Email letters, Sept. 5, 2012

By Staff
Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Drilling not in best interests of Redstone historic community

I realize we all have freedom of choice in the USA; however, we do not need gas and oil drilling in the Thompson Divide. We need to keep fresh water, abundant wild life, good agriculture and recreation for all of the five county areas.

To some, this is just about money, but right now there are plenty of jobs for people who work in this area.  This area is pristine at this altitude and few are kept this way anymore.

Now they want to drill four to six wells in Coal Basin Area; that would be really bad for the Redstone historic community.

I am proud of what Sen. Bennet is saying in his bill to protect this area and hope others will support him.

PAM DARNELL
Redstone

Sentinel should have given more ‘play’ to GOP convention

The Daily Sentinel is very biased, so obviously Democrat.

The Republicans have their national convention and what do you do? You run a very small front-page article in the bottom corner on Mitt Romney.

I can imagine how the reporting will be when the Democrats have their convention, headlines all over the front page.

We are blessed that a man such as Mitt Romney will be running for president of our wonderful country.

RAQUEL GONZALES
Grand Junction

Biden’s use of hate speech indefensible

The words our leaders use matter a great deal; the reason being their words also carry the authority of their office.

For instance, if you had a problem that required involvement and the preliminary judgment of a law enforcement officer; the lens the officer sees you through may impact your freedom and life.

Forms of negative prejudice can occur in many ways such as skin color, economic, religious and political. Dictators and tyrants use political prejudice all the time, it is their modus operandi; they stir up hate within their country, that later leads to socially acceptable incarceration and or murder. One of the best examples we’ve all studied of this was Hitler; he used hateful words like rats and pigs on the Jews to justify the imprisoning and later the extermination of millions of them.

So when Joe Biden, the Vice President of the United States of America, calls critics of the current presidential administration, which is 49% of the people, “pigs,” it matters.

Now I do not believe our current administration’s leaders are dictators or tyrants, nor do they resemble Hitler, but I am pointing out that the hate speech in America from its leaders along with other governmental actions has us heading toward some of the same crossroads that Germany came to prior to World War II.

The new media, The Blaze and The Drudge Report have reported that thousands of people, mostly American veterans, are being locked up for their anti-government postings on forums such as Facebook. However, they aren’t being arrested and being charged with sedition, they are being detained indefinably on mental health accusations. They are never given an audience with a jury of their peers; they are just taken.

Furthermore, it has come out that the Department of Justice is involved in the monitoring of these sites, and then,  when needed, they use state officials to carry out the detainment. Take notice that freedom of speech was never infringed upon when George Bush was in office when the left was screaming for the overthrow of the government. In point of fact, Arianna Huffington, the founder of the far-left Huffington Post, started out with a web site called, and addressed, overthroughthegovernment.org.

We don’t see the Occupy Wall Street crowed being locked up until it’s their “blow up the bridge day” like what happened in Ohio. The point being, since justice is not applied equally, it makes these veterans and others on the right who are being incarcerated, political prisoners.

Obamacare is set to begin next year. Many Americans can’t afford to buy health insurance and along with them there surly will be many Americans who will simply refuse to be obedient and buy insurance out of their sense of rebellion to an ever expanding big government. This refusal can be seen as a protest that could easily involve thousands of people in a city the size of Craig Colorado. Now there are not enough prisons to hold them all and issuing fines won’t make money suddenly appear.

So where do these great offenders of society go, these pigs? That depends on our leaders. See now why words from people with authority matter. The current administration is unlikely to have mercy on these people based on their past language.

People of America, we need to denounce hate speech and any leaders who speak with the adversary’s tongue. These leaders seek to stir up division, envy and strife among Americans. We need to turn our backs on leaders who view our relatives and neighbors with disdain. President Abraham Lincoln said it best when he warned us, “A house divided cannot stand. “ 

All humans are entitled to keep their humanity and are endowed by their creator to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No one is a pig because they hold a different political view than you; we are all one nation under God, now is the time for us to unite for freedom’s sake.

PATRICK WAYNE GERMOND
Craig

Historical high points, low points should not be forgotten

I still remember when we were called out in the streets of Fort Campbell, Ky., to sit on our relatively new duffle bags and wait for that one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.

I still remember standing in my TV room preparing for volunteer work at the local thrift store—thinking some rich idiot just committed suicide –- upon hearing of the first hijacked airliner hitting the WTC. Before I could turn off the TV I KNEW we were at war. On Sept.11 2001 19 Arabic Muslims committed a second probing strike in their relentless Jihad against these United States. For a few weeks the Nation remembered.

But in this election year we still have NOT opened the 9-11 Museum TO remind future generations what was done -what we felt that day. In this election year A US Army major is still waiting for his military court martial—after having taken up arms and killing 13 of his fellow American soldiers—wounding t30 or more others in his personal prosecution of that Islamic pillar known as Jihad.

The issue now is he has grown a beard and says I am a Muslim I do not wish to die without my beard. Yet he had no beard when he presented his Islamic stealth jihad via power point presentations to a captive audience. He had no beard
when he took up arms and murdered his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood before his premeditated act of war was cut short by armed civilian police officers.

Suddenly while confined he discovered he is a Muslim? In this election year.  Many Americans still consider the president to be a Muslim—he has favored Islam—and the Muslim Heads of State over any of our allies.

His own military officers such as Dempsey have publicly said they do not want to be complicit in any preemptive strike to delay Iran’s nuclear capability. The Democratic Party Convention intends a three-hour Islamic embrace. And this Administration refuses to even mention Islamic terrorism.

San Francisco, the city that would have us all be as Sodom and like unto Gomorrah, insists that the truth about Islam may not be advertised on the city transit. They will not call Muslims savages. They pretend in typical “progressive” fashion that there is no savagery in this wicked world. Washington DC, another gay old town, follows San Francisco-and will not mention Islamic terrorism or jihad. It’s all workplace incidents to them.

New York City is like too many American cities so afraid of the Islamic threat they ignore the laws and look the other way facilitate the Victory Mosques. New York is so afraid to allow the 9-11 Cross, that symbol of hope found during the heartbreak of the mop-up after that horrific act of war. 

Our founding Fathers listened to a sermon preached in Connecticut by Elizur Goodrich on May 10,1787.  It was called The Principles of Civil Union and Happiness Considered and Recommended. And our Continental Congress codified into law as Article III of the Northwest Ordinance “Religion, Morality, and Knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind. ...”

That truth is just as valid in a time when the Progressives have rejected our founding principles, when even our high court is confounded by the constitutional qualification of natural-born citizen for the office of the presidency to provide a constitutional check/assurance that the man chosen to our highest Office would be loyal to no other nation nor system. Yet in this election year, many have reason to question if this president is qualified. His first term has most certainly proven the wisdom and necessity of that constitutional clause.

Like Romney said, sometimes the world needs an American. I remember 9-11. I hope there are enough Americans left who also remember that evil day. But I fear the prophet Isaiah will be proven in this generation to have spoken our judgment.

ROBERT JAMES BURKHOLDER
Fruita

From employment to victimization

Now between the two political conventions, we can ascertain their themes. The Republican convention was about jobs and success.

The Democratic convention will be about victims: those heartless Republicans want to take
away your ______ (fill in the blank).

RALPH NASH
Grand Junction

Gary Johnson’s also running for president

It seems that middle-class America is not in love with either Mitt Romney or Barack Obama, and many seem to not realize that they have other options.

There is a third party candidate that many reliable sources are urging us to remember: Gary Johnson, the former governor of New Mexico.

During his two terms as governor, Johnson cut taxes 14 times, created 20,000 new jobs, balanced the budget and left New Mexico with a budget surplus. His track record speaks for itself.

I know there are those out there who will say, “No one outside of the two party system can ever win,” but if everyone voted based on the issues and not based on Republican or Democrat, that could change.

Let’s vote for what matters to us. Inform yourselves of all of your options. Don’t limit yourself to a lesser of two evils.

ALAINE WEST
Grand Junction

Citizens should write to senators, representatives

I’ve been reading letters to the editor in The Daily Sentinel about who’s to blame for the shape that this country is in.

Well, the way I see it is that we’ve been living under a dictatorship for a long time, probably most my life because we the people of the United States of America have been told by the government how to live our lives.

The politicians tell us what they’ll do when we vote them into office, and they tell us what they think we need. This country should be run by the people and for the people, not by the politicians, so the Democrats and the Republicans need to pull their heads out of the sand and write their congress persons and their senators and tell them what they want, let them hear the voice of the people and keep sending e-mails and phone calls until receiving a response, because these politicians work for the people.

The people of the United States need to take back our country from the government and we need to let them know that we’re not going to take this “bs” any longer so you can sit there and be a puppet or you can stand up and be heard.

CURT CLAUSSEN
Grand Junction

Strict gun control laws seem ineffectual in NY, Chicago

The article on Sept. 1, 2012 regarding the need for increased gun control in our nation and in the big cities of New York and Chicago failed to mention some very important facts.

We are talking about two cities with some of the strictest gun control laws in the country, and yet they still have all of these problems with people being killed by gun violence. While this violence is a tragedy, it also goes to show that passing very restrictive gun control laws does not have much effect on the cause, namely the rampant gang violence and total disregard for the welfare of others by said gang members.

I understand the fear of the residents of these cities, and feel for them, but maybe they need to worry more about the true root of the problem and not just the tool that these worthless gang members choose to use to carry out their violent escapades.

If you were to confiscate all of the guns that these scumbags have, they would resort to using other means to kill people, such as knives, bombs or cars. There are far more people killed in car accidents in these cities every year, but no one calls for more car control laws. I know that sounds absurd, but it is the same thinking as trying to use gun control laws to control the violence.

These people who are committing the violence are criminals; they do not pay any attention to the laws that are in effect now.  Why would another law make them abide by them? Instead of trying to take the guns from law-abiding citizens, maybe they need to address the real problem by figuring out how to destroy these gangs that run rampant within their society.

They should be pressuring the local politicians to provide them a means to protect themselves and their families from these vermin running the streets without any means of control. If the city were overrun with rats, they would not be calling for more restrictions on the sales of rat poison, they would be trying to figure out how to stop the rats from reproducing and control their population.

People in this day and age need to realize that they are responsible for their own well being, and that the police are there to investigate crime and bring the perpetrators to justice, they cannot be there to protect everyone at once. The police force in New York City is larger than many countries armies, and yet they cannot be expected to stop all crime before it happens.

One of the most effective ways to curb violence is to make yourself a more difficult target, by whatever means necessary, even if that means you have to carry a gun yourself. If these dirt bags don’t know which of the potential victims is armed and prepared to defend himself, they are less likely to just pick out a random person to attack. As the risk increases for the bad guy to lose a confrontation, the number of confrontations will decrease, as most of them are cowards who do not want to get their self hurt or killed just to take someone’s wallet, jewelry or car.

Hopefully, one of these people will wake up decide to take their streets back from the scourge of society that seem to run them now.

Get yourself a gun, learn how to use it, become very proficient within and protect yourself and your family now. Do not rely on politicians and gun laws to try to protect you or your family from bad people.

CHRIS GREEN
Grand Junction

Health care system undoubtedly needs overhaul, but at what cost to service?

That was in interesting column by Dr. Pramenko last Sunday. I’d like to add some facts about Medicare that he didn’t touch on.

I started my education as a health professional in 1960; Medicare started in 1965, so I have seen all the changes.  That year the average life span in the U.S. for men was 66.8 years, and for women it was 73.7.  In 2009 the expected length of life for 65-year-olds was an average of 19.2 more years for both sexes, and all races in the U.S.  Lots of extra years to utilize medical care.  In 1972 many more millions became qualified to receive Medicare due to disability designation and end stage renal (kidney) disease.
The medical care back in 1965 was positively primitive by today’s standards; open heart surgery was in its infancy, also joint replacements, diabetic care, kidney dialysis and kidney transplants, other organ transplants, on and on.  Consider the advent of advanced imaging (CAT scans, MRIs, PET scans) laboratory testing, antibiotics, heart and blood pressure medications and aggressive physical and respiratory therapies.  All of these have succeeded in prolonging meaningful life, and are very expensive.

Given the culture of the U.S citizen, we are accustomed to just asking for what we want (after all, it was on TV), and receiving it immediately.  It isn’t in our nature to wait months and months for a treatment or a surgery or be denied a medication because it is very expensive. 

I worked at a hospital in Toledo for a short time and observed that there were many, many Canadian citizens who were having surgery there.  The other staff said that the Canadian government medical insurance rationed procedures, and the citizens were unwilling to wait for them, so they came to the U.S. and paid out-of-pocket. 

I read the Medicare recommendations from the Simpson/Bowles committee that was commissioned by President Obama to come up with cost-cutting measures for getting our economy and debt under control.  I wonder how much of this program they recommended is in the “Affordable Care Act.“  If it is, I haven’t heard about it. 

One of the recommendations is to immediately implement the gradual reduction of physician payments which was to have started in 2003, and hasn’t been done yet.  If they tried to catch up, the payments would be reduced by 23 percent.  I’m not sure how many physicians would be in favor of that.  It is very difficult now for a person on Medicare to be accepted into a primary care practice. 

Nothing has been said about malpractice reform that is another of the recommendations.  I’d like to have a dollar for each time I overheard a physician admitting that he ordered an expensive lab test/MRI/medication, etc. that his patient probably didn’t need, but would be open to lawsuit if he didn’t.

The “medical experts” appointed to a Medicare board would probably issue recommendations like the committee who decided a couple of years ago that mammograms for women were being ordered at a younger age and more frequently than necessary, or that prostate lab tests were probably not needed as frequently for men.  Then their recommendations “might” be approved by congress.  This touches on his question of who you trust to design your medical care. Do you want it to be totally in the hands of the federal government even more than now? 

I didn’t read in Dr. Pramenko’s column exactly what bold policy changes and decisions are being proposed. It would be interesting to have a line-by -line listing of what they are and a calendar of when they would be implemented.  There’s no denial here that the whole system needs an overhaul.
ELIZABETH ZINK RN
(retired)
Grand Junction

Gas leases not a boon to Thompson Divide community

Our family has lived close to Thompson Divide for the past 23 years and we spend time in the area almost daily, year round.

While hiking, cross-country skiing, exploring and snow-shoeing, we have regularly encountered outfitters, cattlemen, trail-riders, backpackers, naturalists, campers, hunters, artists, birders, photographers, out door education groups, hikers and even yoga practitioners all sharing and enjoying the area.

The economy of the Roaring Fork Valley benefits directly from all these activities as all these individuals purchase supplies, equipment, gas and other services and many eat at local restaurants. It would be a terrible blunder and at the very least a short-sighted mistake to allow gas drilling to degrade this special area for short term gain (especially in light of the current talk of plans to export the gas extracted to international markets) and in so doing destroy the very qualities that make possible the many sustainable activities which can benefit our valley for the foreseeable future.

A more far-sighted decision will include permanent retirement of the Thompson Divide gas leases to ensure the economic sustainability of the area.

ANN JOHNSON
Carbondale

Longing for a time ‘when men had chests’

As I watched some of the GOP convention, I was saying to myself, “Finally, the grown-ups have arrived. “

Obama called it a look at the “rabbit ears past.”

I’m surprised that he even recognized it as the “past” and it’s one he certainly disregards. The past on display at the convention reminded me of what C.S. Lewis referred to when he said “when men had chests.“ We saw integrity, virtue, faith, character and a love for liberty and freedom.

If Obama had ever embraced these, he might long for them again as many of us do.

TERRY BRIDGMAN
Grand Junction

Bobby’s fun and games not so funny any longer

Remember a few years back when the “Bobby” wagon rolled into town? For some, it was a brief departure from the humdrum of daily routine.

Bobby had the knack to cause a stir. His “Country Jam” feud and birthday bash talk did that, enough to make the local news too. Some even believed he was serious this time. Then “show and tell” at the fairgrounds called his bluff.

Now, we hear there were more sinister things going on. Just what, we’ll probably never know. But, somewhere along the way, the “Bobby” wagon turned down a dead end road.

Bobby’s antics were fun news once, but they’re not funny any more. Unfortunately a lot of people, including Bobby, are left to deal with serious consequences.

AL CARLEY
Grand Junction

Menger not miffed over lack of Club 20 invite

I am writing this letter in response to the statement that the Libertarian party is totally upset because we were not invited to the upcoming Club 20 political debate/gathering.

I am the Libertarian candidate for District 54 State House seat that is open for election.  I want to make it very clear that I am NOT very upset at not being invited.

Club 20 is a collection of business people and other notable persons who all hail from different parts of the Western Slope.  It is a club.  It is a nonprofit club.  Club 20 members have every right in the world to invite or not invite whomever they please. 

As a Libertarian, I stand up for these rights.  As a Libertarian, I would be hypocritical to denounce their right to choose who enters their clubhouse doors.

When I was a boy, my friends and I had a clubhouse with a sign on it that said “NO GIRLS ALLOWED. “  It was our right to do so; however, now I can’t for the life of me understand why we did that.  It was a club thing. But it’s all the same thing, not any less childish, but the same thing.

The Club 20 debates appear to me to be an institution celebrating the tradition of the old two-party system.  I don’t know why they ignore the entire political spectrum, but I’m sure they have their reasons.  It’s up to them. 

I don’t think, however, Club 20 can advertise truthfully that they are “the voice of the Western Slope” any longer.  To be accurate, they should change their mantra to “The voice of the part of the Western Slope that we recognize. “
 
When I am elected as district 54 House Representative, I will certainly listen to what Club 20 members agree to say.  Maybe as time goes on, we can hope that they, in return, learn to listen to what the entire Western Slope has to say.

TIM MENGER
HD54 candidate
Unaweep Canyon

Take time to understand the true agenda of Agenda 21

Your Monday Sept. 3front-page article “Watchdogs or wingnuts? Conspiracy theorists distrust U.N.” by Charles Ashby is very lopsided and condescending toward the other side of the discussion from the author’s.  It unjustifiably belittles Barbara Hulet’s efforts (as well as many other informed critics) to bring the UN Agenda 21 to light, and it demands a response.  Contrary to the author’s broadsides against Agenda 21 critics, Barbara Hulet is far closer to the facts than the author. (I do not know Barbara Hulet, so I am not partisan defender)

There is no need to take my word or Barbara Hulet’s word for it; to clear your own thinking and make up your own mind without listening to the “conspiracy theorists,” please read “Witness” and “None Dare Call It Treason.” And PLEASE look into Agenda 21 on your own – it is from the UN and you can find it online (just Google UN Agenda 21). Read the section that calls for private property to be abolished because it leads to “social injustice.”

Read the sections that talk about sustainable development and why natural resource development and industrial development need to be restricted to “preserve the planet.” And finally, find out if your city, town, or county has signed onto an agreement with ICLEI (International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (emphasis added) – just think for a moment about the significance of this title). If it has, your local government has essentially destroyed its own sovereignty.

Everyone that is concerned about the future of the country owes it to themselves to get educated on the true meaning of Agenda 21 and then make up their own mind about where it intends to take us.

JIM GESICK
Montrose

‘Father Syl’ remembered fondly as theologist, environmentalist, friend

It was with great sadness I learned of the passing of retired Roman Catholic priest, Fr. Sylvester Schoening. He lived right up the Cone Road from me in Norwood. And we had a special relationship. I had spent seven years in seminary, studying to become an ordained Diocesan priest. So I understood some of Father Syl’s world. I visited him a number of times at his hermitage – along with the hybrid wolf dogs that he boarded there. He loaned me books. Sometimes we talked theology. Sometimes politics.

Father Syl was one of those “extreme environmentalists,” as some are fond of calling those who speak out strongly on matters of ecological health – an orientation unusual for someone in a traditional and conservative social role, as he was. For many years he ran with Grace and Steve Herndon’s green posse on Wright’s Mesa – questioning timber cuts, writing letters, attending meetings.

As a commissioner, I’d often get a call from Father Syl to alert me to some local environmental issue of concern in the county: sage grouse, uranium mining, power lines, etc. If it were something I hadn’t heard of, I’d investigate and get back to him. He was always gracious, even if it was something that couldn’t be fixed or remedied at the local level.

Usually we were on the same side on issues. If not, I had some explaining to do. But even then, he was kindly and respectful, if we disagreed (which was rare). I’m going to miss Fr. Syl’s phone calls. He was many things to many people. But for me, he was one of San Miguel County’s environmental elders. Requiescat in pacem.

ART GOODTIMES
Wright’s Mesa

Get involved over proposed use of fairgrounds

Residents in the area around the fairgrounds have received notices of a public meeting on from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 12 about the future plans for the fairgrounds campus. There has already been a million dollar upgrade of the equestrian area two years ago (thanks to Janet Rowland). Now there is a new entrance in the works.

This summer HB12-1280 failed to get through Congress before the end of the session, however it can be resurrected again in the next one and the way it is written it can be passed by the vote of TWO County Commissioners without ever going to a vote of the people. (It was confirmed that the County
Commissioners were polled and at least two were in favor of allowing the racetrack and casino at the fairgrounds location). There has been a very heavy lobbying campaign (reportedly 15 attorneys from EIS Solutions, the company Josh Penry went to work for). Jennifer Bailey was chartering jets round trip to Denver for supporters of the bill. At the same time she is working on Ray Scott’s re-election campaign. That is suspicious and raises red flags about the whole deal.

This bill would bring horse racing and gambling to the area (the fairgrounds?) under the control of an already licensed track owner from the Eastern Slope. Where would the money go? We were told it would bring jobs, but what kind of jobs? What else will it bring? What will it do to the neighborhood values? The Veterans Memorial?

Are they trying to lay all the groundwork now with this “public meeting” so a couple of commissioners can get this jewel through without a vote of the people in the Mesa County? If you care about your community, you need to attend this meeting and make your views known. Let them know you want a vote on anything before it gets done.

CAROLYN PATTON
Grand Junction

Venture by Bedrock Resources near organic farm not sustainable

As a citizen of Garfield County. I am writing to voice my concern about Bedrock Resources LLC proposed rock-crushing operation off of County Road 315, which will directly impact the quality of crops and organic certification of the nearby Eagle Springs Organic Farm (ESO). The dust from this operation may also reduce the fitness and sustained viability of the bee hives nearby, which is necessary for many plant’s cultivation.

Eagle Springs Organic Farm has invested extensive time and resources to obtain a USDA Organic Certification, making it the largest, organic-certified operation in our area. Certification takes a minimum of three years, a plethora of special equipment, specific cultivation practices and product handling standards, numerous inspections, consistent recordkeeping and reporting, as well as infinite patience. Certified “Organic farms must have distinct, defined boundaries and buffer zones to prevent the unintended contact with a prohibited substance applied to adjoining land that is not under organic management” (National Organic Program, 7 CFR 205.202c).

Even on a non-windy day, dust from rock, asphalt, and concrete crushing would not have far to drift to impair ESO’s ability to meet the above standard. Their certification could be revoked in, literally, one day if these substances are found on products in their farm. Besides, would you want your children eating food that may be contaminated with industrial oils, lead, and other toxins? I don’t.

I would like to emphasize that I do not oppose Bedrock Resources as a company or rock crushing operations in general, but in this particular instance, the proposed location is just not in an agreeable location. I believe in proper siting and zoning of industrial activities to avoid unnecessary and inadvertent impacts; and I know the county believes this too: “The nature, scale, and intensity of a proposed use must be compatible with adjacent land uses and will not result in an adverse impact to adjacent land” (Unified Land Use Resolution Standard 7-103). At this point in time, this venture by Bedrock Resources, and at this location is not a sustainable venture for many nearby resources, such as ESO’s farm and the nearby beehives.

On a more personal note, I think the loss of ESO’s organic produce would be a travesty and would personally affect me every week, as I spend a considerable amount of my money at their on their produce. I believe that the loss of this organic farm would be devitalizing. Additionally, I work in this industry (farming, nurseries, agriculture, and greenhouses) as a recent graduate of CSU in entomology. Their closure would represent a potential job loss for me and would demonstrate that the county does not respect the potential revenues that arise from these opportunities. This could potentially cause me to move to a different county that would be able to use my expertise, which would be unfortunate, as I love Garfield County.

Garfield County is blessed to have the land, climate, and soils that support growing a rich diversity of crops and livestock. In turn, our local farms and ranches provide nutrient rich foods that sustain our residents and diversity the county’s economic portfolio. It is one of the reasons I recently moved to this county. This is an important and profitable niche for the county. I urge you to take this information into careful consideration as you make a decision about whether or not to approve the land use change permit from Bedrock Resources in this particular location.

ALYA HOWE
Carbondale

Holding the Delta County commissioners accountable

Earlier this summer the Delta County commissioners considered an application for a 15,000 chicken confinement laying operation in a rural neighborhood near Hotchkiss, Colorado. The area planning committee, the county professional planning staff, and an abundance of expert public testimony regarding public health risks posed by the operation all recommended against this confinement operation. Following public hearings the commissioners held private meetings with the applicants, and suddenly their application was miraculously approved! This irrational and capricious decision has the appearance of corruption, and made the entire hearing process a farce!

The confinement operation immediately produced large clouds of manure dust, dander, and feathers that were exhausted from the building and distributed to neighbors by prevailing winds. At least 10 nearby residents quickly developed asthma and pulmonary distress, and one of the few remaining large animal veterinary practices in the county has had to curtailed operations due to the pollution. Runoff from this facility will carry disease organisms into creeks and irrigation water used downstream by produce growers and the town of Hotchkiss.

Visit the website of a nonprofit group for compatible land use http://www.clucnorthfork.org to see video of the filthy air exhausted from this operation. The residents had no recourse but to sue the county, and the Judge has ruled that the Commissioners failed to consider evidence in the record of incompatibility with the neighborhood, damage to property values, and risks to public health. The website provides information on the legal battle, and on impacts residents are facing.

Please click on the donation button to provide financial support to help these residents defray their legal costs. They are fighting for all of us who want the BOCC to make informed decisions based upon evidence and facts instead of Libertarian ideology.

GREG LAZEAR
Cedaredge

All who vote should be legal

The GJ Daily Sentinel editorial staff asks, “Which is a greater sin, allowing a few people who don’t meet all of the voting requirements (meaning illegal voters) to vote or preventing legitimate U.S. citizens from exercising their right to vote?” How many elections here locally have been
decided by a single digit margin? How many state elections have been decided by double-digit margins? Wasn’t the 2000 presidential election settled in Florida by just over a 500- vote margin?

I think that it is incumbent on Secretary of State Scott Gessler and county clerks as well to make sure that all voters meet the requirements to vote. Voting is a right as long as the voter meets the requirements to do so, but if there is some question to meeting the requirements, it is the responsibility of the voter to make sure that the proper people are informed that they do in fact meet the requirements, not the other way around. I don’t see why this would be a hindrance to voting.

MICHAEL HIGGINS
Grand Junction

Truthfulness questioned

I take offense to the accusations by Henry Schoch in the Sept. 2 comments section in which he questioned my truthfulness.

My reference to Obama had nothing to do with the law passed in 2005 under the Bush administration, but was aimed directly at Obama’s failed stimulus program and his “shovel ready nonsense.”

As for the “law mandating those federal requirements for clerical and engineering support,” my comment was “to get elected representatives at all levels of government who will use common sense and good judgment to correct the audacity of government over regulation.”

There’s nothing wrong with my letter. The fallacy is simply Schoch’s biased misinterpretation. Why must liberals be so sensitive, over-reactive and quick to make false judgments?

RICHARD DORAN
Parachute