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Thursday, July31, 2014
The Ralls County Herald-Enterprise • rallshe.com
VIEWS AND COMMENTS
From the Editor
Primary Election August 5, 2014 RE-ELECT CONNIE BERRY
Democratic Candidate
by Editor Carolyn Trower
Ralls County Collector
Paid for by Connie Berry
WHAT’S ON YOUR BALLOT? As Missourians exercise their right to selfdetermination next Tuesday, the “right to farm” amendment is a topic of much discussion. Though the concept feels warmand-fuzzy, the diversity of the manner in which Missourians engage in agriculture makes a “one size fits all” government package implausible. There are fish farms, tree farms, sod farms, orchards and vineyards, herb farms, wild game ranches, stables, kennels and even worm ranches. Yes, there are also grain operations becoming nearly as large as some counties. Yes, there are also CAFO’s (concentrated animal feeding operations) covering much the same production area as Granite City Steel or Cerro Copper or some small villages. All these farming operations rub up against the general public. Some rub smoothly, some rub the wrong way. Amendment I purports to “protect Missouri farmers from ‘arbitrary’ and ‘unreasonable’ regulations…,”according to Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster (as reported in July 25 Quincy HeraldWhig). In addition to the fact that both the words “arbitrary” and “unreasonable” are highly subjective in interpretation, this amendment invites a myriad of legal disputes between the interpretations of stewards of the land and those of “industrial agriculture.” Casein-point: Missouri Parks Assn and the Village of Arrow Rock vs Mo DNR over the proximity of a 4800 hog CAFO to the local vineyards and tourism industry. DNR (which has become basically a “rubber stamp” for CAFO’s) is now asserting that the judge’s ruling only applies to the one CAFO named in the litigation and not to other like operations. Is it “arbitrary” for the operator of a boarding stable or of an orchard or a vegetable farm to object to the stench of a CAFO wafting through their source of income? There would seem to be “reasonable” insistence on the part of an ever-growing number of people for regulation to (as C.W. McCall said in the song, Convoy, “ya wanna back off another few miles, Pig Pen? Them hogs is gittin’ intense.”) The issue of requiring “scrubbers” on CAFO’s emissions systems as are required on power plants and other industries (which act much like the
catalytic converters on U.S. vehicles and most modern farm tractors) would reduce or eliminate carcinogens and odors and make CAFO’s much more neighborly. This regulation would fit well into a world effort for better air quality. Biologically, if a person “smells” something it means that particles of that substance have passed over the olfactory sensors in the nasal passage and have nestled into the lungs to rendezvous with oxygen-seeking capillaries. It is most doubtful that feces particles could be less harmful than second hand smoke, coal smoke or vehicle emissions. (And how about all those ordinances against burning leaves and trash – arbitrary? Unreasonable? It has been said that you can tell how prosperous a farm is by how far the foot-scrapper is from the door. While the land and buildings of a CAFO may be owned by a “farm family,” you can bet that the executive office doors of the wealthy meat processors and distributors are a long way from any CAFO. As Amendment 1 is worded, it seems to give those who can afford the most, and the most expensive lawyers, the greatest opportunity to decide what is “arbitrary” and “unreasonable.” The “right to farm” should be protected, but let’s send this amendment back to committee until they get it right. In the same article, Mr. Koster stated that Amendment 1 was important because it would protect farm property from being condemned and taken by “eminent domain.” While I avidly support this concept I am curious as to Mr. Koster’s sincerity in that both he and Governor Nixon (whom Mr. Koster seeks to follow into office) appear to be very quietly nudging the Missouri Public Service Commission to approve “eminent domain” authority for the Grain Belt Express Power Line. With this authority, the promoters can muscle their easement across Missouri’s bean fields, back yards, timber plots (even wildlife habitat on Corps of Engineers’ property), and yes, near or even over some CAFO’s. The company would also have the right to transit, spray, and strike deals with fiber optic, pipelines, etc. to share the easement. Does this sound like “right to farm?”
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I spent some time sorting through old school records at the Ralls County Historical Society recently. Among the enrollment records and financial reports were some old class photos. There were several group shots of students and their teacher in front of a rural school house. Others showed students in basketball and football uniforms from the early days of the county high schools. I loved looking at those faces and trying to imagine what their school days were like. While I was sorting I thought how important it is to preserve these paper records and photos. Computers are great for research and gathering facts, but they don’t show the patina of the photos and the subtle fading on the edges, things that speak to the past. We need to get our young people to see the importance of paper and books and the old-time filing cabinets full of priceless information.
Yes, there have been fires and tornadoes. Courthouses and hospitals have lost countless records, gone with no way of retrieving them. Houses burn and all is lost; tornadoes and floods scatter families’ memories and heritage. So we put our photos on the computer, on disk, and on memory sticks. We hide them in cloud; but unless we print them out and put them in frames and scrapbooks how often are they looked at? You don’t browse a picture file on your computer like you do when you pull the photo albums out and sit on the floor showing your grandchildren pictures of their dad when he was their age. They ask about family members they never knew and the stories unfold. And who hasn’t felt the exhilaration of opening an old box of forgotten photos? I found an old cookie tin in the closet and sat on the floor in wonder and frustration. There were
ELECT PANSY KOLB
pictures of my parents when they were young and pictures of family members with no name or date on the back. One of my favorite albums to look at is the one made of leather and imprinted with an Alaskan scene on the cover. Inside are pictures of Daddy and his sailor buddies from their World War II sojourn down the Pacific coast and around the Aleutian Islands. A friend tells me that the internet and social media is the way it is; that paper and ink are archaic dead weights, especially in the newspaper business. But I don’t think so. I think it’s important for people, especially the young, to feel history’s stories in the old photos and the brittle pages of old newspapers as well as view the words on a bright screen. There are many ways for the young to learn about the past, let’s not let them choose only one path.
Republican Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Paid for by Pansy Kolb
RE-ELECT GINA JAMESON
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Circuit Clerk and Ex-Officio Recorder of Deeds Paid for by Gina Jameson
ELECT SANDRA (SANDY) LANIER
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Sandra Lanier, Susan Lane Treasurer
RE-ELECT ROBERT L. SEE Republican Candidate
Ralls County Presiding Commissioner
Paid for by committee to elect Bob See; Jim Ross, Treasurer
ELECT WILEY HIBBARD
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Presiding Commissioner
Paid for by Ralls County Citizens to elect Wiley Hibbard. Ann Miller, Treasurer; Bob Poage, Chairman
From Our Readers
ELECT JOHN K. PALMER
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Send your Letters to the Editor to Ralls County Herald-Enterprise, PO Box 426, New London, MO 63459. Letters are subject to the RCHE Letters to the Editor Policy, published below.
Dear Editor, As many of you are aware, on August 5, Ralls County voters will be given the opportunity to cast a vote that could transform our Ralls County Prosecutor’s Office into a full time office. As a resident of Ralls County, it is my opinion that the transformation into “full time status” would be beneficial to our county. I believe that the transformation would result in addition-
al time/resources needed for the Ralls County Prosecutor’s Office to remain updated on new laws and make themselves more readily available to law enforcement, court personnel, defense staff, witnesses, victims, and victims’ families. In addition, it is my opinion that the transformation from a “part time” to “full time” prosecutor office would efficiently prevent unnecessary delays in the disposition of cas-
GOT TO SELL IT I have received a ton of mail the past two months and would like to share a couple of comments from readers in reference to telling my grandson he shouldn’t own a Japanese car because they bombed Pearl Harbor. For the first time I heard from families who would not buy a Volkswagen or German cars. A grandson, who did not want his name used said his grandfather, who served in WWII would not allow any of his family members including grandchildren to own a German built car. He even included it in his will. If any family members owned one, they were to be disinherited.
I also got an e-mail from Larry Cowden that reads as follows: “Jack, it seems like people forget really quick. I will not buy a ball cap with the label “Made in Vietnam” or anything else. Unfortunately at one time almost all electronics came from Japan along with millions of junk products. If everyone living in the US bought US made products we would have not scrubbed to China recently. Larry Cowden, Vietnam Veteran.” A second e-mail from Larry continued: “I read your column in the Ralls County Herald-Enterprise which is in New London, Center and Perry. The VW
Senior Editor - David Eales Editor - Carolyn Trower Advertising Manager - Nancy Pipkin Periodicals Postage Paid at New London, Mo. Send address changes to: Ralls County Herald Enterprise, P.O. Box 426, New London, MO 63459
es. This in my opinion, could potentially save the county money in the future. I believe that most residents would agree with me when I say...... we wouldn’t want a “part time” sheriff ’s department or a “part time” health department, why continue to have a “part time” prosecutor office? Sincerely, Stacie Tharp Ralls County Resident
bug also p/o’d a lot of the troops who fought in Germany also. I look at the obits first then I read your article. I have lived in the Ft. Worth area for almost 20 years now. Moved around on the BN Railroad. Finally hit retirement and enjoy every day of it.” My grandson Cory, who was in the Air Force, had bought a Nissan car after he came back from his last deployment and was stationed at Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City. He now is in Germany and I had to take him off the hook and buy the car. Every Sunday morning I park in the same spot at church, and last Sunday one of our good church women who reads my articles every week let me have it by asking me “Jack, whose white Japanese car is that parked in your spot?” I have just GOT to sell that car. Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com. Visit w w w. j a c k re m e mb e r s . com.
Paid for by John K. Palmer
RE-ELECT JENA L. EPPERSON
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Treasurer
Paid for by Jena L. Epperson
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