Letters and Comments for February 3, 2010

Letters and Comments for February 3, 2010

Protect public safety

To the Editor:

I moved back to La Grande after being gone for 30 years. Things have changed a lot, but one thing hasn’t changed.

I moved here from Vancouver, Wash., to take care of my dad. Now he’s gone and I’m back here.

But in every city/county in the U.S., city and county governments want to cut public safety first from their budgets. Did any of you read the story in the paper on Jan. 29 about the car fire with only two firefighters to fight the fire while two others were on an ambulance call?

So cut public safety. What if that was your car on fire, but the only two firefighters were on an ambulance call? Or the other way around? Who do you blame?

Why not cut your pay first to keep our firefighters or wait the next time your house is on fire or you have a medical problem. Guess you’ll have to wait until the only two firefighters can get there.

Michael Brasure

La Grande

Library: City’s heartbeat

To the Editor:

Just like a healthy body needs a strong, working heart, La Grande’s Cook Memorial Library keeps the community’s blood oxygenated and circulating.

Centrally located, the number of good blood cells, i.e., books and audio-visual materials, circulating, has increased steadily to more than 169,440 items checked out during the 2008-2009 fiscal year. Also, many community programs on a wide range of topics are sponsored by the library, attracting a diverse audience who can build a more robust citizenry through dialog. I saw this principle in action during a “how to plan and start a spring garden” workshop last year.

Just as sluggish brain cells can be revitalized by an infusion of fresh blood, the reading and literacy programs for youth and families at the library can foster a greater love of learning, benefitting the entire community. In total during the 2007-2008 fiscal year, more than1,600 people attended various programs.

During my own visits to the library, I notice how popular and busy the nine public computers are, and the free WiFi connections attract a good number of users with laptops as well. There’s always a crowd of library lovers reading newspapers, magazines, books, browsing the shelves, etc.

Lastly, in my opinion, the staff and volunteers of CML are “public service treasures and emergency medics” ready to put out computer and printer fires when they don’t work, and in rescuing us in the book stacks when items go missing! Seeing our panic looks, they respond quickly with compassion.

Bottom line: Cook Memorial Library open hours should not be cut back any further. We must find ways to meet the budgetary shortfall and raise funds to keep the “heartbeat of La Grande” open, vital and circulating.

Liang Ho

La Grande