Letters to the Editor for Oct. 26, 2009

Historic picture spurred memories

To the editor:

The recent picture of the Covered Wagon Dance Hall in the Baker City Herald brought back some fond memories to me.

I was living in Baker City when the Covered Wagon was operating full blast. I remember having the privilege to watch and listen to some very famous big bands of the time.

Such bands as Phil Harris, who I believe performed there twice. Paul Whiteman and his Band and also Stan Kenton and his Band. There may have been other famous bands who played there but these are the only bands I remember. It was quite a treat to have such famous bands perform in Baker. Great memories after seeing the picture of the Covered Wagon in your paper. Thank you.

Bob Clegg

Enterprise

Furloughs and three days a week

To the editor:

Read your editorial about the DMV and the furlough plan to save money.

How is this different than publishing a newspaper three days a week instead of five?

Richard A. Nase

Baker City

Be responsible, don’t spread flu

To the editor:

Tonight’s article on the swine flu prompts me to write this letter to the young couple with two children I saw in the Safeway store on Tuesday night. Their son, about six or seven, was constantly coughing. No matter where I went in the store, I could hear him.

He was coughing over the cookies and everything else he picked up. Why couldn’t one of you stayed home with your son and the other do the shopping?

The flu, or even colds at times, are extremely hard on an older person. There were several of us in the store. You didn’t even have the consideration to give the boy a handkerchief to cover his mouth when he coughed or sneezed. His germs were left on everything he handled, or coughed on.

Please, if you have any of these symptoms, child or adult, stay home. If you must go out, wear a flu mask to keep the rest of us from getting your germs.

If you must take your child, please tell him not to touch things, as the person who will eventually buy the items will go home with the germs on their purchase.

Again, I ask, please be considerate of others. Some people die of the flu. Don’t be responsible for anyone getting sick, or even dying.

Rose Scott

Baker City

Paper misses out on great event

To the editor:

With all the negative, sad, and plainly bleak news out there, our paper had the opportunity to cover a really special and uplifting experience and failed.

On Oct. 17, the North Powder Badgers volleyball team hosted a fantastic game.  Not only were the sports teams successful, but more importantly, they raised over $1,000 for a great cause: providing mammograms for women who need the service.

Sam Fritz, a senior at North Powder, spearheaded the event with the purpose of raising money for the Billy Ruth Bootsma Fund. The coaching staff for both the volleyball and football teams wore pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and also for a North Powder teacher who is currently fighting this disease. Pink jerseys for the volleyball team were donated by local (Baker) businesses, and even the opposing team participated by wearing some pink in support of the event. Each high school class participated in a fundraiser, and all proceeds from admissions and concessions were donated to the Fund.

You may be wondering why you’re reading about this event in the editorial section, rather than the sports section. I wondered the same thing. Where is the newspaper coverage of such a great project? 

This was a heartfelt and very positive experience that deserved to have coverage by the local newspapers. Hopefully in the future our paper will attempt to focus more on the positive news rather than choosing to primarily report the negative happenings in our community. Everyone could use a little good news!

Thanks to all the fans, students, teachers and businesses who participated in making the “Pink Game” such a success and a special thank you to Sam Fritz for doing such a great job!

Tonya Valentine

North Powder