The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 96, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 30, 2010 Page: 4 of 13
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Che Bastrop Sducrtiscr
OPINION
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30,2010 • PAGE A4
Editorial
Expressing one s opinion part of democratic society
One of the best, if not
the best, things about liv-
ng in a free society is the
ability to voice, without
reservation, one's opinion
about whatever hot topic
is the soup du jour.
Whether one is for an
ssue or against an issue,
the freedom to speak out
s a wondrous benefit of a
democratic society.
It's expected that both
sides of any contested is-
sue will do what they can
to ncrease support for
their side.
Speaking at civic
groups, handing out para-
phernalia, writing letters
to the editor, advertising
- these are all accepted
and encouraged means
to get a point across and
gain support.
The pages of the local
newspaper - and now, the
Web site - are vehicles for
the people of the commu-
nity to let their voices be
heard.
Bastrop is a small
town with a small phone
book. It's always nice to
live somewhere that you
can look up the mayor and
give him a call if need be.
And it's nice to live in a
place where people know
the difference between
"need be" and harass-
ment.
I suspect that most
folks who disagree with
someone's comments
might write a letter in re-
sponse or reply to a com-
ment on the Web site.
But what about those
who use the name, which
use publish to provide
accountability, and the
closeness of a small com-
munity (read: small phone
book), to dial up strangers
and berate them for their
views?
One would hope that
the tactics used to gain
support would steer clear
of unethical means.
Ethics - the study of
what is right and what is
wrong - is certainly sub-
jective to a large degree
as long as no laws are bro-
ken.
Calling someone up
unsolicited because they
have expressed their
opinion in a public fo-
rum, in order to confront
them, is not acceptable.
Expressing an opin-
ion in this society should
not put a target on some-
one's back.
Letters to the Editor
Orchestra seeks
more members
Editor:
The Bastrop Commu-
nity Orchestra would like
to thank our brave and
ndispensable Suzanne
Smith for volunteering
her conducting skills dur-
ng our inception. We ap-
preciate Ms. Smith very
much and hope to work
with her again soon.
The 2010 spring sea-
son is being conducted by
Jeff Brister in collabora-
tion with the orchestra. A
concert schedule is in the
works to help celebrate
the 175th anniversary of
First United Methodist
Church.
The BCO is rehears-
ng for the second annu-
al spring concert series.
Members of the orchestra
are citizens from Bastrop
County and surround-
ng areas. Rehearsals are
Tuesday nights from 7:45
to 9:15 p.m. in the Lum-
beryard Music Hall, 1109
Main St. in Bastrop.
The BCO has over 40
registered members, but
there is plenty of room
for growth. All positions
are still available, but
the string and percussion
sections are especially in
need of numbers.
The BCO is not for
profit and anyone inter-
ested in more informa-
tion about this group or
n joining may call me at
303-2543 or the Bastrop
Academy of Music at 321-
PLAY.
Thank you Bastrop
County for support as we
continue to bring beauti-
ful music to the local per-
formance art experience.
Mary Cay Schultz
Bastrop
STARS get gold
stars rom reader
r
i
FranK Stewart
District-Shmistrict! 4-A...
5-A....Hays, Lockhart, Lake
Travis, Dripping Springs or
Elgin....Who cares?\ I just
want to HIT somebody!
The U I L better make a
decision —Fast!
AT ,
With move to 4A almost cert
an old rivalry could be reignited
The Bastrop Advertiser 01/27/2010
Editor:
I would like to recog-
nize the hard-working
employees of the BISD
STARS program.
Every night when I
tuck my grandson into
bed, I ask him what was
the best, the next-to-best
and the worst thing that
happened that day. Almost
every time, his answer for
the best is "STARS."
I am so thankful for the
program and the workers.
I don't have any worries
or regrets for him being
n their care for approxi-
mately three hours every
work day.
I wanted to express my
appreciation for them and
for a job well done.
Ruth McNabb
Bastrop
Help or couple
Editor:
A Rockne family, Marie
and Hayden Haberer, lost
their home in a house fire
on Jan. 9. For those of you
who don't know them, they
are members of Sacred
Heart Church in Rockne.
Marie is the daughter of
the late Adolph Meuth of
Rockne.
On Sunday, Feb. 28 at
Watterson Hall there will
be a free will donation bar-
becue lunch with all the
trimmings beginning at 11
a.m. To go plates will also
be available. There will be
a live auction at 2 p.m.
We will be taking auc-
tion items that day at Wat-
terson Hall beginning at
10 a.m. If you would like
to donate an auction item
before the day of the event
or you have any questions
please feel free to call me at
332-6171, Nell Rose Fohn
at 497-7629 or Kathy Car-
riger at 581-1959.
Melissa Voigt
Rockne
/ast contrast seen between youths
Editor:
This week I heard
yet another report of a
young boy committing
suicide by hanging him-
self in the nurse's of-
fice using his own belt,
reportedly the victim
of school bullying and
ridicule. This happened
in America, the land of
plenty and endless op-
portunity.
Contrast that with
the discovery of a small
boy of similar age n
Haiti who had been
buried alive under
rubble caused by the
earthquake. A photo-
journalist captured the
splendid photo of his
rescue. When the light of
life reached his eyes as he
was pulled from the hole
of darkness, his love of life
spread over his face in the
form of a huge smile and
his eyes and arms shot up
toward the sky n elation
and the joy of life.
How is it that this
child, born and raised in a
land of poverty and whose
will to live had endured a
horror that none of us can
comprehend, being bur-
ied alive, find such a joy
for life, whereas our little
American counterpart,
had such a death wish?
We seem to have a sys-
temic problem in America.
So many of our young are
so emotionally scarred
that, before the age of
10, they are either taking
their own lives or killing
others. This was unheard
of a few years ago.
What is happening in
America? What can we do
to identify these troubled
children and give them
the love, guidance and
support that will enable
them to find hope, rather
than unbearable despair?
What can we do to teach
our children tolerance and
that taunting and ridicul-
ing and bullying others
is not to be tolerated?
What can we do as a com-
munity to help children
find their self worth, to
dentify and build upon
their talents and to en-
gage them n fruitful and
fun learning experiences?
Showering them with
'things' or handing them a
DVD player or some other
technical device to babysit
them and keep them idle
and quiet and isolated
while these problems
fester in the darkness of
their troubled despair is
obviously not the answer.
What can I do to make
a difference? What can
you do to make a differ-
ence? How can we pre-
serve, conserve and devel-
op our greatest resource
- our children?
Jo Anne Tuck
Bastrop
Editor's note: The sui-
cide mentioned in the first
paragraph took place in
the Dallas area.
Submission requirements
Please include your name, address and telephone number when submitting letters to the editor.
Your street address and phone number will not be published. Letters should be 350 words or less.
The Advertiser reserves the right to edit letters for libel, clarity and length. The Advertiser re-
serves the right to limit the number of letters submitted on a single subject. Letters sent by e-mail
are preferable. Please send them to news@bastropadvertiser.com. Mail letters to P.O. Box 459.
Wit Bastrop 2ldocrtiscr
Texas' Oldest Weekly Newspaper
Since March 1, 1853
Semi-Weekly Since Sept. 5, 1977
For missed papers call (800) 445-9898
Devoted to the welfare of the people of Bastrop
County. Published 104 times a year on Thursdays
and Saturdays by Austin Community Newspapers,
a division of Cox Newspapers, at:
The Bastrop Advertiser (USPS045-020),
P.O. Box 459/908 Water St.,
Bastrop, TX 78602
Phone: 321-2557, Fax: 321-1680
Office hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
$52.00 per year or $37.44 per six months delivered in
county, $62.40 per year or $43.16 per six months deliv-
ered out of county, and $74.88 per year delivered out
of state (all are payable in advance). Periodic post-
age paid at Bastrop, Texas 78602.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:
The Bastrop Advertiser; P.O. Box 459,
Bastrop, Texas 78602-0459
n-
VISA
(0fk. b
STAFF
Publisher: Mark Gwin, ext. 12
(mgwin@bastropadvertiser.corn)
Editor: Cyndi Wright, ext. 17
(cwright@bastropadvertiser.com)
Advertising: Debbie Denny, ext. 15
(ddenny@bastropadvertiser.com)
Fran Hunter, ext. 20
(fhunter@acnnewspapers.com)
Assistant Editor: Terry Hagerty, ext. 22
(thagerty@bastropadvertiser.com)
Sports Editor: Michael Adams, ext. 19
(sports@bastropadvertiser.com)
Staff Writer: Andy Ross, ext. 21
(aross@bastropaavertiser.com)
Office Manager: Shirley Gibbons, ext. 10
Classifieds, Subscriptions:
Ginny Pickering, ext. 11
(classifieds@bastropadvertiser.com)
Production: Alicia Svetlik
and Angel Rosa
ADVERTISING ACCEPTABILITY: The Bastrop Advertiser reserves
the right to reject or edit any advertisement submitted for
publication, in its sole discretion. We will not knowingly accept
any advertisement that we consider potentially misleading,
deceptive, offensive, discriminatory, that may infringe the rights
(including trademark and copyright) of any person or entity,
or that otherwise may be inappropriate for general circulation
publication. We will not knowingly accept, regardless of ad
content, any advertising for any product or service that itself
may be unlawful, harmful, or inappropriate for inclusion in a
general circulation publication. We do not warrant the accu-
racy or completeness of any published advertisement, and
urge readers to contact the advertiser directly if they have any
issue with either the content of the advertising or the product
or service advertised. The Bastrop Advertiser is not responsible
for errors or omissions in advertisements, for failure to publish in
a timely manner, or for any damages caused thereby. The sole
remedy for failure to publish in a timely manner shall be refund
of any monies actually paid by the advertiser for the desired
publication. The sole remedy for errors or omissions shall be
refund of monies actually paid by the advertiser for the space
in which the error or omission occurred, which may be less than
ihe cost of the entire advertisement. We reserve the right to cor-
rect or republish an advertisement in lieu of any refund.
RECYCLING: The Bastrop Advertiser isrecyclable, and we encourage
you to recycle your newspaper when you are finished with it. The city
of Bastrop has curbside recycling (321-3941), and Recycling Options
is located at 21 7 Pershing Blvd., around the corner from the former
County Recycling Station. For information, call 303-6665.
News:
news@bastropadvertiser.com
Retail Advertising: ads@bastro-
padvertiser.com
Advertising Deadlines for Thursday:
4:30 p.m. Fridays for the following Thursday
Advertising Deadlines for Saturday:
4:30 p.m. Wednesdays for the following Saturday
Deadlines subjeci to change for designated holidays
SUBMITTING A NEWS OR SPORTS STORY: Submit information by email or in writing
and delivered in person or sent by mail. Be as concise as possible. Please include
a contact name and telephone number. Photos may be submitted by email or in
person. If you have any questions, call editor Cyndi Wright or assistant editor Terry
Hagerty for news items or sports editor Michael Adams for sports items.
CORRECTIONS: The Bastrop Advertiser makes every effort to provide fair and accu-
rate information. Should we make an error, please contact the news department
It is our policy to correct significant errors of fact.
OBITUARIES: Obituary announcements are published free of charge but are sub-
ject to editing (for "as is" obituary announcements, contact the ads department)
Photos may also be submitted. Obituary announcements are usually provided by
the funeral home or family. For questions, call editor Cyndi Wright or assistant editor
Terry Hagerty.
WEDDINGS, ENGAGEMENTS, ANNIVERSARIES, AND BIRTHS: Wedding, anniversary,
engagement and birth announcements are paid and have a set format. Contact
Ginny Pickering in the classifieds department for rates.
HOW TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED OR DISPLAY AD: The best way to place a classified
or display ad is in person during regular business hours or by telephone. You may
also use the classified ad form in the classified section, and you may also send ad
copy by fax. Rates and special offers for classified ads are listed in the clqssified ads
section of each issue. Media kits are available for advertisers, which also include
information about our other Austin-area newspapers. If you have any questions,
call Ginny Pickering for classified ads or Debbie Denny for retail ads.
BACK ISSUES: Back issues of The Bastrop Advertiser are kept for about a year
and are available at our office while supplies last. There are also bound copies
of certain years at our office and copies available on microfilm at the Bastrop
Public Library. If you are looking for a specific article or advertisement, you are
welcome to browse through our back issues during regular business hours.
Member: Bastrop Chamber of Commerce,
National Newspaper Association, South Texas Press
Association, Texas Press Association
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permission of The Bastrop Advertiser.
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Wright, Cyndi. The Bastrop Advertiser (Bastrop, Tex.), Vol. 156, No. 96, Ed. 1 Saturday, January 30, 2010, newspaper, January 30, 2010; Bastrop, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth252653/m1/4/: accessed May 4, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Bastrop Public Library.