Letters to the editor, July 1, 2009
Thanks for support of Block the Sun Run
We offer a tremendous thank you to everyone who helped make our 3rd annual Block The Sun Run a huge success. We hosted over 600 people at this year’s event, including 525 participants and over 70 volunteers, all who took time out of their busy lives to help support the important cause of raising awareness and research funding for melanoma - a huge thank you to all of them. After all, funding critical melanoma research is key to saving lives.
Every year, our family is deeply touched by the generosity of this community, our friends, family and the community of families affected by melanoma. After our third year, we’ve now raised over $110,000 for melanoma research and certainly couldn’t have done it without the amazing support of everyone involved, particularly our sponsors.
An extra special thank you to our major platinum sponsors: Holiday Wholesale, Baraboo Tent & Awning and Spring Brook Resort; plus all of the many other sponsors too numerous to list. Thank you, also, to Spring Brook - the resort staff is tireless, the venue and facilities are absolutely beautiful and the commitment to our cause is unwavering. Several participants told us again that this year’s event was one of the best run/walk events they had ever been to and Spring Brook’s staff and facilities certainly are a big part of that success.
Next year’s event will be held on June 19, so we encourage everyone to mark their calendars. Once again, we extend our sincerest thank you to everyone involved.
The Aaron Anchor Family, Block The Sun Run/Miles for Melanoma
Board needs to clarify privatizing roads
In the Town of Newport Board’s discussions on the privatization of Newport town roads the board should consider several issues.
First, the list of town roads with single residences is incomplete. Several roads with single houses have been left off the list. The board and town cannot afford to be charged with discriminatory practices.
Second, several of the roads mentioned are access roads to farm fields used by heavy farm machinery.
Third, a road cannot be privatized unless it is brought up to standards. Many of these single resident roads have not seen any significant work done for many years, although the town has received state road aid for the upkeep.
Fourth, bringing these roads up to standard will be expensive at a time when funds are scarce. Not only will the town have to bring the roads up to standards but it will also have to bear the burden of survey and title change.
Fifth, if these roads become privatized, individual owners will have to decide on whether or not it is worthwhile to keep farming their fields. The expense of repairing roads damaged by heavy machinery may not be worth the price of having their fields farmed. Thus more acreage could be lost to farming further damaging our farm economy.
Sixth, the town must establish specific criteria for which roads are to be considered for privatization. The amount of traffic on the road, seasonal use of the road, length of the road, condition of the road, and other factors have to be clearly established.
Seventh, any owner who takes possession of the town road will have his assessment raised and therefore pay more taxes. This is in addition to expenses related to taking care of the road. Several families on the roads mentioned are retired and on fixed income.
Eighth, many of the property owners who have these roads pay more taxes since frequently they have more land in addition to their residence. Therefore they have been paying more than their share of taxes going to the upkeep of roads throughout the town.
Finally, I live on one of the roads that may be declared eligible for privatization. Once the above issues are clarified I will be better able to decide how to proceed.
Hiroshi Kanno, Newport
Napier is right
Dick Napier, Baraboo, I agree with you. People had better understand what is going on in the world around us. We need to be looking at what could happen if we don’t.
We need to be strong as Americans and be on the offensive. We have the knowledge; let’s use it. I watched the movie, “Pearl Harbor” last night with my family. It was so sad to see the men and woman who got caught off guard. Let’s remember their sacrifice and never let this happen again.
The Dells Events is a good paper to say what you feel. My hat is off to Kay James.
Bill Fisher, Wisconsin Dells
A coin for bicentennial of War of 1812
Your support is needed to pass legislation currently pending in Congress: the Star Spangled Banner Commemorative Coin Act. Please contact your legislators and urge their support.
This legislation (HR2097 and S653) will help display national appreciation of the history of the War of 1812— some of which took place in Wisconsin.
If passed, this legislation authorizes the U.S. Mint to produce coins commemorating the bicentennial for the War of 1812, and the Star Spangled Banner.
The War of 1812 was a pivotal time in our country’s history. It was notable for the burning of Washington D.C., the development of our Navy, and many famous battles including the Battle of New Orleans. It was during the Battle of Baltimore that Francis Scott Key penned the poem which became our “Star-Spangled Banner” national anthem.
Two centuries later, the flag and anthem, legacies of the War of 1812, continue to inspire America. Let’s prepare for 2012.
Char Janeczko-King, Weston
Oppose new rules on general aviation
Each month, volunteer pilots from Angel Flight Central fly patients needing specialized medical care, including chemotherapy and dialysis, to hospitals throughout Wisconsin. Many of these patients are from rural areas and would otherwise be hard-pressed to receive the care they need.
These flights are part of general aviation, which includes all flying except the scheduled airlines and the military. Right now GA is being imperiled by misguided plans in Washington, D.C. If these proposals are enacted, the outlook could be grim for patients who use Angel Flight Central, as well as for millions of other people throughout the country who depend on general aviation for services and jobs.
Among the proposals are new costs and regulations. Since Angel Flight Central pilots already donate their time and planes and pay for their own fuel, these increased costs could ground them. The impact on patients who live in rural Wisconsin could be devastating, because they would have to drive long distances to receive care.
The new charges and regulations would not only involve medical volunteer organizations. With an estimated 65 percent of general aviation flights conducted for public service and business, many industries and services would be affected, including agriculture, emergency medical evacuation, law enforcement, aerial fire-fighting, package delivery and the Civil Air Patrol.
In addition, millions of jobs depend on GA, which pumps more than $150 billion into the U.S. economy. Two members of Congress deem GA so essential that they formed a caucus to educate their peers on its value to the American economy and transportation system.
Recently, the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the world’s largest pilot organization with more than 415,000 members, launched General Aviation Serves America. The goal of this national grassroots campaign is to educate policy makers, opinion leaders and the public about the vital role GA plays in our local communities and the nation’s economy. Actors Harrison Ford and Morgan Freeman, both avid pilots, are volunteering their services in support of the campaign. To learn more visit www.gaservesamerica.com.
The importance of GA and its impact on Wisconsin cannot be overstated. For more than 80 years, general aviation has played a significant role in the lives of millions of Americans across the country. I hope you will join me in our efforts to ensure that it’s around for another 80 years, and well beyond.
Craig Fuller, president, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association