Letters to the editor

Thank you for making trails look nice

Dear Editor:

Now that the ice and snow is gone, (I hope!) my dog and I are able to get farther afield than the hard surfaces at Jefferson County Park or Chautauqua Park in Fairfield. There have been some nice improvements made on a few of our trails and parking areas.

We walked the Lamson Woods trail today. I love the new fencing going up in the parking area. The bridge has had some freshening with new boards and a paint job, the gazebo has a new roof. I am hoping a few benches will be coming along the marsh area so I could sit and watch our resident herons at work.

Last week, we walked the trail at Pond #2. I had seen the new bridge decking and the refurbished benches last Fall. Now I see that there are trees planted along the trail and the gazebo by Waterworks has had some much needed repairs.

I don’t know who the volunteers are that are doing all this but I would like to thank each and every one of them. Not only is it nice for those of us who use the trails, but it shows people new to the area that we care about our community. Thank you, each and every one.

Dianne Brandt

Fairfield

Ernst, Grassley wrong about energy bill

Dear Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley:

You both are so wrong regarding Russian oil and your proposed energy bill.

First, regarding oil from Russia. Banning oil from Russia was only a political ploy for a couple of obvious reasons:

1) It won’t hurt Russia it just drives them closer to China, a country that’s trying to buy up all of the energy in the world (they even tried to buy our coal mines). In addition, while Great Britain is on board, the EU isn’t.

2) America’s middle and lower classes will take the hit. The upper classes and the Washington elite will feel a tiny hit like a mosquito bite, if even that, while the middle and lower classes will get a big hit, like a killer bee sting. A very questionable decision and you two bought into it without any thought concerning the impact on your voter base.

In regard to your energy bill. It’s almost as silly as Republicans stating we should be opening up the Keystone pipeline and using our own energy. Or, Buttigieg telling us to buy electric cars. Neither of these proposals amount to anything. Mr. B’s proposal is akin to “Let them eat cake!,” and the Republicans’ is a fantasy that can’t happen until (if) we win the White House.

Just like Biden stopping Russian oil imports, your proposed bill is not helping the middle and lower classes who are already suffering because of the current inflation; the result of the amount of money that had to be created to support massive Democrat government spending.

In addition, I’m sure you know that it doesn’t have a prayer in becoming law, even passing Congress, until Republicans are back in power and for that to happen, we need to assure one legal vote per American citizen.

I’m not convinced that will be fixed by 2024, and 2022 is just around the corner.

That’s the only focus where your efforts should be placed. Without honest and fair elections, America is doomed.

Quit this political fantasy stuff and concentrate on doing everything you can to take back Congress. Your efforts to correct the energy crisis will actually mean something then.

Finally, nobody but Iowa corn farmers care about E15. And some of them don’t see it as that big a deal. Your proposed bill doesn’t convince us that you’re trying to solve the energy crisis. The fanatical left are determined to destroy fossil fuels and nothing will change their minds. In order to solve the energy crisis, we need to vote them out of power.

Brad Fregger

Fairfield

Putin destroying a beautiful Ukraine

Vladimir Putin of Russia has become one of the most despicable, evil persons in the world. His barbaric, unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is destroying beautiful cities. His army is bombing homes, schools, hospitals and randomly murdering men, women and children.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has become a very honored world leader. While Trump was president, he bullied and blackmailed Zelensky and withheld military aid to Ukraine.

Unbelievably, Trump admired and praised Putin. Trump also disparaged NATO which has now become stronger and more important than ever before.

Norma Lindeen

Swedesbug

Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com