Opinions Ignored in Lebanon

I would like to thank the city for spending time looking at the future of Lebanon. Parts of the vision proposal are very interesting and look like they would be beneficial, such as the rotary in front of Listen Center on High and Hough streets, and the beautification of the city, including the entry into the city.

I do have several concerns about the process that was used to collect data for this study. An online survey was held. There was no requirement that people participating were taxpayers in Lebanon, no way to tell if people took part multiple times or not. How are we supposed to have confidence this information represents the true feelings of the taxpayers of Lebanon?

In addition, the residents who came to the meeting on June 2 to express our concerns about changes to the Route 120 and Hanover Street intersection (mainly the safety of going to and from our homes) were made to feel that it did not matter what we had to say. It really appears that the city of Lebanon has a plan in mind and doesn’t care what the citizens think. Please don’t dismiss our concerns; we have been down this road many times before. Show us the data that supports spending $750,000 to fix something that does not seem to be broken.

It seems like a new brand has already been created: “Come to Lebanon, where your opinion is not needed or wanted by the city.”

Jen Langley

Lebanon

The Best Autism Information

We were truly honored to have Sports Editor Greg Fennell write his beautiful article about our son (“I Just Hit It Back to Them,” June 7). Greg was a very sensitive interviewer and let me delay his departure a few more minutes to tell him about foundations that use fear to raise money for autism research. I should have been more specific.

Autism Speaks does not speak for most autistic people or their families. They do spend a lot of money on advertising, and on making sure they pop up first when people do an internet search for information on autism. However, they are not a source of hope for anybody. They portray autism as a tragedy, something parents should dread. Since part of the purpose of Greg’s article was to provide hope for autistic kids and their parents, I feel I have to say something.

Their research focuses on cause/prevention/cure: autism as a disease to be eradicated. Their goal is the elimination of autistic people. No money or research goes toward helping families cope with the challenges of autism, or with spreading understanding of the syndrome. For useful information, try autisticadvocacy.org or autism-society.org instead.

Susan K. Johnson

Lebanon

An Alternative to Bad Choices

This election more than most is a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils — Clinton or Trump. They are both monsters that I do not want to see in the White House. Neither of them represent me. One of them is nearly evil incarnate and the other is an overblown egocentric candidate. Yet we are forced to choose between these two bad choices.

But wait, are we? Maybe there is a third choice. Our little state of Vermont will never choose Trump. He’s a loser in the Green Mountains. Moreover, if the choice were between Clinton and Sanders, Sanders would easily win in Vermont. But Clinton appears to be getting the nomination.

I will be writing in my own real choice of candidate, Bernie Sanders, instead of voting for Trump or Clinton. It is the sane choice in an insane election year.

Walter Jeffries

West Topsham

Email Controversy Wastes Time

The real shame of the Clinton emails is not in the processing of her emails. The real shames lie in: the massive waste of time “public servants” have spent on this topic, and the continuing proof of the incompetence of the federal bureaucracy (in this case the FBI) to expeditiously do its work and get things done and over; continuing glorification of petty political posturing wrapped in intellectually dishonest moralizing; the continuing display of intellectual bankruptcy on the part of the press to propose meaningful solutions rather than ginning up new collections of meaningless words regarding a topic long disposed of in many people’s minds. And in this particular case, the failed attempt of the Valley News to wrap an opinion in the authority of The Washington Post by reprinting one of its editorials demonstrates the lack of independent intellectual authority and the paucity of new meaningful thought on its part.

Paul Tierney

Norwich

Skip’s Run Keeps on Giving

The Skip Matthews Memorial Run celebrates its 13th anniversary this year. Over the last 11 years, thousands of people have participated in this ever-growing “4 Miles for Research” community event. While celebrating Skip’s life, we promote community awareness about brain tumor research and, thanks to the generosity of the Upper Valley, have raised over $160,000 for the Norris Cotton Cancer Center Brain Tumor Research Fund.

Join us for Skip’s Run on Father’s Day, June 19, at Colburn Park in Lebanon. The 1-mile Brady’s Fun Run/Walk begins at 9 a.m. and the 4-mile Skip’s Run begins at 10 a.m. After the race, stay to enjoy the music, presentation of awards and a wonderful barbecue sponsored by Salt hill Pub. Registration information is available at www.skipsrun.org or at Lebanon Recreation and Parks Department. We look forward to another great race and the community spirit that has become an integral part of the day.

Nancy Menard, for the organizing committee

White River Junction

Race Deserved More Coverage

I was very disappointed with the coverage, or lack thereof, of the 25th annual Covered Bridges Half Marathon, held last Sunday. Readers were given the name of repeat winner Rich Smith in the men’s field, and while we were told the women’s winner was also a repeat winner, her name was not even mentioned!

The CBHM is not just a Woodstock/Quechee event. The race donates more than $50,000 each year to local nonprofit groups focused on youth activities and youth sports in the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire. In addition, charities involved with the race benefit citizens in virtually every town in the Upper Valley. The nearly 1,900 runners who ran in a driving rain deserved more attention than the three short paragraphs “dedicated” by the Valley News.

Ray Lemire

West Lebanon

Editor’s note: Race results were also included on the June 9 recreation page.