Dear Editor,
Sprout would like to send a special and heartfelt thank you to the generous 100 Women Who Care for their donations towards our Imagination Library program! I have been so worried that due to COVID-19 we would have difficulty getting books into the hands of children. Because of your gift, Sprout’s Dolly Parton Imagination Library enrollment will remain strong. Nearly 400 families will continue to enroll online and through our community partners to receive a new book in the mail each month through 2021. You are an important part of Sprout’s work and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
With gratitude,
Jillian Lush, Executive Director
Correcting a letter
Regarding my previous letter last week, “Sand vs. Brine.” It should have ended with “the sand is better for the environment, drivers, pets, etc.”
Thank you all.
Cynder Navrot
Another gripe from Lorraine Haas
My usual winter gripe, just because it’s winter and there is snow and ice does not excuse you from cleaning up after your dog.
We will be knee deep in dog poop by spring if people cannot do their duty as a dog owner.
Again, you are not a good dog owner if you do not do this duty. It is a lot harder to clean up frozen poop and it will be there to greet us again once it thaws. Keep Homer beautiful. There is enough ugliness in this world without looking at dog poop.
Lorraine Haas
How did we get here?
To my Homer friends:
I have spent half my life here and I love you all.
Lately I have been on the Internet and listened to doctors who discuss the wearing of masks to control COVID-19 and I find many who say they are effective as those who say they are worthless to use at all to reduce the spread.
I do believe that the politicians, no matter what side of aisle they sit, have used the wearing of masks as a political football. Just like Hitler he told people how to think, so goes so many of my friends.
Let’s say 15% of our friends do not wear masks in the retail stores. We have watched the cases go from 100/ day to over 700/day so wearing the masks certainly did not cause the spread of the virus. I see blame sent against those who are non-wearers that they are to blame.
This week had a letter that states if you don’t wear the mask you will contract the virus.
Nobody brings up the transfer of coronavirus to touching. I find most all doors to the shops and stores have no coverings of the handles and the touching of items in the stores. It is proven that this does allow for the transfer of virus contaminants . The Classic Cook kitchen store has gloves for you to wear — good.
So how often do you wash or disinfect your hands?
I have been ingesting immune vitamins and test my temperature every day . Wearing of the mask, OK, however wearing one over two hrs has my blood pressure start to rise. I don’t know how those who wear one all day do so without some distress and certainly not children.
Let’s try wearing some gloves and stop throwing darts at one another.
We still live in our beautiful hamlet by the sea.
Wishing you all the best,
Bill Tener
Student shout out
A shout out to all the first graders who wrote letters to Santa, as well as the other students of various ages who described and illustrated their dream homes in last weeks newspaper. Emelia, age 11, your house of trees with the pet dinosaur is both creative and dreamy. Ridley (1st grade), your letter to Santa was very well written and absolutely charming. Your questions for him were clever and you’re the only student who closed your letter to Santa with “Your Friend.”
All of you students brightened my day in these difficult times. Thanks again and Merry Christmas.
Your Friend,
Kimberly M. Ketter
A public suggestion to Safeway
First off, Homer Safeway is (generally) a great place to shop — wonderful manager and employees, good quality and reasonable prices.
That written, I have a public suggestion to Safeway. (It has been made in private to Safeway management.)
That suggestion deals with protocols Safeway presently has in place to deal with the COVID-19 problem. At present, Safeway allows any customer to enter the store without a mask.
As an elderly Homer resident (therefore at high risk for adverse results if contracting COVID-19), I have a suggestion.
Recognizing that a young and immortal segment of our hamlet’s population apparently believes they will never die, believes close proximity and maskedness does not contribute to COVID-19 transmission, and believe they need not respect the elderly who believe otherwise, I propose Safeway management set a shore period aside each shopping day (perhaps 5-6 a.m.) wherein all shopping customers entering the Safeway store must wear a mask and maintain safe distance.
During the other shopping days the maskless cowboys and cowgirls could ride the aisles of Safeway unimpeded.
I fully appreciate the right of Safeway as a private enterprise to set whatever customer protocols it wishes.
I also believe Safeway recognizes my right to appeal to the public (with the permission of the Homer News editor) to also encourage Safeway management to adopt the proposal stated above.
Jack Polster
