Alzheimerís Walk to be held September 15 at Cushonís Peak
To the Editor:

I am asking for as many individuals or teams as possible toÝjoin me and many others onÝSept. 15 at Cushonís PeakÝCampgroundÝin Houston for our annual Alzheimerís Association Memory Walk.ÝÝÝThis is a walk that holds a special place in my heart, as my dadÝjust recently passed awayÝfrom this dreaded disease. In his latter months, Dad was with us in our hearts, but he could not convey anythingÝhe wanted to say. Alzheimerís is a disease that takes away a personísÝmind and dignity, and leaves him/her with an emptyÝfeeling; a disease that is a loss of their mental capacities, a diseasevthat the personÝwith Alzheimerís, cannot partake in family fun, gatherings, special events, enjoy their children, andÝgrandchildren.Ý Besides the person who has this disease, it is very trying on the caregiver as we all well know.Ý

According to the Alzheimerís Association, there are five millionÝ Americans who have Alzheimerís today. Without a cure or prevention, approximately 14 million more will be affected by the year 2050.

We need to find a cure! This walk is looking for as many teams or walkers as possible to help this be a successful event. The funds raised at this walk will benefit anyone in the Houston County area. It helps to provide support, education, ID bracelets,ÝandÝbe a benefit to the caregiversÝas well. I believeÝwe are all affected by this disease in some way or another, or we know of someone who has Alzheimer's.

Please join me on Sept. 15, for a 2 or a 4 mile walk, all on blacktop, with beautiful scenery!ÝÝIf you have any questions, or would like to donate to this cause,Ýfeel free to call me at 724-2510. Or you can go onto their website which is ÝÝwww.alz.org/memorywalk.

Hope to see you there.

Bonnie Laumb
Caledonia, MN

Be there - CJC Sept. 27 public meeting
To the Editor:

Donít think this meeting is just for Caledonia. Every county citizen should be there. Every injustice is an injustice to all.

A county commissioner stated, "I have seen no statistics that county jails pose any more risk or hazards to the residents than any other government facility." Briefly, about 75 percent of prisoners released from jail/prison, on probation, parole; conditions of bond, etc. receive one or more of the following orders: 1. No residence within 1,000 feet of schools or child care facility. (In Iowa this is 2,000 ft.) 2. No residence in a building where children are present. 3. No direct or indirect contact with minors. 4. No direct or indirect contact with vulnerable adults. (Senior citizens are considered vulnerable adults.) 5. Must not be in any location where children or minors tend to congregate.

Just think - these orders are after being rehabilitated. I have never heard of a prisoner being given orders not to come within 1,000 feet of a library, city hall, courthouse, county sheds, etc.

In addition, in 2003, the state mandated that since the state prisons were nearly full, all short term prisoners would be transferred to county jails. The state also mandated that county jails be built so that multi level offenders (to include sex offenders) could be housed in county jails. It is best to think of a present day county jail as a prison because that is the way they are built at a huge increase in cost. The state also passed laws that make DWI a felony. According to the department of corrections, 90 percent of offenders are chemically dependent or abusive.

Commissioners, most people lock their homes at night. They do it because it is reasonable prevention and not because they have statistics that state it is more risky or hazardous not locking it.

More than 30 counties are currently planning and/or building a new jail and I havenít found one being built in residential area, near an elementary school, and in the middle of elderly housing. Wabasha County (a county a little smaller than Houston County) is currently in the process of building a new jail. On August 14, 2007 the City of Wabasha issued the Wabasha County a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to build the new jail on the outer limits of the city. As is customary, the first two conditions of the CUP reads: "1. That the establishment, maintenance, or operation of the conditional use will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, morals, comfort, or general welfare; 2. That the conditional use will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for thepurposes already permitted, nor substantially diminishes and impairs property values within the neighborhood."

Move the site! Commissioners, you are not representing all citizens of Houston County! God bless us all.
Larry Salm
Caledonia, Minn.

Bi-partisan actions are needed
To the Editor:

The book is now closed on the 2007 legislative session. By his own reckoning Governor Pawlenty issued 55 vetoes, a new state record. Democrats try to make it out that mean young Gov. Pawlenty was just being partisan in vetoing all these progressive (and expensive) acts. Fact is the governorís budget allowed for a 9.6 percent increase in state funding over the upcoming bi-ennium, which should have been enough to allow for inflation. The Governor telegraphed in no uncertain terms his determination to keep the state within itís budget. Democrats, apparently sensing a mandate that they really didnít have, decided to test the governorís resolve.

It came down to a question of style. Concrete progress in any legislature requires co-operation across the aisle. In the last session it seems that Democrats, flush with victory, figured they could steam roller measures thru without help from the minority party. This turned out to be a very poor calculation when veto override time came around. Democrats could not split off any of the governorís support. They had simply made no effort to cultivate any kind of working relationship with the minority.

We should hope when the legislature reconvenes, we will see a more bi-partisan approach. As the tragedy with the I 35 bridge showed, the state has infrastructure problems which are long overdue; ditto with education, healthcare and tax policy. Whatís needed at St. Paul are people who have demonstrated a willingness, but more than that, the ability to solve problems in a bi-partisan manner.

David Boone
Houston, Minn.

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Caledonia Argus
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