PATRONS OF DISTRICT #242
Tuesday, May 15 is the levy election for the 2012-2013 school year.  We ask for support in the continuation of our academic and extracurricular programs.  Cottonwood School District is proud of the fine staff that we have and the work they do to promote academic success in this district.  Investing in people is the answer to continued success with our youth and community.  Our local schools are the lifeblood of our community.
Please show your support on Tuesday May 15 by voting.  The polls are open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.  Your polling place is determined by where you vote in the general election with locations in Ferdinand, Greencreek, Cottonwood, and Keuterville.  The school district is no longer a polling location.  Thank you for your past support.  
Cottonwood School District Board and Administration

To the Editor
This is teacher appreciation week.  On behalf of the Jack Uptmor, post commander, and the men and women of VFW Post 4902, I want to extend our gratitude for your noble work.  Preparing the youth of today to be America’s future tomorrow is no small task, and your dedication is appreciated.
I want to give a special thank you to the teachers who support, and help with our VFW Awards program.  Without your efforts we would not have an awards program.  Active participation in the Voice of Democracy, Patriot’s Pen, and Teacher of the Year is one of several factors in selecting All State and All American Post awards.  Thanks to your efforts, Post 4902 was one of a small handful of Idaho posts to receive the All American award, and we are on track to win it again this year!
With sincere thanks,
Joseph D. Riener, 
USAF (Retired)
VFW Post 4902, 
Commander (elect)
Cottonwood

Below are letters that we did not have room for in the print edition of the Chronicle.

Dear Editor, 
Two weeks ago at my home a group of people attended a Meet and Greet for Shannon McMillian. She is our candidate campaigning for re-election as State Rep. District 7A. 
I am truly pressed that she has a 100% conservative rating from the “Idaho Conservative”. This publication exists to equip conservatives, with Idaho Legislature score cards, to know how politicians voted, not just what they say at election time. 
She wants the EPA “Superfund” eliminated in Shoshone County. This would put an end to its financial destruction in her county; she is Pro Life and Pro Family. 
I like this!! She supports the transfer of federally controlled state lands to Idaho! Think about this, Idaho could wisely manage our own forest land; it’s our treasure box waiting to be opened. 
I’m voting for Shannon McMillian 
Betty Alm 
 
Dear Editor:
Often, in a vacuum of information, mothers choose abortion and later wonder in anguish why nobody told them the truth.  The Ultrasound Bill had the potential to save the lives of babies and empower women with information that could save them from the devastating torment experienced by so many post-abortive women.
Some people wonder why the abortion industry is so opposed to letting a pregnant patient see her own ultrasound.  Ultrasound provides the most objective, factual information possible.  It is a picture worth a thousand words.  Ultrasound is unbiased science that delivers unbiased information.  With that knowledge a woman is empowered.  So much so in fact, that she might exercise her freedom of choice and choose to terminate her business relationship with that doctor.  
Abortion businesses cannot tolerate women walking out the door; neither can the entire pro-abortion ideology.
So the ACLU, and Planned Parenthood pulled out all the stops and skillfully blasted fear, misinformation and chaos into the dialogue.  Some in the press chose to help keep the chaos churning.
I do know that not one Idaho senator takes his/her job lightly.  Those who cast a “yes” vote did so thoughtfully with a calculus that included facts, knowledge that women deserve the truth, and pro-woman, pro-life principles.
They knew that the Ultrasound Bill could protect Idaho women from the agony of an uninformed decision and protect unborn babies from a silent scream.
Julie Lynde
Executive Director
Cornerstone Family Council
www.cfcidaho.org

Support Commissioner Brandt
As a fellow commissioner from neighboring Valley County who has worked with Skip Brandt I offer the following comments for the citizens of Idaho County to consider. Skip is concerned about the future of Idaho County and always has the citizen’s best interest at heart. 
To start we can talk about the National Forests, which are public lands. Yes those forests are our public lands not the Federal Governments. The Federal agencies such as the USFS and BLM are only the administrators of the public lands for the citizens.
Over one hundred years ago the Federal Government entered into a contract to provide 25% of all timber receipts in those National Forests to help support county roads and schools. For the majority of those 100 years the timber economy helped sustain counties such as Idaho and Valley Counties. Now we see those receipts all but gone. 
Skip working with four other commissioners from other counties including Valley helped propose a concept to get us back into a sustainable management of the National Forests. Skip doesn’t want to see the sawmill infrastructure lost and is working to keep them operating. Valley County has no sawmills today and we struggle with some of the highest unemployment in Idaho. I didn’t realize how much one saw mill helped to sustain the economy until it was gone. Those saw mills are so important to the citizens and the economy. 
Skip has also built relationships with Congressional offices, State offices, Federal agencies, local government and organizations to help provide a strong voice when discussing impacts to Idaho County. 
Idaho County you do not want to lose the experience and knowledge of Commissioner Brandt.
Please use your vote to keep Skip working for Idaho County.
Gordon L. Cruickshank
Valley County Commissioner

Dear Editor
The May 15th  primary election here is more important than usual. There are few Democrats running since they are saddled with the anti-rural, rabid environmental, big government policies of their party. Many contests will be decided now instead of November. Please join me in supporting the following common sense, conservative, Republican candidates: Skip Brandt and Jim Chmelik for Idaho County Commission, Greg Smith for Idaho County Sheriff, Paul Shepherd and Shannon McMillan for State Representatives, Sheryl Nuxoll for State Senate, and Raul Labrador for US House. Thanks
Lucky Brandt
Kooskia

Didier has my vote
I have known Steve Didier Sr for several years through our mutual association with the Clearwater Valley Aero Club.
Steve is a Republican who is concerned with creating opportunities for business growth within the county and region.
I know him to be against zoning.
This Republican business owner will be voting for Steve Didier Sr. Idaho County Commissioner District 1 candidate.
Tim Johnson
Kamiah

Dear Editor:
Four men are running for Idaho County Sheriff.  I have known all of them for several years.  I am voting for Greg Smith.
Greg Smith has not shared every detail of his plan, but has shared his heart for the job of Idaho County Sheriff.  He is a moral man, who will follow the Constitutions of the United States and Idaho, the law, the courts and common sense.
Greg Smith will work to protect the people of Idaho County by fulfilling the duties of the office as set out in the Idaho Code.  Not only will he be proactive to stop crime, he will do so while protecting the constitutional rights of all to the best of his ability.
 “Malum In Se” is the Latin term for, wrong in itself.  Examples are murder, rape, and theft.  An opposing term is Malum Prohibitum, meaning wrong because it’s prohibited.  Examples are dumping garbage in a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) dumpster, or riding a four-wheeler on a road without the proper sticker, or picking up an antique shell casing from the ground.
I have heard too many cases of malum en se crimes, not getting the attention deserved.  Let’s spend time to try to solve a few of these crimes.  Let’s not require the victims to investigate their own victimization.  Let’s collect evidence, follow protocols, dot our I’s and cross our T’s.  Let’s get some restitution for victims.
G. Scott Swearingen
Kooskia, ID 83539-5041

Another Choice
Mr. Skip Brandt wants to give away our Public Lands to benefit big business and to benefit the economy short term.  He says that the access and trails will be protected forever.  We all know that the trails will not be maintained by private enterprise and once they are allowed to deteriorate, they are gone forever and along with them our public land will be lost forever.
There is another choice for District One County Commissioner.  Mr. Steve Didier, Sr. would like to be your next District One County Commissioner.  I know Steve through my association with Back Country Horsemen.  He has fought hard through this organization to protect our public lands and trails for everyone.  In 1986, Steve with several others in our area, were approached about forming a volunteer organization to preserve our access to public lands.  A local chapter called North Central Idaho Backcountry Horsemen was started in the Grangeville area with a dozen or so members.  That local chapter has now grown to over 100 volunteers, including Kooskia, Kamiah, and Cottonwood areas.
Steve continued to work with a few others to organize more chapters in the state and moved on from helping at the local chapter level to the state and on to the national level of the organization.  While serving as the National Public Lands Chair, it became apparent that Steve was not only representing horsemen, but all trail users nationwide.  Steve made trips to Washington DC, where due to the contacts he had made, was able to sit down with federal land managers at the highest levels.
Steve has experience and knowledge of legislative and agency regulations, which is why his subsequent appointment to the North Central Idaho Resource Advisory Committee was a good choice for us.  Mr. Brandt childishly fought them.
For these reasons I believe Steve Didier, Sr. (Republican) for Idaho County Commissioner is a better choice.
Phil Foster
Kamiah 

Dear Mr. Rockwell,
I applaud the commissions efforts to keep Idaho Counties tax base whole in light of the looming "Upper Lochsa Land Exchange" we have little say in, and through proper collaboration maybe all needs can be met...or not!?  Another Example is The Clearwater Forest travel plan that has been signed and released that is yet just another example of how we have no say, and us locals who take care of our backyards, do no longer matter!  With the Nez Perce travel plan looming, I am afraid we will see a similar fait. With complete cross country travel outlawed, 60% of peoples firewood will go uncut making an ever increasing financial hardship on those living in Idaho County who rely on firewood for heat.
Now it seems that the Forest head quarters are pulling out of Grangeville, proving to all of us that we do no longer matter, or did we ever?
The majority of clear thinking Idahoans realize that Federal management of our local forest no longer works! We are facing over a five million dollar shortfall in Idaho county funds, because we no longer log our forests for timber receipts, we have no tax base, and the federal government is broke! 
I propose the Idaho County Commission fight for local control of our federal lands, forming a county run lands task force. We would hire our own foresters and specialist to over see forest management within Idaho Counties borders, keeping everything very local. This would put money back in the coffers, and boots back on the ground!  It can be done! We have the knowledge and man power right here in Idaho County to manage our forests responsibly, providing for our schools, roads, our families, and our secured recreation!
Scott F Winkler

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