Where's the State Patrol?
Friday, March 21, 2008 6:25 AM PDT
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I'm confused and very upset. Why do we have laws and who is able to skirt laws?
As a drives, we all have to obey the speed rule and all rules of the road so we can safely follow rules and expect all others to do so. I've traveled from Castle Rock to Longview on I-5. Being somewhat new to this area, I'm wondering where the State Patrol is on I-5.
My concern is directed at truckers who seem to disregard the speed limit, and I mean 90 percent of truckers. I've experienced safety issues and I personally have to break the speed limit to pass them. When it's raining, it is much worse. If trucks are supposed to do 60 mph, I witnessed them doing 70-80 mph. Can we, as cars, do 80-85 mph and not get caught? Where is the highway patrol?
Mike Wind
Castle Rock
Shoot to kill
I am behind Mark Whitaker 100 percent in the shooting of that marauding dog (March 12 Daily News) - but four shots and the dog still crawled off?
Before I was 10 years old, my dad had taught me how to shoot an animal (to kill). We raised beef, hogs and poultry for food back in the '30s. One shot only, placed properly, would kill even a tough old boar hog.
Dad died in 1938. Mom had to get rid of our pigs, but no one wanted the old 900-pound boar hog. Mom would not let us boys kill him with our old single shot .22 caliber target rifle. She called our neighbor Leo. He was the champion deer poacher (killer) of Clallam County and he had a brand new 17-shot .22 caliber long rifle shooter. Leo came over that day, took aim at that old hog through the pole fence and shot him right between the eyes (you don't shoot a pig between the eyes).
Now that old boar shook his head and came right through the fence at Leo; Leo stepped aside, put one round into the back of the hog's neck, then he ran around the orchard with that hog - pumping all 17 shots into the back of hog's head. The hog stopped, shook his head and stood there on spread out legs. Leo was out of ammo. He took out his hunting knife and cut the old boy's throat, kicked him over and walked off the battle field, head held high. Leo knew how to kill a hog (finally).
Bill Staples
Castle Rock
Time for a change
Betrayal is a very strong word, but it describes how I feel about U.S. Rep. Brian Baird and recent decisions of his.
First his support of George Bush's decision on the Iraq troop surge in which he, after four days in Iraq, stated unequivocally that the surge was succeeding. If what we're experiencing in Iraq is success, I think I'll pass.
And for a person who treated my fellow Vietnam War vets for the problems their service in that war caused and shows not the slightest concern in this war with its requirement that our troops serve not one tour but two, three, even four tours in combat is not only a failure of reason but a moral lapse.
Additionally, how dare he vote against the economic stimulus bill which gives back to the people some of their tax dollars which so many desperately need. This may well be his cruelest betrayal of the 3rd District.
I could rant on about Baird's lack of courage in supporting hearings on the Bush administration's illegal activities, the failure to step up and support investigations in fraud and waste in Iraq and his unquestioning support of House Speaker Pelosi, but I won't.
Instead, let me simply say we have an opportunity to set things right. We can elect Cheryl Crist to represent the people of the 3rd District in the manner we deserve.
Jim Hill
Kelso
It should be the law
In this day and age with the average taxpayer under financial pressure to meet their financial household needs, it should be the law that once a year every local governmental agency that receives any portion of their funding as a result of a levy of tax assessment on real or personal property be required to publish in the local newspaper of their operating district a complete and fully detailed listing of actual sources and uses of funds.
How many times have we heard our friends say or spoken the famous phrase: where does all the money go? For example, the recent Castle Rock and Vader school funding issue. I believe it was reported that the spokesperson for Castle Rock schools mentioned something like being pleased with the last vote of support for the operations levy that passed under the recent change to a less than supermajority vote. Now the spokesperson is saying the legislators failed Castle Rock in regard to the Vader school district annexation. Shouldn't the Castle Rock district have made sure the funding was legally binding and in place before agreeing to the annexation?
If I, or any other family, was going to go out and buy a second home, my guess is the bank involved would require some basic information before agreeing to lend the money. In this case, the taxpayer is once again the bank.
Peter L. Moore
Castle Rock
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