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Letters to editor for December 04, 2008

Cards of Thanks

    The family of Felix Abeyta would like to thank all who sent flowers, food, money, cards and phone calls, in the death of our beloved father. We would especially like to thank the Veterans Home, doctors and staff. May God bless each one of you.

    The Abeyta Family

    I want to especially thank my husband and family for their support and beautiful flowers during my surgery, and stay at St. Mary Corwin Hospital. A big thanks to all who called, said prayers, sent cards, flowers and food. I will be home recuperating for a while longer.

    Irene Sedillo

    Thank you, thank you, thank you Thanksgiving! The members of Lai Hai Roi Ministries and Dorcas Circle want to thank everyone who helped make the Community Thanksgiving Dinner a blessed event.  Thank you to the businesses and service organization who contributed food and drinks and to the churches and individuals who donated food, their helping hands and money; the youth and adults who served the food and the many individuals who provided music for the dinner including the Orphan Valley Singers, Brother Chilo and Benny and Benjamin Means.  A huge thanks to Peg Clymore for heading the organization of the dinner.  Although we didn’t get an accurate count, there were between 160 and 200 people served Thanksgiving dinner at the Walsenburg Community Center on Thanksgiving Day.  There was an abundance of delicious food, wonderful companionship and visiting, and gracious service.  It was truly a “Thanksgiving” celebration.  Truly a community effort.

    Lai Hai Roi Ministries         and Dorcas Circle

Dear Editor;

    What a great community we all live in! We just want to say a big thank you to all our friends who have supported us and shown such great concern the past six years during Don’s struggle after his heart attack. We also want to thank everyone for all the cards, flowers, food, thoughts, prayers and compassion given to us since his death. Thanks again,

    Donna Martin, Ryan,         Lori, Riley and Kelee         Christensen

    The Pino Family would like to extend their sincere gratitude and thanks to Dr. Mike Moll and staff, and to the Walsenburg Care Center and staff, for all the wonderful care and support they provided to Bill during his illness. We would also like to send a very special thanks to our niece Eyvonne Bernal and our nephew Arnie Pino for helping the family with his care during this very difficult time. We would also like to thank everyone for their prayers and support. May God bless you all.

    The Pino Family

BACK FROM THE BRINK: A HEALTH CARE SCARE.

Editor:

    Anyone who has been to see Dr. Bill Cluff in the last year should know that chances are 3 to 1 he hasn’t been paid yet for their treatment.  Rural self-employed doctors, like Dr. Cluff, give their services when people need them – assuming that somewhere down the road, Medicare and other medical insurers will pay for those services.  If Medicare fails to pay in a timely manner, rural doctors and clinics go bankrupt.  That is what has almost happened with the La Veta Medical Clinic. 

    Fact: The only sizable check Dr. Cluff has received in the last 12 months from Medicare came in October for services rendered a year and a half earlier, in May 2007.  That is how backlogged Medicare is.  And since Medicare – the government health program for senior citizens – covers 75% of the Clinic’s expenses, troubles with Medicare mean troubles for all of the Clinic’s 1500 patients.  For our sake, Dr. Cluff and Jeni have stayed open, using personal savings and debt, waiting for the Medicare log-jam to break.  But it hasn’t.  Not yet.   And rural doctors – the few who are attracted to the life in small towns – are closing their doors everywhere in Colorado.  Why?  Because mortgage holders can only go so long without payment.  Eventually they must foreclose on the clinics and homes of overstretched doctors.  And because malpractice insurers eventually have to terminate contracts that go unpaid.

    Luckily, the La Veta Medical Clinic has been pulled back from this brink —  just in the nick of time.  We say ′luckily′, because if the Clinic were to close its doors, 1500 patients would have to find a new doctor farther away or pay a lot more money to use the hospital’s emergency room for routine care.  And in  some cases, patients would have to move away or go into nursing homes if their regular care or Hospice care ceased to be available. The cost for health care in our communities would be enormous, in both dollars and time.  No more running over to the Clinic for a few stitches or to get a bloody nose tended.  Simple injuries or complaints could take a day’s time to remedy – or have to go unattended.

    Yes, we are lucky.  Lucky that so many people in this Valley have come forward with heartfelt gifts and heartfelt loans to keep the Clinic going.  The DOC (Defend Our Clinic) Committee, headed by Pat McMahon, along with the Cluffs and their staff, has been working with Medicare, with the Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center, with banks, and with congressmen to keep the La Veta Clinic’s doors open to all who need care.  No one knows when the Medicare payments to Dr. Cluff will be brought up to date.  But with such terrific community support, the La Veta Clinic will reopen its doors on December 8th.  Anyone still wishing to make a gift can send a check to the Community Banks of Colorado, POB 434, La Veta 81055, made out to: For the Benefit of William Cluff.

    The DOC Committee

Letter to the editor:

    What a refreshing pleasure to watch President elect Barack Obama introduce  America′s new team of leaders…  With simple words understood by all he introduced the best and brightest America has to offer… Not yes men, political hacks, campaign contributors, or old drinking buddies,  but people with intelligence, experience, dedication and strong opinion…  He promised decisions made after vigorous debate with his team, based on what′s best for America and all her people, not any party nor just those blessed with great wealth and great power… He promised that after careful consideration, not gut feelings,  he will make decisions and be responsible for their outcome.. Even quoting Harry Truman′s: "The buck stops here."

    Ignorance and smallness and blindness of our leaders has America teetering on the edge of yesterday and one man of intelligence, dreams, and insight can not bring her back… It will take all of us, our support, our sweat, our participation, our letters, our emails, our calls and our insistence those promises and pledges be honored in order to steer America back toward tomorrow!

    Ken Back

Dear Editor,

     One can only hope that the Republicans that were so afraid of the election of a Democratic ticket can calm down and relax.  As we examine the ongoing process of transition to a new administration you cannot help but admire the willingness of President-elect Obama to bring people from all sides of the policy debate into the mix.  Whether it is Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Senators Hillary Clinton or John McCain our soon to be President has shown an extraordinary willingness to cross the political divide.

     Barack Obama has always said that he had the greatest admiration for Abraham Lincoln above all other American historical figures because of Lincoln′s humility and willingness to assemble a team of individual thinkers with strong, well defined points of view.  That is now obvious.  Also obvious is the fact that Barack Obama is exactly who he, and we, said he was.  He is not a Marxist.  He is not a Muslem terrorist.  He is not a Left-wing ideologue.  He is not an illegal immigrant.  He is a patriotic American who desires only peace, prosperity and security for all of us.

     For all those who voted for other candidates, your role is now clear. You are the loyal opposition.  You should judge the next administration the way you should judge the last; by the results of their policies.  It is time to let the will of the majority exercise their constitutional right to govern.  You will have your chance again in four years.  This is the American way.  To paraphrase what Thomas Jefferson said of the election of 1800, which shifted power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans, "This is the Revolution of 2008."  As good American citizens you should abide by the voice of the American people.  We need to have your views on policy, and there certainly is a lot of room for discussion, but it is time to stop the partisan, personal attacks, they only obscure the critical problems in health care, energy, foreign policy, economics and the environment that we face on a local and national level.  It is time for us to unite and dedicate all of our energies to make Huerfano County and the world a better place to live in.

     David Gnaizda, Chairman

    Huerfano County

    Democratic Party

The other day as I sat and read your newspaper. I saw that permits for holiday trees were now on sale.  I was flooded with memories of holiday past.  I have such fond memories of my dad taking me and my brothers to find the perfect holiday tree.  I remember having to hike for hours through 2 feet of snow, we would look at this tree and that tree till we found that perfect pine tree not too tall not too short but just perfect.  My brothers and I would each get a turn with the ax to cut our holiday tree down.  We would drag that tree back to the car so proud. We’d load it on the roof of the car and haul it home. At home we could hardly wait for dad to get the holiday tree stand out and set our perfect holiday tree out proudly in the living room. We loved that holiday tree despite of the 20 or so scratches we had on our arms and legs. My mom would bring out all the holiday lights and holiday tree decorations.  She saved every holiday tree ornament that we made to use over again every year.  We would decorate that holiday tree with love and care. After we were done we would hold hands around the holiday tree and sing all our favorite holiday songs. You could hear us singing throughout the whole neighborhood.

    “Oh Holiday Tree Oh Holiday Tree how lovely are your branches”.  We’d also bellow out every ones favorite “I’m dreaming of a white holiday” and who can forget “I’ll be home for holiday if only in my dreams.” and “All I want for holiday are my two front teeth my two front teeth“ and “Then one foggy Holiday Eve Santa came to say, Rudolph …”  and last "Have a Holly Jolly Holiday it′s the best time of the year"

    Mom would later bring out the hot chocolate and holiday cookies for us to share with neighbors that wanted to see what all the yelping was about.  I remember putting the holiday skirt around the bottom of the holiday tree so mom could put her Nativity set right in front.  Wait a minute is that right, Holiday tree? Something in my gut is telling me it should be CHRISTMAS TREE.  Christmas?  Christmas tree? That sounds silly.

     Melissa Hessler

Cement plant concerns

Building inspector suggests a negotiated move out of Northlands to site near prison WALSENBURG — The Walsenburg City Council convened a special meeting Friday, March

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