Letters to the Editor – 9-26-2012
Letters to the Editor – published 9-26-2012
Hi, things are fine in California. On this frac sand issue, I just found out that silicon is the most abundant thing on earth. Frac sand is composed of it too. I was worried about silicates causing health problems. Well if it’s the most abundant thing on earth and people have lived with it for thousands of years, the only frightening thing should be the people that are trying to stop everything. Maybe we should get rid of automobiles too, and then the horses eat and pollute so maybe we should shoot all the animals too. The decaying leaves and matter in the swamps of Georgia and Florida were supposed to put out enough pollution in one year that is more than man has since he started the industrial revolution.
Maybe the foreign oil interests want to stop us so they can sell us their oil. Like they say, follow the money trail and you will come to the truth. Otherwise you might know what to do on these subjects.
Thomas Jefferson is my favorite president, because he said, “If the people do not have the information to wield the power, correctly, do not take the power from them. Give them the information.”
Russ Franko
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For the past ten months or so, the public has become increasingly aware of the growing nad future presence of sand mines in the Dunn and St. Croix county area, as well as to the north and in the Eau Claire and Chippewa county areas. There are certainly arguments on both sides of the frac sand issue, from more jobs, and revenue for some land owners, to the concerns for water and air quality, property values, and what will happen to the mined areas in the future.
One area that this writeer feels has not received enough attention is the safety issue for the public with the increase in truck traffic on our highways and increases in train traffic as well. The mines will bring this increase to our communities when it comes to shipping sand to railroad spurs and processing plants in certain areas. For example, a proposed sand mine near Downing would bring 200 or more trucks per day through the villages of Downing and Boyceville and on their return route to the mine site they will pass through the Village of Knapp. This added trucking will go on 24/7. There is already considerable truck traffic through Boyceville with the grain semis travelling to the ethanol plant.
Sand trains can be seen going through both Knapp and Boyceville on a regular basis already and with the advent of more mines being started in the future in the Knapp hills area in the coming year, we will likely see more truck and train activity in our communities. My concern is for the safety of the residents and children who daily cross the roads and highways that this traffic will be utilizing.
As I understand it, the village of Knapp has no local police force and has had minimal support from the county and state patrol when they have requested more enforcement from them for future increases in truck traffic. Where does this leave the residents when they cross or drive on Highway 12, which these sand trucks will be using seven days per week in some cases.
School bus traffic, children walking or on bikes, the elderly and the general public will be encountering increases in truck traffic. My understanding is that the sand mines pay no maintenance or upgrade fees on state highways, and that is what they try hard to use. The county and township roads can and do generally require that they pay for wear and tear on the roads and needed upgrades. The proposed frac mine near Downing would use state highways all the way to the spur on Highway 12 east of Knapp and return their empty trucks through Knapp and back to the mine on state highways until they reach County Road G.
Thank you for your attention here.
Sincerely,
Pete. J. Holmlund
Boyceville, WI
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President Obama claims he is working to help the middle class.
Actually, Obama contributed to the sub-prime real estate bubble when he sued Citibank and destroyed the real estate investment for seniors whose home equity is typically the main source of funds to secure their retirement. Roughly half of the African-American benefactors of this 1995 lawsuit have gone bankrupt or face foreclosure. Mr. President, stop helping us!
The suit against Citibank plus the progressive legislative policies forcing Fannie and Freddie to loosen requirements for mortgage qualifications were created by egotists determined to push home ownership. In fact, the policies wiped out about $4 trillion in equity once held mainly by the middle class.
Citibank proved that anyone with the required down payment and qualifying salary had been granted a loan and those requirements were racially neutral.Details of threats and intimidation used by Acorn and others are available in Paul Sperry’s The Great American Bank Robbery, which documents factors other than race which shaped the decision to reject some loan applications; http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials/061512-615028-fingerprints-of-obama-on-subprime-foreclosure-crisis.htm, more: http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/03/with-landmark-lawsuit-barack-obama-pushed-banks-to-give-subprime-loans-to-chicagos-african-americans/#ixzz25dUo1HRM.
President Obama blames the housing bubble on GOP deregulation even though President George W. Bush expanded regulations.
Obama runs ads holding Republicans responsible for the economic crisis while omitting his detrimental role in the financial lives of African-Americans and the middle class. http://capoliticalnews.com/2012/06/17/how-obama-bankrupted-black-homeowners/
Progressives manipulate the free markets and then blame the free markets for the failure of liberal policies.
Candidates Romney, Ryan, Duffy, and Rivard oppose this manipulation of free markets. Your vote will determine America’s economic future!
Karen Schroeder, Rice Lake
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America needs a businessman in Washington – not someone who ran on change and blames everything on Bush and the Republicans. Obama change all right, another 6 trillion in debt and a health care program that will stop new small businesses from starting up.
We have had enough lying liberals.
Let’s do something so our grandchildren have a country to be proud of. I have some signs if you know someone who wants any.
Men are like fish – neither would get in trouble if they kept their mouth shut.
Dick Junkans