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Letters: An open letter to people in France I want you to know that there are many in the U.S. who share the great sadness you must feel for the loss of so many loved ones in your recent tragedy. We see estimates of anything from 5,000 to 35,000 who have died from this appalling heat. That number is many more than we lost in the tragedy of 9/11, and we remember how the world's citizens comforted us. Because your victims were mainly elderly and infirm should in no way diminish their value as humans. It must have been terrible for vacationing families to return and find their elderly relatives dead, as it must have been for so many to die alone. I feel fortunate that my own parents lived to be quite old and died of natural causes in protected surroundings. My husband and I have traveled many times in France. The French people, from vineyard owners to toll-booth workers, were charming and gracious hosts. I would like to apologize for the narrow-minded rudeness recently displayed by some of our leaders and I hope you know that it is not representative of the American people. I understand that your "on-the-ground" health care and emergency workers displayed magnificent dedication and ingenuity, and they should be congratulated. Please accept our deepest sympathies. Alice Hardesty Ashland *** No love loss over Wal-Mart leaving That Wal-Mart monstrosity is relocating? Yippee! Hurrah! Now Talent has a glorious opportunity, not only to support existing shops, restaurants, and services, but to encourage new small businesses to locate here and thrive in this lovely location. You groan because "We have to drive all the way to Medford to shop." Fiddle faddle! Come on, folks, get those creative juices flowing, let's again be a self-sufficient, neighborly community. What do you need? Shoelaces? Kiddie clothes? Photos developed? Then start a clothing or sports shop, or a camera shop, or whatever. Or encourage friends to do so. Visualize Talent as a booming self-contained community, meeting all your needs right here. Whip up your energy and imagination. Activate your caring and creativity to help Talent develop its potential. Go on Wal-Mart, get the hell out of here. We don't need you to drain millions of our dollars from the area; we don't need slave-labored products from Asia, nor your low pay to employees. Your pushing consumerism results in heavy credit-card indebtedness. You don't give a hoot for Talent, or our concerns. Whoever wrote in the Tidings that "Every person in Talent grieves the loss of Wal-Mart?" "Bosh." Hey, wake up and hear the birdies sing. Talent shows promise for a bright and shining future. Neighbors joining hands to make it happen, and no longer intimidated by that giant, so-called, 10-ton gorilla in our midst. Nancy L. Fox Talent *** Ski expansion would benefit entire valley Once again, it's time to speak up and support improvements for our Mt. Ashland ski area. Those opposing this crucial expansion have expressed every possible objection, from watershed protection to financing concerns - even bashing the "elitist" sport of skiing. While a strong vocal minority has expressed its concerns, the overwhelming majority of local residents that mobilized to buy the Mt. Ashland Ski Area over 10 years ago support this expansion. No one can deny that the management of this wonderful facility has done a superb job protecting the natural setting and providing affordable winter recreation for all. More than 2,500 local students participated in Mt. Ashland's youth winter sports programs last year, and residents of Northern California and Southern Oregon are getting ready for another terrific winter on the mountain. Every one of the opposition's concerns has been heard and addressed. Mt. Ashland is not some land-grabbing, ever-expanding corporation, but rather a small local ski area, run responsibly by respected local residents. Its terrain and facilities have remained essentially unchanged for 40 years. This community-owned asset desperately needs to grow with the population of the valley. Supporters must speak out by September 23. If you want improved facilities and more skiing options in your multiple-use National Forest, write or e-mail the Forest Service and your local newspaper supporting Alternative 2. The forest Service e-mail is [email protected],us Plenty of information is available at www.mtashland.com Steve Pierce Ashland *** Say yes to Alternative 2 at Mount Ashland I am writing in regards to the need for the approval of Alternative 2 of the Mt. Ashland expansion Final Environmental Impact Statement. By law, the National Environmental Policy Act process requires a public comment period for any improvements made on National Forest land. The time of the public comment period for Mt. Ashland expansion is now. There is overwhelming support for Mt. Ashland expansion in this valley and I hope that other previously silent concerned citizens let their voices be heard in favor of our future, instead of only the minority opposition being heard. As many of the ski areas in Oregon and Northern California have had ample opportunity to expand, improve and remodel their runs and resorts, Mt. Ashland has been struggling to keep up with the competition. Mt. Ashland has had obstacles like: 1) lack of adequate facilities, 2) lack of more intermediate and beginner terrain, and 3) an inadequate amount of skiing area for our ever-expanding community. All of which are problems the U.S. Forest Service could solve with the approval of the Mt. Ashland expansion plan. Although I may have a biased opinion; I believe I have rarely seen a company do so much to work with government agencies to find the best overall solution, as well as work so diligently to appease environmental groups and ease their fears of environmental damage. For nearly 20 years, Mt. Ashland Association has gone above and beyond in its pursuit of a positive expansion plan that focuses on doing the most with the least amount of impact on our beautiful southern Oregon forests and essential ecosystems. For example, Mt. Ashland has chosen to utilize natural clearings and meadows for new ski runs in the proposed expansion area in order to limit tree cutting and avoid removing the important Brewer's Spruce. Unfortunately, many groups have come against the plan with unfounded accusations and untruths about Mt. Ashland Association's true intentions, environmental impact, and financial ability to see the project through. It is easy to see through the opposition and simply make the best decision based on sound scientific and economic data. This expansion would bring substantial amounts of income to our valley in every way, including travel revenues, retail sales and job creation, to name a few. This expansion would bring considerable revenues to the city of Ashland in additional ticket sales. This expansion would also be a relief to locals who have been anxiously waiting for this dream of expansion to be fulfilled. And finally, this expansion would do all of this with an extremely limited amount of environmental impact and would not endanger a single species of plant or animal. In my mind, the choice is simple. Take the time to write your local Forest Service personnel at the Ashland Ranger District before September 23 when the public comment period comes to a close. Go to the Mt. Ashland website for additional information on ways to show your support and ways to be heard. Terence Spakousky Medford *** New building a boon for fire department Kudos to Ashland Fire Chief Keith Woodley, the Ashland City Council and the Ashland firefighters for the new main fire station that has been built in Ashland. With the complexity of the immediate area for fire danger and the many other possibilities for disasters, the time has come for a spacious professional fire station for the local fire department. Ashland Fire/Rescue also added a new brush rig to their arsenal of equipment for the great potential in the Ashland area. The citizens of Ashland should be proud of AFR for their vision to upgrade and keep abreast of the fire dangers that surround this community. Randy Miltier Ashland *** Jackson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service 'Thank you' from Ashland firefighters Ashland's firefighters want to thank all of you. It has been almost one month since we moved out of a cramped double-wide trailer and into our brand new fire station. The process of planning and hoping for a new fire station in Ashland has lasted nearly two decades. While the wait was long, it has proven to be well worth it. The new station at 455 Siskiyou Blvd. is so much more than we ever expected or hoped, and for that we are truly grateful. Thanks goes out to all to all of you Ashland citizens, fire chiefs, council people, honorable mayor, and city administration. You honor us and make us proud to serve you. Kelly W. Burns Vice President Ashland Firefighters Local #1269 *** Homelessness brings countless hardships For most of us, being homeless wreaks havoc on an otherwise functioning brain. The day-to-day street camping wears us down. If we have them, we don't leave our sleeping bags and tents laying around. Theft is a major problem. Every homeless person that I've spoken with has had his or her belongings "ripped off" at one time or another. In Ashland, there are only 3 free meals that helping groups provide during the week. At the Aug. 26 Tuesday meal, 80 to 100 hungry persons stood in line waiting to eat. Other meals come from food stamps, canning, dumpster diving, shoplifting, disability checks or odd jobs. There are no missions or night shelters for individuals in Ashland. Some of us are lucky. We collect monthly Social Security checks for our mental and/or physical disabilities. But how do you think it feels to be homeless for many months - with a disability - and you can't find housing? The vast majority of home and apartment owners don't want to deal with HUD paperwork - even though they'd be receiving their asking price for the rent. That leaves subsidized housing. I'm on four different waiting lists ... and I'm still waiting. Robert Simms Ashland *** Bush's forest policy is short on conservation President Bush came to Oregon to raise money from wealthy timber companies and talk about creating healthy forests. But this administration talks out of both sides of its mouth when it comes to forest policy. Bush's forest officials just made a back-room deal with the timber industry to double the cut in the Pacific Northwest's old-growth forests. But when the TV cameras are rolling Bush will say, "I support healthy forests." Never mind that he just put the last of the very healthiest forests on the chopping block. What we really need is Senators Ron Wyden and Gordon Smith to step up and defend Oregon's forests from Bush's policies, which are more about timber profits than healthy forests. Joseph Vaile Ashland *** Campaign Coordinator, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center Expansion will make water hard to find Is anyone else out there experiencing grey-green water? When will the rain come? Have we already over-taxed our lovely delicate Mt. Ashland with our greedy out-of-control building? Can you imagine what life will be like when you cannot wash your car, you cannot water your garden, you cannot wash your own self, and worst of all, you cannot get a drink of water. Have you done your duty as a wise and diligent steward of the City of Ashland? Have you asked the right questions vis-a-vis our water table, the City of Ashland and the expansion on the mountain? If you have not, there is still time and you need to find out what will happen to our drinking water once the expansion goes in. And consider the source. Do not trust the wolf at the henhouse door if he says all is good. Check in with the hens just to be sure! Suzia Aufderheide Ashland *** Execution of killer a response to terrorism The execution of unrepentant terrorist Paul Hill for the premeditated murders of Dr. John Britton and his escort Lt. Col. James Barrett was society's answer to an act of terrorism. Hill's defense that his action was justifiable homicide and his supporters who claim that he is a martyr reveal what religious fundamentalism can do to warp people's thinking. Paul Hill is no hero. Instead, he fits into the same category as Palestinian and al Qaida suicide bombers. He is like the Timothy McVeighs and Osama bin Ladens of the world who are driven by blind hatred that cause them to loose all perspective. Paul Hill was a terrorist. This is not a time to have to defend the right of a women to choose how to control her reproductive life. It is a time to condemn the domestic terrorism. It is a time to stand with those who risk their personal safety and even their lives to provide safe and legal reproductive services. Paul B. Robinson Medford LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -