Kalamazoo Opinion

Allegan's tobacco ban will lead to healthier nation (Letter)

2012-02-09T17:00:00Z

Gazette file photoJaycees Park in Allegan has an extensive playground set.Reading Rod Smith's article that Allegan County has banned tobacco use in parks with playground equipment puts a smile on my face. According to facts shared in the article, “the...

Community thank you letters (Letter)

2012-02-10T20:00:00Z

Gazette file photoKalamazoo Loaves & Fishes' new headquarters is now open. Community made possible Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes facilityWe would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the supporters of Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes (KLF) for all they...

Occupy Wall Street might learn something with a little research (Letter)

2012-02-10T17:00:00Z

I want to thank Mr. Withee for taking the time to read and respond to my letter of Jan. 14 headlined " Political protesters are a study in contrasts" in which I made a comparison between the tea party and...

Mental illness is treatable condition that does not deserve stigma (Letter)

2012-02-10T12:00:00Z

I am writing regarding the article, "Make it easier for the mentally ill to get help," from the Detroit News, which ran in the Kalamazoo Gazette on Dec. 16. . First: I would bet many lawmakers are not well-versed in...

Still time available to comment on pollution, fuel efficiency standards (Letter)

2012-02-10T12:00:00Z

From the threat of extreme weather fueled by global warming, to the billions of dollars we spend at the gas pump each year, our addiction to oil has consequences for our environment and our economy. Fortunately, the Obama administration is...

GM and Chrysler bailout: What would U.S. Senate candidate Clark Durant do? (Tim Skubick)

2012-02-10T11:33:52Z

Tim Skubick asks Durant, "Had you been in the U.S. Senate, how would he have voted on federal aid for the two struggling car makers?"

Hoekstra has failed to prove himself worthy of the Senate (Letter)

2012-02-09T20:00:00Z

John A. Lacko | Special to the GazettePete Hoekstra speaks during a lunch meeting of the Kalamazoo Republican Women's Association at the Beacon Club in Portage.Since Rep. Pete Hoekstra has announced his run for the United States Senate, I have...

Movie 'Taking Chance' reminds us of our humanity (Letter)

2012-02-09T20:00:00Z

Courtesy photoKevin Bacon portrays Lt. Col. Michael Strobl in a scene from, "Taking Chance.""Taking Chance," a 2009 movie by Lt. Col. Michael R. Strobl, USMC (Ret.), reminds us that at the heart of combat, military and civilian, are real lives....

Inkster school illustrates the opportunities and challenges in educating low-income students (Julie Mack blog)

2012-02-09T19:33:02Z

An Inkster elementary school is held up as a state model. But it turns out that Inkster Public Schools also underscore the challenges faced by high-poverty districts.

Dangerous forces push us toward unnecessary war again (Letter)

2012-02-09T17:00:00Z

The bankrupt and unsuccessful American policy of war and the occupation of Iraq is finally over after almost nine years. The invasion of Iraq followed the disaster of 9/11 with the deaths of thousand of people and the destruction of...

Planned Parenthood can still meet goals despite Komen decision (Letter)

2012-02-09T14:00:00Z

In light of Susan Komen’s decision to halt grant money given to Planned Parenthood (a decision that has been apparently reversed), I’d like to raise a question. For those who are upset that the Komen Foundation is crippling the health...

Cyber schools are a scam (Letter)

2012-02-09T14:00:00Z

Governor Snyder and Republican lawmakers in Michigan are driving legislation to replace traditional public schools with full-time cyber schools. This would open doors to widespread fraud.Republican “Cyber Schools” would permit students of all ages to “sometimes” sit in front of...

Bilingual immersion program a boon to Kalamazoo Christian Elementary (Letter)

2012-02-09T14:00:00Z

I want to share my enthusiasm for a wonderful opportunity in our community. Our 6-year-old is enrolled in a Spanish immersion program at Kalamazoo Christian School. The curriculum for this program encompasses kindergarten through fifth grade. The students start with...

Talk of the Town: Stories worth commenting on

2012-02-09T12:00:00Z

Gazette file photoAnthony Shamont Jones, right, waits to leave Kalamazoo to return to the Richard A. Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia.A note to our readers: Talk of the Town is a new opinion feature that the Kalamazoo Gazette will begin...

Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners should allow vote on homeless program (Viewpoint)

2012-02-09T12:00:00Z

Gazette file photoA mom helps her son pick out a book at a program for homeless families.Last school year in Kalamazoo County, 1,013 students — approximately 3 percent— were homeless at some point during the year. While the greatest percentages...

Gov. Rick Snyder not a career politician? He sure acts like one (Tim Skubick column)

2012-02-09T11:47:42Z

Snyder is moving to protect GOP members of the House who did his bidding last year.

Unborn does not mean lifeless (Letter)

2012-02-08T17:00:00Z

There are many views in the world about when life begins and when the soul enters the unborn. If one checks the Bible, the inspired word of God, there is only one view when life begins and that is at...

Say 'No' to war with Iran (Viewpoint)

2012-02-08T17:00:00Z

AP Photo/Haraz N. GhanbariMelba Conway, an activist with the ANSWER Coalition, holds a stack of signs during a demonstration outside of the White House on Feb. 4 in Washington. Ten years ago, I wrote a Gazette Viewpoint expressing alarm over...

Politicians take a use it or lose approach to tax dollars (Letter)

2012-02-08T17:00:00Z

I was really offended by an article written about the St. Joseph County Transportation Authority van that was purchased. The van came in under what it was budgeted for, so Steve Yorks, the executive director, decided to get a vehicle...

Republican party leaves a trail of fiscal destruction (Letter)

2012-02-08T17:00:00Z

Republicans presidential candidates and leading republican in Congress refer to Social Security and Medicare as entitlements as though they create a bad taste in their mouths and at the same time would like to convince you that these two programs...

Thank you for distracted driving series (Letter)

2012-02-08T12:00:00Z

Kudos to the Gazette and Mlive for the articles on distracted driving. Phoning and especially texting have become particular problems while driving. Whenever I read about an "inexplicable" accident, I can't help but suspect the use of a phone. None...