EXCEL: Came through again for music program

Thank you to the Excel committee for your continued support of our music program in our community and here at Skyway Elementary!

RESOURCES: A national disaster

I want to know why our community is being asked to make gowns and masks for our health care providers.

COLUMN: Logic and vision impaired

In response to Frank Orzell’s “My Turn” of February 15th, I would say that Mr. Orzell has totally missed the point of the “Vision 2030” presentations. The presentations are offering our community the opportunity to do exactly what he complains that it won’t. In his point a, he says we have no definition of “community” and yet in his very next point b, he says our “community” is divided. Does he think we have a community or not?

LAKE: It's who we are, right?

“The Curse of Coeur d’Alene Lake:” You know you love it. In the back of your mind, it is always there… our lake… our treasure. Imagine Coeur d’Alene without our lake. Picture miles of dirt fields with no real interest: barren land. Would we be as smug as we are without our lake? Would we secretly smile as wide, when we talk about where we are from, when traveling? O Captain! My Captain! Do I really want him there? The curse of the Coeur d’Alene Lake is a mental trap that gives most of us a “heart of an awl.”

CHRISTIANS: Are being persecuted

I am a bit confused. We are removing God from our schools, work places and public places. Even at the recent National Prayer Breakfast, our president put Him in His place rather than praising Him and giving Him the honor and glory He deserves for all of creation and the wonderment of all He is!

Community Thanks March 22, 2015

FLYOVER: Salute those jets

I was not in Coeur d’Alene on Oct. 14 when two of our military jets visited the skies over our fair city. I wish I had been here to see them. I am proud of our men and women who have made the decision to step forward and defend our country and to risk their lives flying dangerous missions far from Coeur d’Alene. If they choose to fly low and dip their wings in a salute to those of us who also take pride in our flag and country, then I say, GO FOR IT! Do not worry about those who think you may have been too low or too loud. If these same people were on the ground and fighting for their lives in the hell holes where you have to go, I don’t think they would say you were too low or too loud.

CAROUSEL: What's ahead

We’d like to thank the members of our community who wrote letters to the editor regarding our historic Playland Pier Carousel. In only four months of operation, we’re excited that 17,000 people have been able to ride this beautiful attraction — many of whom have shared the memories of their youth. Maintaining its 95-year-old components and preserving its history are our top priority.

No headline

I want to know why our community is being asked to make gowns and masks for our health care providers.

ELECTION: Vote for Tenbrink and McAndrew

As a proud employee of the Coeur d’Alene School District, and the mother of two current Coeur d’Alene School District students, I urge you to vote for Heather Tenbrink and Jimmy McAndrew in the upcoming school board election on Nov. 7. Heather has proven herself to be an intelligent, reasonable board member who works hard to make sure the students in the Coeur d’Alene School District have everything they need to become successful, contributing members of our community.

SCHOOL: No more nightmare

I am the mother of two children who attend Winton Elementary, one going into 4th grade and the other into 1st. The staff at Winton provides a fantastic atmosphere for our children to learn and thrive in, but the surroundings in which the teachers work and our students are asked to learn needs desperate repairs. The school is 80-plus years old and has not seen any major renovations in over 30 years.

Gratitude for our newspaper carriers

October 7th was Newspaper Carrier Day, a day to honor the devoted team of people who make it possible for us to maintain the flow of information in our community.

Military's mission is appreciated, important

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with a liberal woman. I was surprised when she touted the virtues of those serving in our great military, and followed up with her opinion that since World War II we have never used our military to defend the United States. She thought it was a waste to send our young men and women into battle for no reason, and for them to get injured or killed was unjust.

Community Thanks February 19, 2012

Our poor abused thyroid

Doctor of Oriental Medicine

A gland of remarkable adaptability, the thyroid gland absorbs a great deal of "punishment" with our lifestyles today. It is estimated that the prevalence of thyroid disorders is 1 in 13, or 20 million Americans! As more and more Americans are suffering from thyroid disorders, one has to question "why?" The answer is not what we hope to hear - unfortunately, we bring much of it on ourselves.

From Peru with love

Handcrafted Teddy Bears and stuffed Alpacas create a one-of-a-kind gift for that special person

Stream of consciousness

My wife and I often have long conversations based on the first thing that enters our brain. We talk late into each night about education, child motivation, our grandkids, spirituality, faith, love, our dead parents and the painful scars and beautiful love they left deeply embedded in our psyches.

One way to strengthen our schools (and nation)

We Americans owe our freedom to a heritage going back 4,000 years. Yet most High School graduates are only taught about the past 300. This cultural heritage tells us who we are. We are not defined by blood or soil, but by our culture; those core beliefs and folkways that bind us together. Culture determines what we believe is worth living, dying, and even killing for. Wherever our personal ancestry originates is far less important than the Western Civilization we share in common.

Ultimate bully: Eminent domain

If you've visited any of our public schools lately, you've likely noticed a very active campaign against "bullying." But have you ever stopped to think about the biggest bully of all - our government(s)? And one of the most heinous expressions of this offensive and morally corrupt behavior lies in the law of Eminent Domain, i.e., the right of "our" government to expropriate "our" property for public use, thereby punishing the very people it is supposed to protect. And, yes, my family is one of the latest victims.

United we stand with nonprofits

Nonprofit organizations throughout Idaho are coming together this November to celebrate Idaho Nonprofit Awareness Month. The purpose of Idaho Nonprofit Awareness Month is to educate the public about the contributions that nonprofits make every day in our communities; to help create a better understanding about the value and importance of the sector to our state; and to increase volunteerism and philanthropy in this time of economic challenge. The nonprofit sector contributes more than $3 billion to the Idaho economy annually (Idaho Nonprofit Center data), is responsible for 10 percent of its workforce, and serves the state's people in a variety of ways.