Letters 4/14/2011

Reasonable price for the kids of Oakesdale

As parents we are always looking for the best situation for our children. We want them to have good friends to play with, strong role models to look up to and a healthy environment to live in. Life for our children includes a large amount of time spent at school. It is at school our children encounter those who should be friends, those who should be role models and where we hope they are surrounded by a healthy environment.

At the Oakesdale school our five children are provided an environment where there are great teachers, they go to school with their friends, and they are very fortunate to have older students and teachers to look up to. What they do not have is a school building that truly allows them to have the best education possible.

Each of our children and each of their friends should have the opportunity to attend school in a place that is truly a center for learning.

The students of Oakesdale already have great teachers who really are artists in their craft. Imagine the learning our children could experience if they and their teachers were provided an environment where natural light flooded classrooms, the heater worked, fresh air was circulated, roofs did not leak, electrical circuits did not overload, technology infrastructure could handle current needs, and water was not regularly on the floor due to leaking windows.

These are the conditions that our five kids and their friends go to school in daily.

But they do not have to forever.

The price to give our kids and their friends a school that can physically meet today’s educational standards is less than a coffee a day. To us, this is a reasonable price to pay so our town has a renewed point of pride in a renovated and modern school building, which we believe will provide a better learning environment for our kids. Think of the kids and vote yes on the Oakesdale School bond.

Jake and Sonia Dingman,

Oakesdale

Proactive

As a former graduate of Oakesdale School, and the mother of a current student, I believe that this bond is a positive advancement not just for the students and faculty, but for the area in which we live. My family has attended Oakesdale School for four generations. The conditions at the school have not changed in a lot of ways throughout these four generations. The conditions of the school have deteriorated greatly an are in serious need of repair and update.

Our children deserve to have the best education possible, given to them in the best environment possible. Oakesdale School is an icon for this area. We would all hate to see it close down, forcing our children to attend other schools. I am proud of our current board members for stepping up and taking the initiative to make the necessary changes needed in order to stop our school from being shut down. With the much-needed updates, school enrollment will increase, and possibly bring more families into this area.

It really is a shame that certain individuals feel so strongly about vetoing this issue when it’s importance is unsurpassable. Many people have moved away, or no longer have children that attend the school, but still feel the need to try to deny our future, our children, from getting what they deserve, and that would be the best school and education possible. By presenting this bond before the levy, board members are just being proactive in obtaining what our children need. Our children, the school, and our area deserve a “yes” vote.

I know that everyone is concerned, especially in today’s economy, about the cost that they will incur if this bond is passed. If you sit down with a pencil and paper to figure all of this out, you will find that if once a month, and only once a month, your family didn’t go out to eat at that restaurant, or maybe didn’t go to see that latest movie and the theater, only once a month mind you, then our children would have a new school. A safe, reliable place in which they can go, and learn and develop as individuals. Develop as our future. That really isn’t asking a whole lot, considering our children are the true beneficiaries of this bond.

Adelle Hurley,

Farmington

Vision

We would like to commend the communities of Farmington and Oakesdale for their vision and foresight into asking, planning and providing for our children’s future with a renovation project to update and modernize our beloved schools. Moving from western Oregon several years ago, we were encouraged to see the close interaction and individual attention between teacher, staff and students. Its now time to do our part for our children and grant them with safe and modern facilities that will aid their learning experiences as they advance into educated and caring adults.

Bill and Jodi Lanius,

Oakesdale

Enough is enough

This is getting ridiculous. The vandalism that has been happening needs to stop.

First, it started with license plates on Meadow Street being stolen. Now for months, we have been vandalized on North Mill Street. One person had their doors kicked in, a flat tire, gas stolen and battery cables loosened on their rig. Another person had sugar put in their gas tank and a rock put in their driver’s side door keyhole. Another person had glue put in their door keyhole. My car had the valve stem cover removed and now the oil.

The damage to my car is estimated at $250. I have a $250 deductible. One person only has liability. The other two people have $100 deductible. Do these people realize how much damage they have done to our vehicles with the oil? There were cigarette butts found mixed with the oil on one car.

When I saw the oil on my car, I was ready to go to war. Then I realized this is not my battle to fight. This is God’s battle to fight. God is in control and allowed this to happen.

Rom. 12:13 says; “Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.” Matt. 7:12 says; “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

The Lord knows who you are. I am going to let God deal with the vandals. The only thing I am going to do is pray for your salvation and that God would give you unrest and make your life miserable to the point that you will confess your sins to Him and to the proper authorities.

I John 1:9 says; “If you confess your sins, He is faithful and just to forgive you your sins.” John 3:16 says; “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

I forgive you for vandalizing my car. I know that when you are caught, you will be dealt with by God and the proper authorities. God bless you.

Marva Lynn Smith,

Colfax

Farmers’ livelihood

I cannot let the pet peeve in the paper last week, about globe trotting Wheat Commissioners, go without a few comments. First of all if you are a farmer, you should be ashamed of yourself. Maybe it is time that you educate yourself about all that the Grain Commission does for farmers. I believe that they have open meetings that you could attend or you could visit with a past or present commissioner.

Have you ever spent two days on planes and in airports in route to your destination? Upon arriving you take a shower and put clean clothes on and go into a meeting room and work for days.

Then turn around and begin your trip back home.

Have you been sick in a third world country, or been in a country where you did not feel particularly safe? None of that sounds like much fun to me.

The Grain Commission trips that are taken to various countries are trips that are necessary for our “wheat markets.” On these trips the representatives nurture current markets and work on developing new markets for our wheat.

Believe me this does not happen by itself.

We are in competition with others countries for customers to buy our wheat.

Since we export 90 percent of our soft white wheat from the Pacific Northwest these trips are extremely necessary and a viable part of our livelihood as farmers.

Every wheat farmer benefits from the work done by our Grain Commission.

Do I like the fact that he (writer’s spouse, Randy Suess) spends so much time away from home? Of course not, but I realize what an important job he is volunteering for and are very proud of him for what he does.

There are a number of farm organizations in the county where only a small portion of our farmers are active. I think that we owe them all a big ‘Thank You’. They are helping not only us as farmers but I believe our farming community as well. They are volunteering and giving of their time, in many cases away from home, and believe me there is plenty of their own money that is spent.

The Washington Grain Commission and the Washington Association of Wheat Growers spend a lot of time working on issues that effect wheat growers and marketing is only one. If you want to get involved attend a meeting, they are all open to the public.

Laurie Suess,

Colfax