>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

The city of La Grande requires property owners to keep the city sidewalks repaired in front of the homeowner's property. Never mind that the sidewalks are for the benefit of the public, the same as the streets and never mind that the city's tree roots are what damages the sidewalks.

However, the ultimate frustration occurs when the property owner goes to the large expense and hard work of replacing such damaged sidewalks only to have what appears to be young vandals ride their bikes back and forth through the fresh cement and even walk through it.

Since the city will not pursue such vandalism, it is up to us as parents to check our children's shoes and bicycles for cement residue and to take appropriate action in order to teach them to respect the hard work and added expense going into the sidewalks throughout the community by the homeowners.

Eric and Lindsay Rynearson, La Grande

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I appreciate the many people who stopped and assisted me on Tuesday afternoon, July 25, when I had a rollover accident on Hunter Road.

Even though I don't know all of their names I will never forget how much they did for me. I am healing very well physically. The mental trauma is harder to shake off. This was the most terrifing experience I have ever had in my life. Each and every one who stopped and helped keep me calm and treated my medical needs will have a special place in my heart.

I know without your presence at the scene I would have been in much worse shape. God Bless every one of you.

I would also like to remind people to wear your seatbelts, always. My car was totaled but I walked away with just some very bad bruises.

Lynn LaRue, Summerville

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My wife and I just finished reading the 2006 special edition Everyday Heroes. It brightened our day.

While we personally know only four of those featured, I'm confident all of those included are equally deserving.

During this hectic time in our world, when almost all of the news is focused on what is going wrong, this edition is a small reminder of all the things that are going right, which almost never get mentioned. Thanks for reminding us that there is a bright side that we seldom see recognized.

Just as an after thought, why doesn't The Observer try to do this more often? I'm not suggesting that you need more special editions, but features about good people doing good things would help offset the many negative images we get of our community, state, nation and world as we watch and read our daily news.

Lee Insko, Elgin

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It's not often that Christmas comes in July. But that's exactly what happened for the Santa Claus Mall.

The Santa Claus Mall is a non-profit event that occurs each year, co-sponsored by the La Grande Lions Club and the National Guard Armory. It provides an opportunity for low-income children to shop for gifts for their families, all items being new and priced up to $5, and low-income families are able to shop because of generous donations.

Donated items are sold at the donation table at the mall. Of course, the mall opens up later in the day for everyone to shop, and all proceeds go back into the mall fund for the following year.

Christmas came in the form of a truly astonishing gift from Red Cross Drug in La Grande. Following their clearance sale, many items, all of high quality and all brand new, were donated for sale at the mall this year.

The generosity of Red Cross Drug is staggering. They gave a total of $9,300 worth of merchandise. We can hardly express our gratitude to Red Cross Drug for this truly selfless act. A mere thank-you does not seem enough.

We can guarantee, however, that these items will light up the faces of children and adults alike this Christmas, and for that, we are truly grateful.

We are always pleased, but not usually surprised, at the magnitude of giving that we experience in this community; after all, Union County is filled with generous and caring people and businesses.

Nevertheless, we are still in awe at what Red Cross Drug has done for our effort on behalf of the children of Union County.

We hope to see you at the Santa Claus Mall in December.

Mary Tolles, Darleen Hendon, John Rinehart and Donna Brownlee, all of La Grande, and Cheryl Haefer of Cove

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The following facts are representative of the present downward spiral of social and economic justice, and proof of the largest transfer of wealth in American history. It was only 10 years ago when CEOs first out-earned workers by 100 to 1.

Back in 1965, CEOs in major corporations earned 18 times more than an average worker. Today, the ratio is 286 to 1. Since 1980 the average middle-class salary has only grown by six percent when adjusted for inflation. Over 4.5 million family-wage jobs have been permanently outsourced or eliminated since 1995 and for the first time since the Great Depression, we have had a five-year period of net job loss and decrease in wages from 2001-2005; that in spite of labor productivity being at an all-time high.

The time has come to put aside our petty differences and join together to form a massive and overwhelming solidarity movement and majority to bring about an end to the wage race to the bottom. The simple act of actually voting for progressive candidates representing populist economic principals, in lieu of contrived social wedge issues, would, in essence, create a massive worker union, both in labor and professional capacities.

Staunch capitalists will claim this reeks of protectionism and is anti-free market. In actuality, it is Big Corporate entities that are currently legislating self-serving protectionism behind the pretense of free trade, free markets and deregulation solely as profiteering mechanisms devised to facilitate obscene corporate profits to a select few in lieu of domestic job creation, living wages, health care benefits, labor laws and environmental protection.

By definition, both capitalism and free trade are sound economic principals. However, devoid of adequate regulatory oversight, the playing field becomes grossly unbalanced and further marginalizes an under-represented middle-class when left unchecked.

Chris Perry, La Grande