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April 30, 2009 Opinions |
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—Letters To The Editor—
Baker County Has Talented Musicians
To The Record-Courier:
What an absolutely great performance when the Baker Community Choir presented the “Broadway Beat” this past weekend. We commend Lynn Burroughs, Director; Kelly Brickman, Assistant Director; Charlie Thomas, Pianist; and all the choir members for the excellent entertainment.
Now we are looking forward to “Swingtime Canteen” by the Eastern Oregon Regional Theater also directed by Lynn Burroughs. It will be three weekends in May in the ballroom of the Baker Heritage Museum.
We are so fortunate to have so many talented musicians in Baker County.
Frances Burgess
Baker City
The Oregon Department Of Geology - An Essential Survival Tool For Our State
To The Record-Courier:
With tough economic decisions currently being made by our state legislatures they look to their constituents to provide guidance as to which state departments and state services are viewed by Eastern Oregonians as critical. The Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries is a small department (one office east of the cascades located here in Baker City) which we, the public, heavily depend on for a plethora of vital information.
Locally, we rely on the geologists to provide information pertaining to the location of mineshafts, faults, potential well locations and mineral deposits including lithium (naturally occurring element being purported for “clean” energy). Statewide our geologists are relied upon to help predict the occurrence of natural disasters before they happen so that we do no end up like China with their recent traumatic experience where so many schoolchildren died.
WHO is the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
• It is our State’s integral resource team for understanding the earth’s foundation and maintaining people’s safety. This efficient department consists of only five offices in communities throughout the state of Oregon and only one east of the cascades.
WHAT THEY DO:
• Assist individuals in natural resource management, emergency situations and environmental protection.
• Provide information on Green Power: geothermal, wind, water and solar.
• House critical historical documents that identify the locations of faults, mine shafts, water wells, and mineral deposits.
• Provide critical information for emergency management and natural disaster assistance such as earthquakes, landslides, floods, tsunamis and volcanoes.
• Assist in identifying and monitoring changes in geology and to alert citizens of potential dangers in a timely manner.
• Assist emergency teams in disaster situations.
• Provide a knowledge of groundwater framework (what the hydrology looks like underground), water hazards, and geo-chemical hazards.
• Provide oversight for mineral exploration and extraction.
DOGAMI plays an important role in Oregon’s vitality by providing a better understanding of our landscapes and resources. Their assistance in natural disaster situations not only provides short term assistance but guides one and all in future ventures.
Peggy S. Browne
North Powder, Ore.
Tea Party Rally Against Government Waste
To The Record-Courier:
It seems to me there is a lot of misinformation being disseminated by many in the press concerning the recent Tea Party protests. Contrary to what many have reported, it was not a rally against one political party or against our current president, but was a protest against wasteful government spending that will result in an unreasonable tax burden for us and our children.
All political parties have participated in the idea they can fix everything wrong in our country with money we don't have. I believe President Bush was wrong when he passed the first bank bailout. Now it appears that President Obama has opened the floodgates to spending billions more. When most Congressmen do not even read the bill that authorizes the expenditures, something is seriously wrong.
There is no money to fund these new projects. After the government prints the paper necessary to pay the bills, future tax payers will be trying to pay the debt which will be in the trillions. That is what most people were protesting at the tea parties.
In today's mail, we were informed we would receive $250 as part of the Stimulus Recovery Act. I know some folks may desperately need this money, but the majority will notice little difference in their lives. The Chinese economy will probably benefit more than ours. But not to worry, it will only amount to a couple million more that our grandchildren will pay off later. The checks should have been means-tested.
I am old enough to remember the great depression and I was in the Navy during WW2. I have seen our country go through some very difficult times. I firmly believe we live in the greatest nation on earth, but I don't think any country has ever spent their way to prosperity with borrowed money. It can only be done by hard work, funding the principles specified by the founding fathers in the Constitution and by the grace of God.
Congress and the President need to listen and react to the concerns being expressed by the folks who pay their taxes.
Roger Stamy
North Powder, Ore.
Dead Lambs And Thank You Cards?
To The Record-Courier:
Ms. Fouty, you and your sage rat loving, fret about the elk eating the riparian ecosystem buddies, must be proud. The wolves are here, roaming through the forests of Northeastern Oregon.
Oh wait, they were not roaming through the forests; they were getting their "free meal" as you so cleverly put it, 350 yards from the Jacob’s front door. Which is not located in the forest, but in the middle of an open meadow, no evergreens around. That "free meal" you mention, not much of a meal. The wolves did not eat more than a few of the hearts and livers from two-month-old baby lambs. The wolves did as wolves do—they come in, they play, they kill, they snack, they leave. They leave the rancher wondering, fearing, losing sleep, how many more are going to die from the stress and injuries, are wolves coming back.
Is this something you would do? You stand at your front door and 350 yards away, some animal comes out of the mist and attacks your dog, cat, gold fish, your livelihood. Now stand in us ranchers' boots, for just a minute, imagine you are not able to do a damn thing, just stand there, just wonder, just watch…What section of Hallmark did you find that thank you card?
Don’t get me wrong, I too am grateful for the rapid response from Russ Morgan. Without his prompt response in setting up the cameras, there still would be some poor dog with a bounty on its head. Those pictures are the reason why Curt was believed. The flagging fence, nice touch to the décor of Keating Valley; it needed a little more color this time of year.
Carter Niemeyer, thank you also for traveling here, to confirm with Russ Morgan that it was wolves and your work in tracking and attempting to collar the rouge animals. I am comforted as I am sure the ranchers of Keating Valley are that the wolves here in Northeastern Oregon are not out of fashion from the wolves in Idaho and Montana. Every wolf should have a little "bling" around its neck, too bad it’s not a noose. This is not a personal attack on Mr. Morgan and Mr. Niemeyer; they are just doing their jobs. It is the politics behind the job that are the most frustrating.
Ms. Fouty, thank you so very much also. Without that heartfelt letter to Defenders of Wildlife, what would the Jacobs have done? A personal letter from you, I am sure made them sit up a listen. After May 4, 2009 when, or I should say, hopefully when the wolf is removed off the endangered species list and the Defenders of Wildlife possibly feel they may not be obligated to compensate farmers and ranchers for their loss of domestic livestock (because as you may not be aware, cattle and sheep are domestic livestock, not wildlife) are you and your environmentalist friends going to spearhead the Defenders of Domestic Livestock Foundation? If so please remember to include along with wolf depredation, sage rat (aka ground squirrels) dehayfieldation, badger mound backfill program and the coyote abatement plan. I personally know of some farmers and ranchers who would like to take advantage of this program for compensation.
This may sound harsh, somewhat personal, it is. The Jacobs are personal family friends. I grew up in Keating Valley. I worked in those lambing sheds as a kid. The natural ecosystem in Northeastern Oregon is controlled by hunting, harsh winters and animals such as bears and cougars that are native.
Wolves are NOT an important role player in the natural ecosystem of Northeastern Oregon; they are NOT native. They are outlaws, and in such should be treated as so. Wolves were eradicated by our forefathers for a reason. Would it be because they have witnessed these headlines firsthand or was it worse, closer to home, more personal…?
Heidi Johnson
Baker County Cattle Producer
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