Published: June 12, 2009 06:20 pm      

Letters to the Editor 6/14/09

Soundoff on power plant

To the Editor: The power plant public meeting on June 4 at Navarro College was a real shocker and now I’m really ticked off. A bankrupt, as in no money, corporation wants an air permit from the TCEQ. They have “no” intentions of building a power plant in Navarro County because they are broke, as in financially busted. They only want this air permit so they can sell their project and raise some much-needed cash to pad their books. Without an air permit all they have is a worthless idea called Navarro Generating LLC. These folks would drown someone else to save themselves and they have no regards for the families on Pisgah Ridge. Their actions in this matter are an insult and they make the new “condom store” look like a prize catch.

If they were successful in the sale of their project I can only imagine it would be to some foreign country such as China or Japan and they already own enough of the U.S.A.

As for Rick Mangus’ statement to COPPs For Clean Air members June 4 at the end of the meeting and I quote, “If Pisgah Ridge has so many sick people up there why don’t they move,” I would like to reply now. They built their lives, families and income on that land. Yes, there are some very sick people living in that area. Did you Mr. Mangus or your power plant pro friends ever stop to think the emissions from the coal-fired power plants in Freestone and Limestone counties are making them sick? Navarro County is the logical fallout area for the coal-fired power plants’ sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions as said by the TCEQ and EPA. SO2 is a very dangerous toxin.

If the pro power plant people want to really do some good, please write Lee McCleary a large check each month and give him some working capital to find clean industries that hire local residents. He could use your help! As for COPPs For Clean Air, we will continue our course of action to protect our quality of life in Navarro County.

Vicky Prater



Praise for volunteer agency

To the Editor: For the past 45 plus years, one volunteer organization has served the citizens of Corsicana and Navarro County. Throughout the years, this dedicated group of volunteers has taken countless hours away from their families and friends to assist in the search for a citizen’s lost loved one, kept a careful watch during storms, assisted with traffic control at various events, and traveled up and down our counties interstate to assist stranded motorists.

This group has always been ready and willing to help someone in need no matter what time the call came in and all they asked for in return is that everyone involved returns home safely. Who are they you ask? They are the dedicated members of the Corsicana Emergency Corps. The organization founded in 1963 that is always ready to help no matter what the task. I have noticed over the past couple of years that I see less and less of this dedicated group of volunteers. I very seldom see them mentioned when reading about something happening in the county. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the CEC is still here and willing to help. All they need is a call. Chief Ron Wing can be contacted directly or a request for their assistance can be made through the Navarro County Sherriff’s Office. It gives me great peace of mind to know that the CEC is still here and only a phone call away.

Kindest regards,

Deanna Hayes



Incredible medical care

To the Editor: Before anyone thinks I am writing this letter because I am employed by the hospital, please know that I don’t write letters like this lightly.

It is with gratitude that I write this letter to commend the individuals involved on their prompt, compassionate and, obviously, wonderful care of my sister, Bonnie Shugart on April 9, 2009.

While visiting here from Louisiana and helping me with a number of family issues, she experienced a heart attack. The ambulance crew of Wade Gillen and Jason Williams was so quick in their response and assessment of her condition, transferring her quickly to Navarro Regional Hospital Emergency Room where she was rendered wonderful care. The team of Angela Bonner, Michael Grissett, Emily Robinson and Dr. James of the ER were an amazing team as I watched them evaluate and care for her. Within minutes, the PHI air ambulance was arriving with the crew of Wayne Skelton, Larry Olson and Manny Figlia who interacted with the rest of the team as seamlessly as you can imagine.

I was in the ER treatment room while they were all caring for her and transferring care of her from the ambulance to the ER to the air ambulance service and then on to Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. I observed everyone’s involvement and found everyone to be not only appropriate, but compassionate as they involved her in her own wit and did everything to keep her calm and unafraid. It was truly an incredible thing to watch as they all interacted together so wonderfully and smoothly. As a direct result of the care she received from all involved, she is doing very well and it is hard to believe she truly had a heart attack. Of course, we know she did and she is established with a cardiologist in her home town.

It was mentioned at Baylor that the patients they receive from Navarro Regional Hospital are so thoroughly evaluated and prepped, that they are ready to render care much more quickly and appropriately than almost anywhere else they receive patients from. Wow, is that a comfort to know that we have that kind of medical care here!

These individuals were “just doing their job,” but as a medical professional myself, I know that not everyone “does their job” with the same wonderful attitude, professionalism and care that she received that day. You are all to be commended!

I can’t begin to express my gratitude to all of you. Thank you and blessings to you all.

Most respectfully,

Vicki Sims



Help sought

To the Editor: We are trying to locate descendants of William Harvey Beeman (1817-1860). He was co-founder of the Hamilton-Beeman Cemetery and a community leader.

Some surnames may be Beeman, White, Redden or Young. Please contact: Sharon Beeman Egonis at (903) 872-2372 or Beverly J. White at (903) 874-8076.

Thanks for your help,

Sharon Beeman Egonis



Obama’s folly

To the Editor: If you thought Obama was for the little guy, the joke is on all of us. Here are just a few reasons why:

1. Have you checked the price of gas lately? It keeps going up!

2. News flash: Bush and Cheney aren’t in the White House. Of course, it’s all their fault like everything else was.

3. Everyone is supposed to love America now! Is that why Islamic fascists are still calling for our destruction and that of Israel? Remember this quote, “Convert or Die!” We (Western civilization) are referred to as “infidels” in the Koran.

4. Check your credit cards. Maybe you’re rewarded by having your credit line reduced, and your interest increased when you pay them off. This is because Obama wants more government control with his overreaching and destruction of the private sector.

5. GM and Chrysler are bankrupt despite Obama’s billions in bailouts to help the UAW. That money was taxpayer dollars down the drain.

6. Unemployment is near double digits — way more than that of the Bush administration.

7. Where are all those jobs Obama promised? What color are they? Green, black, white, red, yellow, and who cares.

8. Mass inflation is on us because Obama prints more money to pay for his folly. Been shopping lately?

9. Obama is mortgaging away America’s future. What’s our national debt? Trillions! I thought Obama said that Bush spent too much ...

10. Talk — Sure stopped Iran and North Korea from building nukes, hasn’t it?

How often has Obama refused to answer questions by the press? Tell me where I’m wrong.

Mark Fleischer



Mourning pet lost

To the Editor: My wife and I lost our precious little poodle this Memorial Day. “Sunshine” died because there were no veterinarians available to save her life on a holiday! After calling every vet clinic in Navarro County, we received a recorded message about a 24-hour clinic in Arlington. We drove as quickly as possible to the clinic, only to have our little poodle die, gasping for breath, as we passed through Waxahachie.

We have talked to a number of people in Navarro County who have had the same experience. When an emergency occurs after business hours, on weekends, or holidays, a vet is rarely available. Many animals, like our Sunshine, are too ill to reach a clinic in the Metroplex area. We consider our pets to be family members. Emergency service on holidays, weekends and evenings should be available for pets as well as people!

People who study for years to become veterinarians do so because of a love and concern for animals. Physicians who care for human beings rotate being “on call” for evenings, weekends and holidays. Why can’t our vets do the same? We were told by one clinic that their vet had tried to get the other local vets to do an emergency on-call rotation with no success! We have four vet clinics with eight vets.

Having been active in animal rescue for six years, we have taken many animals to all of the local vet clinics. A friend noted how sad it was that none of them were available in our Sunshine’s last hour of need. Please join us in strongly encouraging your vet to work with other local vets to provide after-hours emergency services to our furry family members.

Sincerely,

Shanda and Tom Vance



A fitting tribute

To the Editor: The guest column of Robert Keathley was an excellent example of the sacrifices made by an unselfish generation. Sadly, this “Great Generation” is rapidly dissappearing.

Liberty and freedom have not come free, but have been paid for with a heavy price in installments by those heroic sons who realize the consequences of losing our form of government.

I am reminded of the passage in John 15:13 which says “Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for a friend.”

Paul Tannehill