Thanks for Senior Citizen Center chairs

To the editor,

The North Valley Senior members would like to thank all those who have so generously supported the senior center with fundraisers and donations that were used to purchase our new dining room chairs. A special thanks to those who donated their time to do the legwork toward the purchase of the chairs.

The North Valley Senior Center would like to extend an open invitation to everyone to stop in for coffee, visit and see the new chairs we are so proud of. The North Valley Senior Center is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Thanks so much for your support.

North Valley Senior Citizens Center members

Columbia Falls

Environmentalist full of hot smoke-filled air

To the editor,

I am a 71-year-old third-generation Montanan, who is still working as a part-time pharmacist in various parts of the state. As a child my father and uncle were loggers for a couple of years around 1946-47.

One summer there was a forest fire around Marion in the Lost Prairie area. Most of the loggers were called off their jobs and the equipment moved to the area of the fire. Very few, if any chain saws were available, although there were some HD-7s and D-7s that were made use of. In a short time (a week or less if my memory is correct), the fire was put out.

As I recall, rarely did any fires exceed more than a few thousand acres, if that, because of the rapid response between the loggers and the Forest Service cooperation. Now the environmentalists have had legislation passed that handcuffed the Forest Service so bad that they hardly use the help of the loggers.

If my memory is correct, there weren't any 6-8 weeks of forest fires, hence we did not have the smothering air pollution that we are experiencing this summer. Why the complaint? How would you like to get a pneumothorax problem (collapsed lung) like I did because of the smoke? How about all the people with severe allergies, asthma or emphysema that had to suffer from the smoke-filled air from the forest fires that should have been out in at least half the time or less. They are having to suffer needlessly because of the "environmental" smoke. Have you ever had trouble getting your breath? Try labored breathing for several weeks and see how you like it!

What bothers me a lot is with all the smoke in the air, we have not been able to enjoy the summer. Who wants to breathe all that smoky air when you want to enjoy the outdoors, barbecuing, hiking, gardening, golfing, etc.

In short, we have not had a summer. Basically, we've lost our summer, thanks to the environmentalists. Do you think that this is right to be prisoners in our own homes because of the smoke?

Frankly the environmentalists are full of hot smoke-filled air! The smoked-filled emissions from Montana, Idaho and Washington have done more environmental damage in the last six weeks than the loggers will do in 60 years. How may tons of carbon and chemicals are polluting the atmosphere, ground and watershed? This is pollution, is it not? Why isn't there any data on this?

Now, write your senator, congressman and governor and get these harmful environmental laws off the books on logging, fire suppression and forest management.

Jack G. Therrien

Olney