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Opinion
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 10 March 2010 08:00 |
Dear Editor,
For some time now our family has been in awe of the love and support going on around us for our daughter Sadie Olson. Now a first-grader at Cottonwood Elementary, Sadie has battled a brain disorder and its complications for several years. It has been an unimaginable journey, which has been lightened by this community and her school family.
Countless times her school has rallied around her to inspire her to continue fighting. The most recent show of love was through the Slices for Sadie event. As parents, we were brought to tears by the generosity and compassion of so many young hearts.
The support hasn’t stopped at the schools either. It has literally poured out from this community. From the Miami County Vipers swim team, the MOMS club, to the Heads Up support group, it has been amazing. The acts of kindness, friendship and support have acted as pillars holding us up when we have so desperately needed it. For that we are so very grateful.
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Opinion
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 24 February 2010 08:00 |
Dear Editor,
I read with some concern about the proposed educational funding reductions. Not now, at a time when our children, in order to succeed, will need the best educational experience we can offer. While a certain amount of belt-tightening can be an opportunity, we as a community should make sure reductions and a diminished educational experience do not become the “new normal” for a generation of our children.
This community has said “yes” to a new water tower, a new justice center, a new swimming pool, capital improvements for USD 368, improvements to the Paola Cultural Center and facility renovations for a fire department. Now it is time to say “yes” to preserve faculty and educational program funding.
Phillip Ward
Paola
Dear Editor,
Declared by the Board of County Commissioners to be unsuited for continued existence without the adoption of an approved restoration plan, which was not forthcoming during the time allotted, the century old, long-neglected, uninhabitable and unsafe structure that was the former Methodist Church in Hillsdale was recently demolished by the hands of dutiful men coldly commanding heartless machines.
Regrettably, the absentee owner was unable to come to the rescue of one of Hillsdale’s oldest buildings. Some people saw the forlorn edifice as being like a worthless, broken-down and neglected old plow horse needing to be put out of its misery. Yet, others saw the historic, steepled rural-gothic landmark as being like a proud former derby contender, just needing to be treated with dignity and some tender loving care. But now it is gone, leaving behind the disheartened and homeless spirits of my late grandparents and others who were Hillsdale Methodists.
For many Hillsdale residents, with the sight of that blighting structure now erased, there is a more pleasant view of the village buildings left standing. However, some of those buildings are also showing signs of deterioration and needing repair. Most likely, unless they are rescued by extensive and expensive restoration efforts, they too will become eyesores and create safety concerns on the part of nearby property owners. And that in turn will cause those buildings to face a fate similar to that of the old church – doomed to be torn asunder and cast into oblivion.
Continued efforts to rid the village of structures that are considered to be aesthetically displeasing and threatening to public safety will eventually result in a view of Hillsdale that will be boundless and bare, for nothing of that antique site will remain, except for a passing BNSF train.
Dean Lingenfelter
Hillsdale
Dear Editor,
Once again the “Party of No” has no solutions to support education in the state of Kansas except to take more cuts to funding. Jene Vickrey, our local Republican representative, recently sent an e-mail to those of us on his mailing list ... stating he couldn’t support the one-cent sales tax or the cigarette tax because it would drive consumers across the state lines to buy their needed items, and it would only impact the poor the most.
This is laughable ... and I told him so. Most of the shopping areas in Miami County are in Paola and Louisburg. No one is going to drive 50 miles round trip to Harrisonville to shop for the same things they can buy here for a penny tax increase. Likewise in Johnson County ... most of the large shopping centers are in Kansas, not Missouri. People from Missouri are a very large part of the sales that occur in these Kansas malls and shopping centers ... so get REAL Jene! Are you going to drive to Missouri to buy your groceries, gas, clothes and other necessities to save a few dollars? How about the people in Wichita, Hutchinson, Russell, Topeka, Garden City, etc. ... Are they going to drive hundreds of miles to shop in other states? Probably not! So you might want to try another excuse. That one is lame.
Mr. Vickrey’s solution and those of his party continue to cut funding to the most important aspect of any society, which is our children and education. The governor’s proposal doesn’t solve the problem but is a temporary solution for now. Cutting more monies from education and the future of our children is definitely not a solution. This is only a hindrance to Kansas’ future with keeping pace with other states that realize the importance of educating their children.
This type of thinking is what you get when you have career politicians supporting the ideas and interests of lobbyists and special interest groups. We have seen this type of politics for a decade and how it has crippled America into the worst recession since the thirties.
Parents, grandparents and citizens of Miami County: this is a very critical time for the children of Kansas and the future of education. Already in area districts, special education programs and support staff have been cut or severely reduced. Instructional aides, school counselors, nurses and social workers have been eliminated, or will be. Teaching positions will continue to be reduced, affecting all the children by exploding class sizes and less opportunities for individualized instruction.
Current districts are considering not replacing teachers who are retiring. Bus services, sports and other activities will be gone. In short, everything will be on the table for cuts, including your child’s educational future.
Citizens of Miami County: we encourage you to become involved by writing or e-mailing
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, your state and local legislators. Let Mr. Vickrey know that while we appreciate his one-sided weekly updates in the Miami County Republic, we are unappreciative of him and his party’s lack of confidence and cooperation in presenting Gov. Parkinson’s sales tax proposal before the Kansas Legislature. That doesn’t sound like support to us.
We all need to work together to find SOLUTIONS ... Not cuts to our children’s future.
Gary Taylor
Paola |
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Opinion
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 27 January 2010 08:00 |
Dear Editor,
Following the Christmas snowstorm, I was a little critical of city workers’ performance. In the end, it didn’t matter. It went on and on. Before it was all over, I felt the city workers did a good job — at some sacrifice by workers and families. We seldom see a winter like we are having, thank the Lord.
Some of Paola’s citizens could have made their job easier. I sometimes wonder if they ever park in their driveways. Parking on both sides of the street is risky, even in good weather. On narrow streets it reduces traffic to one way.
I am a senior citizen with limited capabilities. Friends and neighbors looked after me. Paper on porch and walks and driveway cleared. Wish I could repay them.
The mail carriers deserve a pat on the back. During all this weather, good, bad and awful, the mail arrived.
Cliff Lawrence
Paola
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Opinion
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Written by Staff
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Wednesday, 09 December 2009 08:00 |
Dear editor,
For the last few years I have had the honor to serve on the Miami County Planning and Zoning Board. Most of the cases that come before this board deal with the conflict of individual rights versus the public interest.
While most cases deal with just localized issues, once in a while a more burning case comes before us that involves larger areas of the county and deals with concerns originating in the very amendments to our Constitution (Bill of Rights).
In the latest case before us, one could come up with the sensational title “Rural Water District No. 2 against the people of Miami County.” But would that be fair?
While there is no doubt in my mind that a 150-foot-tall water tower to be built across the street from residential properties will have a negative impact on the values of such properties and the very localized future development of the area in question, one has to also look at the impact for the county and many landowners as a whole.
Once you remove yourself from the building site of the tower and the neighbors within a half-mile range, things start to look very different.
Any of the home and property owners that will be touched by the resulting water pipelines and the expansion of the water district’s distribution lines will reap tremendous benefits by the instant value added to their land and the much increased potential for future development.
In this case, the whole northeastern part of the county and the U.S. Highway 69 corridor will be enhanced for future growth, and the pieces of the puzzle of past investments in road and highway improvements will be brought together for the benefit of all the people of Miami County.
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