Purer Drinking Water in Your City?
Dear Rina Risper,
“How can we obtain pure drinking water?”
For whatever reasons,certain chemicals are daily being added to the once pure city drinking waters. One is chlorine. What does chlorine do to your health? Studies have been done, one in Michigan by Dr. Joseph M. Price M.D. who studied the effects of chlorine on animals like roosters. He placed 100 roosters on chlorinated drinking water and and all of them developed stroke. Another 100 roosters on pure drinking water, such as distilled or well water all remained healthy. The results were published in the book “Coronaries, Chlorine, Cholesterol” by Dr. Price in 1969 (Saginaw, MI). A copy can be found in libraries like Michigan State University.
Do we have any alternatives to these harmful chemicals? Yes, we can and we should use the mineral ozone instead. The City of Los Angeles does not add chlorine to its drinking water, instead they use ozone. Tell that to your city councils where ever you live. Maybe a referendum could help restore pure drinking water to your city’s drinking water.
What do you think?
John D. Tellier, CN
Lansing, MI
Poetry in the City…
Hi Rina,
Thank you for allowing me to recite on your program Thursday. I was really glad I came out to hear you and others share your works. It really felt good to be there. Also, I have a book for you whenever we see each other again.
Dianne M. Hicks
Lansing, MI
Note: Dianne is a local poet who performed at the Poetry in the Park Series held at the Michigan Women’s Historical Museum and Hall of Fame located at 213 West Main Street. She works for the Michigan Bulletin, please support her and her new book.
Accountability Now…
Dear Rina,
This is a letter that I sent to the mainstream newspaper (www.lsj.com).
LSJ, please fairly report about victims of violence. “Police ID Woman” (Aug. 12) glimpses at Debra Renfors while “Victim Tried to Change Life” (Aug. 14) is lopsided. Overall, you obscure her person and this disturbing trend: a second woman murdered in the same house without anyone convicted.
LSJ’s portrait of a record not the person of Ms. Renfors contrasts your coverage of murdered neighborhood-activist Ruth Hallman. In both cases, humans were killed. Irrelevant details about Ms. Renfors’s history, like past intoxication, is sensational not responsible or insightful.
I request that you publish a feature about Lansing-area violence spotlighting women and children as the majority of victims. Consider how recent reporting on the murders of Julie Mishoe , Barbara George, and Brandon Williams fails to address this proven pattern. October is domestic violence awareness month, an ideal time for such a feature. LSJ, give victims and survivors of violence our due.
Melissa Dey Hasbrook
Lansing, MI
http://womenwriters.blogspot.com/
Be A Tourist in Your Own Town
Dear Rina,
Thank you for your generous donation for our 13th annual Be A Tourist in Your Own Town event.
Due to member support such as yours, we were able to host a fun day while educating close to twelve thousand area residents about the wonderful attractions and businesses here in Greater Lansing. Your prize donation was a huge asset in helping us to promote this event. We couldn’t do it without you!
Again, we appreciate your support of Be A Tourist In Your Own Town and look forward to working with you in the future.
Note: This event is held every year in the beginning of June. It is a wonderful way to become reacclimated to Lansing.
NEIGHBORS ID
BURGLARS AND ARRESTS MADE
Dear Rina,
Just to let you know about (another) outcome of my house break-ins from last summer:
Last week, Kevin Greer was sentenced by Judge Giddings to 45 days in jail; 24 months probation; 90 days of weekly drug tests; must complete high school by June 2008 (he was born in 1982), and restitution.
For those of you who hadn’t heard – my house at 927 Seymour was broken into last July. Within 10 minutes of my getting home and discovering this and calling the LPD, the police were there. Within an hour, two of the five people involved were in the back of squad cars. They were caught because neighbors down the street saw them walk by in the middle of the afternoon with some of my stuff. The neighbors hadn’t seen where they came from, but saw where they went. The day after the preliminary hearing my house was broken into again, so was a witness’ house, and another witness had an attempted break in.
The first two who were arrested got 6 months in county jail and 2 years in prison (Judge Nettles-Nickerson). I was quite surprised in March when I got a notice that Mr. Greer had been arrested and charged – was thinking that two out of five was still a pretty good outcome.
It’s been a tough year but the system does work.
For me, the bottom line is that good neighbors make all the difference. They could have said nothing, and these people might never have been caught.
Brad Deacon
Lansing, MI
THE FIRST WESTSIDE
SUMMERFEST WAS A
SUCCESS
Dear Rina,
On July 14, 2007, Westside non-profit organizations, businesses, and neighbors united to offer the 1st Annual Westside summer Fest. The event featured a host of children’s activities, vendors, and performances by the Nu Poet Collective and nearly 20 local musicians. Throughout the day, approximately 500 people visited the event.
I would like to extend my deepest appreciation, once again, for the New Citizens Press’ generous support of the 2007 Westside Summerfest.
The 1st Annual Westside Summer Fest represented a monumental change for the Westside Summer Fest represented a monumental change for the Westside Community. It was a gathering of people of all ages, people of all races from every background and every neighborhood. The festival welcomed all and brought a sense of community pride that is scarce on the Westside. We came together to celebrate our children, talents, food, and all the beautiful thing in the world. We started to see what a wonderful community it is.
Efforts which increase our understanding of one another, let us shine and honor our value and worth- those are the moments in which we realize we are a great community, united with care and compassion.
The 2007 Westside Summer Fest is like a tiny seed, which must continue to grow now more than ever, the Westside Community needs a positive effort around which it can unite, to strengthen our souls, our resolve, and our belief in Lansing’s Westside. We have already set a date for the 2008 Westside Summer Fest as July 26, 2008, and have already begun planning. I hope that TNCP will be involved next year.
Your support in 2007 made something extraordinary possible. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jessica Yorko
Westside Alliance
Program Manager