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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Top Galleries: December 13, 2006 Letters To The Editor Letter Submissions Letters should be e-mailed in text-only format to [email protected] . Please include your address and a daytime phone number where you can be reached for confirmation. Letters are limited to 250 words. At Length submissions are limited to 400 words. Submissions may be edited for length, content and clarity. The Tidings gives priority to letters on local and regional topics of current interest. It seeks to encourage thoughtful, well-reasoned leters and to discourage personal attacks, repetitive messages and personal disputes. Form letters are not published in the Tidings, nor are letters identified as having been published in other publications. Mt. A avoided eco-friendly option I was dismayed recently to read a letter on this page supporting the MAA ski area expansion as currently proposed. What bothered me is that the writer was claiming for herself, as well as MAA, that they were environmentally sensitive in their plans. This is false — based on dozens of facts revealed in the EIS process that point to environmental damage. The Environmental Protection Agency was so concerned about these damaging effects that they made the following comments in their written response to the EIS process: "Based on information presented in the EIS, we conclude that in the critical area of effects to aquatic resources, including water quality, in stream flows, erosion and sedimentation, Alternative 3 would entail less risk of environmental damage in Ashland Creek basin than with either Alternative 2 or Alternative 6. This is because ski lifts and ski runs would be confined to the east side of the critical upper portion of the East Fork drainage. In addition, Alternative 3 limits both direct and indirect impacts to the McDonald's Peak Roadless Area and avoids direct impacts to the regionally rare Engelmann spruce grove." Unfortunately, the Forest Service and MAA chose the most damaging Alternative, 6, and ignored the best environmental advice. The comment was also made by the supporter of the current expansion plan that there would be no clear cutting and that ski trail clearing is similar to walking trail clearing. The MAA plan calls for 65 acres of "tree removal" which I would call clear cutting. Walking trails are only two feet wide, which makes the 65 acres equivalent to approximately 246 miles of walking trail. Also, no walking trail construction would remove 200-year-old Englemann Spruce trees as the ski area expansion would. All of the above are but a sampling of the negative environmental impacts of the ski area expansion plan. By the way, my family uses and supports the current Mt. Ashland facilities. Larry Cooper Ashland Peace House for different ideas Because old ideas about Peace House seem to stagger on long after they're accurate, I hope the Nov. 24 letter about the organization's fundamental changes was widely and carefully read. Its board and staff really have figured out that people with a genuine commitment to peace can and do disagree on particular issues; you don't have to prove any flavor of political correctness to be earnestly welcome. All you need is a thirst for peace and a willingness to consider how your own actions and words make the community more or less peaceful. Peace House is resourceful, creative and more inclusive than ever before. If it didn't already exist, I think we'd be trying to invent it. If you haven't explored whether it deserves your support, please do. Jeff Golden Ashland Peace House a valuable addition I believe that Peace House is a unique and valuable Ashland institution and one that we all should support. Its mission and purpose is to demonstrate that peace is the only sustainable option for dealing with conflict and misunderstanding in our society. There's a lot of talk in our community about divisiveness and civility but Peace House bypasses the rhetoric and walks its talk. And this is the new Peace House we're taking about, that focuses more on what they're for than what they're against. We need Peace House to continue living its mission in our midst. Join Jane and myself as Peace House members. It's a great investment! Call them up at: 482.9625. John Stromberg Ashland SOU needs grants to survive Southern Oregon University regularly demonstrates its commitment to teaching. Their financial problems also are clearly demonstrated. If they want to keep their standing as a university, e.g., keeping full undergraduate, as well as some threads of graduate programs, they not only have to raise funds to keep their status quo, but they must look forward to grow and keep solvent. I suggest SOU must work to support faculty to gain research contracts and grants. I have spoken with several faculty in several departments, and this just is not a priority as it is in other universities. Research efforts would translate into deeper experiences for students and faculty, and encourage and support the growth of the community at large, e.g., attracting businesses to this area. Even to those who oppose such programs on the grounds it might dilute their teaching programs (I see no strong case), this can be a source of valuable income for SOU (a strong case). Whether or not all members of the community like this idea, we live in a competitive world with dwindling resources for education. The proactive implications are that staff and academic resources would have to be shifted for such an investment into the future of SOU. Ashland has a lot of talented people with research and business experience, and they can support SOU more than by just delivering volunteer lectures to the community. They can work with SOU staff and faculty to generate research contracts and grants. Lester Ingber Ashland A word to lost conservatives To all those who didn't vote or voted for Democrats because of Bush's loco border policy. Now George believes that he lost Congress because of the war so he sacrificed Rumsfeld. I wonder, will he sacrifice Iraq and still not know he's wrong on Mexico, the one-two punch that will defeat America? He must be happy that the House is now Democratic because it was the House that was against his open border. I have something for you lost conservatives. I call it Humble Harold's Homemade, Non-professional, Blue Collar Business Card: "Truth consultant What you don't know will hurt you - Big time in this end time. A friend in need is a friend indeed. Sincerely right, Harold eli3.tripod.com [email protected]" I use the backs of other cards (environmentally friendly), sign it to make it truly personal and use "sincerely right" as opposed to sincerely wrong which 99.999~ percent of sincere people are including Michael Savage, Glenn Beck, George Putnam and Rush Limbaugh who head the list. They won't save you from the Tribulation. Harold Reimann Lucerene Valley, CA Greenhouses are good neighbors As we have been close neighbors to Ashland Greenhouses for the last 11 years, we were surprised and saddened to see the reaction of some of the neighbors to the greenhouses new location. We can only guess that the new neighbors don't understand the nature of the operation over which they are so concerned. The front door of our home is less than 50 feet from the front door of the office, far closer than anyone will live to the new location. Apart from about two months in the spring and early summer, there is absolutely no impact on our lives from Ashland Greenhouses. During their busy season, we hear the occasional car door slam but only during daylight hours; that is about the only time we are even aware that we live across the street from a business. The buildings are all low, well maintained, and surrounded by brightly blooming flowers. There are no unpleasant smells or loud noises and the employees are all friendly. We can assure Mr. Tedaldi that living near Ashland Greenhouses will be infinitely preferable to living near a pig farm. In a day and age where many of us bemoan corporate take-over of the family farm, we applaud the success of locally owned Ashland Greenhouses as a small agricultural business and employer to a dozen or more Ashland residents. While changes to any community are bound to cause concern, we urge the residents of East Ashland Lane to keep an open mind about their new neighbor. We are certain that you will find, just as we did, that Ashland Greenhouses are wonderful neighbors. Elizabeth and Michael Bingham Ashland Current Comments: Good for you Michael! Glad to hear that SOMEBODY still has a sense of perspective (and sanity) about changes in Ashland and environs. Somehow I think life will go on, even for the Tedaldis. George Kramer - Ashland, OR - December 13th, 1:17 PM The EPA letter raised questions which were answered in the Final EIS by the Forest Service. The EPA letter was a letter of concern, not a conclusion from the EPA. Without a doubt, no assortment of facts or logic will solve what has become an ethical delemma. Its like any other ethical debate, where you can argue both sides and logically conclude in favor of either side. There is no compromise that satisfies the either position. Nor does moral rightessness favor one side or the other. Christina Sauers - Ashland, OR - December 13th, 10:40 PM What are you talking about Harold? Max Power - Ashland, OR - December 14th, 11:53 AM Special thanks to Jeff Golden and John Stromberg for taking the time to share their support of Peace House. It takes all of us working together to make a difference. Anita Dygert-Gearheart ( [email protected] ) - Ashland, Oregon - December 16th, 9:50 AM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.