A request for an open, public forum
I went to the town meeting to hear the upcoming election officials speak and was displeased with the overall format. I thought the questions of offering tax incentives to get businesses here, budget and taxing issues, fixing the problem properties, etc. were all generalized questions that belonged on an essay in a political science class, but have little merit in getting to know our candidates and their commitment to our community.
At best, any solutions would be complex and open to interpretation; but short of this would be what I witnessed, a short speech to whatever the candidate wanted to say. I was reminded of a math professor who used to tell me, “Try not to look at the general problem, but break the problem down and address the smaller, underlining problems.”
Where was the question: “What would be the first issue you feel needs to be addressed and what solution do you have to offer?” or “Have you witnessed any polices that have had a negative impact on our community and what would you do differently?” Or maybe a follow-up question to either the opening or closing remarks.
Personally, I would have asked about residents that are on government assistance and cannot take care of themselves yet own pets. Would they enforce a spay/neuter policy for these animals that are often tethered to some limb that breaks and compounds the problem? Or maybe a new tether law in general?
If these and other blunt questions where asked, we might have heard immediate concerns about our community and creative solutions. And if not that, we might see who has backbone and is willing to address real problems head on and who wants to be a cheerleader and talk of someone’s positive intentions.
ó R. Gregory Oswald
Spencer
Thanks, Mt. Ulla
Saturday, Oct. 3, was a wonderful day for Mt. Ulla Elementary School. We held our second annual Community Day on our school grounds. The day was filled with fun activities, delicious food, wonderful music, and good company. This event was planned to not only raise money for our PTA, but to showcase the services and individuals who help our community.
Thank you to those individuals and agencies who came and set up a booth. Thank you to our parents and students who came and participated in Community Day. Thank you to our staff members who helped. Thank you to Mr. Rivers, our assistant principal, who kissed a pig in order to help raise money (that was a sight!). Our PTA executive committee, Penny Barger, Don Coggins, Jilda Ramsay, and Michelle Arnold, deserve a huge thank you for all their planning, soliciting of donations, and hard work. Thank you to everyone who brought an item to donate to Rowan Helping Ministries- West. The Mt. Ulla community is a wonderful place. We are closing in on our goal to have an ActivBoard in each classroom. We’re looking forward to next year’s event.
ó Lea Anne Thomas
Mt. Ulla
Thomas is principal of Mt. Ulla Elementary.Delaying treatment
I am a registered nurse working in the Winston-Salem area. I have seen so many people holding off getting care because they could not afford health-care coverage. They’re the very ones who need it the most.
If you are rich, you are afforded the very best that our wonderful technologies provide, but if you are middle or lower class, you might as well forget it.
The insurance companies have had their time in this country to improve their coverage for all Americans but have refused to improve. The message I have received from them is, if you are sick or poor in America, you deserve what you get.
Some of my clients have worked their entire adult lives and, because of retirement or illness, they lost their coverage and were refused coverage or it was so costly they would have to sell everything they owned to pay for it.
When I started working as a nurse assistant at a nursing home in Clemmons 20 years ago, I had better insurance coverage than I do right now as a registered nurse with many years of service in my profession.
I am scared to death of becoming ill myself. What would I do? What will your readers do? What will you do?
Health-care reform is a very difficult issue but one we must face.
ó Cynthia Miller
Clemmons