United Way support helps keep meals on the road
Meals on Wheels of Rowan, Inc. is a member agency of Rowan County United Way. Some of you may know us for delivering meals to friends, parents, grandparents and other family members. You may not be aware that we also give comfort and security by helping them remain at home. I personally know how much my grandparents appreciated both the food and encouragement they received every day from Meals on Wheels of Rowan volunteers.
Without Rowan County United Way we could not continue to provide this help to the homebound of Rowan. Meals on Wheels along with the other agencies need you now more than ever. I encourage you to support the Rowan County United Way and the agencies they help. Thank you!
ó Connie Basinger
President, Board of Directors, Meals on Wheels of Rowan, Inc.
We all pay for shoplifters
While waiting in line at a local store last week, I noticed the customer in front of me didn’t place the items on the bottom of their cart onto the belt to be scanned. When I finally made my way to the register, I asked the cashier if she had scanned the items on the bottom of the cart. Her reply was that she didn’t know there were items on the bottom of their cart and that if she couldn’t see them, she couldn’t scan them. She said she didn’t get paid enough to confront people about theft.
I looked to see if the customers were gone. They were. She then informed me it wouldn’t have mattered anyway; carts are occasionally checked at the exits, but no one enforces this, and thieves are allowed to just walk away with items. I made a comment, to no avail, about theft reducing profits, which in turn causes higher prices for me and reduces her chance of receiving a raise. She just smirked and made a smart comment about never getting a raise.
I was in a hurry and too angry to go stand in yet another line at customer service. I called the store after returning home. The manager was not available but I did speak with an assistant manager who sounded appalled. I have very little confidence that he actually did something about the situation.
Why not do what’s responsible? What has happened to holding people accountable for their actions? Are people just too afraid to say anything anymore? It makes me livid that no one holds anyone responsible for anything. If you don’t want to pay for your groceries, just put them on the bottom of your cart; no one will say anything.
ó Salem Dietz
Faith
Help protect animals
The Sept. 20 letter by Tammy Merritt was very well stated. Irresponsible pet owners should be held accountable for their pets. Far too many dogs and cats are left to fend for themselves, wander the streets to get hit by cars and face starvation and diseases. Many dogs are chained up, and some do not have the basic necessities such as shelter, food and water, and are certainly lacking in love and attention.
Animal control does try to find homes for abandoned pets, but most of the animals are gassed to death. This is cruel and inhumane and should be stopped. If you cannot love and care for an animal, please don’t get one.
I think the state should require mandatory spay/neutering, with exceptions made only for reputable and responsible breeders. The only breeders who would object are the ones that operate puppy mills that allow inbreeding, which produces sickness and deformities in their offspring.
Rowan and Cabarrus counties have spay/neuter clinics that charge a very reasonable price. Local veterinary services have clinics for spay/neuter and rabies shots at a reduced rate.
It is up to the animal lovers to contact their legislatures to get laws passed to protect animals and punish people who are cruel and neglectful of their pets. Please support Faithful Friends No-Kill Animal Shelter.
ó Judy Long
Gold Hill
Vote on Nov. 4
Every American of voting age is faced with many choices this November. There are serious pressing issues to consider, and deciding who will get your vote to be our next president is extremely important. I suggest that we all consider whether or not we are happy with this country’s direction over the past eight years. If so, we should all vote for the Republican candidate. If not, we should vote for the Democratic candidate.
Vote for senators and congressmen who will work with and support your presidential choice. Vote for a governor and state legislators who will work for the greater good of the people of North Carolina rather than for special interests or pet projects. Vote for local leaders who will work together to help our communities become stronger.
I believe that our choice of leaders is crucial to building strong communities and a strong nation, and that we need to ask that God’s will be done as we decide and vote on Nov. 4.
ó Judy Davis
Landis
Freedom to all?
This letter is to express my deep disappointment and anger at the person(s) who stole a political sign from my yard. I happen to support the McCain/Palin ticket and gave a monetary donation to the Rowan Republican Party for a yard sign.
I support everyone’s right to their opinion in this and any election. However, it seems that others disagree with this most basic right. I placed the sign in my yard the day after the Republican Convention and since then it has been hit, bent backward, ripped out and now, in the middle of the night, stolen. I find this behavior reprehensible, and I intend to replace the sign immediately. This is my private property, and I have every right to place a sign for any candidate I want in my yard. I also have McCain stickers on my cars; should I now worry that they will be hit by a freedom-loving Democrat?
We all know it was not a McCain supporter who ripped the sign out. I should not have to live in fear of retribution because my political views differ from liberal Democrats. The opposition needs to understand I also have the right to free speech.
ó Sara Harris
Spencer
Election fear factors
If a first name that sounds like “Iraq,” a middle name of “Hussein” and a last name that sounds like “Osama” aren’t enough to scare you into voting for John McCain, then try to remember the friends and associates of Barack Hussein Obama who have a criminal background.
And also his snide remark about those Americans “who cling to their guns and religion.”
Please think. This is serious.
ó Donna Kesler
Cleveland