Short notice at Lebanon field

In response to the Sept. 26 article titled “Airport work takes off”:

The Department of Aviation regrets the short notice for the safety improvement project at the Lebanon State Airport this past summer. Against the risk of loss of federal funding, which continues to be risky, and for the benefit of improved safety, I made the decision to go ahead with this year’s construction plans.

While our fixed base operator was advised of the construction in advance, weather and other factors allowed us only a few days of notice time before the construction commenced. Time was the critical factor. We’ve offered financial assistance to him during this interruption and were able to arrange for parking spaces at nearby Albany Municipal Airport for some displaced aircraft.

Knowing that the FAA currently does not have an approved congressional budget, we thought it best to ensure that this rural airport receive the funding to meet FAA safety standards. We will endeavor to provide more notice time for the balance of the required construction for lighting and navigational aids in next year’s construction season.

Dan Clem, Salem

Dan Clem is director of the Oregon Department of Aviation.

Parents, help Lebanon schools

I think I have heard from both sides more than I care to hear. I think we need to stop and smell the roses. I graduated from Lebanon Union High School and I will say I have a very poor reading level, along with a “C” average in math and writing skills. This problem did not just happen yesterday. Let’s get a grip! I graduated in 1971. It’s been a long time coming and going on.

Mr. Robinson came and made a change that worked elsewhere and before it ever got off the ground people were complaining about it and carrying on. If you were to stop and ask kids in the high school today how they feel about it, you would get: I like it, I deal with it and I hate it.

Ask why they hate it and they say because “my parents” say it’s not how they did it, it’s not how they think it should be done and so on.

I believe if the parents would have stayed out of it, it would have had a better chance in working out. Our daughter transferred to LHS her junior year. She was having problems with her math and her teacher informed her she could come early in the morning or after school and he would help as long as she let him know she was coming.

So three things here: 1) The teacher informed her; 2) she took advantage of it; and 3) as parents we made sure it was happening and working.

You need to stop blaming the teachers for it all. If your child is having problems don’t expect the teacher to fix it all. They should not have to be the teacher and the babysitter too.

Your child needs to take some initiative and admit they need help and seek the help, and you as a parent should be making sure they get the help, if not by the teacher then maybe by you, a friend or a tutor.

Help your children learn. High school is no longer a stopping point for your children, they need to continue on to college or a trade school to get the education to make ends meet these days.

One more time: Parents, take the time with your children and see to their needs.

Judy Cochran, Lebanon

Late starts at schools

I have several questions regarding the late start days at some schools. Has anyone thought about the money being wasted sending the buses out on the extra route?

The teachers are still there getting paid for teaching, and the power being used costs money.

I think that if the students were in school at this time it would make better use of the taxpayers’ money. I still think the signs in front of the schools are a waste of money. They say nothing important.

If they need to spend money, spend it on important things like books.

Robert Clair, Albany

McCain acts like a leader

The reactions of the two candidates to the financial bad news this last week or so showed me more about them than their surrogates, their pronouncements, their press releases and their carefully crafted rhetoric ever could.

When faced with a crisis, Sen. Obama’s instinctive reaction was to pull back. He said he was consulting his advisers. He was so ambiguous when talking about the subject that no one could pin him down as to any specific course of immediate action to take regarding the problem.

Political analysts seem to view this as being “savvy” or “using the rope-a-dope,” waiting for Sen. McCain to endorse an action or make a comment so that it can be ridiculed for political advantage.

Sen. McCain’s reaction, however was quite different. He took immediate action. He said he would fire the head of the SEC. Then he put forth an economic plan to confront the current crisis and reform the system to prevent its recurrence.

Political analysts may not think Sen. McCain’s actions were “savvy.” And in fact, some of those actions may even be adverse to his political aspirations. But my reaction to those actions is that Sen. McCain has what it takes to lead the United States and the world through crisis. He showed initiative, decisiveness and courage. He stepped forward into the fray when others stepped back to huddle with advisers. He put his country first and his potential political advantage second when crisis came.

Ed Sherwood, Brownsville

Palin and Wasilla projects

I disagree very strongly that criticizing Sarah Palin is an insult to women. The insult is that John McCain chose this woman as his running mate.

The majority of her experience is as mayor of a town that is smaller than the Greater Albany School District. In fact, the Greater Albany School District covers about 154 square miles and has roughly 8,900 students. Wasilla covers 12.4 miles and has 7,025 people. As mayor she hired a consultant to get earmarks from the federal government. And he did, $27 million dollars worth.

Ms. Palin then spent $15 million on a rail line linking Wasilla with a ski resort. Of course when 33.6 percent of your population is under 18, recreation is important.

Ms. Bartcher, facts such as these, that even Sen. McCain criticized, are the insult to every woman in America who is trying to make ends meet — and failing because of the price increases of everything from candy bars to gasoline.

And Ms. King, give me a break, Barack Obama stuttering and stammering? This man not only gives speeches that have earned accolades from scholars around the globe — he actually writes them.

Finally, this election is not about who will be vice president. It is about who would bring honor back to the office of the president of the United States. And honor is more than surviving a life-threatening crash, which both John McCain and his first wife, Carol, did. Honor is how you live your life afterwards.

Melody Willard, Lebanon