They checked out Sand Ridge

Sand Ridge Charter School was created in 2001, after operating as an alternative school for three years. Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer were not on the Lebanon School Board at that time. In all those years not one school board member came out to see what we were about. I was talking to one of the board members from that period the other day, and they said they were told not to visit any of the schools in the district.

Rick Alexander showed up one day about four years ago to see what a charter school is. He found out we are not monsters and a choice for families in the district.

People have been fed false information about Sand Ridge from some of Lebanon’s finest. One of the gross untruths is that we cost the district money.

Sand Ridge Charter School is a district school. Our assessment scores are figured in with the district scores. The district this year will keep $1,200-plus per student that we educate. The district will keep $7,200-plus for any special ed students, of which I believe at last count we have about 15. The district this year will keep about $400,000 before we add in the “title funding.” We have been in operation going on 10 years; you do the math: We do not cost the district money!

Rick Alexander and Josh Wineteer have cared enough about the district to at least check us out. Please support these men who have had enough guts to stand up for what is right! They are not part of the “good ol’ boy club.” Vote no on the recall.

Mary Northern, Brownsville

What they say about pride

I have read somewhere that “pride goes before a fall.”

On the front of Tuesday’s paper, South Albany High School had all its students get together to spell out the word pride. Is this really what we want our Albany students to be participating in?

Matthew Cook, Albany

Hospice helps people

I want to express my humble gratitude and thanks to the wonderful people of Evergreen Hospice of Albany. They have been and are still helping me take care of my terminally ill husband now and for over a year.

The RN nurse, CNA bath and respite care, social worker and the volunteers. These wonderful people have been there for us 24/7.

Hospice has made this transition in our lives as comfortable and easy as possible. They have furnished us with a walker, wheel chair, hospital bed, oxygen, all of his heart medicines and any other medicines my husband needs for his comfort care. Including all other supplies and items it takes to take care of a bed-ridden terminally ill patient. All of this is of no out-of-pocket cost to us.

For anyone reading this who has a terminally ill family member, and you don’t use the services of hospice, well, you are missing this “great support and caring group” of people who are there for you and the whole family to help you all through this difficult time.

Jean Baker, Sweet Home

Doctrine? Who cares?

In response to Kenneth England’s letter, Sept. 22, entitled, “Stumbled on ‘Bush Doctrine.’”

Since when is knowing the “Bush Doctrine” a prerequisite for becoming vice-president?

What difference does it really make if Sarah Palin does not know the Bush Doctrine?

Doctrines, beliefs and ideologies will change with each new incoming administration, and people will vote based on a persons’ experience and wisdom.

Did she stumble? Perhaps, but who hasn’t, and in the long run it won’t make a bit of difference.

Michael Wall, Albany

No love for McCain

Reasons not to vote for John McCain:

McCain is too old (72) to become president in this high-tech new century.

McCain has voted 90 percent of the time with George Bush.

McCain has supported permanent tax cuts to the wealthy making $250,000 and above. Our country needs those taxes to support Social Security and health care for all of its U.S. citizens.

McCain supports continual war, stating that we could be in Iraq for 100 years.

McCain was captured during the Vietnam War for close to six years. If you know any of the Vietnam veterans, you know many came home damaged psychologically. McCain is damaged; age has made it worse.

McCain picked an unqualified running mate, not vetted by any primary process.

McCain has a record of being a hot-headed man who will not listen to reason from anyone. He is dangerous and not a diplomat.

McCain has no real intention of diversifying this country’s energy policy. He is in bed with the oil companies and their massive tax cuts and revenue collected at all of the tax payers’ expense.

McCain does not have the intellect to stay focused or on his feet with foreign leaders. Bush never did either. This has harmed the U.S. image in the world.

Final analysis: A vote for John McCain and his running mate will be a tragic mistake in this new century with all of the problems our country must solve. Our president needs the intellect and the energy to move us toward correcting the failed policy of the last eight years. The only candidate running with the energy for that job is Sen. Barack Obama. Give him a chance, will you?

Bill Looney, Shedd

Say it again about cats

Well said, Linda Dighton! (“No place for unwanted cats,” Mailbag, Sept. 19.) OK, Albany and Linn County officials, are you listening? I think Linda’s letter is worth another run in the Editor’s Mailbag.

April Schulte, Albany

Pushed my button on McCain

I simply wished to respond to Mr. Steve Geddes from Sept. 11. These are thoughts that had been on my mind for some time now, and the letter pushed my “write to the editor ” button.

Mr. Geddes, what is it about McCain’s and Palin’s inexperience that bothers you? Barack Obama has far less experience in public office than they, yet he seems to be acceptable. Funnily enough, Sen. Hillary Clinton hit the nail on the head with her statement: “John McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House. Obama has a speech he made in 2002.”

One more thing, “The party that lied us into an unnecessary war ...” Firstly, the “unnecessary war” was supported by this country’s citizens when it first started. Secondly, the intelligence was put together under the Clinton administration not Bush’s. Who’s fooling who?

Keith Staneart, age 15, Lebanon

MAILBAG GUIDELINES: Letters must bear the writer’s full name and address, but we’ll omit the street address in the paper. Please include a daytime telephone number. Letters should be as brief as possible and are subject to editing and abridgement.