Help us with nutria invasion

I’m writing to compliment the city on what they are doing to control the nutria in the city, but they are doing nothing about a large breeding area of several acres south of Harvest Baptist Church between Marion and Ferry streets. I’ve lived in the area for 14 years and it gets steadily worse.

About two weeks ago, they invaded my backyard, destroying about $200 worth I’d planted last spring. A year or more ago, a neighbor paid trappers $600 to clean 17 out from under a shed. My next-door neighbor had her yard damaged, and the problem is too big for neighbors alone to handle.

Help! For the whole neighborhood.

Mildred Kilchenmann, Albany

Don’t like Brownsville? Then ...

This letter is in response to Charlie Stoakes’ comments about life in Brownsville as he sees it (“Want to trade for Brownsville?” Mailbag, Nov. 7, 2007).

Since Mr. Stoakes seems to have some issues about living in his Brownsville home near what he dubs “historic ‘Marijuana Central,’” and since he views the Brownsville City Council as “laced with ex-Californians intent on turning Brownsville into a bargain-priced Hollywood North,” and since Mr. Stoakes (who operates a business in historic downtown Brownsville) labels the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce as “an actors’ and artists’ guild masquerading as a chamber of commerce,” might I make a suggestion?

Perhaps Mr. Stoakes should heed the advice given to so many ex-Californians by certain disgruntled Oregonians: “If you don’t like it here, go back to where you came from.” Or, if that particular shoe doesn’t fit, perhaps these patriotic words will: “Love it or leave it.“

Yolonda Movita Tauzer, Brownsville

The writer says she’s “an ex-Californian but not a council member.”

Advice for next Halloween

I’ve had a chance to organize my thoughts in the week since Halloween. I spent that evening with a friend of mine at her home in one of the nicer neighborhoods in Lebanon, as I have for the past five to six years. There are 15-20 neighborhood children, if you include grandchildren. We had 601 trick-or-treaters in two hours and 15 minutes. That’s 601 kids in 135 minutes, an average of 4.4 kids per minute. The numbers are boggling, and somewhat distressing.

Please don’t misunderstand. Most of the children were sweet and very polite. When my friend prompted some of the younger ones to say the magic words — “Trick or treat” — they invariably said please. Most said thank you as loudly as they said the magic words. We especially enjoyed the honeybees, chickens, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Following the lead of Jeff Foxworthy, I have some thoughts for next year.

You might want to rethink trick or treating if:

• You’re taller than the person answering the door.

• You have to shave before you put on your Halloween costume.

• You have to put the caller on your cell phone on hold to say “Trick or treat.”

• You’ve been wearing a D-cup bra for more than five years.

• You live in (any) city limits and drive more than four blocks to get to the target neighborhood.

• You can drive yourself to the target neighborhood.

• You’re handing out business cards.

One last thought: If the lights are out the candy’s gone.

Terri Burr, Lacomb

Cat solution: Here it is

The city council says no more cat talks.

Judging from the overflowing shelters and the numerous letters to the editor, cats are a huge problem. Even their owners don’t want them or they’d keep them at home.

Simple solution: Dog and cat owners observe the same ownership laws. All pets are licensed and confined to the owners’ property. Owners are responsible for damage to others’ property and strays can be removed to the pound and euthanized if unclaimed.

These laws have worked for years for dogs. There is no reason they can’t work for cats.

No one should be able to keep a public nuisance, and taxpayers should not be required to pay for neutering the stray animals that are shredding their patio furniture and soiling their flower beds.

I can already hear a lot of amens to that.

I’m sorry if this letter has emotionally upset our mayor and council members.

Kay Derosia, Albany