Haunted by Wildcat

Dear Editors,

The little neighborhood of Mayday in La Plata Canyon has a demon on the loose.  Wildcat Mining Company has haunted our neighborhood for three years now with no end in sight. The company has upwards of 19 state and federal violations for failure to comply with mining and safety regulations. Now they have something even more daunting up their sleeve. 

Wildcat has obtained the lease of the Incas Mine. The Incas is an old cyanide leach mining operation that is located just west of the current proposed Idaho Mill and the Mayday Mine. Their website boasts that they are a “green mining company.” How “green” is cyanide? I highly doubt cyanide is “green.” Keep in mind these chemicals will be transported through your national forest and used directly above our La Plata River.  Since Wildcat can not comply now, how scary will it be when they start to play with cyanide? Halloween is over, go haunt somebody else.

– Lisa Giovanniello, Mayday, Mayday

Powering up local energy

To the Editors,

LPEA is in the process of revising its Green Power Program (GPP). LPEA staff has made its proposals and the Board of Directors will vote on the revisions at its November meeting. The revised GPP will be implemented beginning Jan. 1.

Beginning this fall, LPEA will start promoting its “Just One Block” campaign to encourage participation in the voluntary GPP. LPEA currently charges $0.80 for a block of “green power.” This is automatically split 50/50 with $0.40 given to Tri-State for wind generation and $0.40 retained by LPEA to fund local renewable generation and efficiency rebates. LPEA staff has proposed the price of the blocks be dropped to $0.40 and individual contributors each be given the option of: 1) Designating 100 percent to Tri-State for wind generation; 2) Designating 100 percent to LPEA for efficiency rebates and local generation; or 3) Retaining a Tri-State/LPEA split.

Election of the Tri-State option would be best for those seeking to offset their carbon footprint. This option would be appropriate for the new library, for instance. The library needs to purchase renewable generation to maintain LEED certification. Because the cost of wind generation is less expensive than other types of renewable energy, Durango would get more value if it chose this option.

The local option would be best for those seeking to keep their money local. All money would be spent in the LPEA service area. It would create local economic opportunity and encourage investment in local efficiency improvements and renewable electricity generation.

Staff has also proposed an LPEA match of members’ voluntary GPP block purchases. This would “encourage and support” participation in the program. If LPEA matched only the money designated for the local option, it would cost most members less than $0.25 a month.

If you think solar is our local energy future and you want to support local energy efficiency programs, now is the time to act. Call or e-mail the LPEA directors or sign the online petition, http: //www.ipetitions.com/petition/lpeagreenpower/, tell LPEA you support revising the Green Power Program and local energy sustainability.

– Harry Riegle, Durango

The race war continues

Dear Editors, 

Reading Dennis Pierce’s letters are to me as enjoyable as listening to Rush Limbaugh and Fox News. Not just because I disagree with the ignorance being spewed as much as I am outraged by the way these clowns distort the facts, lie and twist peoples’ words around in order to force feed us their opinion.If DP feels he has to use my quote to make his point, fine. But at least have the decency to get the quote correct. What I actually wrote was “Not all Republicans are racists. But, most racists are Republicans.”I said “most” not “all” and that changes the context. And it’s not a “blanket statement.” But Dennis’ distortion of it was “beyond the pale” and a cheap shot, even for him. Ironically, DP does occasionally make some sense and can cite good examples to support his opinion. But when you’re busted twisting people’s words, you lose credibility. So I did some quick fact checking on the remainder of DP’s letter and had some astonishing results.

I didn’t find any more outright lies or distortions, but I was shocked when I got as many or more hits on Google for “Democrat racist remarks” and “Republican racist remarks” and similar searches.

Recently, however, those on the Right have clearly acted in a more racist manner. Just look at some of the Tea Baggers’ signs at their protests. Those were not Democrats with caricatures of President Obama with a bone in his nose as a witch doctor. Or how about when Rush Limbaugh played the song “Barack, the Magic Negro” on his radio show? These are just a small sampling of the most recent racist indecencies.

Historically, Republicans actually have a respectable record on supporting civil rights. I turned on the way-back machine and found that in 26 major civil rights votes from 1933 through the 1960s civil rights era shows that Republicans favored civil rights in approximately 96 percent of the votes, whereas the Democrats opposed them in 80 percent of the votes. Times sure have changed. Certainly, someone can easily find examples of racist remarks and behavior to support their side, but that’s the wrong solution.

So, I’m here to offer a retraction of my unsubstantiated and regretful remark, “Not all Republicans are racists. But, most racists are Republicans.” I’d also like to apologize to all the racists out there that I offended by calling them Republicans. And I say that tongue in cheek and with a certain amount of glee!

– Cheers, Bill Vana, Durango

A home for Louie

Dear Editors,

Sometimes in life, circumstances change whether we like them to or not, but we try to make the best of these changes. This is what I am trying to do:Elusive, or “Louie,” is a 28-year-old Polish Arabian stallion, a flashy chestnut with four white stockings. He is the grandson of the Arabian five-time, grand-national champion, Bask. He is very special, as he has been in our family all his life and now I am trying to find a new home for him in the Aztec area. I cannot keep him where I presently live. And that breaks my heart. He deserves the best retirement, a golden one and that is what I am trying to find for him.

He is more than a pet, or Mr. Ed type. He loves people, especially children. A child could ride him, but not an adult. He is a backyard horse who likes to look in the windows, and hang out while you cook and work. Many times, he will just follow you around the yard like a dog, or if you are having an over-the-fence conversation with your neighbor, you most likely will have Louie right there listening in.

He still shows off with a good “liberty” run, especially for human guests. He can literally suspend himself in air slightly while running like a deer – it is amazing to see. He is very smart and loves to have me come sit on a bale of straw in his barn with coffee and paper. I am looking for such a person or child who would be his companion.

He is a nonbreeding stallion and that makes for some adjustments regarding other horses. But as far as his disposition, it is one in a million for a stallion. He has never, ever tried to kick or bite anyone. He has his grandfather Bask’s gentle disposition, but probably most of all, he knows he is loved, has never been hit or abused, is given a lot of attention and made to feel that he is very special.

I would also like to visit him from time to time on your approval of time and date. I could also care for him if you need to be away. I am not selling him. But to the right person(s) who I know will give him those golden years, I will sign over his registration papers to you. It is far more important to me that he has a wonderful new home. By the way, he is aging like Sean Connery, and Louie comes with all his winter hay.

If you are sincere about fulfilling my wishes for him and giving him a wonderful home, please call (970) 764-8108.

– Deborah Koster, via e-mail