I would like to thank our firefighters and mention their bravery. A week and a half ago, I was awakened by the sound of sirens and the odor of smoke. Moments later, a fireman came through my door, put me on his back and carried me down the smoke-filled stairway on Alhambra Drive.

As a resident of Anderson and Madison County, I am asking for your support in trying to help me keep my job at Sallie Mae, and just as important, to help keep jobs in Indiana. Pending legislation is aiming to move all student lending functions under the federal government, which would in turn eliminate approximately 20,000 jobs nationwide.

Madison County Council on Monday approved its budget for 2010, but only after bowing to wishes of one local official — and then refusing to hear from others. County Prosecutor Tom Broderick came before the council and made his case for the reinstatement of a deputy prosecutor position that had been cut from the budget plan.

Since October was breast cancer awareness month, I thought it prudent to let pet owners know that animals can also have breast cancer. My cat, friend and companion, is 16 years old. Her name is Oprah. She has had regular check-ups and has had breast cancer twice.

On Thursday, Oct. 1, Charity’s Angels drew a name from its raffle for a wood sculpture. Due to sudden illness, Dan Pierce, who had generously donated a chain saw carving to be raffled off, was unable to complete the sculpture. His good friend and chain saw carving buddy, David Polk, stepped up to the plate and gave our winner, Terry M., a carved wooden bear.

Since we’re slashing Anderson’s budget, I’d like to suggest we start with Anderson City Council members’ expensive salaries, and make this a volunteer council. We have educated citizens who would be willing to volunteer (including myself).The present council members are each making over $13,000 annually (for working two hours each month).

It has come to my attention recently that many well intentioned, credible organizations and agencies may not have thought about the implications when planning an event, program or fundraiser. There have been many examples of agencies that work with children, support children, promote family values or collaborate with other agencies, hosting events where alcohol and tobacco use is allowed and accepted.

On behalf of families that will benefit by receiving a Habitat House, Habitat for Humanity of Madison County would like to thank everyone who participated in the annual Texas Roadhouse/T.A. Smith Distributing Golf Outing fundraising event. special thanks goes to Steve and Derek Madinger and their committee for organizing the outing; to all of the volunteers and to the Anderson Country Club for hosting the tournament.

I’ve been listening to a lot of people talking against politicians passing blame from one or the other. Neither party is perfect nor blameless. President Bush did suspend the writ of habeas corpus, but was it unconstitutional? Article l, section 9 states:

Federal trade treaties passed into law by both Republicans and Democrats have created the economic hardship in Anderson, not property tax reform. For the last 18 months state Sen. Tim Lanane, who voted for House Bill 1001, has rallied local officials to denounce property tax reform and claim an impending budget crisis.

I first read an article regarding the “Trilateral Commission” in the mid 1970s. Since then, I’ve periodically heard this organization mentioned. My first thought was that this is a secret organization designed to establish a one-world government. It’s not secret, but simply not discussed in the press.

When I read the recent story in The Herald Bulletin about the Anderson Board of Public Works contract and found buried in it three little lines about city employees getting 16 paid holidays and two personal days, I just about lost it, or thought, surely, this was a huge typo.

I want to start by saying I was president of the Madison County Taxpayers group for five years. I spent many hours attending council meetings and school board meetings. I saw elected officials vote for and against the best interests of Madison County taxpayers.

I'm astounded that the Madison County Health Department has decided to hold a “first come, first served” H1N1 clinic. There is a shortage of vaccine, and that’s understandable, but why hold a clinic where those not at high risk can receive vaccinations before those who really need them?

When columnist and professor Walter Williams, a right-wing scholar, sails on the Crystal Serenity from Venice to Athens, in the lap of luxury provided by some of America’s biggest corporations, and speaks of economic liberty, his words diminish our freedom but increases the freedom of Big Business.

Concerning City Councilman Ollie H. Dixon, I have to say for a judge to dismiss those charges and then say it wasn’t political has to be a joke.

My name is Sarah and I am 16 years old. On Monday night I went with my dad and younger brother to the County Council meeting. That meeting was not at all how I expected a meeting to be.

Eight years ago we sent our troops, believed to be the finest fighting force in the world, into Afghanistan to capture, or kill, Osama bin Laden. We invaded a sovereign country looking to justify the murder of nearly 3,000 innocent civilians by a ragtag group of jihadists hellbent on forcing American military forces off Saudi Arabian soil.

We now have a “real” unemployment rate of about 17 percent. No one has proposed real ways to reduce this. Some now say this will be the new typical unemployment rate. We have soaring oil and gasoline prices, even though there is a glut of oil and refineries are even being shut down due to low demand.

As a patient of Dr. Phillip D. Foley since the 1970s, I would like to provide an informed view of his practice and how it works. First of all, to Mr. Stefandel who lives across the street from the clinic and was quoted in The Herald Bulletin, those are not cattle lined up at the door before the clinic opens.

I just read the article about the attack by the White House against Fox News. War has been declared. Shame on Fox News for straying from the Obama talking points. Did we really need to know that we have a tax cheat in charge of the IRS? Was ACORN newsworthy?

I was very encouraged to read in The Herald Bulletin that Anderson Community School Corp. is considering schools with themes. I believe this is more commonly known as magnet schools. It is a very innovative idea, and one that I would applaud. While they are considering on which areas to concentrate, might I suggest a school that would concentrate on dual credit for college.

I am a licensed health care provider, who lives in Indianapolis and works in Anderson. It has been astounding to me that so many of your restaurants and entertainment facilities such as bowling alleys continue to be smoke-filled. As more and more evidence mounts regarding the acute and chronic illnesses caused by direct and secondhand smoke.

Robert Johnston’s disdain for the United Auto Workers is quite obvious, but I wonder if he returned the many wage increases and benefits he received as a result of UAW-GM negotiations? GM cut your benefits, not the UAW. He cries about the UAW getting 17 percent of GM, but that is in lieu of billions of dollars that GM had agreed to put into a fund for UAW retirees medical care.

I am grateful for Roland VanHorn’s kind words in his letter of Oct. 20; a few rejoinders are in order, however. While I grant Jim Bailey’s overarching point, i.e., the singular inappropriateness of men of the cloth calling for an assassination, I still wonder whether the intemperate behavior of a couple of misguided small-town pastors is actually more harmful

When you read Nancy Turner’s viewpoint, you would think the name of Adam Smith’s book was, “The Wealth of the Wealthy.” Though Smith makes many points, the point of competition isn’t so that the rich can get richer but so the common consumer can have the best price via market competition. Does anyone think that’s what health insurers provide?

The editorial page receives so many letters that are political, argumentative, etc. Just thought you might include something different, and we think refreshing. We attended the Mainstage Theatre presentation of “The Music Man” on Friday, Oct. 2, and thought everybody did a super job!

Beginning Nov. 1, the hours for the main branch of Anderson Public Library will be Monday through Thursday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. The Lapel branch hours will be Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday, 1 to 7 p.m.; closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

How people can side with insurance industry CEOs making millions in bonuses and the corrupt politicians they have paid millions to stop health care reform, is beyond me. If people would take a minute and look at how much their premiums have gone up and the deductibles they paid out and insurance companies’ claims denials the last 10 years, they might realize insurance industry is out of control.

Government debt $11.9 trillion? No, it’s the debt of the citizens. It’s government’s scheme to take all you have or are working for, one step at a time. When government spends money that does not exist and passes the bill onto the citizen this is slavery with a pretty face.

Congratulations to Gov. Mitch Daniels for acknowledging that the experiment in wholly privatizing the delivery of welfare services by the state’s Family and Social Services Administration was not working as he had hoped and for taking positive steps to correct the situation.

I am a strong (some would say “rabid”) proponent of universal health care for every American. Not only that, I believe adequate health care should be a constitutionally guaranteed right.
The USA ranks 35th in infant mortality among all the countries of the world.

I heard on the news a statement by Jim Irsay about the status of Rush Limbaugh’s desire to be a part owner of the St. Louis Rams. I was shocked to hear his statement about not voting for Rush because he could cause potential problems. This statement was made before he has even talked to him.

I would like to thank the Shriners in the Frankton Heritage Day parade for the salute to our son and the bear. It was really touching. A salute to you one and all from our family.

It certainly appears that socialists are united in their desire to see capitalism destroyed, and Christianity along with it. The Christian view typically supports hard money, fiscal responsibility, savings, deferred gratification, and living within one’s means.

I can’t keep my mouth shut any longer. I worked at Anderson Public Library for 35 years, and it kills me to see the decisions the Library Board and its director must make about which services and, in the long-run, personnel to cut due to budget deficits because of decreased property taxes.

Although I have great respect for Dr. Dan Ippolito and his education and profession I was somewhat dismayed at his letter of Oct. 10 that criticized Jim Bailey and his article about “When men of cloth pray for a president’s death.” In calling out liberals for having a double standard he completely missed the point of Bailey’s comments.

“The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling! “In this familiar children’s fable, Chicken Little, (who was hit on the head by an acorn) warned a few farm neighbors of imminent disaster! In our e-mail/media driven age, though, worst-scenario conclusions reach millions in an instant.