Since when did winning come before our kids?
A great injustice has been done regarding the high school volleyball team. Three seniors were cut from the team for the 2010 season. These girls have played volleyball since before 7th grade and have focused on this sport because they love the game. They have attended volleyball camps and practiced in the off season to improve their skills as well as putting a lot of money into the program. These girls lettered last year, does this not show the dedication and commitment they have to their team? C’mon these girls are seniors this year! This will be the end of their high school career! What type of message are we sending to our students at MHS? These girls are skilled players, hard workers and should be rewarded for their dedication to the team. We feel bad for the other seniors on the team, since they will not be able to play with their fellow classmates. This is not their fault.
We are supposed to be encouraging our young teens with positive values and showing them how important team players are in not only the school system but in life. Living in a small town, our children are encouraged to be involved in many school activities and sports to keep them busy and out of trouble.
The athletic director recently presented the fall athletics eligibility meeting last week. He quoted at the meeting “sports are for fun.” We have now been told by the AD and coach that they needed to do what was best for the program. They need to have a competitive team to fill the stands. We are aware that money is scarce and that the C-squad has been cut. Due to this players have to be divided into two teams which means that some players will be cut. But why would one cut seniors who have spent time, energy and hundreds of dollars to play on the varsity level? How can cutting three seniors make a difference? You tell these three girls.
This decision has ruined the beginning of their senior year! Shame on those responsible for making this decision! It’s just not right!
—Greg & Sara Wohlers
Jim & Jill Anderson
Josh Anderson
The Knutsons
Other families and friends
Montevideo
Anti-abortion
This is in response to the Aug 26, “Don’t be cruel” letter.
I thank the author for her heartfelt concern over the torturing and killing of animals. Indeed there are laws against unreasonable cruelty toward animals.
But did you know that there are no laws against such things as pulling off limbs and crushing heads of little human babies? That’s right. Anyone can torture and kill their child anyway they want in this country thanks to the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision of Jan. 22, 1973. So far, we have done this to over 50 million of our children in the last 37 years.
You can look at the gory details by going to lifedynamics.com to view 100 abortion pictures. Or, Google the video “Eclipse of Reason” produced by the man who played a major role in legalizing abortion in New York state, Dr. Bernard Nathanson. The inter-uterine camera actually shows a 5-month-old boy being dismembered and killed.
There are lots of good-intentioned pro-life groups, such as PersonhoodUSA.com, trying to stop this holocaust, but politics and pro-abortion groups always seem to get in the way.
The only sure way to stop the killing is by prayer. I learned recently that the grandfather of pro-life activism, Joe Scheidler, said the thing that disrupts business the most inside a killing center (abortion clinic) is pro-lifers standing outside engaged in peaceful prayer.
It has been said that every abortion clinic stays in business, courtesy of its local churches. Think of what could be done if every church, taking turns once a month, had just two or three people assigned to pray in turns for an hour or two in front of every killing center during every business day.
Please pray to stop the torture and killing of our nation’s children.
—Phil Drietz
Delhi
Keep poison outside of town
Look around at local towns that have moved this poison outside of town and ask why? North Dakota won’t allow these facilities within one mile of any town, why? If we could prevent lightning or tornadoes, wouldn’t we? Why then, with all the land available around here, would the board of directors of Farmer’s Union Oil Co. want to put this lethal chemical inside city limits? Why does our city council think it’s okay? What’s to be gained?
Go to Google, type in “ammonia accidents” and just spend a few minutes looking at YouTube videos and you’ll see how serious this can be. Why expose the public to it?
Anhydrous ammonia expands 850 times its liquid volume when released from the tank. This vapor is lethal even when mixed with air to a concentration of 5,000 parts per million which is ½ of 1 percent; it will kill you if exposed and inhaled. It can cause serious injury even down to 2,500 ppm. If one of those huge tanks ruptured, the cloud would become roughly 800 times in size of the tank.
Statistics from MN Dept of Health: From 1995 to 2005 there were 459 accidental releases of ammonia in MN alone. 85 percent of these releases occurred at fixed facilities. Equipment failure accounted for 57 percent, human error 20 percent and the rest was either illegal/intentional, weather related or unknown. The proposed tank site is for storage and transfer operations to fill farm nurse tanks to take to the field. Again, why keep it in town? Does this sound safe to you?
No amount of equipment or training can stop what has already escaped in an accident, it travels with the wind. Around here the prevailing winds are out of the west.
With a 5 mph breeze, a significant release of ammonia vapor could travel one mile in 12 minutes. There are two families living within a few hundred feet of the proposed tanks, there are homes and businesses within ¼ to ½ mile radius of the site. The new playground, park and city hall/fire and rescue are roughly ½ mile east of the site. If the wind were from the west, the ammonia would reach the fire hall in about 6 minutes. How will emergency responders get to their equipment? How will the people in the park and playground know it’s coming? Some serious questions to ask.
Come to the public hearing Sept. 7, at 7 p.m., at City Hall to ask questions and discuss your concerns.
—Kim Johnson
Montevideo
Community garden is/is not
It seems that a clarification of what the community garden is and what it is not is needed.
What it is, is an area where any member of our community can rent a plot, buy seed, plant, water, weed, and then harvest THEIR produce.
What it is NOT, is a garden that someone who has not done the above can just come and help themselves to the produce.
Please be considerate. If you haven’t done the work, don’t pick the crop.
—Judy Burns
Montevideo
Oil industry can boost global economy
It is my observation that our local and global economic problems started when gas prices escalated rapidly. The increases were blamed on lack of refineries, not oil shortages.
The increases were not based on higher expenses. The oil industry has reaped record profits. Where did a single company come up with the cash reserves BP apparently has?
My recommendation is for oil companies to reduce the “at the pump prices” to levels that produce a more reasonable profit.
What would $1.50 per gallon gas do for each of our budgets and the global economy?
Who would not be affected? What a stimulous … with immediate results! No government committees needed.
The domino effect on jobs, housing, construction, auto and mortgage industries and resulting increased tax income to state and federal budgets would be reflected in local level budgets, i.e., schools as well.
What an opportunity for the oil industry to solve a problem I feel they unneccessarily initiated and “look good” and responsible (and build those refineries).
How do we let the media, politicians and the oil industry know that this complex problem that affects all levels of personal and commercial life can be solved by swift and responsible action by a single industry?
Brett Favre … help!
—Gary Olsen
Montevideo
