2013 Letters Archive Stories

So I write a lot in my free time as a college student. Especially during break. Some of it is pure fantasy born of my own psychotic breaks. Some though (not often) are some very good social points or remarks as if I’m talking to a public living within my very nature. And one idea seems very relevant. The Golden Corridor. I know we’re

In May, Department of Economic Security Director Clarence Carter announced the launch of a pilot program that would focus on coordinating the many services available to low-income and at-risk families. With better evaluation of individual circumstances, in a one-stop system, the goal is to reduce overall dependence on the state’s social-we

When our forefathers founded this great nation, they couldn’t envision the influence that lawyers would place in our government. We now are ruled by people in Congress and the presidency with law degrees. They pass laws that only benefit the "legal community," and not the common folks. In my 28 years in law enforcement, I probably worked w

Summer is almost here along with the inevitable heat, a condition that is endurable if you love living in the desert. Something that I think that we should not have to endure is the smoke and ash from fires that are deliberately set and called "controlled burns." Who controls these burns and are the farmers issued permits to pollute? I know that

Here we are, poised to get ourselves involved in another civil war. Are there good guys and bad guys? The current leader of Syria, President Assad, over the years has invaded Israel and Lebanon. Assad’s quest for more territory creates a worldwide market for weapons for him. North Korea sent Syria the beginning of a nuclear weapons manufac

Lots of lawyerspeak and legalease about water management in Arizona is going on these days. We’re in a desert, it’s always been a desert and will remain a desert. The water law is obvious: "The guy on the ditch with a shotgun has the right!" John Colvin Yuma

I am in total support of Susan Schaefer’s position that youth should wear a helmet when riding a horse. I grew up on the East Coast showing hunters and jumpers (and wearing a helmet), then competed on the University of Arizona Rodeo Team (no helmet), pretty much riding anything with four legs and a tail. I got away with it, but my guardian

In the litany of administration falsehoods, "Fast and Furious" takes the cake. I recently listened to a plethora of Obama distortions, but this particular subject was so wrought with abject lies that were documented that I couldn’t let this go. It will matter, at least to those folks who have a conscience and actually care about the direct

Currently several legislators are attempting to address water shortages in the state of Arizona. However there are no real excesses of water in the state of Arizona. When you start moving water, you are taking it away from someone and giving it to others. As part of this process, one cannot assu

There you are, home alone, and it happens. Extreme chest pain, pressure and burning – an unbearable feeling. You have a history of heart disease so you do the right thing, put some nitro under your tongue. No effect, so you put the third nitro pill under your tongue only to again find no change in your chest pain. Finally, you call

I am a school bus driver for Yuma School District 1. As I was picking up a student from Cibola High School who is special needs and requires a wheelchair, I noticed at the entrance of their home they only had wooden stairs that led up to the entrance of their trailer. Every day his mother would struggle to bring him in and out as he was coming a

There are two people at the city of Yuma street department I want to say a big thank you to — Vicky and Kim. When my wife sees a sidewalk or street that has a lot of potholes that is really bad, I call the street department and let them know where the sidewalk is that is buckled so bad to where someone could get hurt and someone co

Phillip Smith told William Hadley that Letters to the Editor were "not a good place to pontificate on 160 years of history." However, most of the responses to Hadley’s article illustrate that we do need to get some lessons in history someplace. Mr. Smith says that the "Lincoln-Douglas debates give better insight into Lincoln’

Each morning I awaken to a new day with expectations that things can only get better. After reading the news, I not only find that things have not improved but are destined to get worse. A simple recap of the current news to support my contention: Yuma has the highest unemployment rate in the country, nearly four times the government est

The beautiful olive trees at the main Post Office have been condemned to death. Apparently, the authority at the Post Office has made a decision to not water these trees. They are over 60 years old and add character to our Post Office.I wrote to the Postmaster a month ago and received no response. Allowing these trees to

I have contacted the Department of Public Works several times about a tree that is on the road. Numerous times I have pulled broken branches from the road. I called in June to complain once again about a branch that was broken and hanging over the road. It appears that the work crew came and pulled the branch down and tossed it next to the fence

Yuma High School Athletic Director Rachel Eggers sounds like a 3-year-old child who doesn't want to share her toys. When asked about a potential football matchup against Yuma Catholic she replied: “My schedule is set. I don't want to talk about it anymore.” Eggers seems to be running from former Criminal All-State Linebacker and YC H

Benghazi, Fast and Furious and now the IRS scandals are all serious charges that need to be addressed, uncovered and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. America is now under siege by forces seeking to destroy capitalism and our constitutional form of government and replace it with Socialism and one rule under the United Nations. The press

I think you missed the bigger problem in your editorial "U.S. action on cell phone data is unacceptable on many levels." Where was your outrage over yet more leaks of classified information — serious breaches of confidential and covert operations? We have now lost two top-secret programs that helped identify terrorist activities. It seems

We are entering the crazy world when a federal judge can declare racial profiling of illegal immigrants is wrong because most come from Mexico and other Central American countries. It is impossible not to rely on profiles to ascertain who meets the criteria of illegal immigrant without including race in the equation. If a six-foot white

I have heard Gabby Giffords and her husband talking a lot about needing more gun laws for some time now BUT I have yet to hear them say one word about rewarding her shooter with free room and board and free medical for the rest of his life. Judging by this kind of system, I fail to see how more gun laws are going to do anything other than keep c

When I was in college in the ’60s, I had a geography professor make statements to us that have stuck with me all these years. He said, "You kids will live, more than likely, to see the day this country will go to war over fresh water." He went on, "Look at what is going on out west. States are draining water from the Colora

I agree with Yuma Police Officer Joe Franklin and Sgt. Leann Worthen that we have to always be on the lookout for street dangers. We have a situation where the vehicle or the pedestrian has to do a great deal to avoid a serious accident. My wife and I walk through this hazard every morning.There is about a 20-foot wide st

Over 78,000 people had a trip to the emergency room in 2007 because of injuries sustained related to horse riding. Over 11,000 of these were head injuries and were the number one reason of hospital admission and the leading cause of death. Concussions account for 5 percent and are more than double that of other major sports. Our children wear he

Thank you current government. Since I am one of the thousands that are being sequestered. I have adapted to your stupidity. I quit smoking (major tax dollars lost). I have been riding my bike and using public transportation to get to and from work (gas taxes money lost). I have decided not to buy a new car in the spring (a collection that compos