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2/23/10
A different perspective on airport plans I would like to provide another perspective to John Raynor's letter in the Feb. 2, 2010 Post. I live on the north side of the airport and, as a result, am intimately involved with the current issues. • The Port / FAA airport safety upgrade plan does address the "mobile home park" and the trees, etc. penetrating the protection zone but the mobile home park is not the first priority. • The safety upgrades, in part, addresses the proximity of the roads via relocating the ends of the runway. • "Through The Fence" would become an issue if the Port does accept federal money, and I hope they do. "Through The Fence" comes from Congress wanting some assurances when federal money is spent. This is a matter between the FAA/Port and the north side property owners and is being address appropriately by all concerned. It is not a public issue. • I do not understand Mr. Raynor's second paragraph. Does he not want to operate the airport in a safe manner? I think it would be of great concern if the Port does not want to operate the airport in a safe manner. • The Port will not lose control of the airport if they accept federal funds. If you were giving someone some money, to make some improvements that you think are important, wouldn't you want to have some basic assurances that the improvements were going to be made and maintained over a reasonable period of time? That's all the FAA wants. Why wouldn't we want to make our airport safer and, in the process, receive $150,000 a year to maintain it. That is unless there is a covert plan to get rid of the airport. Robert E. Elliott Pass universal health care bill I was raised in Camas and graduated from Camas High in 1967. Thirty years ago, I moved to England and have in-depth experience of England's National Health Service (NHS). I can only report good things about the quality of care. When I arrived in the United Kingdom (UK) the then new Conservative Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, had begun privatizing one nationalized industry after another; British Petroleum (BP); British Telecom (BT); British Gas and the list goes on and on but the one thing she never touched was the NHS. Why? Because it works. Not one UK citizen will ever lose his or her home if they become ill--not one. No one fears ill health because they receive free medical help and our taxes really are not any more exorbitant than most Americans experience. Opponents have created myths about health care. Here is my experience in the UK: All emergency cases seen immediately. All children's aliments treated immediately and well, the UK has one of the most outstanding free children's hospitals in the world--Great Ormond Street. You choose your own local doctor. Your doctor makes house calls, yes, house calls. There are waiting lists for non-emergency cases, but anyone with cancer or an urgent heart problem is seen quickly by experts. You can combine private health care (offered by some employers or self-financed) with national health coverage so that any non-urgent treatment can be paid for privately and you are seen more quickly for non-urgent health problems. A private specialist is the same doctor you will see on the NHS only he or she is paid on a private basis outside his or her NHS work, i.e. you receive the same level of expert attention whether private or public These are just a few of the huge benefits that those who live in England enjoy. I urge each and every American to write to his or her congressional representatives to urge them to pass a universal health care bill. I guarantee it will be good for you, your family and America. Linda Jorgenson Support CEF and students On Feb. 11 and 12, I joined with Camas Educational Foundation board members and volunteers to form a "Prize Patrol" that fanned out across the district to award $25,000 in mini-grant funding to teachers, staff, students, and parents who competed for these awards. Seeing the smiles and gratitude on the recipients' faces reminded me of why we at CEF work so hard to support innovation and enhanced curriculum across the district. Over the course of two years, your CEF mini-grants will touch every student in the district -- some multiple times. Many of these investments will be used for years to come. This year's funded programs range from the "One School, One Book," program at Prune Hill, to microscopes for Skyridge, reading assessment programs for Dorothy Fox, a puppet theater for Grass Valley, and an artist-in-residence to design a mural for the new Hayes Freedom building. Every school is impacted and with your support, we funded assemblies, arts literacy, sports, science and more. If you receive a call from a district student on March 2, 3 or 4, please donate generously to the CEF Phone-a-Thon. Our goal is to raise $25,000 -- the exact amount we just awarded. The Camas community can be very proud to live ina small town with a big heart that truly values and supports their schools. Ron Gompertz |
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