Board made right decision on project

On behalf of area residents who signed petitions and attended meetings, I thank the Ashland Board of Zoning Adjustment for rejecting a permit for a 48-unit housing development on Kirk Street.

The board members addressed residents concerns: Sewer problems, traffic, no taffic signal at busy intersection, no sidewalks, no buses on Kirk, etc.. Many of them went unanswered.

Larry Bailey and his 12-year-old son actually came to Kirk Street and looked at the site. He realized how unsafe this location would be for such a large development, especially for children walking or riding bikes on the street. This is why Mr. Bailey stated that in his heart, he could not vote for something where there are so many safety concerns.

Mr. Bailey asked Gene Myers and his partners to look at other sites in Ashland, but they won’t consider this. There are at least eight other feasible sites with no traffic concerns and infrastructure already in place: Rogers, Timothy, Lowman and Hogsten Drive, Southern Hills, Tannery and Breezeland properties and undeveloped property on Winchester between Chatteroi and 39th Street.

Matt Perkins asked if the developers have considered scaling down the size of the development, but they wouldn't consider this either.

The Independent has left out many facts when reporting on this proposed project. The zoning board listened to all of the facts before voting on a permit. We thank them for having the wisdom to see this would not be a safe, feasible site for 48-units and for standing up for the residents safety and welfare, despite any pressure from others.

Tammy Howard, Ashland



Party affiliation should not matter

After reading some of the letter regarding Jack Ditty vs. Robin Webb, I can't keep from being amused at the thought process some people use to defend their candidate.

Some say not to vote for Ditty as he has no experience, yet a president is in office that had no experience. I ask how many politicians had experience when they were elected for their first time?

Webb has experience but experience is useless unless used for the good of the people being represented. Would she better serve the people as an established representative on various important committees or as a rookie senator?

Yes, Ditty would be a rookie, but with health care reform being the major topic nationwide as well as in Kentucky would it not make sense to have a doctor’s input in Frankfort? If you are for gambling then your choice is obvious but allowing gambling in Kentucky is not going to cure our financial problems (remember how the lottery was suppose to do this).

Voters should look at each candidate and their platforms instead of their party affiliation. I believe if somehow Charles Manson were allowed to run for office, some would vote for him just because he was running as a Democrat or a Republican. Party affiliation should not be considered a qualification for office but sadly that is the only thing many voters consider.

Lee Wright , Grayson



Greenup Locks ‘going to the dogs’

I am wrting about the Greenup Locks and Dam.

We had our family reunion at the locks and dam on Aug. 1, and it was a mess. The garbage cans were full of maggots. My granddaught took the cans to the water spigot and washed them out, and my daughter sprayed them out. The restrooms were nasty.

What has happened? It used to be a beautiful place, but it is going to the dogs.

Janet Mauk, Greenup



School’s Hollywood opening misguided

While I understand the intent of Oakview Elementary in its Hollywood approach to the opening of school, I believe they were completely misguided and am thankful this is not the school my children attend.

Children are inundated with the idea of celebrity, fame and materialism as demonstated by the “bling” and the stretch limos of these children’s first day. These “goals” have very little to do with intelligence or personal character and are often achieved at the expense of both.

We try to teach our children the value of internal worth versus exterior appearances and material possessions. Children should be striving for more than to be a “star” in the sense of the word as Oakview is portraying it.

School should be a place where the idea of being a star is redefined and the goal much loftier than the glitz, glamour and vacuity of Hollywood.

Jason Rhoton, Ashland



‘Paper Clips’ film worth watching

I recently watched a documentary produced by a small school in Whitwell, Tenn., a town of less than 2,000. The name was “Paper Clips.” It was about the holocaust. It’s an extraordinary film and can be rented from Netflix. It’s worth your time. The film is timely in light of current claims by certain groups that the holocaust never took place.

Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propagandist in charge of controlling what people think, successfully turned the German population’s mild dislike for Jews into a foaming hatred by using nothing more than “the big lie,” thus making it possible to conduct unimpeded eradication of the Jews, interrupted only by D-Day and allied troops.

Denial of the holocaust is evidence that “the big lie” finds fertile soil where wide communication with populations is possible. It can be found alive today in several current topics, but what a tragedy if the thought controllers are able to convince the world that six million Jews, millions of Poles, Slavs and political enemies did not perish in unbelievable horror in death camps.

To learn of the horrors that victims of death camps experienced before death, one of the more comprehensive books is “Treblinka” by Jean-Francois Steiner. The most likely place to find this book is probably Amazon books, in a “used” state, as it was published in 1966. Books of that period, and earlier, are thought to be more accurate because of more available interviews with actual survivors before the clouding and fading of their memories.

It seems that we have the responsibility of knowing the full depth of the Holocaust. The name “holocaust” was not given this horrendous event except for the prolonged horrors experienced by those who died along with their families in the “showers,” otherwise known as gas chambers.

Kendall Felts, Catlettsburg



Tired of getting ‘slanted’ news

I expect the media to cover all of the news. I expect them to be honest and ask the questions for which people demand answers.

I am tired of news that is slanted with a liberal view. The majority of Americans are hard-working and pay their taxes. We are tired of being taken advantage of by corrupt politicians and news media.

Sharon Brewer, Ashland



Celebrate day by adopting a pet

August 15 is National Homeless Animals Day. Please open up your heart and visit an animal shelter. You will find animals who are lonely and waiting for someone to care for them and to love them. These animals have not had much of a chance in life. If you adopt one, you will be blessed.

Joyce Potter, Raceland