Editorial: Focus on education

If anyone knows the value of an education, it’s 18-year-old Dana Sharpe.Dana was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when she was 2. She has since become diabetic due to her medication, endured kidney failure and two lung transplants and faces another operation Friday.

And not even two weeks after her upcoming surgery, Dana will accept her diploma alongside her peers at North Iredell High School’s graduation.It’s an understatement to say Dana’s story is remarkable, especially when you consider the statistics: Nearly three out of 10 students who began high school in the Iredell-Statesville Schools system won’t graduate.

The district’s graduation rate was 75.12 percent last year, which is slightly better than the state’s average. And though the dropout rate has been decreasing, it still isn’t anything to ignore.Last year alone, 317 of I-SS’s 21,000 students called it quits — almost half of which were less than two years from graduation. I-SS officials say students drop out for various reasons: having to support their families, pregnancy or a general disinterest in school. We’re sure there are times when Dana wanted to quit, too, but she persevered in her fight for an education.

Dana requested teachers visit her during her stays at the Ronald McDonald House. Her study breaks involved shots of insulin in between lessons. Even being physically unable to attend school wasn’t enough to separate her from her desire to learn; a teacher visited Dana multiple times a week during homeschooling sessions to keep her on track with her studies.

She told the R&L she believes graduating high school is the only way “to get somewhere in life.”

We wish more students in I-SS felt the same.While we’re not grading the district on its success rate, we are taking notes on students like Dana.

Letter: How to have a yard sale

Here’s my 2 cents on yard sales:

Don’t get upset if I ask you to come down on the price, and don’t give me the hoopla about how much it cost in the first place and that you never used it.

Why in the world would you not come down on a price and yet you say, “If I don’t sell this stuff I’m loading it up and taking it to Goodwill.” Am I missing something here? Wouldn’t it be better to take less for something rather than taking it to Goodwill, even with the price of gas?

Price your stuff. Don’t make me chase you down for a price and have to stand there while you discuss it with your better half. This is only going to irritate me. This is your stuff; you should already have an idea of how you will price it.

Ladies, you are not working in a showroom or department store. Don’t stand there and try to find clothes for me that you think would be so darling. I’m too old to have you looking for my clothes now. Let me do the digging — that’s part of the hunt!

Make your signs visible! Do not use brown cardboard and a pencil. Florescent paper is best and write the directions in large letters. Put up as many signs as you can, treat us like squirrels you are trying to lure to you. Leave us a trail of acorns to your yard sale; you’ll get more customers that way.

And if I have to chase you through your yard while you are eating a biscuit, don’t get angry with me because I interrupted your breakfast. You should have been ready for us. You should know that we’ll be the first ones out on a Saturday morning looking for yard sales.

Janice Kennedy
Statesville

Letter: A tribute to veterans

I wrote this poem; maybe you can use it:

Somewhere a man is crying, hungry, alone and hurt.
His head rests not on pillows, but cardboard boxes and dirt.
He would give His right arm to have a bit of food,
but people walk right by Him and say ‘Hey Bum curse you.’
His left arm is missing, He was not born that way.
He lost it in a battle way back in ‘the day.’
He fought and servrd His country, The good ’ol USA
and now they call Him crazy and leave Him where He lays.
He tried to get some help once, but only got closed doors.
They said we will help tonite old man, but can’t do nothing more.
And when the Memorial Day Parade came through, honoring ALL the vets
they came in midget cars, motor bikes and convertible corvettes.
When the moment came to sing, “The Star Spangled Banner”
He slowly rose with His only hand and saluted in Military Manner.
And watching the happy children, a tear rolled down His face.
He thought “I’d do it ALL again to protect the USA.”

Casaundra A. Lemke
Cleveland, N.C.

Editorial: Two groups of employees

While teachers can look forward to a nice pay raise if Gov. Mike Easley's budget is approved by the N.C. General Assembly, the governor's spending plan contains little more than a snub for the rest of the state's work force.

Easley's plan includes a 7 percent raise for teachers and 6 percent pay increase for school administrators, but non-teachers will get only a 1.5 percent raise and a $1,000 bonus. That kind of disparity is certainly not going to build goodwill among the rank-and-file employees who actually run the state government.

The governor's $21.5 billion spending plan increases spending by $870 million over the current budget.

Easley proposes adding more than 750 new positions in state government, but calls for increasing the state taxes on cigarettes and alcohol to fund the teacher raises and pay for reforms to the state's mental health system.

Through its policies, this administration has created two classes of state workers: teachers and everyone else. The only folks who fare worse in this budget than state troopers, corrections officers and other second-tier employees are people who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Quitting cold turkey may be the best remedy for all involved.

Editorial: An 'A' for effort

We don't envy the recently overworked and vastly underpaid members of the Statesville City Council.

The council is expected to work late into the night again this evening as it resumes a contentious quasi-judicial hearing to determine whether Maymead Materials Inc. is legally entitled to operate an asphalt plant within the city limits.

If the council decides in Maymead's favor, its members will no doubt incur the wrath of angry neighbors who don't want the plant, its emissions or the big trucks that will accompany it in their back yards. And who can blame them?

If the council rejects Maymead's request for the special-use permit it needs, it runs the risk of exposing the city to a civil lawsuit and thousands of dollars in legal fees.

That's a heavy burden for a group of elected officials that makes an average of $11 an hour.

As the news article on today's front page explains, this council has put in long hours during the past month listening to testimony in the Maymead case, reviewing the city's proposed budget for fiscal year 2008-09 and responding to daily concerns and complaints from their constituents.

We haven't always agreed with the actions this council has taken, but it's tough to find fault with their effort.

Editorial: A city on the run

Everywhere you looked on Saturday, it seemed like Statesville was on the move.

More than 200 competitors - ages 11 to 71 - swam, cycled and ran their way across the finish line for the inaugural Statesville Rotary Triathlon.

Along the way, they certainly inspired others to try and follow in their footsteps next year.

And while they might not be triathletes just yet, the 41 girls who ran and walked the 5K portion of the race Saturday morning provided a little inspiration of their own.

Through 12 weeks of training with Girls on the Run, the students learned the many values of physical activity and that it's taking part in the race that matters most, not winning. These are lessons we could all stand to remember.

Maybe it was the near-perfect weather, but it seemed like the rest of Statesville ditched the couch in favor of the great outdoors as well.

People strolled through downtown, walked their dogs, took their kids to the park and had impromptu football games in the front yard.

All that activity was a good reminder of what a healthy, vital place our community can be. Especially when we take the time to get outside and look around.

Editorial: Hamby showed class

Diane Hamby ended her campaign for North Carolina's 5th Congressional District seat on Friday the same way she ran her campaign the past few months.

With true class, she bowed out of the Democratic race 10 days after voters narrowly handed the Democratic nomination to her opponent, Roy Carter.

Trailing by less than 1 percent of the vote - or 475 votes, Hamby was legally entitled to a recount of the tens of thousands of ballots cast in 12 counties in the May 6 primary. She decided against that, acknowledging that statistically she had very little chance of emerging as the winner.

The graceful exit doesn't surprise us. Hamby ran a clean campaign, focusing squarely on the issues and the performance of Rep. Virginia Foxx while refusing to sling mud at her Democratic opponent. A former Iredell County commissioner, Hamby would have been a formidable foe for the Republican incumbent. She can be proud of the race she ran from beginning to end.

Letter: The Rev. Wright is practicing the vulgarities he preaches

On Monday, May 12, Robert B. Kopper said he “watched daily for a letter from some area clergyman on the antics of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.” Here’s something for you: Jesus was a Jew, not black or white. It is not appropriate to take God’s name in vain from behind the pulpit. Sometimes the devil is the loudest one in the room.

Marcus Troutman
Troutman

Letter: Democratic leadership guilty of exercising poor judgment

It has been said that in the house that is America, the biggest room is the room for improvement. That critique comes not from those who hate America, but from those who love America, and it comes regardless of which political party is in power.

We need liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans to bring their best ideas for solutions to the problems America faces to a fair and balanced debate. That debate has been everything but fair and balanced since the beginning of the Iraq war.

The venomous rhetoric from the Democratic leadership in Washington has swollen the flow of public discourse at home and abroad with distrust and hate overflowing the bridge Democrats and Republicans must traverse in order to do America’s business in Washington and abroad.

When one accuses the commander-in-chief and military of the many horrible things that the Democratic leadership has since the beginning of the Iraq war, at a time of great peril for our military personnel around the world, then he or she must have proof to back up those charges. Democrats running for office say that they want to restore America’s image around the world. It seems to me that if they are serious, that restoration should begin in the Democratic Party.

Am I accusing the Democratic leadership of being unpatriotic? No, I am accusing them of poor judgment.

Paul A. Lowe
Hiddenite

Editorial: Every vote counts

This year’s North Carolina primary election provided a ballot full of reasons to head to the polls:

• For the first time ever this late in the race, a black man and a white woman were on the ticket for the Democratic presidential nomination and, for the first time in recent memory, the Tar Heel State played a decisive role in that election;
• In the Democratic primary for the 5th Congressional District seat, only 521 votes separated winner Roy Carter from runner-up Diane Hamby (79,261 voters participated in that race);
• A mere 114 votes vaulted Grey Mills into office in the 95th District in the N.C. House and ended Rep. Karen Ray’s tenure in the General Assembly (7,112 voters cast ballots, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections); and
• Right here in Iredell, only 124 votes kept Fred Coggins from capturing the Democratic nomination for the board of commissioners races this fall (32,448 voters).

Now the principles of democracy have punched another hole in the proverbial get-out-and-vote ticket, and it comes in the form of provisional ballots.

Provisional ballots — given to voters who say they have registered but aren’t on the polling place’s list — aren’t factored into preliminary findings, like the numbers printed above.

And, in some close races, provisional ballots could mean the difference between winning and losing. For example, if Hamby could capture 1,647 votes on the 2,761 provisional ballots in her race — less than 60 percent — she’ll grab the Democratic nomination from Carter.

Relative to the 80,000 or so people who participated in that election, the 1,647 votes — about 2 percent — that could decide the race seems small.

Yet ask anyone whose name appears on the ballot, and they’ll tell you no vote goes unnoticed.

Hamby told the Winston-Salem Journal that if she falls short after the provisional ballots are tallied, she’ll likely ask for a recount.

“I truly believe we need to count all the votes,” Hamby said.

If this primary election has proven anything, it’s that all votes do count.

Letter: Firefighters, Red Cross made disaster bearable

I would like to express my deep gratitude to a few of Iredell County’s finest firefighters, residents and volunteers. On Feb. 8, my home caught fire with me in it. Unfortunately, it was a total loss. But thanks to the kindness of Shepherd, Troutman and Mooresville fire departments, I am safe and still have some of my most precious memories.

While the fire was being extinguished, members of these fine departments were graciously bringing out of harm’s way some very important framed portraits. They were of my deceased son and of my parents and could not be replaced. The firefighters continued to save other items they felt would be important to me. For these kind acts, I am very grateful.

I would also like to thank my many neighbors and friends on Carver Lane. They have gone over and above with their generosity and gifts of money, clothes and help. All of this is appreciated.

Two caring volunteers from the Red Cross will always stand out in my heart and mind. Ben Mahaffey and Jeremiah Huston, I will never forget you or your kindness. To say you were wonderful is an understatement.

Most know the Red Cross is there to lend a helping hand in time of need, but most of us forget the many volunteers who give so freely of their time to make the Red Cross what it is. They were there within minutes, offering me a much-needed place to stay, food to eat and clothing. With their help, I have been able to go on with my life and make plans for the future.

Thanks to all of you.

Because of your kindness and caring, I have been able to find the silver lining in this dark cloud. I will always appreciate you and the work you do for this county.

Shirley Houston
Troutman

Letter: Obama's spiritual adviser should get boot from church

As a daily reader of letters to the editor in the R&L, I have watched daily for a letter from some area clergyman on the antics of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

In a community with a church on practically every block, I did not think that was too much to expect.

Every person has a right to share and express his or her opinions with others - even when those beliefs and statements are as goofy as those that came forth from the Rev. Wright. He can stand on every street corner and spout his ignorance and hatred.

What concerns me is that when one is truly called into the ministry and speaks from the pulpit, those messages are to truly be a word from the Lord. The pulpit is not a place for personal ideas - hateful or otherwise.

Whoever is the ruling authority in his denomination should immediately remove him from the ministry and let him pout in his multi-million dollar castle.

Robert B. Kopper
Statesville

Letter: Terminally ill children need love and support, not scorn

First I want to thank Mary Bass for taking the time to respond to the letter by Bonnie Black (a couple of weeks ago).

Secondly, I want to ask Ms. Black if she knew what she wrote was very disheartening.

Does she know who the Make A Wish/Children's Wish Foundations serve? Does Ms. Black realize that the 11-year-old boy has been in and out of the hospital for a good portion of his childhood and that most of his memories of his 11 years of life revolve around doctors and hospitals? If Ms. Black would look up the Make-A-Wish and Children's Wish Foundations, she would find the children they serve may not live to be 12 years old. She would find the foundations serve terminally-ill children.

Does Ms. Black know any of this?

The reason Tyler said "he deserved his wish" was because his doctors and nurses continually told him he did. Does Ms. Black know Tyler's trip was postponed two times because of his terminal ill condition? Does Ms. Black know donations from caring people like Mary Bass helped to fulfill these children's wishes? (There is a radio station DJ in New York who does crazy things like sit on a roof for days or stays on the radio for an outrageous amount of continuous hours to help raise funds to help these wishes be fulfilled. He does this every year.)

I thank God that there are people like Mary Bass and pray that only a small number of people who would publicly criticize an 11-year-old boy who is terminally ill.

Lori Carr
Mooresville

Editorial: Remember mothers - yours and others'

It doesn't take much to let a mother know she's appreciated.

Most card stores and candy shops use Mother's Day - and Father's Day, Valentine's Day and the like - as a catalyst for big profits. And many people will justify the tradition of dropping a few gallons' worth of gas money on flowers for their mom.

While it's important to let a mother know she's loved = through a "World's Best Mom" coffee mug or just a hug - it's also important to remember there are those who will be going without today.

Today, there will be mothers who won't hear from their children due to the fighting overseas.

Today' there will be single mothers who will spend the day working just to feed their children another meal.

Today, there will be mothers who will be in mourning because their children died too soon.

Today, these women are still mothers, and if you ask them, they'll probably tell you they don't know how to be anything but a mother.

By their very nature, mothers are givers: They give life, they give advice, they give themselves. And they don't ask for much in return. Most of the time, they just want to hear an "I love you."

All mothers - those surrounded by family, those too busy to think of themselves, those whose children have left this world - deserve a "thank you" today.

Editorial: Iredell voters spoke loudly at the polls

There are a lot of lessons to be learned from Tuesday’s local primary elections.For starters, we in the media tend to overestimate the importance of endorsements, including those that we make, and the value of news coverage on the choices voters make on Election Day.

Six of the 10 candidates the R&L endorsed prevailed in an assortment of local races. That’s not a bad batting average in baseball, but when you factor in the fact that two of the county commissioner candidates we endorsed finished dead last in five-candidate races for the Republican and Democratic nominations, that number seems a little inflated.

The endorsements of three of the most popular Iredell County politicians in the past decade — Sheriff Phil Redmond and Commissioners Sara Haire Tice and Steve Johnson — didn’t carry that much weight either.

Redmond, like the R&L, endorsed Alan Martin in the district attorney’s race. And Redmond, Tice and Johnson all backed the unsuccessful candidacy of developer Brad Howard for county commissioner.

Even more surprising is that Barbara Orr was the top vote-getter in the Democratic commissioner primary. Orr was out of the country for a significant portion of the weeks leading up to the primary and missed out on several opportunities to connect with the electorate at numerous candidates forums and other public events. As a result, we gave her little chance to advance to the general election.

The 28,463 voters who cast ballots in Tuesday’s elections provided a very powerful lesson: In the end, theirs is the only opinion that really counts for much.

Letter: Tuesday’s election was one of the most exciting of our time

Tuesday was Election Day. I was told this was not a good year to vote. If not now, I ask, when?How can you not vote? You have no right to complain if you don’t vote, so get out and vote whenever you can. It is a privilege.

Brenda Simendinger
Statesville

Letter: Statesville has a history that needs to be marked

On May 1, 1868 (140 ago), the event that made Statesville known around the world happened just south of the railroad tracks.This same event made Statesville known around the world again in the late 1950s when the Kingston Trio sang their number one hit song,“Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley.”

It was on this date Tom Dula (Dooley) from Wilkes County was hung at the “Circus Grounds” just south of the train depot for the murder of Lara Foster. This was the first “crime of passion” case to become famous in America and around the world. Many stories have been written over the years about the love affair of Tom Dula, Lara Foster and Ann Melton. Lara Foster’s death still remains a mystery to this day.

Tom Dula stood trial twice in Statesville. Tom’s defense attorney was the former governor of North Carolina, Zebulon Vance. Gov. Vance lived in Statesville and moved the capital here in 1865 when the Federals (Yankees) invaded Raleigh at the end of the War of Northern Aggression, or “Civil War.” It was at this house the Federals arrested the governor. The house and museum still stands on West Sharpe St.

The two most historic events in the history of Statesville are almost totally ignored by our civic leaders of today. More than 90 percent of our schoolchildren in this county don’t know Statesville was the home of Gov. Vance and the capital of North Carolina was right here.

I have tried to get a state marker erected on Shelton Avenue near the present-day site of the Depot. This is the place where Tom Dula was hanged. The state will not put a marker there because they have a marker near his grave in Wilkes County. The state claims it will erect only one marker per person or event, yet you see dozens of markers around the State telling of Stoneman’s Raid.

Since Tom Dula was hung near the present site of the Depot and tourist information center, it would add a lot to the tourism of Statesville to mark where Tom Dula was hanged. So far, our civic leaders have not stepped forward and offered a hand in getting a marker put up, and a private marker costs a lot. It would take a big fundrasier to buy a suitable marker.

I do not want to bring glory to someone who committed a crime such as murder, if indeed Tom did kill Lara, but the trials and hanging did bring international attention to the town of Statesville. May1,1868, is a part of Statesville’s history.

Buddy Hemric
Statesville

Letter: Liquor referendum will do town no good

There’s a rumor and letter floating around Troutman promising us that if we rush out and vote for the liquored-up-by-the-drink referendum, we’ll all suddenly have a rosy future and money coming out of our kazoonkas.

The so-called “Troutman Partners for Progress” even uses the word “progress” a total of six times.How do you measure progress? I must admit they paint a very pretty picture. They promise it would allow “taxes to stay low.” Remember, we were promised that if we passed school bonds, we wouldn’t have our taxes raised.

Then we were promised if we passed the gambling — I mean the education lottery — the students would benefit.

Yeah, right.

That letter was filled with concerns for profits for Troutman. All we have to do is pass a referendum to allow someone to get plastered then get out on the roads around Troutman. Yeah, that’s what we need.That “extra money” will do a lot of good when someone —maybe you — has to lower a loved one’s casket into a grave, because they were taken out by a drunken driver.
I urge every voter in Troutman to vote May 6 for keeping the roads safe and the crime rate low in Troutman. Now that’s real progress.

Don Riddle
Troutman

Editorial: Two terms is enough

Rep. Patrick McHenry may well be the youngest career politician in Washington, D.C.

At age 32, the Cherryville Republican is seeking his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. While that’s an impressive feat, voters in the GOP primary should think twice before extending McHenry’s contract. Aside from his staunch support of the failed domestic and foreign policies of the Bush administration and his recent missteps while touring American military operations in Iraq, the fact that McHenry lists his occupation as U.S. congressman should cause voters grave and profound concern.

When the framers drew up our Constitution, they certainly didn’t envision someone making a career out of representing the people as McHenry seems intent on doing.

The more time elected officials of both parties spend in Washington, the more they become beholden to special interests and the PAC money that fills their campaign coffers. That’s not what’s best for North Carolina’s 10th Congressional District or America.

In Tuesday’s primary, challenger Lance Sigmon gives Republicans in the 10th District a solid alternative to McHenry and the status quo.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, attorney and father of two, Sigmon has a wealth of real-life experience that could open some eyes in Washington. While the incumbent has spent his career as a politician advancing conservative social causes, Sigmon has spent his adult life serving his country — as an enlisted airman and as a commissioned officer, raising a son and daughter, and he operated a private law practice.

Republican voters in the 10th District, which includes a big chunk of South Iredell, should thank McHenry for his service in Congress and then force him to get a real job. They can do just that by voting for Sigmon.