Need help against nutria

We need your help. We own a duplex on Foxwood Court - it is near Marion and 24th S.E. There are several duplexes in the neighborhood. Behind them are trees, bushes and lots of overgrowth, probably 2 to 5 acres.

There are many nutria living there, and they multiply rapidly. We have called the city but unfortunately they only kill nutria near waterways.

First of all our concern is for the children who play outside. The nutria poop all over the sidewalks, patios and lawns. It is gross and a health issue.

We were told to hire a trapper. They charge $85 to $100 to set up a trap and then $45 for each animal. This could be very expensive.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. We aren't allowed to shoot them because it is in the city.

Shirley Heibert, Albany

Consider retailers' side

I would like to respond to Mr. Felde's letter regarding retailers taking 50 percent off. Do you know how many people the retailers of the valley employ? If the retailers followed your advice, having sales at 50 percent off, they would not be able to stay in business for long. I know the mark up is very high on some items, however, the cost of doing business is also very high. The retailers at the mall pay a lot in just their lease payments monthly; the companies need to pay their employees, along with all the other utilities, and let's not forget the people behind the scenes, running the operations of the daily business. In my observation, Mr. Felde, your plan would be much worse for the recession.

The true meaning of Christmas has been lost, it's not about buying gifts. Some ways to save money on gifts are: Buy the Sunday D-H, it is packed full of ads, or search the Web.

Kelly Becker, Albany

No action on car break-in

As a resident of Albany for several years now I have dealt with many things in this town, but none disgusts me more than the fact that we pay for police to do their jobs, yet when a person is victimized they don't have time to come and even take a personal report or fingerprint so that they could actually catch these criminals that break into our vehicles in the middle of the night.

All they took was our GPS unit, some change, and rifle ammunition but the information in it was personal to us. Where your friends and family are located; what if they become the next victim?

And it wasn't like it was sitting in the open, it was in the glove box. They didn't even take the charge cord or the window clamp. There was even a picture of our children on the screen and when you do not know what type of person it was that took your things, you wonder if your children are safe.

I have to say that I am very happy that we are moving now, because if you can't even get an officer for a break-in, felony or not, then what is the point of trying to lock your vehicle in the first place.

You might as well leave it unlocked, it would cost less when it comes to replacing the lock and having it rekeyed. God forbid they had broken into our home!

Samantha Farnsworth, Albany

Waterboard Bush?

With Bush Derangement Syndrome approaching epidemic proportions, liberals are salivating to punish our president for winning the Senate-approved and -funded war in Iraq, and stopping every Islamofascist terrorist attack in the U.S. for 2,645 days. There arises the distinct possibility that, in the case of George W. Bush, liberals will reconsider their opposition to sleep deprivation and waterboarding.

Larry A. Smith, Shedd

Permits for disabled

First of all I would like to thank Officer Carl Vandee for his leniency toward my parking violation. He made my Christmas a whole lot brighter. I would like to thank Walmart for purchasing extra electric carts. They were very much needed.

On Dec. 5 I forgot to hang my disability permit in my window. I was wrong, and I am sure many others have done the same thing. For a long time I put it in the corner of my window, but the sun began to fade it out so I quit doing that, and stuck it on my sun visor. Then I forgot to pull my visor down so it could be seen - my fault!

It says right on the permit to remove it from your mirror before driving. Many people don't, just for this reason, I believe, so they won't forget to put it up when they get into the parking space.

There has to be a better way. Like maybe have us all go back to our doctors and get re-evaluated and if you are deemed disabled, have our doctors write us out a new permit. Take the new permit to the DMV and there they would issue a new see-through permit that sticks on the inside, lower part of our windshield.

That brings me to my next thought, if you're entitled. Over the years it seems you can get a parking permit for even a tooth ache. Many times I have gone to different places of business with my wife and have not felt good enough to go into the store with her. So I drive the car to a regular parking place and wait for her. As I am waiting many times I see people using these disabled parking spots I believe are in violation of the law. I believe some of them are what you call caregivers using their patient's car without having the patient with them.

I have seen young people with those great big high-tired pickups that I would need a ladder to get into, pull into these parking spots and jump out of them with no problem whatsoever, and run into the store. Disabled?

And I would not be surprised if many of the parking permits are being remarked (the dates and years) with people's own felt markers.

David R. Thornbrough, Sweet Home

No fond memories

In a recent TV interview, outgoing President George W. Bush was asked how he thought he would be remembered in history, and he gave his usual nebulous answer. I can tell him how he will be portrayed in future history books: He will be famous for wasting away a Clinton budget surplus; getting the United States into two wars out of which we will not in the near future see ourselves honorable extricated; and, not only did we find America in a depression, this president with his ill-advised policies was able to move the entire world into an economic catastrophe. Mr. Bush, you will be remembered, but it won't be fondly. Those retired and folks living on fixed incomes have you to thank for the mess we find ourselves in. Thank Goodness the president can only serve two terms - Lord knows, your eight years will take decades to repair.

Douglas Bauer, Albany