Published: July 16, 2009 05:46 pm      

In Your View — 07/17/09

Housing project must be opposed

This letter is to inform the people who live around the proposed Kirk Street site of a 48-unit low-income housing development project that once again Richard Myers of Cave Run Road in Salt Lick is seeking a permit to construct this housing project.

Isn't it ironic that he lives at Cave Run Lake but wants to destroy our neighborhoods with this low-income housing development? We have been fighting this project since 2000, and we need to stand up and fight again.

With 48 units will come crime. One can only imagine how horrible it will be to live in this area if this is allowed to happen. Talk to the people on Moore Street, where there is only nine units, about the crime, or the people in Flatwoods that live around Myers' development there.

The Ashland Board of Zoning is scheduled to meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, regarding this matter. Every person living in this area needs to be at this meeting to show our city leaders that this is the worst thing that could happen to our neighborhood, our elderly, our children.

The issues are still the same as in 2000 when this project was first shoved down our throats: Safety, traffic, no sidewalks, narrow road, location on a blind spot, sewer problems, near the juvenile detention center, etc.

It’s crucial that area residents be in attendance at the meeting on Tuesday. Otherwise, Richard Myers will continue to enjoy living in beautiful Salt Lick with even more money and we will be living in fear, surrounded by yet another low-income housing project in the city of Ashland.

Tammy Howard, Ashland



Debris in creeks adds to flooding

This is an open letter to the Kentucky highway department, Boyd County judge-executive, and Ashland city manager.

It’s prompted by the heavy rain on Saturday, July 11. Something needs to be done about the condition of the gullies, culverts and creeks in the Ashland/Boyd County area and no doubt in other parts of eastern Kentucky. One only need to drive along Ky. 168 (Valley View Drive and Catletts Creek Road) and Ky. 538 (Shopes Creek) to see the debris that clutters the sides of the road and it’s apparent as to what caused most of the recent flood damage.

Our creeks and streams need aggressive management as to the policing of fallen trees and such that block the culverts and cause a lot of the backup along the waterways. The beds of these creeks need to be dredged out. The biggest offender for the felled trees, brush, etc., is American Electric Power for its policy of only allowing the people who cut their right of way to only fell the trees and not clear them from the area.

The Boyd County Office of Emergency Management could oversee this project. This gives us a central office for contact and that office could coordinate cleanup with the city, county and the state. Government agencies have the manpower and equipment and would only have to reschedule their priorities in order to improve the condition of our waterways. A one-time aggressive program would work wonders and then follow-up when necessary.

This program would not solve the flash flooding that comes from heavy rains like we had last Saturday, but without the clogged roadside ditches, we wouldn’t have as much of the dangerous high water across the roadways.

I’d be glad to discuss my ideas with any of the above agencies.

Lowell Green Stewart, Ashland



Obama health care plan criticized

Columnist Dick Morris writes that there are about 800,000 doctors treating the 250 million Americans who have some sort of health insurance. Barack Obama’s health plan will add the 50 million uninsured Americans to their caseload but he has no plan for increasing the number of physicians. Obama’s plan will also reduce reimbursement rates to doctors and impose another layer of meddling government bureaucrats to run the program.

So, more patients? More government oversight? That and reduced payments, as well? I can't see too many bright young people wanting to become doctors, can you?

Also, union members would be exempt from having to pay any tax on their health benefits. Not so for the non-union riff-raff as the plan is for our health benefits to be taxed. Additionally, Senator Kennedy has proposed language that would exempt members of Congress from the provisions of the Obama health plan. They’re no fools and want no part of Obama care.

Those who advocate a government run health insurance plan need to consider the facts rather than the rhetoric and false promises coming from the White House.

Hugh Davis, Worthington



Obama’s health plan supported

Whether a person is a Democrat, Republican, Independent or any other party, they should want to support President Obama in his desire for better health care for all. He is a good president.

As a proud West Virginian, I’ve encouraged our governor, local legislators, and local doctors to come together to allow an obesity clinic at our local rehabilitation center at Institute. W.Va. This would help curb diabetes.

My mother had diabetes, and I saw what it did to both her eyes and her legs. It looked like she had been in a bad fire from her knees to her feet. Diabetes affects all ages! Don’t let it happen to you.

Please stand with our president. I will. We need to stick together and fight for better health for everyone!

Betty Janice Dooley, South Charleston, W.Va.