I have an issue that needs to be taken care of. We who work pay taxes, which are used for welfare people.

I have no problem with people getting welfare to help with their needs.

Where I work, we are commanded to be drug-tested four times a year. If we are clean, we get paychecks and continue working. If we test negative, we still get our checks, but must undergo three months of rehab before returning to work.

If we refuse rehab, we are issued our final check and we have no job.

I believe the same should hold true for welfare recipients. They should undergo random urine tests at least six times a year.

If dirty, they receive their welfare money, but must attend rehab for three months. If they refuse rehab, no more welfare. After a third negative test, they’re off welfare – three strikes and you are out.

I believe the government should be held responsible for the way it uses our taxes.

People on welfare choose that life, and we are paying them to continue their sickness.

I know of situations where Access cards are sold for money. The people who buy these cards should be prosecuted.

A photo of the original recipient, along with fingerprints, should be on Access cards. These must match with the person holding the card or the card will be invalid.

I don’t like the injustice of the use of my taxes. Lets stand up and be counted and get this wrong righted.

Mike Gigac

Windber



Central City would’ve OK’d one-truck pact

The Central City Volunteer Fire Department contacted the Shade Township supervisors three years ago about additional funding, which included operating costs and major equipment purchases.

Fire company officers suggested the enactment of a fire tax since, according to municipal officials, that was the only legal avenue to help support us.

The supervisors stated that if Central City Borough would pass a tax, so would they.

We approached the borough, explained our plan and money concerns, and they passed the fire tax. We went back to the supervisors and were told there would be no tax increases and no further contracts.

Instead, they would be giving unspecified donations.

The requested money, based on 1 mill, was to help with operational expenses plus saving for capital purchases. There is no personal monetary gain to any members of the Central City Volunteer Fire Department.

The issue of greed is in the amount of time taken from our families to provide a public service for all. To those businesses, institutions and residents who have been regular contributors and fundraisers, we say thank you.

If we had known three years ago that the supervisors only wanted one fire truck and a minimum amount of members to service the township, we could have provided that for them for a lesser amount than what they have agreed to with Richland Township, and with no problems regarding the assistance of neighboring fire companies.

Taxpayers’ money also would have stayed in Shade Township.

Craig Rios

president, Central City Fire Company



Journalist integrity, not sensationalism

Today’s media are all about being the first news network, magazine or newspaper to report the latest breaking story. This was the case on Oct. 15 when Richard and Mayumi Heene and their three sons made the national news on several networks.

The couple reported that their youngest son had just been taken up into the air in a giant weather balloon, and all the news stations ate up this frightful story.

However, when it came out that the incident may have been a hoax, the family only received more publicity.

If the Heenes were only after publicity in the first place, then the media were giving them exactly what they wanted: Their names in every paper, and their faces on every network.

Even though the attention they are receiving has turned negative, it is still public attention, which is what the Heenes had been working for.

This episode is just another example of the way sensationalism has taken over the media, and the way attention-hungry people can easily manipulate the media for their own purposes.

It is time for the media to stop looking for the big sell and return to journalistic integrity.

Rachel Vasilko

Portage