Shut down hog farm
I would like to express my strong opposition to continued operation of the C&H CAFO adjacent to Big Creek. Several geologists and experts agree that nutrients from the hog waste of this operation will reach our beautiful Buffalo River through the karst geology of this region that allows drainage to pass through its porous makeup.
We are blessed to live in a beautiful state with so many God-made wonders to behold. It is incumbent on our citizens to protect and preserve these wonders. All who love and enjoy this beautiful state please join me in asking the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality to deny C&H's request for renewal of their permit to continue operation. Don't forget to let our governor know how you feel. Write letters to the editor, or mail letters to the Department of Environmental Quality at 5301 Lakeshore Drive, North Little Rock, 72118.
DEAN HALEY
Benton
What about the state?
With the indictment of Jeremy Hutchinson, the sixth indictment or conviction of a current or former state legislator in the past year, it seems federal authorities are serious about the rampant corruption in the Arkansas Legislature. I think it's fantastic. Yet it begs a question: Why are federal prosecutors achieving this success, and not our own attorney general, Leslie Rutledge?
I know she's busy keeping her own employment history under seal, and frequenting sports call-in shows on 103.7 The Buzz, but her department did--too much self-promotion--start a "new public integrity unit." Yet not a peep on charges on legislators from her. And recently she appeared on Bill Vickery's show on said radio station, where she boasted of a number of charges against employees of Preferred Family Healthcare of Missouri, the same company where lobbyist Rusty Cranford showed it doesn't take much to drag these legislators into the swamp.
Rutledge said her staff had pored over "millions of documents, literally." Now it's hard to believe that some of those didn't cross-reference or provide clues as to the culpability of the legislators. But no charges from her state office.
Just a thought.
ANTHONY LLOYD
Hot Springs
Enhance walkability
If the city of Little Rock is concerned about walkability, there is a need for walkers to have something to walk on--sidewalks!
In my neighborhood, the Quapaw Quarter, which should be a jewel of the city, sidewalks everywhere are missing or cracked so badly that they are a menace to pedestrians, and impassable to persons in wheelchairs. Apparently city code requires homeowners to be responsible for maintaining their sidewalks, but there is no penalty for failing to do so, as the city does not issue citations. There is a minuscule program to replace sidewalks, but it is vastly oversubscribed. If the city is really concerned about this issue, let's go back to basics.
MURIEL LEDERMAN
Little Rock
An attempt to deceive
Re French Hill's "Truth about my votes," Hill writes: "Here's the truth about my health-care voting record." Actually, he should have written: This is my sleazy attempt to deceive those who don't pay explicit attention to the details written into legislation.
Hill said, "Obamacare has driven up the cost of health care and the cost of health insurance premiums." That statement is false, in that it's projected the cost of both health care and insurance premiums would have gone up, probably even more, without the restrictions provided for in the ACA.
Hill also said, in essence, that Obamacare eliminated "coverage options." That statement, in itself, is true. The ACA eliminated policies that cost less but provided almost no coverage. Those policies are worthless and a scam on those who purchase them. Thank heavens the ACA did away with such a blatant ripoff. Hill voted to allow the insurance companies to continue taking your hard-earned premium money while providing virtually nothing in return and all the while calling the scam "health insurance."
Hill said, "I voted for a federal pre-existing conditions policy to improve availability and cost of health care." The truth is, Hill would put those of us with pre-existing conditions into a "pool" where the government would provide a minimal subsidy while allowing insurance companies to charge outrageous premiums, effectually making health insurance out of reach for those of us with pre-existing conditions who are not as wealthy as Hill and his money-grubbing cronies.
Hill voted for selling health insurance policies across state lines, which would effectively kill much of state regulatory control over insurance companies.
In my opinion, French Hill is a diehard fiscally conservative Republican who would willingly allow those less fortunate than he to suffer greatly in order to keep from paying an extra couple hundred bucks in taxes. Think before you vote, but by all means, vote.
AUSTIN STEWART
Judsonia
About the hog farm
While waiting for my husband to have surgery in Little Rock, I struck up a conversation with a lady who said she lived near Harrison, on the Buffalo River. This was my opportunity to ask her what she thought of the hog farm. Boy, did I get an earful!
She said she had visited the hog farm several times and that it was one of the cleanest operations she had ever seen, that tours of schoolchildren visit the hog farm regularly, and did I think they would do this if the operation was not sanitary? She said she had lived on the Buffalo River all her life, as had her parents and grandparents.
She said that the problem with the river comes from tourists who use the river as their private bathroom and dumping ground, and that she has had tourists just walk into her house and use her phone without permission to make long-distance calls.
I won't say that I was totally convinced, but I certainly have a different perspective now. We should all strive to be good stewards of our environment and make our state proud.
JUDY JONES
Hot Springs Village
Editorial on 09/18/2018