Letters policy

The News Courier encourages letters to the editor. Submissions should be no more than 400 words and should include a name, address and telephone number for verification. Submissions that do not meet requirements are subject to editing. Send letters by noon on Thursdays to P.O. Box 670, Athens, Ala., 35613, or e-mail to kelly@athensnews-courier.com.



Take care of firing range

Dear Editor:

My family and I use the Swan Creek Shooting range often, lately it has come to look like a dump. Those visiting the range are leaving trash, paper, wood, and many other bits of junk on the range area. We, my friends and family, help keep the range area clean but we cannot keep up with the criminals that leave their trash. The state of Alabama tries very hard to keep up but they do not have the manpower or the funding to do what is needed. Why is it not possible for people to take with them what they brought to the range area. It makes me sick to have folks come out and work hard to clean and pick up trash from others and come back two days later and find an even bigger mess. Our friends get together and cut the grass around the range, we have even been there to help develop the range. Personally I have driven a bulldozer to dig a retention pond, so I put my work where my mouth is.

I have been told by many shooters from out of state that we have a great facility here in Limestone County in the Swan Creek Shooting Range. A range of this quality would cost hundreds of dollars to belong to if it was private. Please folks, if you use the Swan Creek Shooting Range, pick up after yourself and help to keep this great facility clean and inviting. My fear is that there will be such a mess there that the state of Alabama will shut it down and then where will the shooters go?

Tony Gooch

Athens





Letters renewed hope

Dear Editor:

I would like to thank Karen Stein, Michael Thompson and Larry Keenum for their outstanding letters last Sunday. I have renewed “Hope” for the “Change” our country needs. If three of our citizens are concerned enough about the direction of our country to write a letter, that must mean many more feel the same. Count me in that group.

Our great country is facings many serious challenges (mostly created by the government). With all these problems, what is the Obama administration focusing on? Fox News, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and anyone else who asks legitimate questions about the administration plans.

When the president tries to use his power to shut people up, something is very wrong. The Tea Party Protesters have been called “Astroturf”, ignorant, racists, potential terrorists and more. If Obama would spend more time listening to the people instead of ridiculing them, maybe he would see the error of his ways. And if you believe that will every happen, I have a nice ocean view lot to sell you in Kansas.

We need to clean house in 2010 and send a loud message to Washington. “We’re mad as heck and we’re not going to take it anymore.”

Sincerely,

Bruce Wilson

Athens