Viewpoints

Rev. Duane Smith

To the Editor:
In a recent letter to the editor from Lowell Engle, he stated that Rep. Patti Ruff’s efforts to secure adequate funding for Iowa schools was a “pet project” for “big spending politicians.” So educating our children for the future and continuing to provide them with a world class education is a pet project?

by State Senator Mike Breitbach

The following is by my clerk, Barbara, who has been helping me with my work this legislative session.

by State Representative Patti Ruff

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus

by Steve and Robin Oden

To the Editor:
I would like to call attention to the public on hog confinements. Wake up and take notice. Maybe now you don’t have one next to your place, but I promise you, you will if these are not strictly regulated. Your governor and Iowa congress make the laws for the DNR who will pass the matrix for anywhere and anything goes. They will pollute our streams and rivers with bacteria and nitrogen-laden run-off. The air will be toxified due to ammonia and hydrogen sulfide emissions and the DNR told me twice there are no regulations for that. All factories have regulations, why don’t these? The buildings increase asthma in our children and other respiratory illnesses from breathing the air. The confinements have become breeding grounds for lethal MRSA and people living near these have a higher incidence of MRSA contamination in their bodies.

by State Representative Patti Ruff

by State Senator Mike Breitbach

by Dick Schilling, Editor Emeritus