Letters to the Editor Feb. 6, 2010

Rep. Thompson urged to fund child nutrition programs

More schools need resources to allow them to take the important steps that Del Norte County has (“Schools look to push harder for healthier kids,” Jan. 30).

The reauthorization of the child nutrition programs, which is currently before Congress, could provide them. Funds are needed to increase reimbursement rates for school meals and provide more technical assistance through the Team Nutrition Network to help schools improve the nutritional quality of school foods.

This week, President Obama included a $1 billion per year increase for child nutrition in his budget. We hope Congressman Mike Thompson, as a member of the Ways and Means Committee, will help Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller find those funds.

And, Congress needs to act soon to ensure the reforms are in place for the next school year. With one out of three kids either overweight or obese and one in five on the road to heart disease, there is no time to waste.

Margo Wootan

Washington, D.C.

If students are not healthy, learning will be arduous task

In response to Joseph Burrell’s Feb. 4 letter (“We’re more concerned about student health than education”), I really do believe he is comparing apples to oranges when he proposes that children need history lessons more than good health.

First and foremost, a child needs to be healthy. That’s a no-brainer. Many of the county’s kids are brought up on fast food and cereal, either through laziness or lack of knowledge on the part of their parents.

I applaud the Network for a Healthy California for what it has done and continues to do, educating our children in the importance of eating fresh, vibrant fruit and vegetables instead of sugar and fat. As with adults, kids feel more alert and self-confident when their mind and body are fueled by the best nutrition possible.

If a person doesn’t have an adequate level of health, learning is going to be an arduous task, if attempted at all.

                      Diane Blackberry

Crescent City

Thoughts about how drones impact safety of our troops

I’ve seen on TV a drone that is used to seek and destroy the enemy. But it could be a problem in the future. What if a country makes a toy-like rocket with a guidance system that could pick up on the drone within 1,000 feet of hitting a target and take it out? Wouldn’t it make more sense to use a spy satellite to spot the enemy?

But the drone has the advantage on cloudy days that the spy satellite may not because of the cloud cover, etc. And the drone does the job right now.

Something to think about. The main thing is to protect our troops and track convoys.

              John F. Furgo Jr.

Crescent City

The beach shouldn’t be

used for your darn ATVs

This is in regards to the Jan. 29 letter (“Afraid of ATVs? Then just stay at home”) pertaining to riding ATVs along the beach, spooking horses.

Why don’t you ride your ATVs elsewhere and allow the horses to ride along the beach? This is also where people hunt for agates and walk along the beach, perhaps with a metal detector. It should not be used for your darn ATVs. There are plenty of other places to ride them.

                         Tony Jackonella

Crescent City

Let’s get behind building

ball fields, sports complex

I would like the general public to get behind something that is currently on the drawing board here in Del Norte County. The city is currently inviting the public to give its input on a proposed botanical area on Sunset Circle next to the city’s RV park, and ball fields and a sports complex on the old mill site of McNamara and Peepe. The city wants to build two fields of dreams and a smaller sports complex.

I attended the first meeting. Only one other person attended that meeting. He is a local teacher from Crescent Elk. Joe was right on. We do need to get our young people outside away from the TV and computer games.

Finally the city is doing something right. They took something off the shelf. Yes, the old rec plan that the city, county and school district did a few years ago. Our input is needed so Eric Taylor can apply for the grant funds to make these two projects happen. We need to do this for our young people.

                             Richard Miles

Crescent City