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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels August 28, 2004 Wood chips in town a concern Recently, I've been wanting to attend our city council meetings, but ... but ... but some cheeky Swinging Richards out there have been rather dissuasive, albeit inadvertently - or could it be purposefully? Beloved discerning Mayor DeBoer helped spare us from the spectacle of a naked man rearing his head on the city council. Not that there's anything wrong with a naked man sitting on the city council, no no, of course not, it's perfectly NORMAL. However, I've been wishing to discuss a different topic. I'm very concerned about the use of wood-chipper product in landscaping in our town. Many properties' landscaping now make use of wood chips, often extensively. If you pick up a handful of the wood chips, you'll painfully discover fine tiny quill-like cactus flower like slivers are stuck in your skin that are nigh impossible to remove. I think there's an important public health issue in what happens when these tiny fine slivery particles become airborne by wind and are aspirated. Moreover, tree specific fungi tend to proliferate from certain wood chips, and a question is how these might affect the ecology, especially when of non native species or used around trees of different varieties. For example: the fungi that proliferate and help nurture a redwood tree - might they be toxic to a plum tree? I think our city should note any statistical rise in lung disease among wood chip workers and citizens presenting with lung disease should be asked on the medical intake form if they have woodchip material in their landscaping or if they frequent areas that are landscaped with woodchips. It's nice to decorate and everything, but we certainly should learn what potential damage we are causing to ourselves and/or our environment through the prevalent use of wood chips landscape materials. Patti Morey Ashland Vietnam facts important today On Aug. 19 the Ashland Daily Tidings ran a letter from a Vietnam era veteran. Lets talk about the Vietnam War (1964-1975). Granted, I was (fortunately) too young for Vietnam. I will however, always support and respect our Vietnam and American military vets. Yet, I can't respect the political elite bigshots in the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, LBJ himself: Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara, and the scoundrels in Congress during this time who sold out American troops out via deceit, treachery, and betrayal in an undeclared southeast Asian "no-win" war. Fifty-eight thousand American service men died in Vietnam! From the Tonkin Gulf Resolution of August 1964, to the Tet Offensive of January 1968, and finally to the fall of Saigon in April 1975, the American public were denied the truth about the Vietnam War. I think they deserve much better! The facts on the Vietnam War are now available online. Simply access www.jbs.org/visitor/focus/vietnam, or likewise www.thenewamerican.com and click on "subject index." I'm sure readers will be shocked and angry at the betrayal and sellout of American troops via the insiders and political elitists who deliberately concealed this from the American people. James A. Farmer Ashland Many thanks for FOTAS support On Aug. 14, Friends of the Animal Shelter once again joined efforts with the Ashland Food Coop for a very successful dog wash. Eighty-nine previously dirty dogs walked away squeaky clean and many sported freshly clipped nails. Through the generosity of these dog owners and other folks who donated cash, FOTAS raised $1,026.67 Friends of the Animal Shelter, a volunteer organization that supports and participates in the adoption and animal care programs of the Jackson County Animal Shelter, is deeply appreciative of the support that the Ashland Food Coop provides each year at the annual "Dog Days of August" dog wash. It is a wonderful example of a business reaching out to assist the community. AFC provided space, water and hoses and took care of all the publicity. The Grange Coop provided all of the shampoo. Bark Avenue and Megan, a new supporter who is beginning her own business, clipped nails all day and donated all of the proceeds to FOTAS. Thank you to Annie Hoy and the Ashland Food Coop, the Grange Coop, Shari and Felicia of Bark Avenue Grooming, Megan, the 16 FOTAS volunteers, volunteers from Girl Scout Troop 2970 and Brownie Troop 2890 and all the dogs and their owners who came to get clean and trimmed. It is a wonderful statement of community concern for those who cannot speak for themselves - the dogs and cats at the shelter. Linda Champlin President, FOTAS DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams