Editor,

I have been criticized by some people for expressing my opinions in Letters To The Editor on issues I feel are very important to the lives of citizens of Triadelphia District, Logan County, and West Virginia. The Logan Banner has provided a forum for the people of this area to voice their opinions, so I try to take advantage of it. I feel very strongly about the problems we face in our state and county, so if I can bring attention to some of these issues, I feel it is my responsibility to do so. I have two grandchildren being raised here, so I am especially interested in seeing improvements in education, recreation, highways, housing, and jobs, just to name a few. I feel that our elected officials should have these areas of concern on their minds constantly. That's what they told us they would do if we elected them to office. Be advocates for the citizens they represent.

I generally get phone calls from people who agree with me on my point of view, however, I do get calls from people who strongly disagree with me to the point of wanting to injure my fragile little fat body. One woman called me from Kanawha County a few weeks ago and told me I was a communist because I opposed spending all that money to put a semi-pro baseball team in Charleston. She tried to convince me of all the wonderful jobs that the ball team bought to Charleston. I assured her I loved my country, was not a communist, and had nothing against baseball, but the jobs created by the baseball team were only part-time as opposed to what that kind of money could have done re-opening Man Hospital which provided good-full time jobs and was needed more than her semipro ball team.

I personally feel it is not only the right, but obligation of every American to challenge our elected officials to be responsible leaders. From the White House to the local Mayors' office. They should answer to us.

One area that concerns me is the lack of diversity when it comes to jobs in Logan County. With all the various new forms of energy being considered, I wish some of our elected officials had the foresight in bringing some of these ideas to fruition here in Logan County. What about bio-fuels, like they're considering in Lincoln County, but on a scale that puts people to work and might save the county money for fueling school busses. How about wind or solar farms? What about getting federal grants to put solar panels on the roofs of school buildings? That would save taxpayers tons of money in electrical bills, and perhaps create income for the county by selling excess electricity back onto the electrical grid on weekends and summers when school is not in session. I watched a program on the Discovery Channel about a Fed-Ex central transfer building in California that used solar panels to provide all of its electrical needs.

The government gives out enough money on stupid projects. Why not take advantage of some of our tax dollars before they send it to Iraq to study the mating habits of camels or something else as stupid. Try to think of something that gives people some hope of finding jobs without leaving home. I applaud representative Shelley Moore Capito for her proposed legislation on coal gasification and Governor Manchin for his vision of creating new sources of energy here in West Virginia. At least they're thinking.

I feel with coal severance money and federal grants that are available; someone can come up with needed funds to invest in Logan County's future. Perhaps someone can use some creative thinking and come up with some innovative projects. Is there anyone out there with enough drive and vision to bring Logan County out of this politically induced economic coma we've been in for what seems like an eternity, or is our future locked up in the same old selfserving politics it's always been?

Another area that concerns me is all of these abandoned school buildings in our county that have become eyesores. There's at least five here in the Triadelphia area. If they were not going to be put to productive uses, they should be destroyed and the property sold to benefit the taxpayers.

Once again, thank you for allowing me to express my opinions.

Dosvedonyah!

Mike Robinson

Accoville