Coal country residents have true grievances

In response to Lee Price of Ghent, he should realize that his attack on Bo Webb was personal, threatening and slanderous. It is also not based on any facts.

Strip miners do come to where we live and blast us and discharge poison into our water and air. And yes, we are terrorized by the blasts and poison. That is a fact, and it is on every permit the DEP and Army Corps issues. It is a fact.

It is selfish to blast and poison people for “wants” and money. We, on the other hand, just don’t want to be blasted and poisoned. We just want human rights.

Then some of you drive recklessly back to your safe homes somewhere else. Some speed and pass in blind curves, and may fall asleep at the wheel. Most of the litter along the road belongs to you all.

We don’t know about your personal life, and we don’t talk about it in letters.

This coal is finite and will soon be gone, and then what will you do? Coal-fired electricity is rising now and will continue to rise. Solar and wind is the answer. We believe in a just transition, and jobs that fix the destruction of strip mining will last many years.

Figure it out and stand up to the coal barons.

Our ancestors were mountaineers long before they were coal miners.



Sylvia Bradford

Naoma

Not all schools have air conditioning

I would like to take this opportunity to respond to the letter submitted by Shirley Hinkle titled “Pay Attention to the School Calendar Issue.”

No, not all of the schools are air-conditioned. I am an elementary teacher in Raleigh County and there are several schools that are lacking the comfort of a cooled environment. With the current school calendar, there are many days when the temperature in my room exceeds 95 degrees before lunchtime. As you can imagine, this environment is not conclusive to learning, and adding additional days would not be beneficial to the students.

Before the vote is placed to modify the school calendar, I would like to invite the governor and the local legislators to spend a few days in my classroom during the June and August time period.

As an educator, I do not see the absence of a few days as the most pressing issue relating to the success of our educational system. One of the most pressing issues is the lack of interest by many parents in their child’s education. Until more parents or guardians become interested in the success or failure of the students, test scores will not improve by adding 5, 10 or 50 days to the school calendar.



Myrna Maynor

Beckley

Delegate Blair earns applause for stance

My applause to Delegate Craig Blair of Berkeley County regarding drug testing for public assistance. I personally agree with him. I have retired from an office job that required drug testing to get the job, and random drug testing to keep the job.

I was never humiliated and I never felt it was a slap in the face. Instead I felt privileged to be able to put food on the table. Drug testing was never an issue. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to lose. Why should it be so inhumane and humiliating for the receiver of public assistance to be given a drug test? If someone continues to fail a drug test, where is the support money going? Is it to support a habit or is it to support a family?

There are many jobs that require drug testing (a good safety law) where the employees work hard and are supporting the public assistance programs. So why should drug testing for the receiver be such a debate? Could it be someone fears that one day their job may require drug testing?

Mr. Blair, don’t give up. You have support in Raleigh County.



Jane Boyd

Glen Morgan