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| 4-30 Letters to the editor |
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Reader appreciated "Rachel's Challenge"
To the editor:
Congratulations to Faith Avery (April 19 issue) and the entire student leadership team at Gervais High School. It is like a "breath of fresh air" to see our students being positive role models and to be involved in something that is heartbreaking yet can bring such a positive impact into someone's life. I applaud their perseverance in bringing Darrell Scott to their campus and their dedication in making a difference to not only their school but also their community.
Jenny Hesse
Woodburn
Tax-Aide program thanks community
Letter to the editor:
The Tax-Aide program would like to thank the community for its support for another successful tax year with over 450 tax returns prepared, plus assisting many to file for the stimulus package. Several organizations helped to make this possible: AARP and the Internal Revenue Service; and locally, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program, the Woodburn Area Association of Senior Programs, the Woodburn Independent, Senior Estates News and Views and newspapers in surrounding communities.
A special thanks to those who gave the program a place to be: the Woodburn Public Library and the Cipriano Ferrell Education Center and PGE.
We appreciate all this help and support. We couldn't do it without you!
Kay Kuka and Walt Wood,
coordinators
Woodburn
Reader excited Hillary won latest primary
To the editor:
Wasn't it great that Hillary won the democratic vote in Pennsylvania? The tide is turning! After an important 10-point victory in Pennsylvania last night, more people have voted for Hillary than any other candidate in this election, including Senator Obama.
With concerns about the economy of utmost importance, voters decided that Senator Clinton was the candidate trusted most to deal with job loss, healthcare issues and the housing crisis.
Polls show that Hillary continues to rack up large margins of key voting blocks that will be essential to winning the November election.
Ballots will be mailed out May 2 (in Oregon) and are due back by May 20. Let's give Hillary our support so that she will win the upcoming Oregon Primary on May 20. I encourage you to mail in your ballots, hopefully voting for Hillary.
Mary Walker
Salem
NM softball coaches
appreciate community support at fundraiser
To the editor:
The North Marion varsity softball team would like to thank Shannon Browning of Grocery Outlet of Woodburn. She very generously donated not only all of the food and drinks during our hot dog sale on April 19, but also presented our team with a check for $100. We would also like to thank all of the patrons of Grocery Outlet who purchased almost 200 hot dogs and made donations to our team.
In total we were able to earn over $350. This money will be used to help our team attend a spring training trip to Florida in during spring break 2009.
It is businesses like Grocery Outlet and their customers who make it possible for our youth to experience these once in a lifetime events.
Carl Kordenat, head coach
Scott Casto, assistant coach
North Marion varsity softball
Parent and child denied because they were white
To the editor:
Last spring my husband and I decided to take our two children to the Woodburn plaza for "El Dia De Los Ninos" - the event that was being hosted by local radio station "La Pantera" and other local Hispanic vendors.
While there, we noticed a lady handing out McDonald's gift certificates.
I later found out she was a volunteer for the radio station and she handed out the certificates to all the girls first but seemed to skip my daughter.
At first I thought it was accidental, no big deal.
Then the boys all waited in line for their certificates. As my long-haired, light-skinned two-year-old reached up to get his, the lady pulled her hand away and continued to hand out the certificates to the rest of the boys. Now that one was not an accident.
I approached the lady and asked her why my children were purposely excluded? I was told in a very rude voice that the gift certificates were only for the "Mexican children" and not the "white" kids. She continued to say that the entire event was for "Hispanics" only! I could not believe that anyone would do this to my children.
My husband, who is Caucasian, and I, an American citizen of Mexican descent, have faced many challenges, rude stares and comments from both Hispanic and Caucasian people, but this was different. We are adults and can defend ourselves but my children cannot.
I am 100 percent certain that if the races were reversed and a Hispanic child was treated this way by a "white person" there would be a march at the Capitol steps and it would be on the 5 p.m. news.
I think "La Pantera" needs to do more research on what "Dia de los Ninos" really means. To me it's a day for all children - even interracial ones!
Perla Managhan
Woodburn
Barack Obama is the best choice
To the editor:
Oregon democrats have a historic opportunity this year to help select the next President of the United States and leader of the free world. Over the last seven years citizens of our country and around the world have lost confidence in the American government and the ethical basis on which it has customarily operated.
Barack Obama has the clearest plan for restoring Americans' faith in government and creating greater transparency and openness in Washington, D.C.
From the Habeas Corpus abolition to a military that allows torture, the moral high ground that we once had has evaporated.
Obama will balance diplomacy and international cooperation with national interest and restore our reputation in the world. I believe that he will refuse to use the executive office as a blunt force object. Obama has actually walked the ethical reform walk.
He had a leadership role in passing the first campaign reform in a generation in Illinois and has worked to write the strong new senate ethics bill.
Obama is the best hope we have to fix the mess that George Bush has created in Washington, D.C. and I urge all Oregonians to support him in our primary.
David Vancil
Woodburn
Chemeketa bond is a good thing for future generations
To the editor:
The May 20 election affords us a great opportunity to do something for our kids and grandkids, our communities and our economy.
A "yes" vote on the Chemeketa Community College bond will provide the sorely needed funds to enable Chemeketa to build an improved nursing and health sciences center, new classrooms for college transfer and technical training programs, and make repairs needed to extend the life of the campus buildings. Currently, Chemeketa must turn away many qualified applicants due to a lack of adequate facilities.
Every dollar we spend on the community college is returned to the local economy by providing living wage jobs with benefits, helping small businesses grow, and by offering dislocated workers pathways to new careers.
We are very fortunate to have Chemeketa Community College in the area, giving local residents an affordable way to start on a college degree, training hundreds of our local people for jobs in the community, and offering our high school students a leg up on their college courses.
Chemeketa is a valuable asset to our communities. Let's protect and improve our asset - it makes good sense for the future of the region.
Ken Hector
Mayor City of Silverton
Obama inspires people worldwide
To the editor:
I spend a lot of time overseas and I've probably heard most of the reasons why people around the world think we are off track. Public opinion polls in this country show that about two-thirds of Americans agree.
It is time to change, but the two Democrats running this year share most policy positions. So what's the major difference?
For the first time in decades we have a candidate that has inspired people around the world. We have a chance again to feel hope on a global basis. Barack Obama reminds us of the John F. Kennedy presidency - a time of pride when the U.S. really was a leader of the free world.
It was a time when we were respected because we had a vision of supporting the aspirations of the poor and downtrodden by standing up for civil rights and democracy. Our real power in the world is our own example.
Obama gives us each of us a chance to believe again that the White House can be a place of moral leadership both at home and abroad. This is truly a historic opportunity for all of us (once again) to do the right thing for the right reason!
Oregon can set an example to the world by voting for Barack Obama.
Bill Meulemans
Aurora |
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