Citizen Forum - The year's best Letters to the Editor

Editor:

I would like to compliment the Lovely County Citizen on becoming a more mainstream newspaper.

The past year has shown that you are more interested now in mainstream news coverage rather than special interest coverage as a main direction. To me this is a very positive thing and I am pleased to see it come about, as are many others in our community.

My congratulations to the leadership of the Lovely County Citizen for taking this path. I hope it continues.

Happy New Year,

Al Pryor

1/9/08

Palin cartoon in poor taste

Editor:

Boy was I wrong a few months ago when I stated something like "I and others in the county were pleased to see the Citizen take a more mainstream approach in their publication of the Lovely County Citizen." Your last week's paper shows again the left wing agenda the Citizen is dedicated to serving.

It would be smart to take note of your recent competition and what almost happened. Competition always has a sobering effect but when you are the only drink in town it is easy to indulge yourself. Whoever is pulling the strings there should pull from both sides if they want to hang around.

I and a great many others who are too timid to say so are appalled at the sexist and degrading cartoons of Sarah Palin in last week's publication. Why haven't you put one of Obama eating watermelon with a caption that says I have experience? You get my point. Neither is respectful or appropriate. You obviously are trying to appeal to your far left readers. Well you may not have noticed but in the last county-wide election the conservative right won the county.

Al Pryor

9/17/08

No strings attached

Editor:

I arrived at my shop, Little Bo Peep's Yarn and Antiques, last Saturday ready for a hopefully good sales day. I noticed something in the mailbox, wrapped in brown paper, and took it into the shop. After turning on lights, setting merchandise outside, turning on the coffee, heat and CD player, I was ready to open the package.

I was completely overwhelmed, surprised, a little teary, obviously emotional, all those wonderful feelings when someone touches my heart, as I gazed at a very creatively made new sign for my window made with the replacement letters: YARN.

I would never be able to make such a sign. There was a note attached, but anonymously written, telling me of "her" inspiration as a result of driving by my shop and seeing my cryptic (she didn't say that) sign hanging in the window on a clothesline stating "yarn."

What she created is incredibly artistic and I thank her from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to create an absolutely beautiful sign that I immediately placed in the window.

How can I thank this person? She truly touched my heart, as Eureka has the past three years I have lived here. I first visited Eureka when I was 11 years old, and I must say it never left my mind. It either grabs your heart or kicks you in the butt. Obviously, it was definitely the former for me.

I never forgot Eureka. I will never forget Eureka. I am home and I cannot be more thankful for being here.

Michelle Taylor

Feb. 27, 2008

Gift goes awry

Editor:

Whoever gave Eric Scheunemann [a copy of Law for Dummies owes the entire city of Eureka Springs an apology.

Ed Leswig

March 5, 2008

Eureka's finest

Editor:

I just wanted to write a note of thanks to the two Eureka Springs police officers who came to my rescue Friday morning.

I had a flat tire on US62. They both got out of their car and said they would be happy to assist. I didn't get a chance to get their names because in the middle of it, they got a call about an accident. They would have stayed to finish, but I insisted they go and that they could come back to check on me when they were through.

When they left, a kind gentleman came out from one of the shops in Pine Mountain Village and finished the job.

Thank you all for your assistance!

Susan Weiss

April 16, 2008

Remembering Trampas Joe

Editor:

I am writing this on behalf of a dearly departed friend of mine. Trampas Joe Jameson.

Some of you might have known him. Most of you probably didn't.

T.J. was physically disabled due to a car accident. This paper gave him several write ups when he did something wrong. You said once he ran from police. T.J. couldn't run.

You said he was involved in a love triangle. Very much so.

Lovely County got every penny of his money. Some went to the liquor stores, some went to the pharmacy but most of it went to Carroll County.

Still, he smiled, never had a bad thing to say about any and still he stayed. Did he not deserve an obituary? You surely didn't hesitate to print all the bad things about him.

There are two kinds of people in this world in which we live. You can take a dog, feed it, shelter it and love it. The dog says "Wow! You must be God!" I scratch my head and wonder, "Are there more cats than dogs in Lovely County?" It surely seems that way.

I think he should be COW to have been written about the most and not even acknowledged after death.

Lisa Scott

April 23, 2008

Fire departments earn 'heartfelt thanks'

Editor:

Our heartfelt thanks go out to all four volunteer fire companies -- Eureka Springs, Berryville, Holiday Island and Eagle Rock -- which responded during the midnight fire on April 28 at Little Portion Monastery in Berryville which totally destroyed our Charity Chapel and our common center which contained our 25-year old community's archives, the Troubadour stockroom/shipping room and all John Michael Talbot products (books, cds, cassettes, dvds) inventory, our extensive research book and cd library, our common kitchen, meeting room, dining room and our offices with all their equipment.

The fire departments contained the very hot fire and protected the living quarters and various farm buildings. No person was hurt. No chicken or other animal was harmed.

The Brothers and Sisters of Charity are most grateful for our volunteer fire departments!

The monastery intends to rebuild -- in stone!

Peggy Lodewyks, BSCD

Manager of the unharmed

Little Portion Retreat Center

May 7, 2008