OpinionMay 14, 2024

Walk, don’t drive

Imagine yourself walking through a beautiful neighborhood, smelling the fresh smell of blooming flowers. Now imagine that wonderful fragrance being destroyed by the foul smell of fossil fuels. In my view, our community would be much better if the people who can would try to walk or bike more because usually, the gas from cars contain fossil fuel, which can be deadly to our environment.

I believe that people should try walking instead of using a car. One reason is that almost every car needs gas to work and about every type of car gas contains fossil fuel, which is horrible for the environment. Another reason is that fossil fuels can stop many plants from growing and that would mean the amount of resources we have would decrease significantly.

Fossil fuel may be bad for human beings as well. The fossil fuels change fresh air into nauseating air. That nauseating air may do damage to our patients’ lungs that would be out of our medicine’s reach with today’s technology. To summarize, we need to try using cars much less.

I think that if people try to walk or bike more our community would be much healthier. Walking or biking is much healthier than driving since you’re burning calories. To start with, since fossil fuels mostly come from gas that are for cars, try to walk, jog or bike whenever you can. Another way to solve this problem would be to use electric cars, since electric cars don’t use gas. As you can see, there are many reasons to not use cars.

All in all, I think our community would benefit from not driving cars because most cars contain fossil fuels which are horrible to the environment, fossil fuels are bad for human beings as well, and walking has many benefits for us and our beautiful planet. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Ruth Udekwu

Moscow

Ready to vote

Before my family moved to Idaho, we were first in Wisconsin, right off of Lake Michigan. I grew up in the sort of town where parents let their kids roller-blade to the local library, where on the weekends, we went digging for crawfish. In the summers, we looked forward to the Fourth of July almost as much as we anticipated Christmas. You never saw so much red, white and blue in your entire life. The best part about the Fourth of July was the parade, which ran right past our family’s house. We’d sit out on the front porch as the parade went by, making sure to empty our garbage bags regularly to make it look like we hadn’t gotten any candy. Maybe it was the sugar rush, or maybe it was the impending fireworks, but the Fourth of July had a little bit of religious fervor to it.

Look, I’m proud to be an American.

The sentiment may be taboo and outdated in our age of apologies, where national pride has become some kind of sin, but it’s true nonetheless.

I’m proud to be an American.

I’m not sure when voting became a chore, because every time there’s an election, I feel like that 7-year-old kid again, sitting on my parent’s front porch, excited and happy and just a little bit mischievous.

I’ll be voting in the primaries — for honest, Republican candidates, like Colton Bennett — and I hope you will too, no matter your party affiliation.

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Emma Whear

Moscow

Bennett the right candidate

It’s time for clear, conservative leadership in Idaho, and Colton Bennett is the man for the job. His steadfast commitment to reducing property taxes, upholding Constitutional rights, and reinforcing family values makes him the right choice for Idahoans seeking a future founded on freedom and fiscal responsibility.

Property taxes in Idaho have reached untenable levels, affecting homeowners and tenants alike, driving young people away from the dream of homeownership due to skyrocketing rents. Colton’s pragmatic approach to cap the maximum rate of annual tax increase and enhance the homeowner’s exemption is not just sound — it’s necessary. By advocating for financial prudence and the elimination of governmental waste, Colton stands as a guardian of our hard-earned dollars.

Moreover, as a fellow veteran, Colton has sworn to protect our Constitutional freedoms — a pledge he carries with honor and integrity. His dedication to safeguarding our liberties, especially our second amendment rights, assures that he will oppose any attempts to encroach upon our freedoms. With Colton, our rights will never be in jeopardy.

Colton also deeply understands that the heart of our community is the family unit. His commitment to parental rights and educational choice is critical in these times when such principles are under threat. He knows that parents should have the ultimate say over their children’s education and upbringing, and as a legislator, he will ensure these values are upheld.

Let us place our trust in a leader who not only promises but acts, who not only hears but listens — Colton Bennett. As Idahoans, we have a duty to support a candidate who embodies our values and champions our rights. Colton is that candidate.

Dale Courtney

Moscow

Real problem solving

The race for Idaho House Seat District 6A has one candidate who truly understands the issues that matter. Representative Lori McCann believes in supporting public education, both K-12 and our higher education institutions. She recognizes the value of and challenges to our small rural districts.

Lori has personal connections to cattle ranching, timber and commercial development. She knows these industries and knows the importance of business to Idaho’s economy. She also recognizes the wide variety of commodities produced in the Idaho agriculture sector and has worked to implement policies that will support that group.

The far-right cohort in the Republican Party has spent a lot of time distracting the Legislature with “issues” that aren’t major concerns of many in Idaho. Lori McCann is will listen to her constituents and work toward real problem solving, rather than following a party line that doesn’t actually resonate with most Idahoans. Please join me in voting for Lori McCann on May 21.

Cyndi Faircloth

Moscow

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