Colebank grateful for community support
It has taken me a few days of trying to find the words to describe the events of this past Friday. Hopefully I can do them justice.
To start, thank you so much to Mayor Sharon Doyle for planning the spaghetti dinner for me. To all the people that helped make food and worked diligently to make the event so amazing thank you for taking time away from your lives to make mine great. The outpouring of love and support was overwhelming, but in a positive way!
That morning I woke up not feeling well, so I spent the morning at Ruby E.D. just to make sure I didn’t have an infection. After some meds and hydration I was feeling a bit better. By the time we left the hospital it was time to go to the event. It had already started!
Pulling into the parking lot, I was tearing up just seeing it so full! Preparing to walk in, I took a deep breath and mentally prepared to face so many wonderful friends and family who were there to show support for me when I don’t feel I deserve any special treatment.
I have dedicated the last 22 years of my life to supporting and protecting others, so it is difficult to change roles to be the one needing help. I know I will have, and already have had, difficult days, so being able to recall the love and support from everyone will help me get through the tough months ahead during chemo, radiation and whatever else I have to do to beat this.
I still feel saying thank you is too insignificant to show how much the support the community has shown means to me. I’m sorry I couldn’t thank everyone personally at the event during the time I was able to be there between doctor appointments. Please know I love and appreciate every single person who has reached out, shown up or supported me along this journey so far. I will forever be grateful.
Jessica Colebank
Star City
Urban hunt not the answer to deer problems
As a citizen of Westover, I have concerns regarding the urban bow deer hunt under consideration by the city council.
I am not opposed to hunting in general. I come from a family of hunters and grew up eating deer meat. However, an urban hunt is entirely different from hunting on large acreages of land where the deer population is wild.
My first concern is for the safety and privacy of my property. I realize that permission has to be obtained to enter private property, but I have concerns about how this will be monitored.
Our city deer are accustomed to the human presence with all the noises, scents, etc., associated with it. An urban hunt would be more akin to a “canned” hunt, which any real sportsman would be unlikely to find attractive.
Studies have found that deer population control methods, including urban hunting, do little to provide long-term population control and reduce interactions of deer with humans. The deer population bounces back as the food supply becomes more abundant. Since the hunting area is patchwork in an urban setting, the deer will often migrate to a safer non-hunting area and move back when the threat is over.
The incidence of Lyme disease is not positively correlated to the deer population, as the ticks feed on most mammals and birds. Collisions with motor vehicles can be avoided in town by observing the speed limit and giving more attention to driving. The destruction of gardens and landscaping can be avoided by use of deterrents such as sprays, netting and deer-resistant plants.
These deer are our neighbors and in a civilized society, we do not use violence to deal with neighbors. Perhaps the issue might not be too many deer, but learning to live with them.
Kathy Watkins
Westover
City camping ban will hinder, not help
I am normally not a critic of the Morgantown City Council, and I can imagine the amount of work and lack of reward that goes into that job. However, as a constituent, I must criticize the vote that was taken to consider the city camping ban.
Having read more details about the proposed “camping” ordinance to criminalize homelessness, I am not sure I understand how this will help the community in any way. Do the four counselors who voted yes believe that a person who is sleeping on the streets has any ability to pay a $500 fine or that a 30-day jail stay will somehow improve their ability to find stable housing when they are released? Surely no reasonable person thinks this.
My guess is that this proposed ordinance is an attempt to say “not in my backyard” by making Morgantown so inhospitable to the less fortunate that they move along to a place that won’t treat them with such disdain and callousness.
It’s almost as if we’ve forgotten that homeless people also include children (who are peers of my children in public schools), disabled veterans and women fleeing domestic violence. I’m sure on a normal day, when not labeled under the unfortunate umbrella of “homeless,” you would have concern and empathy for these people.
I am ashamed that our town cannot come up with humane and uplifting solutions to the plight of our neighbors. I urge counselors Kawecki, Harshbarger, Selin and Michael to reconsider and please do not waste what little resources our city has by choosing harmful policy. Don’t pass Article 1157.
Rebekah Aranda
Morgantown
High Street, downtown will never be the same
When I moved to Morgantown in 1982, High Street was a different world. You had Hardee’s, The Dining Room, McDonald’s and G.C. Murphy’s all open for breakfast. Owners and proprietors would spray down their sidewalk in front of their place of business. A water truck would spray the edge of the street in the wee hours of the morning.
Now, many businesses are no longer there, like the ones I’ve mentioned above and Daniel’s and The Boston Beanery.
Garbage overflows their cans. Needles and dog feces are on the sidewalk. Panhandlers abide.
Because of the growth of Morgantown, High Street is no longer a primary road, but a secondary road.
This letter isn’t meant to be negative — just truthful.
Glenn Gallagher
Morgantown
Encounter with David Goldberg shows he cares
Reading the article in The Dominion Post recently about Mon Health celebrating 80 years of Mon Health Auxiliary reminded me of my most recent stay as a patient at Mon Health.
A gentleman came into my room and introduced himself. His name was David Goldberg, the CEO. He asked me if there was anything he could do for me. I gave him some ideas about some important things that women needed during their stay in the hospital.
Mr. Goldberg told me he is very concerned about the patients and their needs. He assured me that he would do all that he could to help the patients. He wants all patients to be comfortable and have the best medical treatment.
He goes to see patients on all the floors on different days of the week. He feels it’s very important to visit with the patients and ask them if there is anything he can do for them or any suggestions they may have to improve their care and the hospital. Mr. Goldberg is a remarkable man. To me, he was not just the CEO, but a man concerned about the wants and needs of his patients.
Thank you, David Goldberg. It was my pleasure visiting with you and sharing my ideas with you. You are a genuine, caring CEO.
Carol Miller
Morgantown
Salute to President Biden as he steps aside
I cannot let go without a salute to a heroic President Biden.
His character is his strongest asset and personifies him as who he is. He belongs to the highest ranks of presidents, displaying fundamental decency, compassion and caring for commoners, desire to uplift humanity and a kind soul. He is a “people’s president.”
His four-year presidency witnessed some national and international achievements. His unmatched legacy stands out in the following areas: leadership on the international stage, decisive action on the Ukraine warfront, economic legacy and affordable health care.
With external wars waging, and internal turmoil notwithstanding, Biden turned towards to what we consider old-fashioned values: hard work and the strong notion that truth always emerges the winner. All with the unwavering belief in democracy and trust in voters who will do the right thing at the end, no matter what circumstances prevail.
The decision to walk away from the race does not come easy to any president anytime in the nation’s history. But Biden did so, and put the country first, with common good as the guiding wheel. This is only possible for a person who has the passion, courage and integrity to embrace the right values, and he ushered in a qualified successor, Harris, endorsing and blessing her as the best choice to beat Trump in a three-month sprint to Election 2024.
Syamala Jagannathan
Morgantown
Dems’ heated language endangered Trump
My first intention was to write a letter denouncing the Republican Convention’s excluding of anti-abortion and traditional marriage language from their platform. However, since the events of Saturday, July 13, the letter’s topic has changed dramatically.
Now, I would still prefer anti-abortion and traditional marriage language listed as part of the platform. Nevertheless, I have yet to come to grips with what transpired Saturday, July 13, which was an assassination attempt on our one truly elected president, not some senile old fool. Where were the police? Somebody should have been stationed on the building where the shooter was located.
With all the mean-spirited rhetoric being spewed by instigators such as Joy Reid, senile old fool, Morning Joe, Claire McCaskill, Bennie Thompson and other Democrats, what do you think was going to happen? President Trump dodged a bullet, literally, and this ilk is behind it! Divine intervention (Jesus) saved our next president to speak and campaign another day!
Biden tried to tell the American people to “cool it,” but his putrid swamp has been throwing out names such as Hitler and Mussolini for President Trump. Donald Trump has consistently called the ilk what they truly are — traitors! I think the Democrats should listen to the senile old fool and crawl back into the hole where they originated — where the sun don’t shine!
God bless America and God bless Donald Trump!
LaVerne Waybright
Mount Storm
