Aug. 2 Letters to the Editor from Swannanoa Valley readers

Get out and vote this November

Do you like the party that is making the EPA weak and ineffective and selling out our environment to Big Business?

Do you like the party that is unfriending our allies and making concessions and kow-towing to extreme dictatorial tyrants?

Do you like the party who is so fearful of everything and anything that they think everyone must have a weapon and our military is more important than our citizens?

Do you like the party that believes the strength of our country is not the richness in keeping our people healthy and educated, but keeping the pharma-industrial-military-financial complex well funded and protected?

Do you like the party that on one hand says they believe in small government and keeping out of the way of the people, but on the other hand attempts innumerable legislation to force their morality onto all the citizens of this country?

Do you like party that misuses the catch phrase Prolife to protect the supposed innocent, but ignores the rights, wellbeing, caring, and protection of our innocent children from the moment they are born?

Well if you like this party by all means vote for the same.

But if you do not like these policies, than vote for a change.

David Wilson Brown is running for the 10th district US congress. He is honest, reliable, for the people and is financed by the people.  

It is time to stand up and flip the 10th district back to the candidate of the people.

Vote, Vote, Vote

Ron Marcello

Black Mountain 

Black Mountain Center Foundation thanks Valley neighbors 

On behalf of the Black Mountain Center Foundation, I want to thank our neighbors in Black Mountain and throughout the Swannanoa Valley for joining with the residents of the Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center for our 26th annual Independence Day Celebration. Throughout the evening, the laughter of children and the sounds of Tuxedo Junction filled the air; only to be rocked by the “oohs and awes” when the evening sky was lit with fireworks.

The staff of the Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center did an outstanding job in making the celebration a grand occasion for the ladies and gentlemen who call the Center their home.  The dedication of this caring team is remarkable.

Because state monies are never used to purchase the fireworks, game prizes or other necessities, the Black Mountain Center Foundation solicits funds from many generous donors. We are grateful to support of First Bank, My Father’s Pizza, Keller Williams, Mark Kleive, DDS, Pisgah Brewing, WNC Precision Graphics, Camp Rockmont, Black Mountain Family Eye Care, White Insurance and Black Mountain Savings Bank.  Thank you.

We look forward to 2019 when we can again gather with neighbors and friends to celebrate our nation’s birth.

Linda McDaniel, President

Black Mountain Center Foundation 

Letter to fellow liberal voters

I have helped to clean up rivers, support several environmental organizations and love hiking in nature.  Naturally, I rejoiced when I read about the closing of the Big Brown Coal Power Plant in Texas.

I also felt compassion for all of the people who lost their jobs. This is the situation that I do not see adequately addressed by liberals like myself. I believe that insufficient attention to this problem by Democrats is what gave us the current administration.

I can't remember seeing articles in Sierra Club or similar publications addressing redeployment of workers when non-renewable facilities close down or any suggested plan for how this might happen, including the training that would be required.  

Conservatives make it a jobs and economy issue. Liberals tend to make it an environmental issue. It is both and needs to be addressed that way. I would love to see articles in the near future that take this holistic approach with particular attention to redeployment of the work force. 

It’s way too easy to stay in the circle of people that think like I do and declare that the problem would be solved if only “those people” would change. But I’m never going to get anywhere by trying to convince conservatives that it is critical for us to save the spotted owl or reverse global warming. I just might have a chance for meaningful dialogue if I start by talking with them about a plan for creating new jobs for people in outmoded industries. 

I’d love to say that I have such a plan but I do not. I’d love to hear from people, both Democrats and Republicans, that have some ideas on how to approach this. If we start locally, maybe it can grow.

First, we need to talk with each other in a respectful and creative way. Then maybe we can save the planet and people's jobs.

Larry Pearlman

Black Mountain