Thank you, from a veteran
Greetings from a thankful veteran. On behalf of many veterans within the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), especially those from the MOAA Columbia Chapter, I would like to express how much we all appreciate Larry Dandridge’s informative articles dealing with military matters.
Whether these articles deal with Agent Orange, cost of living updates, and various other benefits and compensation to include the legislative tools at work for us, they are each important matters about which we veterans all should be cognizant.
Larry, please keep up the great work. The difference you are making in improving the quality of life for us cannot be underestimated. You yourself are definitely continuing to serve and making a positive difference in many lives.
— Col. Carl W. Horn, U.S. Army (ret.); President, Columbia Chapter of MOAA
Put the brakes on!
Mr. Erich Hartmann has presented the well-researched facts regarding Beaufort City and Beaufort County’s future quality of life in his article in the August 7 issue of your paper. He has waved the warning flag, and let us pray that our local officials will read his article and let it sink in that we’ll soon be “any town USA” if we don’t put the brakes on the multi-unit developments popping up like weeds.
Is there any chance you could re-print his excellent article once a month for the rest of this year? I’m not anti-development, but I do believe we’re overdue an assessment as to the number of new units already approved for the entire County and just what that means to all our citizens regarding the need for new and wider roads, schools, water, sewer, etc. We must remember that our County is a series of islands, and in the final analysis, we have ONLY TWO ROADS IN AND TWO ROADS OUT!
— Edie Rodgers, Beaufort
Trump does not belong in the White House
Donald Trump continues to bring shame and embarrassment to our country. He is doing everything in his power to conceal the extent of his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s victims and the American people have a right to know what the president knew, what he did, and what he covered up.
In a sworn deposition one plaintiff testified that Trump sexually assaulted her at Epstein’s home on four separate occasions. In one very harrowing episode, the plaintiff testified that she pleaded with Trump to wear a condom. He refused (“I’ll do whatever I want with you!”), violently slapped her, and raped her. Afterwards, he threw some money at her so she could “get a [expletive] abortion.”
She was 13 years old at the time of these alleged assaults. She ultimately withdrew her complaint after she and her family received numerous death threats.
We know why Trump wants to conceal the extent of his involvement with Epstein. If he raped underage girls, he belongs in prison. If he knew about Epstein’s crimes against underage girls and said nothing, he belongs in prison. He does not belong in the White House.
— Peter Birschbach, Port Royal
Be educated, stand up for science
The news is full of the current administration’s attack on democratic norms and federal institutions, but what is not as well known is the all out assault on science, environmental safeguards and on federal agencies charged with protecting and managing public lands. This administration has called climate change a hoax and is in the process of dismantling any limits on climate pollution and to grant hundreds of industrial facilities a free pass to pollute.
The science on climate change is undisputed and well documented through decades of scientific research and data. As evident from recent extreme weather events, a warming planet leads to bigger floods, more intense hurricanes, longer droughts and more destructive wildfires. These weather events have dangerous consequences for human health and safety and for other wildlife that share this planet.
This administration has also slashed an already struggling federal work force that is tasked with protecting and managing federal lands, including the National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Forest Service. Public lands, including our amazing national parks, protect scenery, wildlife habitat and provide invaluable places for human recreation.
All of these attacks will have long lasting consequences on both the human and natural environment, and for what? These actions have no benefit and actually harm most Americans. The only winners in this are the big industrial polluters that seek to avoid environmental protections and increase profits. This administration has proven once again that they don’t care about this planet or the American people. I encourage everyone to educate yourself in the facts, stand up for science and hold this administration accountable.
— Susan Davis, Beaufort
