Editor’s note: A name was erroneously left off of a letter regarding Garfield County libraries; it’s now been updated with the author’s name.

Coming of age

Sixty-one years ago this year, the calendar days coincided with 1963 after Leap Day 2024. Yes, it was a sunny Friday noon-hour on November 22, 1963, way before social media, that someone who had an AM radio listening to the only radio station in our valley, heard the news. Odd in itself. The fourth period was a time of somber reflection for fifteen-year-olds on hearing that John F. Kennedy was dead.

Two days later, at 10:30 after Sunday school, authorities led Eleanor Roosevelt’s third cousin into a garage to be transferred to another facility. It was there that millions watching witnessed live the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald by Jack Ruby. I considered that my Sunday school graduation event.

---

---

There was the aftermath, the funeral, and the pondering of the passing events when, in early December, CBS aired a story about a group from England breaking into international fame that would change the music scene: The Beatles. It didn’t take long. In February of 1964, they appeared at the premiere entertainment showcase: The Ed Sullivan Show.

In the meantime, I was initiated into the culture by default after getting a driver’s license and my first ticket. It all happened in a little over two months. The rest is history.

---

---

Fred Stewart, Grand Junction

Time to match words with actions

A couple weeks ago, Gregg Rippy, Garfield County Republican Chair did a nice LTE pointing out that we’ve got to quit vilifying folks that don’t share our politics. He pointed out that these are our neighbors, co-workers, people we rub shoulders with all day. As a liberal progressive who has crossed party lines and who has supported Gregg in his political endeavors, I welcomed his sentiments. 

Sadly, I have to draw your attention to exhibit A: “Happy Thanksgiving to all, including to the Radical Left Lunatics who have worked so hard to destroy our Country, but who have miserably failed, and will always fail, because their ideas and policies are so hopelessly bad…~” This unifying (?) Thanksgiving quote from the leader of the Republican party. Seems like the grassroots sentiments aren’t making it very far up the political ladder…

Ball’s in your court, Republicans…

Bob Shettel, Carbondale

Library district needs accountability and oversight

In all this discussion over the Library Trustees, everyone seems to be ignoring the state legislation which authorizes the creation and operation of Library districts. The legislation is quite detailed, but the appropriate language is: 24-90-108. Board of trustees of public libraries. (1) The management and control of any library established, operated, or maintained under the provisions of this part 1 shall be vested in a board of not fewer than five nor more than seven trustees. Appointees to the library board of trustees shall be chosen from the residents within the legal service area of the library.
(2) (a) In cities and towns the trustees shall be appointed by the mayor with the consent of the legislative body.
(b) In counties the trustees shall be appointed by the board of county commissioners.
The Library District is a significant tax funded District within Garfield County, with an annual budget of $15 million, completely funded by taxpayers. It needs oversight by elected officials.

David Merritt, Glenwood Springs

The Red Mountain Cross debate

Sunshine patriots abound. They believe in themselves without any context to the school of hard knocks. Sure, we believe in separation of powers, especially church and state, but that does not mean suppression of one over the other. Their church is the ACLU, which doesn’t have a foundation. It just has reactionary opinions regarding the subjective interpretation of the Constitution.

So when any cultural symbol representing foundational truths appears, the miscreants complain. Are they as allergic to the sign of the cross as Dracula? Not to mention that it is illuminated.

This issue about the cross on Red Mountain is perennial. The controversy erupted thirty years ago. Remnants of a Star of David still vaguely appears on a boulder on the ridge east of 27th Street as a response to that controversy.

Fred Stewart, Grand Junction