Letters: Legion thanks, pay U.S. debt and more | May 20

Legion thankful for parking lot wash

I want to give a huge thank you to Ray Poland & Sons and their employees. I asked them if they’d be kind enough to bring their water truck to Benton City American Legion Post 115 and wash our paved parking lot before we begin the summer. It was covered in dirt from the years gone by and dearly needed a washing. One of their employees, Traverse, showed up after a long day at work and washed the lot down. He did a wonderful job and the parking lot looked great again. This type of community support went beyond expectations.

Again, thank you, Traverse and Ray Poland & Sons!

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Drug laws need complete overhaul

I’m writing because I believe it’s time to rewrite drug laws to be more relaxed. After Nixon rewrote the controlled substances act in 1970, America had more arrests than any other country on earth. When Joe Biden ran, he stated drugs were not to be a criminal penalty anymore.

I believe we need to go a step further, and take cannabis out from the controlled substances act completely.

It’s time to look at ways to reduce incarceration in America, while reducing opiate use to more safe quarters. We must medicalize addiction treatment, going from interdiction to healthcare as a way of making opiate use safer and allowing users to see doctors. Economics support a shift from interdiction to legalization. Deaths from drug use must decline while use becomes left for doctors to treat.

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You can help pay down U.S. debt

Regarding the (recent) story for extra $7 billion for Hanford: How about a volunteer effort? How about $30 million instead for ERDF cell expansion? On Sept. 10, 2020, I had a phone call conversation with one of Rep. Dan Newhouse’s offices to ask what the final amount was for FY21 budget and if there is a way for individuals to donate funds back to U.S. government debt. The person didn’t know the answers. The office never replied to me as promised.

I found a website “pay.gov,” then you can scroll down until you read “Make a Donation or Contribution” to click on. Scroll down again to use “Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt.” Scroll down a little more to find it and to use “Continue” to make a gift. Direct URL is https://www.pay.gov/public/form/start/23779454 for your Day’s Pay or Week’s Pay or extra COVID amount not needed as Hanford site employees getting their regular wages already. Obviously, $30 million would probably need more contributors than just Hanford workers!

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country:” JFK.

Please join my efforts to donate or place an amount in your will.

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Offering definitions of abuse, neglect

Child abuse is any physical harm or mistreatment of a child under the age of 18. Physical abuse is non-accidental infliction of physical injury or physical mistreatment of a child when it may cause harm to the child’s health, welfare or safety.

Neglect is a failure to act or the cumulative effect of behaviors or inaction that evidence a serious disregard that constitutes a clear and present danger to a child’s health, welfare and safety, both of which are reportable.

Abandonment is when a parent or guardian forgoes the responsibility to provide essential care to a child. Anyone can make a report for any suspected child abuse. In order to make a report of suspected child abuse. you’ll need the name, address and age of the child, the contact information for a parent or guardian, any identifying information of the person suspected of committing the child abuse or neglect and a description of the incident and what was witnessed or any other information that led you to suspect abuse or neglect have occurred. To make a Child Protective Services report, contact (509) 585-3000.

This story was originally published May 20, 2021 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Letters: Legion thanks, pay U.S. debt and more | May 20."