… All sludge is not created equal

The sewage industry will be quick to point out land applied sewage sludge as highly regulated by the EPA, but who is watching? Who is regulating? I believe if you look into it you will find it is the honor system where the sewage industry regulates itself.

The true regulators are the affected citizens who file complaints. Otherwise the U.S. and state regulators think all is well and will not actively seek out non compliance which runs rampant. After all, how could they regulate hundreds of thousands of dump sites?

— Craig Monk

Eighty-five percent of land applied sludges come from large industrialized urban centers. Sludge contains not only PCBs and superbugs, but most of the toxic waste that every industry, every hospital and every business can legally discharge into sewage treatment plants. As pollutants are removed from the sewage, they collect and concentrate in the resulting sludge.

The amount of these pollutants and how they interact is unpredictable and depends on what a particular industry has discharged into sewers on a particular day. No municipality has the funds to test sludge every day. No lab has the funds or expertise to test for complex chemical/ pathogenic mixtures. There are too many variables.

— Caroline Snyder

Nearly every product sold comes with an ingredient list!

— Myra Dotson

… The demise of worker loyalty

Loyalty runs both ways, Far too many companies do little to grow then keep good employees. Cuts in hours and benefits and stagnant wages and virtually no advancement opportunities often make it impossible for people to remain.

— Ron Turbyfill

Companies can not remain viable and profitable by paying excessive wages and funding unnecessary programs. The days of paternalistic employers are long gone.

— Barney Barnhardt

The American people need to begin their transition from being an employee to becoming self-employed/entrepreneur. Job losses due to outsourcing and globalization will continue and the invasion of robots and machines (automation) has begun to further destroy jobs.

— Thomas McFreeman

Author, “The Art of Debt Guerrilla Warfare”

… Cub Scout, 9, receives Honor Medal for rescuing parents in house fire –

Zane and his family are but one example of how Scouting in Rowan County has benefited our youth, their families, as well as our local communities.

The Boy Scouts of America has more than one million volunteers working together for the sole purpose of helping its nearly three million youth succeed in life. …

The Central N.C. Council is a member agency of the Rowan County United Way, a health and human services agency that supports 16 member agencies. All money raised for the Rowan County United Way’s agencies stays local and helps citizens in Rowan County.

For additional information or to join Cub or Boy Scouting, contact John C. Barden, Rowan District Executive, at 704-982-0141, Ext. 252 or John.Barden@scouting.org

— John Barden

… Letter-writing now a ghost  of Christmases past

The art of writing letters is being lost, as abbreviations replace words in today’s world of social media. Public education, it seems, puts as much or more emphasis on making sure students aren’t “bullied” on Facebook or other sites as it does teaching actual handwriting skills. But history often repeats itself, and who knows — maybe the art of letter-writing may one day again emerge as a popular and productive pastime?

— Steve Pender

…City hires new Fibrant director

Very proud of my son Kent!

— Donald Winrich

These folks don’t know how lucky they are in finding a man of Kent’s talents.

— George Hathaway

… Rowan’s new beginning

I thought the article was pretty fair, and Edds was elected by the largest number of voters. I know many of us think he is a Sides clone, but I think we should give him a chance to prove us wrong before we begin raking him over the coals

— Axel Tavastia

Fingers crossed …

— Karen Puckett

… Dr. Ada Fisher: Race still matters when you’re not white

I think this is the best op-ed I’ve ever read regarding race. Thought-provoking, articulate, and reasonable; a perfect starting point for anyone wishing to have an honest conversation.

— Steve Pender

This is very well stated and I would like to share this for others to read. Thank you Dr. Fisher for making sense out of everything. I will share.

— Carol Rossignol

Excellent!

— Chris Borre

… Why produce coal ash in the first place?

Fox News tricks about 26 percent of American everyday with lying science. Coal is good for you and your kids; “clean coal” is the best for your health. Remember, they convinced Americans that the president was not from America, he was a Muslim, Nazi, Socialist, Communist, Black Panther and Marxist, anti-American — it goes on and on. When the trick pony of the week runs out of air, they start another. … They laugh all the way to bank….

— Bubba Smith

Bubba, your comments suggest to me that either (A) you don’t watch Fox News and are only regurgitating what Ed Scholtz says about Fox News or (B) you have a very strange interpretation of what you see if and when you do watch it.

— Mark Wetmore

… The Blackmer House’s second act

I am so excited that the Dixons have bought and are restoring the Blackmer House. I can’t wait to see it finished.

— Gail Frances

Sadly, the North Carolina General Assembly is allowing the state historic preservation tax credits to expire at the end of December.

I encourage folks to drive by the Blackmer House and observe the number of hardworking craftsmen, skilled tradesmen and general laborers who are on the job, hustling to beat the deadline. Historic preservation tax credits help create jobs, contribute to local economies and preserve irreplaceable historic properties.

The sun-setting of the historic preservation tax credits will make projects like the Blackmer House even more difficult. Fortunately, the federal historic preservation tax credits, signed in to law by President Ronald Reagan, still exist, largely because they make good economic sense and fiscally sound public policy.

— Joe Morris

I am so excited that the house is being restored. I knew Sidney Blackmer personally; he was one of my customers at First Union National Bank back when it was up on Main Street next to the old Belk’s. He was a wonderful man to talk with and usually came in with his little dog, a Corgie, I think.

I am so happy that the Dixons are restoring the house and I hope they will share their results with the rest of us.

— Toni Megliorino