Vote This Way 

Editor:

I have known Dana Silvernale, candidate for re-election to the NHUHSD board, for the past 35 years ("Beyond the Scandal," Oct. 24). Dana and her husband raised three children and are dedicated, involved parents who participate in their children's education and well-being at the grade school, high school and college levels. That involvement and interest kindled a love for the education process and led Dana to a 24-year career in education and her current position she has held for 10 years as a special education teacher in Humboldt County.

Dana is a tireless and committed teacher and role model to all of her students and she carries the same commitment to her board position at the NHUHSD. She attends meetings regularly, fully prepared. She looks forward to discussing school issues with any and all of her constituents and listens with an open ear and an open heart. As a volunteer in my two grandchildren's grade school for four hours a week the last six years, I see firsthand and understand the dedication it takes to excel at teaching. Dana's dedication is her strength. Making her surroundings (our world!) better through teaching and service is Dana's core mission and I urge you to cast a vote for her re-election to our school board. She will not let you down.

Charles Netzow, Trinidad

Editor:

Thanks for Amy Barnes' "Building on Faith" — the story about the Fieldbrook firehouse rebuild project (Oct. 24).

We think she "nailed it" by capturing the voices of the volunteers, the past and present context, and the good spirit of the thing. Our 40-year-long ongoing experiment as married business partners is proving that while it can be crazy-making, it is never boring.

The firehouse project is one of our all-time favorites to work on together. The crazy-making part is more than balanced out by the great numbers of people who have pitched in to help in large and small ways. We are grateful beyond measure to each one. This has been a grassroots project from the start and the community truly owns it.

We aren't really too surprised. Fieldbrook has its problems like any small, rural place, but the community has a good history of showing up for one another when it matters.

Like the FVFD volunteers, who train weekly, year in and year out, to be ready for the emergencies of their neighbors and strangers alike. And like Chief Rich Grissom said, "You never know when you'll need the fire department. And we're there. All the time."

Please vote Yes on Measure K on Nov. 5.

Chris and Gene Callahan, Fieldbrook

Editor:

Balancing community welfare and government regulation with individual rights and freedom should be a never-ending process. Progress and harm happen on both sides. Good intentions, incompetence, good works, waste, creativity and excess happen on both sides. Ideally, in a democratic system, there is accountability, and opportunities for citizens to watch and weigh in on what works and what doesn't, and the balance is dynamic.

All that is a high-falutin' way of saying, let's try to reestablish more balance in some of our governmental entities, starting with George Wheeler and Dave Couch for MCSD. I believe our current board has more than enough good advocates for business, development and limited government, and could benefit from the scientific and technical understanding as well as the long-term perspectives on the health of our community and environment offered by George and Dave.

Joyce King, McKinleyville