Relocate Dial-A-Bus; keep ball field, then retry levy

The controversial Senior Center bond measure, which the citizens of Corvallis will vote on in November, is seeking funding to remodel the Corvallis Senior Center and replace south Chintimini field with a parking lot.

Much of the parking concerns are based on the current use of on-street parking around the Center by Oregon State University students. There are alternatives to the parking problems that will avoid loosing a valuable recreational resource.

It is time to relocate the Dial-A-Bus off the Benton County dispatch center and the 25 buses and vans that currently occupy the centers' parking area. Dial-A-Bus has outgrown the Chintimini Park neighborhood. The relocation of Dial-A-Bus would allow more parking at the center. The demolishing of the ballfield, to be replaced with a parking lot, is not necessary.

In addition, the city must designate the on-street parking on the north side of Tyler Street and the east side of 27th Street in front of the center, for senior center use only. Thus space for a remodeled center could be available without losing half of the recreational field area that makes up north and south Chintimini. South Chintimini is a heavly used field area during the spring, summer and fall.

The current plan, as presented to voters, is short-sided and unacceptable. Relocate Dial-A-Bus, preserve the multi-recreational opportunities at Chintimini and then resubmit the bond measure to the voters.

Dennis Marquering, Corvallis

Rick Dancer is a 'good ol' boy' worth supporting

When Rick Dancer came to the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library to introduce himself to the citizens of our fair city, I went to listen to his brief but informative speech, and I was impressed with his manner and ideas.

He is not your typical politician who blows his own horn and runs down his competition. We've had enough of those already.

He would like to see the office of Secretary of State made nonpartisan, and I agree.

Because he is not in the pocket of big aid or the unions, he has to make it on his own, and I respect him very much for that.

Furthermore, I've never heard him try to slant the news in his many years of broadcasting.

Rick is a good ol' boy who deserves your vote, and he's sure got mine.

Dick Gallagher, Corvallis

Pray for yourself, but vote for our nation's salvation

In response to the letter printed Sep. 15, "Looming election signals time for the faithful to pray":

Enough, already!

Saying "God has kept us safe from another terrorist devastation" either means that He is not always in control or He allowed it! Everyone should know that your "Bible" is based on faith and is mostly homilies that both the wicked and the righteous use to their advantage, such as "Turn the other cheek" or "An eye for an eye."

One thing everyone can agree on is that man has free will, whether it be divine or through evolution.

The cornerstone of this election may well be the issue of separation of church and state. The simple idea that even no abortion for rape or incest should be the law speaks to the question of whose moral right should be the law of the land, thusly disallowing the moral views of many people that may be more "righteous" than our political leaders (not exactly a stretch!).

So I ask ALL of you to pray for your salvation, but VOTE for our country's salvation!

Ed Lipton, Corvallis

Name-calling, labeling have little point

Jay Burreson referred to me in his Sept. 16 letter, "Why don't liberals have a sense of humor?" as an "uber Democratic liberal" in regard to my Sept. 1 letter, "Last's words should be his last."

I had voiced my protest against negative stereotyping of people (regardless of their political affiliation) who care about the environment and the social welfare issues facing this country.

(Burreson's) comments are yet another example of name-calling and destructive labeling. It seems he has missed my point entirely. Please remember that sarcasm and humor when used with negative intent can be both hurtful and damaging to the communication process. If my desire to promote compassion and understanding makes me a "fruitcake," (another label!), then so be it.

Jan Fraser, Corvallis

Drill, conserve good energy policy from a Texas oil man

Hooray for T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oil man who is spending millions of his dollars implementing a plan designed to begin weaning America away from dependency on foreign oil. He is developing wind energy that would reduce the use of natural gas, freeing it up to be used in vehicles.

Pickens is hoping his initiative will break the current political deadlock and encourage the development of a national energy plan.

The rationale for his plan as explained in TV ads and interviews is:

• We cannot continue to spend about $750 billion annually for foreign oil without devastating our economy and hurting national security.

• Cost-effective alternatives to oil will not be available for many years, so we need to use natural gas as a bridge to these elusive alternatives. Natural gas is much cleaner and cheaper than gasoline and is very abundant in this country.

• We must aggressively drill for additional oil supplies in the U.S. in places like Alaska and offshore sites. We will continue to need oil for transportation for many years. Additionally oil is used in hundreds of other products including plastics, rubber, pharmaceuticals, lubricants, paints, asphalt, etc.

• In addition to drilling, we must aggressively pursue renewable fuels, more efficient vehicles and more energy infrastructure while acceleration conservation.

I understand that a bipartisan group of U.S. senators is formulating a multi-faceted energy plan that could be the nucleus of a long-term comprehensive effort. Hopefully, the group will consider integrating the Pickens Plan.

Chuck Lane, Blodgett

Merkley unfit for the job of dogcatcher; forget senator

What qualifications does this (House Speaker Jeff Merkley) have, who votes against a bill that any decent and clear- thinking person would vote for, i.e. rape penalty legislation?

The excuse provided by his campaign spokesperson is that he voted against it to protest back-room deals by Republicans.

Is that what he was elected for, spilling his bile at our expense and serving himself instead of the people he was sworn to serve? This man's paradigms make him unfit to run for the job of dogcatcher.

John Seaders, Corvallis

Smith's ads are beyond mud and deep into the slime

After watching two months of Sen. Gordon Smith's trash ads, I thought he couldn't go any deeper into the slime - at least, until last week, when his television commercials accused Jeff Merkley of being responsible for releasing a serial rapist because of Merkley's votes in the Oregon House of Representatives.

I suppose that Sen. Smith wouldn't like to think that he has caused the deaths of a hundred thousand Iraqis and more than 4,000 American soldiers because he voted for the Bush War in Iraq, but by the logic of his own attack ad, he bears personal responsibility for all the tragedy resulting from his votes in support of a reckless war for most of the last five and a half years.

Smith's outrageous campaign of continual mudslinging shows him to be unworthy of re-election to the office that he holds.

John Tietjen, Corvallis