Re-elect Hawkins

To the Editor:

I am writing to show my support and encourage fellow citizens to re-elect Tom Hawkins for Fairmont City Council, councilman at large. I think it’s important we have someone who understands business representing our city. The population of Fairmont has been declining for decades and unless we are proactive on growing our city, we will keep declining and hurting our tax base. The more citizens and more business that come to town, the lower the taxes per individual or business. Tom is pushing for that type of growth.

Tom has run a successful business for over 30 years in Fairmont and just invested over $1 million in a new body shop. He and his family have a vested interest in seeing Fairmont grow and have stability for the future. He also has worked hard for his constituents by responding to their concerns on a consistent basis. I encourage you to re-elect Tom Hawkins to City Council. Thank you.

Marty Krause

Fairmont

Speaking for pre-born

To the Editor:

In response to Harriet Richards’ letter on Oct. 7 commenting on seeing signs that say, “Stop Abortion Now,” but no signs saying, “We will help …”

Harriet, perhaps I am one of those people you’ve seen holding up a sign that says, “Stop Abortion Now.” What you would not have seen is that I am also one of thousands of people living in Martin County who actively support women (and men) who may be facing an unplanned pregnancy. It’s true that I didn’t have a sign in my other hand saying I would help with the difficult situations. It’s also true that having an abortion will not stop unemployment, or a lack of day care, or mental health issues or homelessness. In fact, for many women, ending a pregnancy by abortion will only increase their struggles.

Thank you, Harriet, for reminding us all that it takes more than holding a sign to put an end to the issues you’ve identified. To be clear, abortion is the No. 1 killer of children in the world. While those who offer abortions charge women for them, those of us who offer abortion alternatives give our assistance freely, lovingly, and almost entirely behind the scenes.

Perhaps you didn’t know that since 1984, women in Martin County and the surrounding area have had a place to go when facing an unplanned pregnancy. Whether you remember it as Caring Pregnancy Center or know it best as Options Pregnancy Center, support services are available, right here in Fairmont.

Options Pregnancy Center is just one of the thousands of pro-life organizations around the country and throughout the world that provide things such as free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, counseling, support groups, child care classes, financial management education, babysitting, diapers, infant formula, maternity and children’s clothes and housing. Add to these tens of thousands of churches and caring individuals who donate time, money, food, house repairs and every other kind of help to pregnant women, single mothers and low-income families in need.

Thanks to the collaboration of agencies and organizations within our community, Options Pregnancy Center is able to refer women looking for work to Career Force or to our own job-training site, Twelve Baskets Re-sale. Medical and mental health services are available by referral to one of the many wonderful, local providers. And more than once, homeless mothers-to-be have found safe shelter because of connections made at Options.

Abortion is not a quick fix or a simple solution to anything. I will continue to hold signs saying as much. I will continue to support women in unplanned pregnancies and I will continue to speak up for the pre-born.

Bob Charnecki

director, Options Pregnancy Center

Fairmont

Ballots are a mess

To the Editor:

My wife sent for a mail-in ballot and we were reading the instructions this morning. She mentioned that it doesn’t say that you can’t use a pencil to fill it out, so it could be erased and changed.

Toward the top of the page there is a gray rectangle 2 inches by 7 1/2 inches where you’d usually see a notice “For official use only” or “Do not write in this space.” That’s where the “secret” instructions are barely legible. I would defy anyone who is colorblind in the gray-blue-green spectrum, or some older folks like us to find it.

So I wonder, how many “spoiled ballots” are going to turn up, and what charlatan designed this mess? You see why I’m suspicious of these guys …?

Roger Hendrickson

Fairmont