give the guy a break and forgive him. God already has.
JoCo funding alternatives
From Jeff Wolf
Grants Pass
The federal bailout authorized for Josephine County during the next four years is part of our nation’s biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. Only the severity of the crisis allowed payments to timber counties to be included in the bailout.
To the rest of the nation, payments to counties like Josephine are just more pork barrel politics heaped on their backs.
Payments under the bailout start at 90 percent of the most recent O&C payment and decrease every year, down to 40 percent in the fourth year. This dramatic reduction is a clear message that federal tolerance for our “no tax” stance has run out, and forces JoCo to wean itself from the federal trough.
Just as it is true of the cost of bailing out failed banks, these payments to JoCo increase the federal deficit and will be passed on to our children as part of the escalating national debt. It is ironic for a county as politically and fiscally conservative as Josephine to jockey for a ride on the backs of others in this fashion.
It is imperative that the time allowed by these payments be used to implement alternative methods of funding county operations. As stated by the Long Term Funding Task Force, it would be smart to utilize multiple, diverse funding streams to spread the related financial burdens while enhancing revenue stability. Responsibility for managing all aspects of county finances lies entirely with the board of county commissioners.
We can’t afford for them to delay developing those alternatives.
Editor not totally at fault
From Patty Floate
Selma
Granted, the editor made a mistake on the time of the Christmas tree-lighting and seeing Santa, but the newspaper comes out on Wednesday and the event took place on Saturday.
Why couldn’t the chamber members give up a couple more hours of their time knowing that children would be showing up at 6 p.m. to see Santa and be very disappointed? It’s quite possible this situation could have been avoided altogether. Just food for thought.
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SMART books
From Willa Gustavson
Cave Junction SMART coordinator
Evergreen Elementary
For the past three months, I have been privileged to be the volunteer SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) coordinator at Evergreen Elementary School. It is the best job ever.
We have 83 students (kindergarten through third grade) currently enrolled in our program, which is supported by the school staff and adult volunteers. These volunteers faithfully show up every week to spend an hour or more reading with the children. At present we have approximately 50 adult volunteers who bring intelligence, love and support into the children’s lives every Tuesday and Wednesday. Magic happens in the SMART room. I love my job.
Not only does the SMART Program provide new books for the children to read, but it also provides books for the children to take home twice a month. This encourages the love of books and reading. “Book Day” is much anticipated and appreciated by the children in our program. Unfortunately only the children in this awesome program are able to participate in “Book Day.”
The wonderful Evergreen staff and I have addressed this situation by coming up with an idea of having a day where every student at Evergreen will receive a book to take home to keep. We are inviting the community to join our quest to give a new book to every child at Evergreen Elementary.
The SMART Program has already donated 200 books to help us reach this goal. We have an order of approximately 200 more books through the Scholastic Book Club that will cover the books needed for the rest of the students. We are asking for help in covering the cost.
Individual community members and businesses who agree on the importance of books for the children of our community are encouraged to contribute as the holiday spirit inspires them. Any amount you wish to contribute should be sent to Evergreen Elementary School, SMART Program. And remember, no gift is too small.
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