Letters to the editor: on Don Myers, fair support, Congressional representation, PCCAN

Myers recalled as gentleman, friend
To the editor,
Don Myers was a member of the Rotary Breakfast Club of Rolla.
He was a gentleman, someone you were proud to be with and have as a friend.
My wife and I had the privilege of sitting and talking to Don at dinner the evening of our Rotary club installation, July 13.
He talked about the upcoming bicycle trip in Iowa and then going to Washington, D.C., to work for the State Department for one year.
There he would be close to his daughter, Peachy.
I still remember the twinkle in his eyes as he looked forward to the near future.
Don will be missed.
I consider myself fortunate to have had met Don Myers and had him a part of my life.
— Dick Mazanec, Rolla


Thanks to all
who contributed
To the editor,
On behalf of the Phelps County Fair Board, I would like to thank the Rolla Lions Club members for all their support during the fair.
I would like to also thank the Phelps County Hospital Employees, the Rolla Daily News, AO Employment Services Employees, and Yoakum Dump Truck and Excavating for all their help during the fair.
The Phelps County Fair Board truly appreciates the many hours you volunteered your services.
I would also like to thank the following sponsors for all their support during the 2009 Phelps County Fair: MFA Oil, Rolla MFA, Wilson Lumber, Phelps County Regional Medical Center, Jenks Long Insurance, American Insulation, Pepsi, Josh Shepherd Superior Crane, Midwest Block, Garner Refrigeration, Scotts Plumbing, RSC Rental, Rolla Ready Mix, Parker Ready Mix, RTI, Don Wilson Construction, Jon Wood Excavating, Yoakum Dump Trucking, Stacy Yoakum, Mel Rose Asphalt, Meeks Lumber, Phelps County Bank and King Auto Glass.
— Renae Hammon, Phelps County Fair Board President


Questions political
representation
One of the greatest frauds in American politics is the notion that your congressmen and senators represent you, your neighbors, and those residing within the boundaries of the congressional district or state in which you live.
You may think your congressman should represent your interests, and it may well have been precisely what the founders of our country anticipated when they drafted the Constitution.
But it is not the way politics works today.
Two dangerous elements in the political system deter and debilitate the kind of representative democracy our Founding Fathers envisioned: money and power. Money is the lubricant that too often determines who gains access to a congressman or senator on all-important votes.
Power in politics comes from a combination of seniority and committee assignments acquired over the years. Money and power together breed corruption and feed fraud.
The government isn’t by the people for the people. These politicians are the government. They are the taskmasters and we are the slaves.
— Edward Johnson, St. James


Appreciates
support PCCAN
To the editor,
Thank you for helping PCCAN (the Phelps County Child Advocacy Network) publicize Take a Stand (against child abuse and neglect). 
Thanks, also, to Results Radio, KMST, Kaleidoscope, and the St. James Leader-Journal.  Most of all we want to thank Phelps County Bank (PCB) for their 14th year of sponsorship.  Dave McKee and Jodi Layman, in particular, spent many hours making sure that the fundraiser would run smoothly.  They organized the poster contest and arranged for the winning entry to be on gray T-shirts at every stand.  PCB registered and judged all the stands, and then awarded cash prizes to the winners.
PCB had the help of other corporate sponsors – The Bond Clinic, St. John’s Clinic-Rolla, Brewer Science, For Your Convenience, Phelps County Regional Medical Center and Mitch Esquibel, DDS. 
Together they partnered with the Pepsi Cola Bottling Co., Grellner Sales and Service, and Baker’s Ice to provide the lemonade, water and ice.  Snowman Coolers built a cooler at the Main Bank. 
All costs were paid so all the money raised could keep children here safe and healthy.
But the biggest thank you goes to all the people who designed and built the stands and worked long hours to solicit donations.  And all of you who supported the stands deserve to feel proud of the way you helped Phelps County children.
— Margaret Miller,
President of PCCAN.