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OPINIONS
Voice of the people
Pumpkin Festival traffic a hazard
I am a lifelong member of the Milton community, and I am always happy about any opportunity our community has to shine. However, over the past two years, I have been extremely disappointed with the lack of planning in regard to traffic to the Pumpkin Festival.
The traffic pattern that was created to handle Pumpkin Festival traffic was asinine. By routing traffic through Morris Memorial Road and James River Turnpike, you have completely trapped the residents of that area. We cannot get in or out of homes. It is utterly ridiculous and irresponsible.
For example, if I had an emergency with one of my children, there is no way I could get to them or get them the help they needed. Also, there is no way that an ambulance could have gotten through. This particular situation did arise when a Pumpkin Festival visitor was injured and they could not get an ambulance on the grounds because the bridge was blocked in both lanes.
The Pumpkin Festival "powers that be" have operated this festival with complete disregard for the residents of this area. This needs to be the first priority in planning next year's event.
I also hope that the residents of that area will be included when it is time for Christmas decorations to be hung from light posts. I noticed that Pumpkin Festival decorations sprung up along the route that any other time of the year would be totally ignored.
Courtney Taylor
Milton
Salyers has served the Tri-State well
I want to be among the many to wish Larry Salyers the best as he plans to retire from his position as director of the Tri-State Airport Authority. I have had the opportunity to work with Larry Salyers over the years, and his aviation and airport management experience will be sorely missed.
Larry Salyers' retirement comes at a time when Tri-State Airport has gained new service and passengers, and Larry is responsible for much of this success.
I have had the opportunity to participate with Larry Salyers in specific meetings with airlines trying to convince them to establish new service in Huntington. Larry always made a very convincing case for the Tri-State Airport.
Larry personally made the initial presentation to Allegiant Air on the benefits of service here. At the time of his presentation, Allegiant was not even considering Huntington for air service and had selected another airport in the region. Thanks to Larry's efforts, many people in our area have benefited from Allegiant's service here.
Best wishes, Larry, in your retirement, and thank you.
Gerald McDonald
President, Huntington Area Development Council
Huntington
Postcards needed for history class
We are studying all the 50 states in New World History. We are collecting postcards from all 50 states. Would you please send us one with a brief note about your state?
Our address is: Sixth Grade History Class, Hamilton Christian Academy, 1415 Eight Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601. Thanks so much!
Destin Kerwin
Lake Charles, La.
Do research, then vote for candidate
I am writing to remind voters that the right to vote is more than just a right. It's a privilege that many who came before us did not have.
I have made my decision on which candidate to support after much unbiased and equal research on the candidates. Along the way, I've encountered folks who fervently support one candidate or the other, but when I ask them why, most reveal that they are uninformed about the issues that matter most to them. Others express a cynical or jaded view of politics that's turned them off completely, though many of them say they'll still vote.
I urge anyone else who plans to vote to inform yourself, putting your bias for one candidate or party aside. Research both candidates equally, weigh their positions on the issues, check the facts and compare their qualities.
To those jaded by politics: If you can do this equally with an open mind, I believe you will find that sense of optimism you have lost and invigorate your pride in this great country.
Mary Mohn
Charleston
Republicans have done enough damage to U.S.
I am a Christian Democrat. I will never accept the Republican Party's claim to God as being supportive of their party's beliefs. We would all be better served to hope that God is in everyone's hearts and minds during these tough times.
I am a woman. The nomination of Sarah Palin is an insulting attempt to appease women voters who would have voted for Hillary Clinton. I am a Clinton supporter, but I do not support Hillary Clinton because she is a woman. I support her because of what she stands for.
I am a wife and mother. I work a full-time job, and I am a full-time graduate student. Don't even get me started on how this lousy economy and these outrageous fuel prices have affected me and my family. Not to mention this war that has cost us billions of dollars and thousands of American lives.
I vote. And this year, I will vote for hope and change. I will vote for Barack Obama.
RaShawna Smalley
Huntington
It's time to vote the Republicans out of office
At 63, now more than ever before, I believe it is time to "throw the bums out" -- all Republican officeholders, nationwide. They say it was the evil Democrats who brought on all the troubles and insecurities in America today.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan declared in his inaugural speech, "In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem." Since then, Republicans have lusted for small-to-zero government along with deregulated markets and industries. They have been successful, and here we are generally disliked by the world, in two wars and national crises in the economy/finance, health care, education, etc., with the rich getting richer and the rest of us getting poorer.
In 2006, in large part to end the unneeded Bush-McCain Republican Iraq war, the people threw some of the Republican bums out. Unfortunately, not enough bums went to give the Democrats a true majority needed to override the presidential veto pen used for any Democratic efforts to serve America.
Republicans have had their way with America too long. This election is the time to throw all the Republican bums out of office -- from the White House down to every community in America. It is time to give Democrats a chance to serve the people. We especially need Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Anne Barth to serve America and West Virginia.
Jim McMillon
Charleston
Americans must unite to address the problems
Republican, Democrat and independents are pointing fingers at each other. The truth is we have greedy people with their hands in our pockets wanting to make us responsible for bad choices and bad investments.
They make promises about quick-fix plans. I say stop spending on things that will not help us. Get back on track from the top of the government to the bottom. Stop talking; start doing.
We have already sacrificed our men and women in an expensive war. And Mother Nature is taking back what we have taken for granted for so long. From the East Coast to the West Coast to the Gulf Coast, there is destruction. But we Americans are tougher than that. Unify, America. We can and we must. I salute you.
Melinda F. Phillips
Huntington
Neither party put forth a good candidate
A stagnant and souring economy, higher unemployment all over, potential Wall Street collapse and unstable foreign policies are but a few "major" issues facing all of us. Neither Democrat nor Republican can escape the upheaval and winds of change rising from the ashes of eight years of Washington's miserable legislative policies.
Unlike West Virginia's leadership, as a liberal Democrat I'm not afraid to admit the 2008 presidential election scares me 110 percent. Barack Obama's church background and no political experience and John McCain's "photocopying" of George W's eight years of useless policies leaves much to be desired for the alleged "change" both candidates are preaching in their ads.
With the lack of a great candidate running, truthfully should one even take the time to vote? Just how can an intelligent voter stomach either one? What ever happened to the conventions drafting someone else to run for president?
Former President Clinton, Al Gore, Sen. Clinton or John Edwards, where are you. S.O.S. Please.
Sam Allen
Huntington
Merritt will be honest and fair magistrate
I would like to ask everyone to support Len Merritt for magistrate of Cabell County. Mr. Merritt is a life-long resident of Cabell County. In all endeavors that he has undertaken, he has always proven to be hard working, honest and fair.
Stephen Nash
Barboursville
Gossett-Hager is great recorder for Lawrence
Sharon Gossett-Hager exemplifies the type of public servant that the citizens of Lawrence County need to ensure the accuracy and security of their legal documents. There is no question that her experience and proven record as recorder provides evidence that she is an excellent choice to continue to serve in this elected office.
In this day and time, it is crucial for those serving us to have the ability to manage the office and to possess good, sound fiscal policies. Sharon has demonstrated this through her balanced budgets and personnel management. The technology that she has brought to the office also shows her leadership in finding productive ways to efficiently perform the tasks required by the recorder's office and staff.
It has been my privilege to become acquainted with Sharon through her service and faithfulness at church. I want to highly recommend Sharon to my former students and teaching colleagues as well as all the citizens of Lawrence County, Ohio.
Clifford (Eddie) Neville
Ironton
Community group 'slap' was response to criticism
In regard to the letter "GOP disrespected community groups" on Oct. 4, it was in response to criticism of her experience as a mayor that Gov. Palin said, "Being a mayor is sort of like being a community organizer, except with responsibilities." What goes around, comes around. I don't like the criticism back and forth either, but that's politics.
L. C. Nance
Chesapeake, Ohio
Obama can fix the Republican disasters
Recent polls indicate that West Virginia is not doomed to be a red state again, as most political pundits would have us believe. A lot of West Virginians are smart enough to know that the Republicans have little to offer here.
Republican economic policies benefit only about 5 percent of the population. They're able to fool a lot more people into voting for them by saturating the corporate-controlled airwaves with outright lies and hypocritical talk about family values. This still wouldn't be enough to win elections if everyone voted, so they try to keep a lot of people cynical enough to think their vote wouldn't change anything anyway.
This time, the Republicans have gone too far with their laissez-faire policies, and the economy is, for the first time since the Great Depression, in real danger of grinding to a halt. It's not too late, though. There are plenty of very smart economists who know how to steer us out of this mess, and Barack Obama is intelligent enough to make use of them. It's time to stop letting the foxes guard the henhouse.
William Dwyer
Glenville, W.Va.
Party's platforms tell what they really believe
Party platforms are important.
Wise Christian voters -- no matter their race, gender or party affiliation -- will evaluate political party platforms against the truths of scripture. National politicians base their careers on their parties' platforms, and it's a good measure of their values and goals.
Excerpts from the Democratic Party platform: "The Democratic Party (DP) strongly and unequivocally supports ... a woman's right to choose ... abortion ... and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. The DP ... strongly supports ... family planning services and ... sex education, which empowers people to make informed choices. We support the full inclusion of all families, including same-sex couples. We oppose the Defense of Marriage Act ..." This is the only time "marriage" appears in their 27,000 word platform.
Excerpts from the Republican Party platform: "... efforts to address global social problems must respect the ... institutions of marriage and family. We ... will not fund organizations involved in abortion. Because our children's future is best preserved within the traditional understanding of marriage, we call for a constitutional amendment that fully protects marriage as a union of a man and a woman. We oppose initiatives to erode parental rights. We affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental ... right to life, which cannot be infringed. We support choice in education for all families ... [including] the option of home schooling. We ... call for replacing 'family planning' programs for teens with increased funding for abstinence education. We oppose school-based clinics that provide referrals ... for abortion and contraception. (We) insist on the appointment of constitutionalist judges ... who will not distort our founding documents. ... We affirm every citizen's right to apply religious values to public policy. ..."
Enough said.
Jim Coy
Barboursville
