Letters to the Editor

Aug. 5, 2007

Seniors railroaded

by downtown tracks

The railroad tracks in downtown Palmer is affecting handicapped residents!

Think road maintenance is a decision for the people? Well when a longtime, homesteaded resident expresses not only concern for others but personal concern for her own physical safety, something should be done.

Whether it is the city's maintenance responsibility or not, it should be a priority. Senior citizens make up a large part of Palmer's population and should be recognized. I'm just one resident speaking out for many.

All this road construction started after the fact that one person calls in hoping to get the gaping holes in the railroad tracks in downtown Palmer fixed, filled with sand, covered with mats or at least looked at! Everyone on the south side of Palmer is greatly affected.

As it is, there's only so much summertime to get out, then add an inability to get into town, it makes for a depressing situation. Maybe if it were recognized as a hazard or simply brought to the forefront that it is unsafe for our seniors, particularly the ones in wheelchairs.

Frankly I find it degrading that we are not as much or more a priority to our state than some new sidewalks. There is no other route than to cross over the railroad to get into town. So, risk losing a wheelchair tire in the tracks or stay home.

Jaime H. Nichols

Wasilla

Appreciates the Lions

Alpine Alternatives wishes to thank the Lions Club and Lions Foundation of District 49A for their generous sponsorship of Camp Abilities. Specifically from this area we would like to thank the Palmer and Wasilla Lions Clubs.

Camp Abilities is a specialized sports camp for blind and visually impaired Alaskan youth. Without the support of the Lions, a camp of this magnitude could not exist. Lions are instrumental in all aspects of the camp. They assist in flying children to camp from rural villages, assist with camp costs and even cook!

The Lions Clubs and Foundation prove that words can be put into action. Lions are truly &#8220knights of the blind.”

Alpine Alternatives Inc.

Thanks for support

The Alpine Historical Society would like to give a public thanks to the Valley Cruzers organization, John and Suzanne Troutner, and William Resinger for the second annual Show and Shine Valley Trash Car Show held July 28.

The event brought dozens of incredible old cars to the Alpine Historical Park in Sutton for a fantastic day in the sun. The Valley Cruzers donated generously in the raffle, split the pot and the cake auction to cover more than a quarter of the historical park's yearly expenses.

Thank you for creating such a grand party and showing so many beautiful cars and trucks. It was an amazing show that brought many people to the Alpine Historical Park in Sutton, and it was an outstanding fundraiser for the Alpine Historical Society.

We hope that the Valley Cruzers will continue a Valley Trash Show at the Alpine Historical Park for many years to come.

Alpine Historical Park Board

Teach the mind,

not the spirit

In an earlier Frontiersman, I read a Religion Views column by Delisa Renideo headlined "Following the path of the heart." In this column Renideo talks about how she was invited to Snowshoe Elementary School to teach children meditation.

She had children practice a three-step meditation process. This method she taught these children is transcendental meditation in disguise. Since when is this type of teaching allowed in our public schools?

The questions I have for the administrators at Snowshoe Elementary School are:

€ Were the parents given the opportunity to approve this type of meditation training for their children?

€ Would it be OK for a local Christian minister to come into your classrooms and teach "biblical meditation?"After all, I read this in a Religion Views column, which leads me to believe that Renideo is the director of some sort of religious organization.

With all the fuss over the separation of church and state, what makes it OK for her to be teaching this in a public school? Does Snowshoe Elementary adhere to separation of church and state or does it allow religious teaching in the classroom?

Furthermore, this outrageous attempt to sneak transcendental meditation into public schools has been a problem in the Lower 48. Am I to believe we are gong to allow this affront to take place in our Valley schools?

Even a superficial search on the Internet will tell you that what Renideo taught has its roots in Eastern religious practices. Shame on Snowshoe Elementary School for allowing this woman into the classroom. What are her qualifications? If Renideo calls this science, it is &#8220junk” science’ at best. What place do snake oil sales have in the classroom? After all, Renideo thinks the heart muscle has an intelligence of its own!

Don't the parents of the children involved have the right to decide what type of spiritual’ training their children get and from whom?

As the new school year begins, let's be sure that none of this is allowed into the classroom. Teaching reading, writing and arithmetic should be the goal of teachers. Morality, religious instruction and ethics should be left to parents.

S.J. Mathis

Palmer