Home ] Local News ] Community ] Entertainment ] Classifieds ] [ Editorial ]

Editorial
Your Gateway To Local Information





__________________

Homeland Security
____________________
____________________

__________________


"The Storm Mountain Incident"

Pollution of our
National Forest Streams


(Requires Free PowerPoint Viewer available here)

__________________


Contamination to Storm Mountain Properties
Click here for the facts!
__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

 

March 22nd, 2005 - The American Situation

     Have you taken the time to stop and look at America and it's citizens situation today? Have you asked yourself why are things like this, what went wrong? Well its quite simple. The majority of the people who voted chose this direction for our once great nation. They chose higher fuel prices based on the oil industries' greed. They chose to live in fear of everything from terrorist attacks to the fabricated social security crisis. They chose to have the reputation of America being a "Bully of the World". They chose to cut our social programs in order that there be funds to compensate for tax cuts for the wealthy.

     I find this all very interesting and ironic as the same people that empowered the parties responsible for our Country's current situation, are the ones complaining most about gas prices and programs being cut. In my opinion, they got just what they deserved for their reckless votes based on party and not facts. It's just sad that we all now have to pay the price for their foolishness. 

     Now what do we do? These corporate representatives are locked into power for another four years. It is very frightening and disturbing to imagine what further damage will be done in that short time to our country, our environment, our finances, and most importantly our lives, liberties, and freedoms. And whether you are willing to honestly look at the source of the problem and demand change or chose to hide your head in the sand like an ostrich pretending all is well, you will feel the negative effects of their actions equally.

     The only way to change America's current downhill slide is for the People to stop the partisan hogwash and start looking for true leaders. Leader's who honestly understand our world today and have a sincere desire to get our country back on track to being the great, prosperous, well-respected Nation we once were. Leader's who understand things like the imminent threat of Global Warming and the extreme importance of civil rights. Leaders who don't have an agenda designed to help their corporate friends fill their pockets with our hard earned dollars but rather look out for the welfare of the people as a whole. True leaders. Not arrogant, self-serving fools who claim to be appointed by God. Not leaders who manipulate the people with lies, fear, and deception. We need honest, true leadership from whatever party it may come from. The blind party line voting is destroying our way of life.

     People also need to stop believing the propaganda being pumped out by the major media outlets and investigate the facts of issues, not follow blindly like sheep to slaughter. These large media organizations are bought and sold by the politicians and their respective parties. They manipulate and withhold the true facts to suit their own greedy needs with total disregard for reality and the damage they are inflicting upon our Nation.

     Most important of all, the People of America need to remember that while we may be Republicans, Democrats, Independents or unaffiliated above all we are Americans, and it's time we Americans look out for America and not our parties of choice. As so eloquently stated in the legendary words of John F. Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country".

September 15th, 2004 - Farewell to A Storm Well Rode

Well, the leaves are starting to turn now as they lean over the river. Though the air and sun has a feel on an Indian Summer, Old Woman Fall still creeps in as the colors of the leaves reveals her hidden arrival.
I took a dip yesterday in the river and as I washed my hair and lay back to rinse it, many golden leaves floated by and became entangled within my hair. I looked as if I were decorated for a fair with large flakes of Aspens gold wound about. How I love the beauty in all that touches me.
 
Just as the beauty of Storm Mountain has touched my spirit as the mountain folk upon. Though I have been in this canyon many years it is just now I get to know all of you so well.
 
I now sit in the shop quiet with echo's of ancient times past. About me filled with many things, fossils, rocks and wood they lay upon the ground many years ago.
I Kind of feel mellow as I dust some of the old bones and fossils on my shelves. I still look upon them in wonder as I knew once the spear head I hold within my palm once was in some strong braves hands. I have some scraping tools used to skin seals off some Island up in the North Country near the whispers of Ocean songs. I even have a tooth from some Indian from hundreds of years ago, ground down and polished as he chewed his food with sand in it. It truly amazes me all these things I have in the shop that was used or belonged to someone or an animal, some hundreds of years ago. Tools used to hunt, platters and vases to hold food and water. Knives and needles to mend and clean. Over the passage of time they all made their way to me and I now hold them in the palm of my hand. I am in true wonder of it all. I want so to feel what they did, the pain and labors of their harvest or kill. I wonder what they were thinking and such. Sometimes if I hold it long enough I can almost hear the roar of fires and dances to the music shared. The glee in a shout of a kill for the peoples winter cache of food. The acknowledgment of blessings bestowed.
 
I truly enjoyed my walks upon your mountain and picking so many beautiful herbs and flowers for the shop. This walk is a walk I will truly hold close.
 
With sale of the River Forks I am now in the position to close.
I am dismantling the shop now. And will be gone by the 20th. So many people of the mountain have come by to wish me a farewell. It's a bit sad as I leave so many of the mountain folk behind. But I must embrace this hard walk once again and move forward with excitement and wonder in what new adventure lies ahead. I am sure it is to be a hum dingier as it always is. But I do feel deep within my depth something new there, my fingers held out just barely brushing it yet, knowing it is there.
 
Yes, Brand New Dead Things will soon be gone but the echo of it still will linger.
 
As I drive these mountain roads I at times feel so at home with you all and my thoughts go back to days of old, and I embrace what once was.
I feel if I keep walking, one day my path will cross here again and all will be what could, what once was, what truly is. But alas I awaken from my vision and I am still driving down a mountain road alone, but I smile and I can still hear the whisper of the children early morn as they play and laugh about the porch of the shop waiting for the school bus.
I will miss the little arms of babies that got to know me, their little hands reaching out to a new found Auntie.
 
I would like to thank you all for your support and kindness during mine and Sunshine's short stay here upon your mountain, we feel ever so blessed to have known all of you.
 
So we say good-bye for now to a Storm Well Rode
 
Sunshine and Peg
Brand New Dead Things

August 19th, 2004 - by Darrell Spangler

(In regards to the contamination to my property)

Today I sit and I wonder... What do people think about my situation? Do they consider me trouble maker? Am I looked at as the guy against the rest of the community? Am I seen as a concerned father and homeowner looking out for his family's health and interests?

I would imagine it's a mix of each in reality... The truth is that I am sincerely concerned about the chemicals I know are in the sludge that ran into my property from the road... I am also concerned for my children's health and the main investment I have, my property and home... 

The facts are: 

(1) I have spent hundreds of dollars of my own money to have the sludge tested and to determine if it was harmless or a concern...

(2) Testing by a lab specializing in environmental contaminates and related substances indicated that the sludge contained Arsenic (224ppm), Barium (958ppm), and Chromium (25.4ppm)... 

(3) The majority of the trees and shrubs in the path of this contamination's flow through my property are dead or dying...

(4) This same type off run-off contamination is flowing into the streams of the National Forest and ultimately the North Fork and Big Thompson Rivers...

(5) I have asked both the Road Maintenance Corporation as well as the appropriate County officials to do something to prevent this from repeatedly occurring yet nothing is done...

(6) I have never asked one single person for a dime nor have I taken any legal or other type of action against anyone, other than asking the Road Maintenance Corporation to reimburse me for the trees and shrubs...

I have worked very hard to get where I am today and my family's health and welfare are the number one priority in my life... My home and land is my largest investment to date and it is very hard to sit back and watch it being devalued and destroyed needlessly... And I also care very deeply for the Forest and Wildlife around me that is surely being effected... I ask you to honestly look inside yourself and try to think how you would feel if this was happening to your family and your home... I just can't for the life of me imagine anyone just saying that it's ok with them... That would be insanity... No reasonable person would be happy with what has gone on with my land...

So I would like to hear from others, who will maybe show me that I am wrong in being upset and frustrated, and explain how that I should thank the people who did this for their thinning out of my trees and lowering my property's value... Call me names, commend me, I don't care... Send it anonymously... Just let me know what you all think about my situation and how you would handle things if it were you... Many thanks in advance...

Darrell

This Editorial Section is for both the Editor's Viewpoint, and Letters to the Editor... Submissions will be accepted any time at:

 


Copyright © 2004 Storm Mountain Net
Last modified: October 24, 2006