Published: May 02, 2008 01:53 pm            

In Your View — 05/05/08

If it’s not broken, what is problem?

I read with interest the story in the April 23 Independent paper headlined: “Water study starts. City of Greenup to see how system is performing.”

Brent Tippey vice president of HDR Quest, was quoted in the story as saying, “The system is not broken.” I believe if you ask the residents along Uhlen Branch Road, they would disagree.

If the system is not broken, why have Uhlen Branch residents been under a boil water advisory since March of 2007? The boil water advisory is in this paper every Wednesday and says “Start Date March 28, 2007” until further notice.

My mother is one of the residents living on Uhlen Branch and lives on a fixed income. Buying drinking water for over a year strains her already tight budget, especially with the rising cost of gas and groceries.

The story lists low water pressure problems as a major concern, yet the city of Greenup is planning on extending water lines in the western end of the county. While I have no problem with new lines being extended, I would think the ongoing problems should be fixed before adding more lines. But more water lines equal more customers which equals more income for the city. The residents of Uhlen Branch and Greenup County are not getting what they are paying for.

My question is if the system isn’t “broken” then what is the problem?

Lee Wright , Grayson



It’s time to either put up or shut up

The Democratic Party sheep continue to amaze me as they parrot the leadership spiel almost word for word from top to bottom. The constant zeal to eliminate the Bush tax cuts for the so-called rich is the typical sheep mindset.The following schedule identifies some of the rich taxpayers who receive these unfair tax cuts.

According to figures compiled by Bankrate.com, under the Clinton tax, single taxpayers earning $30,000 paid $8,400, earning $50,000 paid $14,000 and earning $75,000 paid $23,500. Under Bush tax cuts, single taxpayers earning $30,000 paid $4,500; earning $50,000 paid $12,500 and earning $75,000 paid $18,750.

Married taxpayers earning $60,000 paid $16,8000 under Clinton and $9,000 under the Bush tax cuts; those earning $75,000 paid $21,000 under Clinton and $18,750 under Bush; those earning $125,000 paid $38,750 under Clinton and $31,250 under Bush.

Rich folks and all the other Democrats have an opportunity to assist in rectifying this unsavory situation.The IRS has a policy available whereby a taxpayer may voluntarily donate a gift to the U.S. Treasury. These Democratic whiners should either donate back their tax cut savings or admit they are loud-mouthed hypocrites.

The time is here to either put up or shut up. Gasoline prices is another whining point by Democrats trying to blame the Bush administration. These whiners should ask Clinton why in 1995 he vetoed legislation to permit drilling in ANWAR. By drilling there at that time, we would now be producing a million barrels of oil per day. That would tend to lower prices and keep approximately $100 million dollars each day in the U.S.A. instead of sending it to U.S.A. haters like Hugo Chavez.

Robert G. Brewer, Vanceburg



Her sister has become her hero

I believe there are heroes of all sorts, and you don’t have to be in public service in order to become one.

Kathy — I call her Kat — is my best friend, my sister and my hero.

Bravery took on a whole different meaning for me when I first saw her after her diagnosis. They told he she had Stage 4 breast cancer. There was nothing that could be done.

She was sent home to die, but they had no idea who they were dealing with. When I called her, I was the one who was crying. She said that no matter what the doctors say, “God and I have our own plans.”

Since then, she has gone through many life-threatening changes. She doesn’t even look like herself. She has gone from having an active life to being so sick she had to depend on oxygen just to get up. She has traveled from institution to institution for medical help and had surgeries on top of surgeries. She has never given up her faith in God.

Kathy was a nurse, active in her community.

Where do we go from here? I really don’t know, but I think God does. All her life she has had to be strong, but I think it was all to prepare her for what she is going through today. She is a true hero.

If someone out there is going through a battle, I know she would welcome the opportunity to speak to you. It would bless you to hear her speak about her illness, God only knows what’s in store for tomorrow, but so far, he has given us today.

My hero — Kathy Jean Collins (Rice) — can be reached at (606) 475-9800.

Kimberly Harlow, Grayson



Front Street plans reunion on Aug. 30

Plans are under way for a Front Street and Area Reunion on Aug. 30. It will be on the 3000 and 3100 block of Front Street and the alley.

We would like anyone who lived in the area to attend. We have plans for live music by the Norris Brothers Band and for inflatables and games for the kids. We have T-shirts for sale along with other items. There will be a rummage sale at 32d Street and Greenup Avenue on May 30 to benefit the reunion and pay for tents, portable potties and cover other expenses.

If you plan to attend the reunion, please e-mail Mary Jarrell Cornwell at FrontstreetReunion@Windstream.net or telephone me at (606) 473-2287. You can also e-mail Judy Norris at judynorris@verizon.net or telephone Patty White at (606) 324-4066.

We also have a MySpace you can go to. Log into myspace.com and type Mary Cornwell. We also have a blog: http://FrontStreetReunion.blog spot.com.

We would love to hear from everyone and see all our old friends and neighbors at the reunion.

Donations for the reunion and rummage sale would be appreciated. Please call or e-mail Mary Cornwell. Rummage sale items will be picked up. Mail donations to Mary Cornwell, P.O. Box 34, Argillite, Ky. 41121.

Mary Cornwell, Argillite

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.