Opinion

Dear editor, Can you name the only modern, industrialized democracy which lets its citizens go broke or die — or both — because they can't afford medical treatment? If you say "the USA," you're right. In 2010, the U.S. Congress passed the Affordable Care Act which, for all its weaknesses, provided many more Americans with medical insurance coverage and brought us a little closer to the status enjoyed in other democracies. ...

Dear editor, On behalf of the "Streetwalkers" who represent the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department, I would like to thank each and every individual who donated to our annual Fourth of July fireworks. I would also like to thank the many generous business owners, who give so generously to this community for the benefit of having a fun-filled family celebration and bringing everyone together for a safe and wonderful celebration of the birth of our Country...

Dear editor, Two days before Memorial Day, my daughter drove to Mountain Home to put flowers on her Dad's grave and some flowers on the graves of our friends. I had to move three years ago after my husband died because I couldn't maintain my house anymore. I miss my friends, but I have made many more here in Twin Falls...

Dear editor, The Mountain Home News came out today, June 28, and my aging parents had bought their usual copy and sat down to relax and read it. My mother called, and they were extremely upset because of what they had read in your paper in the police log section, and I quote, "Dorothy E. Marx, 54, felony probation violation."...

A little over a year ago, the Mountain Home Senior Center began our capital campaign to "Save our Kitchen." This grew out of a necessity to replace some very aging equipment. To replace this equipment, it was found that it was necessary to remodel and update the current kitchen to bring our 40-year-old kitchen up to current codes to continue one of our main functions to provide congregate and home-delivered meals...

Dear editor, It tugged at my heart when I read Erin Burden's write up last week (Relay for Life: Time to reflect). I knew her dad and his wonderful voice. He was a great guy, and he sure loved that kitty down at the flower shop. Her story reminded me of our journey when my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer that had spread to his brain. Such difficult memories made worse each time I have seen a young person smoking now...

This past weekend, Relay For Life held one of its annual fund raisers in support of cancer research kicking off Cancer Survivors Week. But all it made me think of are those we have lost. It is coming up on nine years to the day that I lost my father. Some of you who remember Lou Burden have told me of your fond memories of him...

Dear editor, On Thursday, June 8, a young lady driving by my house spotted a badger on the sidewalk then spotted it trying to dig and go under the fence into my back yard. She called animal control and then came and informed me about the badger. Animal control soon arrived, put some water into the hole that the badger had dug and managed to catch it and take it away...

Dear editor, I would like to thank all of the Idaho Power personnel that were out working all hours after that horrible storm hit Sunday night (June 4). Our house was without power for 26 hours. We were patient because we knew they were beyond busy and got to each house as they could. All of the guys were pleasant and helpful when they came to our house, even at 5:15 a.m...

Dear editor, Our power has been out along our street for 17 hours. That is seventeen hours. A neighbor I spoke with recently put in a few hundred dollars of groceries to feed her family. We put in over a hundred as well, and considering that payday was just a few days prior, I am certain that others have fresh groceries as well...

Dear editor, Just thought I'd let people know that Pine is not closed. After the news reports from the sheriff's department and the Mountain Home Ranger District, everyone must have thought we were inaccessible. True, there has been flooding, and Elks Flat campground is closed. But Anderson Reservoir is full (bass fishing must be good), and camping is available around the shoreline...

Great citizens and patriots of Mountain Home, your military orders have arrived. On the morning of June 4, I will be riding with hopefully 999 other motorcycles through our great town en-route to Carl Miller Park to recognize our military families. In our eighth year of Idaho Patriot Thunder, Idaho’s largest motorcycle ride, we have raised thousands of dollars to assist our military families who provide a life of freedom and liberties that we enjoy yet sometimes take for granted. ...

Dear editor, I wanted to take a minute to thank a good Samaritan that went out of her way to save the life of a kitten that would eventually find her way into the lives of myself and my family. The staff at the Mountain Home Animal Shelter relayed to me just how lucky this precious animal was to survive the first two months of her life...

Dear editor, The Friends of the Mountain Home Public Library would like to thank all of our patrons who came to our recent book sale on May 12 and 13. We had over 100 customers and made nearly $350 for library programs. We will be able to help the Mountain Home Public Library fund several summer programs, including "Growing Gardeners" at 2 p.m. June 10 with pre-registration required, Career Night from 6 to 8 p.m. June 15 and the Summer Reading Program from June 5 to July 20...

During an accident last week, Officer Natalie Rogers with the Mountain Home Police Department was standing in the middle of an intersection diverting traffic. A number of times while she was in the middle of the road, there were drivers who seemed to think they were smarter than everyone else and blew right past her...

This is a simple story that became huge for my husband, Larry and I. The two of us went to have dinner out Friday evening wanting some Mexican food at a restaurant that had recently opened in a new location. We sat next to a young couple with a little, five month old baby boy in a carrier. He was fussy and wanted out of his bucket...

Dear editor, I am writing a response to the false information that Betty Ashcraft has put in a public newspaper (May 3 Mountain Home News). At no time has the Western Elmore County Recreation District bought or been asked to buy my organization, Northern Rockies SAAA (Scottish American Athletic Association), a food truck...

Reporter's Notebook

Dear editor, Mayor Rich Sykes has sat down with Western Elmore County Recreation District board members Judy Mayne and Art Nelson encouraging them to use our recreation tax dollars for city property and functions. Judy is pushing for a dog park, and Art is pushing for project at the Optimist Park rodeo grounds and other activities at the city owned park facilities...

Dear editor, It was inevitable. Sooner or later, another piece of the open, natural space that is part and parcel of a community with a positive quality of life ratio would be targeted by a developer and his bulldozers. The signs for what has been given the moniker, "Morning View Subdivision," have been posted. The one that caught my eyes is stapled to a post at the intersection of South 5th West Street and Smith Road, or about one mile uphill from Airbase Road...

Dear editor, A group of Mountain Home counselors has established a free support group called SHARE (Support, Help and Resources for Encouragement). The group meets Thursday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Jones Center, 950 North 7th East St., across the parking lot from the main Nazarene Church building...