LETTER

Letter to the editor: There are many reasons we need a quiet zone here

The whistles blow, and blow and BLOW. Conversations stop and wait for the whistle noise to subside. We can’t stop the trains from going through town, but we CAN stop the constant whistles. We CAN stop the UNNECESSARY noise! A quiet zone would do that and more.

By Pam Phillips , May 04, 2009

Letter to the editor: I don’t understand why quiet zone is up for another vote

Why do we need to vote again on the quiet zone? I am referring to an upcoming vote regarding the Jamestown quiet zone. Is this another grant-driven project? Previously, our city thought it necessary to spend approximately $1 million on the First Street West Bridge (traffic estimated at around 20 vehicles using the bridge per day).

By Rex Tottingham , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: Quiet zone is a chance to help out our downtown

The issue of how to help the downtown of Jamestown was number one in a survey that was taken back in 2003 or 2004. While we have made considerable progress in recent years in adding new and great businesses to our downtown, we still need to make additional improvements.

By Dave Smette , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: Quiet zone will make crossings safer in city

On May 5, Jamestown residents will vote whether or not to make the railroad crossings in Jamestown safer. While approval of the measure will silence the annoyingly loud train horns as required by the federal Swift Rail Act, the real benefit to Jamestown drivers and pedestrians will be significantly safer crossings.

By Ken Schulz , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: District 29 lawmakers fail to respect their constituents

Why are the legislators from District 29 defying the decision of North Dakota voters to establish a tobacco-use prevention program?

By Charles Linderman, Carrington, N.D. , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: God’s opinions matter more than an entertainer’s

I’m writing this in response to a letter titled, “What would John think of lawmakers’ actions?” I’m fully aware how “politically incorrect” it is in 2009 to actually have the audacity to stand for something as “old fashioned” as the infallible word of the living God.

By Lance Caldwell , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: Become an organ donor and maybe save someone’s life

As a member and representative of the Boy Scouts and a member of the Order of the Arrow (Scouting’s national honor society), I would like to present a very worthy cause to the people of Jamestown and to the surrounding area.

By John Kubenski Jr. , May 02, 2009

Letter to the editor: Legislators act as a check on initiated measures

The level of rhetoric in regard to SB 2063 (initiated Measure 3) is rising faster than the rivers of North Dakota of late. To be clear, we have never been against the implementation of Center for Disease Control and Prevention best practices standards or the level of funding, only the wasteful provisions of SB 2063. We could have simply passed it, held a press conference and pointed to a pile of money we blindly gave a new government office (with little oversight), while ignoring the fact a great deal of money was being tossed away on office space and unneeded employees. The right thing to do in the case of SB 2063 was to stop a good but flawed bill and fix the problem.

May 01, 2009

Letter to the editor: Cable company did a great job in covering floods

was amazed by what I saw during the video of Jamestown’s flooding on Cable Service Inc. on Monday evening. I had no idea how bad the flooding was until seeing all that water everywhere. We are lucky to have such a fine cable service provider, CSi. When ever there is an event I can’t go to, or a disaster, etc., CSi is there and I can see it from my home. Thanks to the cameramen who braved the elements to report the happenings.

By Erwin G. Schauer , May 01, 2009

Letter to the editor: Downtown does not need a quiet zone to prosper

The time to vote on the issue of the quiet zone is drawing near. The way I see it there are two sides on this issue. On the one hand we have people who want downtown to be a quieter and nicer place to be and on the other we have people who need to get across the tracks.

By Tim Gutschmidt , May 01, 2009

Letter to the editor: Support quiet zone to help out our local businesses

I am writing to you today to express my support and encourage others to support the Quiet Zone initiative and vote “yes” on May 5. Having lived in Jamestown most of my life I find this is one of those rare opportunities where we will be able to vote for something that will have an obvious and positive impact on our community. I currently reside outside of the city limits, but my place of business remains in the city and I pay taxes to the city.

By Charlie Skeel , May 01, 2009

Letter to the editor: Loud, blasting horns must be done away with

The citizens of Jamestown have a unique opportunity to share in voting on May 5. The vote on this special day is for an opportunity to provide safety for the citizens of Jamestown as well as provide an opportunity for some quiet. I would ask the citizens of Jamestown to vote “yes” on the quiet zone measure.

By Gary M. Riffe , May 01, 2009

Letter to the editor: Closure of crossing not a separate issue with zone

After my letter regarding the quiet zone, I got a copy of the quiet zone assessment as prepared by SRF Consulting Group Inc. for the City Council. It seems to be well done and its conclusions well presented in this report.

By Harvey R. Jensen , April 30, 2009

Letter to the editor: Democrats acting wrongly on health care reform

I love the irony. The same day Democratic-NPL hack Brad Mills called right-wingers “self-righteous, drunk-on-power hypocrites,” Senate Democrats moved to limit the opposition’s ability to kill a poorly considered health care reform package (Bloom-berg — April 24, “Democrats Agree to Fast Track for Health Care Revamp”).

By Dan Tweten , April 30, 2009

Letter to the editor: Lawmakers should keep Measure 3 intact

For the past decade or more the North Dakota Legislature has shown little regard for public health in the area of tobacco control and prevention. It does this by allocating tobacco settlement funds in such a way that it prevents tobacco settlement dollars from being allocated to critical prevention and cessation services. As a consequence, using our beautiful system of democracy, citizens of North Dakota got together and with their votes made it clear to their legislators that public health was important and tobacco control and prevention was vital.

By Melany Jenkins , April 29, 2009