Published: July 22, 2008 11:32 am            

READERS' FORUM 7/23 | Congress’ vote could lower gas prices

The price of a barrel of oil fell last week by $16 following the announcement by President Bush to lift the executive order which banned offshore drilling.

This translates into a noticeable drop at the pump within a few weeks simply by talking about opening up America’s vast oil reserves. However, the ban still remains until Congress votes to do the same.

Some experts predict that gas prices would drop substantially by next summer if our representatives would follow the president’s lead. Instead, speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has singlehandedy blocked the relief that Americans want by preventing the issue from coming up for a vote. Go figure.

While the latest Gallup poll finds the approval rating of the Democrat-controlled Congress at a record low of 14 percent, Democrats insist that they know what is best for our country’s energy needs. But do they?

Voters need to know that Democrats are beholden to the vast sums of money given to them by the environmental lobby, ranking second only to the trial lawyers’ contributions. By blocking a vote on homeland drilling, Democrat representatives and senators are spared the political backlash of either the environmentalists or the voters back home.

It’s time to take back America from the enviro-liars and their Democrat cronies.

Dr. Bill Choby

Latrobe

Editor’s note: Crude oil prices moved upward again to above $131 per barrel on Tuesday on a report that a tropical storm was moving toward Mexico.



Political candidate walks the walk

I was on my front porch with neighbors a few weeks ago and an unusual thing happened: A man running for political office stopped by and said he was out knocking on doors and meeting voters.

I thought that was great because you certainly don’t see that from the people who are in office now.

He spent the better part of 25 minutes on the porch with us and he really listened to all of us as we told him our stories and hardships and how we would fix things in government.

But the best part was what he did after he left. During our conversation, I told him about some trouble I was having and he took my name and telephone number and said he would try to help. Within a few days, I received a call from a person at a local office that helps individuals in my situation. This person spoke with me and walked me through some steps that are really going to help.

This candidate had no reason to help me, but he did anyway. Because of his help, I will have more opportunities than I thought possible. He has restored a little bit of my faith in local government by his actions, and I hope he wins his election.

The candidate I met that afternoon was Joseph Veranese, and he is running for state Senate. From his actions, he has my support and the support of my neighbors.

We need more good people like him in Harrisburg.

Mike Mitchell

Johnstown



New vote expected at Central Cambria

As previously stated in many Readers’ Forum letters, the community was, and still is, very disappointed by the decision of the Central Cambria school board to separate the sixth through eighth grades, thereby eliminating the middle school concept.

After many pleas from parents, grandparents, students, guidance counselors, a former principal, a current superintendent, and even a psychologist, board member Dr. Scott Magley made a motion at the June meeting for a new vote. He was told he was out of order and that one of the “five” who voted it down would have to make the motion.

Since then, we have learned from Central Cambria officials that this was an error. More than likely, there will be a new vote on Aug. 4 when a large crowd is expected to attend.

Will the school directors listen this time?

Can they see that we are not just going to give up on something so important as our children? Will they at least give us a reason this time? Or will they just furiously doodle on the paper in front of them and act as though they have their own agendas?

I urge everyone to look at the facility study on the Central Cambria Web site.

You can finally see that adding on to the two elementary buildings as well as the high school is the most expensive option.

Why can’t we construct a building for all three grades near the high school and use some of those existing facilities? This would not only keep the three grades together and away from the high school students, but it would also be less expensive.

Angela Letizia

Johnstown



Johnstown airport grossly underutilized

It is sad to read after all the work at Cambria County’s airport that Colgan Air will cut its flight schedule. I commend The Tribune-Democrat for publishing the new schedule.

I wonder how many people in this area know that you can fly from Johnstown and change in Washington, D.C., rather than Greater Pittsburgh Airport.

Without an increase in passengers, the service, due to cost, could end entirely.

Why not plan to fly out of Johnstown on your next trip?

Cambria County and Westmoreland transit could help, too, by extending service to the airport. There is a bus on Mondays through Fridays from New Florence to Johnstown that departs at 7:45 a.m.

All aboard.

Del Davis

New Florence

        

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