Letters to the editor
Animal rescue
Well, it’s finally arrived in Montana — the economic recession. As a rescue group we used to have the luxury of potential adopters seeking out our wonderful pets.
With listings on several websites and on posters in town, people could check out all the dogs and cats then call us to inquire or adopt. But this year there’s been a definite change, and it’s not for the best. Animals are being surrendered by owners and abandoned by the dozens; dogs running loose, kittens left in boxes by the roadside…
Rescue groups and shelters are overloaded and then some, and the future isn’t sunny for these lost souls. There just aren’t enough homes for them all! How can you help?
Please have your pets spayed/neutered before they have a litter of puppies/kittens to add to the burden. If you need assistance, call your local rescue group or animal shelter.
If you’re looking to add a companion animal, barn cat or working dog to your family, there are plenty for adoption. No one wants to think of euthanasia as an alternative to a pet’s life.
Linda Crawford
Polson
Humble thanks
Many would agree that one would be hard-pressed to truly find a better community to live. Although short, the summer was a blizzard of activities and opportunities were wherever you looked. Here at the Boys & Girls Club the story is no different. Those not on our mailing list would be interested in knowing just how busy it was here at the club.
Over 23,000 club member hours were recorded during our short 49-day summer program. Our member list of those attending at least one day ended at 423 different kids. The rewards of the positive community attitude and generosity were evident. A group of dedicated volunteers even made it possible for our club members to get involved in the annual 4-H fair, gardening, hiking and other activities.
So, I’ll get to the point. We couldn’t do it without you. Businesses, civic organizations, foundations, community agencies and generous individuals all helped us provide a safe, fun place for our club members to go… and as the school year comes upon us, you still continue your support for the children and families who need the benefits of our club.
As we conduct meetings this week and next, we will be reminding parents and families of the benefits that are realized by living where we do. Our community, our economy, health, well being and lifestyles are all made better by positive support mechanisms demonstrated here in Ronan, Pablo and Polson.
I thank you on behalf of our club kids and their families, our staff and the board of directors. In these stressed times true community character comes to the top.
My humble thanks.
John Schnase
Ronan
The big lie
This is intense and a must read if you are interested in learning what the “big lie” is all about. “Charter schools” and “school choice” are one of the greatest lies of the universe and this paper will help you understand why and how. There are three parts to this investigative paper and you must check out the link at the bottom of each part in order to get to the next part: http://watch.pair.com/charter.html; http://www.newswithviews.com/iserbyt/iserbyt107.htm;
http://www.waldorfanswers.com/WaldorfLinks. html#waldorfschoolsnorthamerica
This information brings full circle all of the pieces of the puzzle that Teri and I have been learning about over the past few years.
When I visit the web page of our Ronan high school here, I see Goals 2000 curriculum, and when I research what is behind the curriculum I find that it is state law under Goals 2000, so I know that what this paper talks about is in fact right here in Montana since 2000.
When I search “Waldorf Schools” I find one on Kalispell, several in Pennsylvania and one in Upper Black Eddy (River Valley School). If you read on the origins of Waldorf schools within this paper you will see the “character education” purpose of these schools and how they are no different that public schools in their “values training” for the future workforce.
Another thing that I see here in Ronan is corporate sponsorship of high schools, their web page promotes sponsorship. This is part of Goals 2000 and the corporate take over of your child’s education in order to values train them for the work they will be performing for the corporation in the future. It’s a good read.
John Swenson
Ronan
Pantry thanks
The Polson Loaves and Fish Food Pantry once again has a great opportunity to realize significant “match” money ($5,000) from Town Pump to help support its food outreach activities. The Pantry needs monetary donations from individuals, businesses, and service groups to capture the “match” money that is being offered.
This program began Sept. 1 and runs through Nov. 30! Please make your tax-deductible donation payable to: Polson Loaves and Fish Food Pantry. They may be mailed to 904 1st Street East, Polson, Montana 59860 or dropped off at the Pantry (same address) on Tuesdays or Fridays between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Checks may also be dropped off at Town Pump on Hwy. 93 in Polson.
2011 is the 10th anniversary of the Town Pump Foundation’s wonderful assistance to food pantrys throughout Montana and this year’s help couldn’t have happened at a more opportune time.
As our country’s economy continues to undergo difficult times more and more individuals, families, and seniors are seeking emergency or supplemental food assistance from the Polson Food Pantry. Won’t you assist our volunteers in helping those in need?
The Polson Pantry operates strictly with volunteer personnel! What a wonderful and fulfilling way to “lend a helping hand” to those in our community that need some help. Won’t you join me in making a donation to Polson Loaves and Fish Food Pantry?
Sid Rundell
Polson
Rural fire taxes
For the fourth consecutive year, the Polson Rural Fire District (PRFD) has ended their fiscal year with excess tax money from us, the taxpayers — while continuing to claim they need more money.
For the last fiscal year, tax revenue received was $139,193 and expenses on budgeted items was $106,160 — resulting in $30,033 excess tax revenue. The PRFD Board of Trustees tried to explain to me, “in terms even I might understand,” that this wasn’t really excess tax revenue because “we spent it (on non-budgeted items).” Huh?
Also, their recently approved budget for the coming fiscal year is $120,600. Although this a 13.6 percent increase over the previous year’s expenses, it is still $20,340 below the expected tax revenue of $140,940.
Will the board consider reducing taxes in these hard economic times or will they spend the “surplus” as quickly as they did this year?
Tom Eddy
Polson
What’s happened?
Lets see; if we lie to Congress, it’s a felony, but if congress lies to us it’s just politics; if we dislike a black person, we’re racist and if a black dislikes whites, it’s their First Amendment right; the government spends millions to rehabilitate criminals and they do almost nothing for the victims; in public schools you can teach that homosexuality is OK, but you better not use the word God in the process; you can kill an unborn child, but it’s wrong to execute a mass murderer; we don’t burn books in America, we now rewrite them; we got rid of the communist and socialist threat by renaming them progressives; we are unable to close our border with Mexico, but have no problem protecting the 38th parallel in Korea; if you protest against President Obama’s policies you’re a terrorist, but if you burn an American flag or publicly state that the Tea Party protesters are terrorists, it was your First Amendment right.
You can have pornography on TV or the Internet but you better not put a nativity scene in a public park during Christmas; we have eliminated all criminals in America, they are now called sick people; we can use human fetuses for medical research, but it’s wrong to use an animal.
We take money from those who work hard for it and give it to those who don’t want to work; we all support the Constitution, but only when it supports our political ideology; we still have freedom of speech, but only if we are being politically correct; parenting has been replaced with Ritalin and video games; the land of opportunity is now the land of handouts, the similarity between Hurricane Quatrain and the gulf oil spill is that neither president did anything to help.
How do we handle a major crisis today? The powers that be appoint a committee to determine who’s at fault, then threatens them, passes a law, raises our taxes, tells us the problem is solved and back to their re-election campaign they go. What has happened to the land of the free and home of the brave? Is she on her death bed? Where are you on all this?
Robert Starks
Saint Ignatius