To The Editor;
With the liberal thinking, it is a good idea to close Athanum View Correction Center to save money.
I believe, however, if you will do the math, you will find the cost of housing these people in other institutions will about be three times the amount we are now paying.
The care they need will not be available to them, either.
Let’s find more sensible ways of spending to cut the cost of doing business, even though they may not be politically correct.

Roy Richards
Yakima

To the Editor,
At the Yakima Valley Convention Center, speaking to a full house, Howard Lyman, The “Mad Cowboy” gave a powerful message to all Yakima Valley people.
After going on a Poop Tour of the Yakima Valley and seeing the devastation that is taking place here from factory dairy operations, Howard decided to share his expertise with citizens of the Valley.
We need to act now, before it is too late. We need to stop the polluters to our air, water and soil before there is no water left for our children and grandchildren. Politicians and agencies need to listen to the people, not the large corporations.
No more excuses. No more empty promises. We all need to address this disaster together.
Lyman speaks to more than 300 groups a year and on thousands of radio stops about the dangers of factory farming – aka feedlots, dairies and concentrated animal feeding operations.
He explained how digging deeper wells is not the answer.
Thank you Howard, for caring about us enough to come and share your time and expertise.

Jan Whitefoot
Harrah

To the Editor:
I support Karen Rogers and Christina Kwan for City Council. I also support Bill Rogers and Anna Ward for Toppenish School board.
They all have what is best for Toppenish as their “agenda one.”

George Colby
Toppenish

To the Editor:
Please join me in supporting Anna Ward for a position on our school board.
I have watched Anna work with our youth over the years.
She has taken an active role in their activities and genuinely cares about their future.
She has the background and experience to help our board continue to help our children build their future though a quality education.
Please vote for Anna Ward for Position 3 on the Toppenish School board.

Arlene Hull
Toppenish

To the Editor:
Are you wondering about which candidate to vote for Toppenish City Council? 
Well, think about this.  Who has been the number one supporter, volunteer and leader of all these community organizations and their sponsored events for many, many years? 
A partial list includes but is not limited to:
The Toppenish Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants Association, the Toppenish Mural Society, the Miss Toppenish Beauty Pageant, the Toppenish Rodeo and Parade, the Toppenish School District and numerous youth sports programs. 
Karen Rogers, that’s who you should vote for.
My wife, Marcia and I, have known Karen Rogers for 30 years and we know Karen Rogers puts her heart and soul into any project she takes on. 
Karen Rogers is passionate about the success of Toppenish and she loves the people in this community. 
Karen Rogers is a leader that is used to working long hours when setting team goals, planning events, problem-solving issues and completing the job at hand.
Now that you have thought about voting, we unequivocally urge you to vote for Karen Rogers, Toppenish City Council position #3. 

Dell Gere
Wapato

To The Editor
Karen Rogers has been a community-involved person since way back when.  She has been such a knowledgeable person of the wants and need of our town.  
She gave of herself even when she was battling cancer and conquered it.  
Many didn’t know she was going through the pain and agony at the time.  
She and her husband, Bill, have been strong supporters of our schools, children and their families as well as the middle aged and elderly.
Maybe God allowed her to be healed so she could continue where she is needed.  And needed she is, and would be excellent on our city council.  
Her opponent, Clara Jimenez doesn’t have the time to be a council member.  She was on the council before and she did not fill her chair at some of those meetings, which should be priority if you are truly dedicated.
Clara was a teacher/principal in our Toppenish School District, but now is teaching in another district out of our area.
Any of us working or who have worked in a School District knows that we devote a lot of time to that School District’s community as well. You have to be involved in a community where you teach, period.  
Karen is a well-versed woman on the laws of our community, as well as our state.  With her dedication to this community, she should definitely be elected to position #3.
Ask around at stores, hospitals, schools, nursing homes, Chamber of Commerce parades that needed help and support, etc.  The list goes on.  Karen has been there.
We hope you will think about the difference of involvement of the two ladies running for City Council Position #3, and give Karen Rogers your vote.

Roy and Ellie Clark
Toppenish

To The Editor:
Some of you old-timers will recall that in the fall of 1995 I ran for City Council against Bill Rogers, and almost won.  On election night I was behind by nine votes; at the final count I lost by 16 votes.
Most folks assumed the Mr. and Mrs. Rogers and I were not very close. They may have been right then. But we had a few things in common. We had the ability to be courteous and civil when we disagreed. We had the ability to drop grudges and support ideas we shared in common.  We both loved our community. We also had some differences.  I was relatively new to Toppenish then, having arrived in 1992. Bill grew up in Toppenish.
Karen Rogers has been a constant public servant in the deepest meaning of the term, “public servant.” She did not need salary or election to provide decades of service to the Chamber of Commerce, the Toppenish High School and its football team, to any hungry or hurt animal in the area, and of course, decades of back-breaking work to provide Toppenish with its spectacular fourth of July parades. 
And you can count on both hands the number of Miss Toppenish candidates whose success in this life venture was through the process coordinated by Karen Rogers.
If you were someone with a need, and Karen knew about it, she rallied resources to help you. She still does – all of these things. This she does from her heart and a deep value in community spirit and service.
She doesn’t have to be urged, paid or elected. She does it because that’s who she is. One who believes and serves her community because it is the right thing to do.
Karen studies issues, tracks issues, and lobbies for numerous improvements to the community. She may have stepped on toes over the years, but those toes were likely the idle ones, doing little to serve the community.
Karen’s toes have never been idle when it comes to demonstrating her love and concern for the well being of Toppenish.
I just recently heard that Karen is running for elected office, to become a city council member in Toppenish.
Apparently her husband, Bill, is stepping down. I have moved away from Toppenish but I know, love, and dearly miss my wonderful years there. I truly hope that voters in Toppenish place their confidence and vote for someone as humbly and genuinely dedicated to her community as Karen Rogers.
You could have no finer public servant do this time, by election.If there were six other colleagues on the council who shared Karen’s energy and love for community, the future of Toppenish would brighten and flourish. That comforts me to think about.
You’re such a special, wonderful place.  It’s time to put lifetime leader in community service, into formal office as a city council member.

Elaine Willman
Hobart, WI

To the Editor:
For the Toppenish School Board, I would like to encourage you to vote for Anna Ward.  
I was so proud of our school when Toppenish High School was presented with the Silver Award by US News and World Report. It recognized the high learning opportunities offered in Toppenish. As I listened to educators talk about how they inspired students and how the students themselves participated in improving the learning environment, I was very impressed.  
Anna supports these efforts and has the experience we need to guide our district through what will be a challenging time for funding.
Anna has the common sense needed to help the board continue to make good choices for our children.
Please join me in supporting Anna Ward for Position 3 on the Toppenish School Board.

Kathy Miller
Toppenish

To The Editor:
All of the candidates for Toppenish City Council talk about how we need more things for our kids to do to keep out of trouble.
Karen Rogers doesn’t just talk the talk, she walks the walk.
She donates hundreds of dollars worth of school supplies to needy kids every year, volunteers at Garfield School and supports Top-Hi sports. She and her husband Bill are “godparents” of the Top-Hi wrestling program. They donate money and food to almost anyone who asks.
We need Karen on our City Council.
I ask you to join me in voting for Karen Rogers for Toppenish City Council position number. 3.

Jose “Pepe” Segovia
Toppenish

To The Editor:
This year’s ballot contains a vote on Initiative 1033. The effect of this particular Initiative is to establish new limits on the growth in Washington State general fund revenues. Currently 41 percent of those general fund revenues are allocated to K-12 education. Based on the office of Financial Management’s projections, the passage of Initiative 1033 would reduce state revenue by an estimated $5.9 billion by the year 2015. If the K-12 education remains at 41 percent of the budget, the $5.9 billion reduction could translate into a $2.4 billion reduction in K-12 funding.
As you already know, there have been very serious cuts to K-12 funding adopted in the 2009-2011 state budget. Initiative 1033 would prevent the state from making investments and essentially gut the basic educational reform bill that was signed last year; furthermore, it will seriously undermine the state’s effort to fully fund K-12 education throughout the state.
Another major funding loss at this point in time will have an extremely negative impact on K-12 resources and programs that are critical to student success. If this Initiative 1033 is passed, Toppenish School District would potentially lose $8.27 million in funding over the next five years. This huge loss would be financially catastrophic to all of our school districts.
I encourage you to visit the website http://ofm.wa.gov./initiatives/i-1033 fiscal impact pdf.

Steve Myers
Toppenish