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FERAL CATS AT UIS Charles Coderko, associate chancellor for administrative affairs at University of Illinois Springfield, has decided to wage war on the feral cat colony at UIS and stop the small group of compassionate employees who, on their own time and with their own resources, have been helping them.
This colony has existed for 15 or more years and probably began when students moved out and left the cats to starve. These cats no longer trust humans and hide from them. Trapping and taking them to animal control is a death sentence for these abandoned animals. It takes more resources than animal control has to tame them. The employees had permission to help these animals. Mr. Coderko has threatened employees who continue to help them with possible termination and off-campus helpers with criminal charges.
Please send email, letters, phone calls or other internet communication telling UIS to allow the trap, neuter, release and feeding of these innocent animals. Kathy Dehen Springfield
LOCAL ELECTIONS MATTER The April 2015 Consolidated General Election saw a mere 26.39 percent of the registered voters in Sangamon County weigh in at the polls. By April 2017, this figure had fallen to 13.82 percent, according to the Sangamon County election results website. Decisions made in these elections impact our cities, villages, libraries, parks, schools and other critical services.
If you are interested in one of the local, nonpartisan offices up for election in 2019 or simply want to know more about the process, please plan to attend one of the upcoming Election Information Nights. The first is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 27 in the community room inside Schnucks at 2801 Chatham Road in Springfield. The second is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 6 in the community room located at #1 Community Drive in Rochester.
Another facet of our democracy is the fact is that the people serving in these local offices are our relatives, friends and neighbors. It is not only first-rate citizenship to stay engaged and to weigh in, it is also neighborly, thoughtful and considerate to participate in choosing those who serve to represent us. This is, in large part, what weaves the fabric of our communities and binds us together as one. Kathryn Dinardo Diana Fairchild Springfield
KIDS AND MARIJUANA
Senator Dick Durbin recently introduced a bill to crack down on flavored tobacco in e-cigarettes. He believes Big Tobacco is marketing to kids. But there’s another industry targeting kids right under our adult noses – Big Marijuana.
Marijuana-infused sweets like gummy bears, jolly ranchers, cotton candy, cookies, and lollipops are attractive to young people. Candy and cookies have names like Twigz, Goober, Dab-A-Honey, Keef Kat, Buddahfinger, Double Pupp Oreo and Twixed.
One Colorado pot dispensary advertises 20 percent off everything with a student I.D. Others use colorful cartoon characters like Fred Flintstone and Cookie Monster. Vape pens are made to look like Hello Kitty and little alien robots.
Tobacco addiction is bad, but marijuana addiction is worse. Research confirms that regular use of marijuana has a neurotoxic effect on teenage brains – including permanent brain damage.
Teens are already using because they think marijuana is harmless, it’s “medicine.”
The million-dollar question is why would Illinois lawmakers even consider legalizing it for recreational use? The answer is to bail themselves out of years of overspending at the expense of our kids. Kathy Valente Director of Operations Illinois Family Institute
