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Following are a collection of reader responses to stories or letters to the editor for the first week of January 2024. They have been edited slightly for readability. 

Got something you want to add? Send an email to editor Marshall Jones at mjones@infonews.ca.

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The last run of the Kamloops Meal Train

Glenn is a Saint. He has been the sunlight in the dark days of many lost souls. He and the lovely cook, Danika, along with a handful of volunteers, have singlehandedly kept the unhoused fed for months, if not years. Where are all the big shot heavily funded agencies? I’ll tell you where. Sitting in their cozy offices bad talking Glenn and doing nothing for food security for these individuals. I have delivered food for The Meal Train on occasion. I have never been threatened or felt unsafe going into camps, under bridges, dark alleys. The food recipients are always grateful and kind. These are human beings we’re talking about here people. What is the city going to do to provide food while folks are waiting for their turn to get off the street? To Mr. Hilke: Your kindness and generosity will be sorely missed by many. God Bless You for all you have done for the vulnerable population. — Sheila Eagland, via iNFOnews.ca

UPDATE: Teichrieb sentenced to seven years in jail for bat attack on Kamloops teen

That evil scum needs the same done to him. — Nettie Marie, via iNFOnews.ca

Penticton murderer charged with domestic assault and more violence

Department of corrections with zero corrections. There has to be a better way to deal with these types of people than catch, hold, release and start all over again. — Dick Dawson, via iNFOnews.ca

iN RESPONSE to the Jan. 10 newsletter editorial and news article regarding editorial and story on LA wildfires

What I am seeing is that these areas are populated with wealthy people yet they hardly pay taxes and the fire departments and other first responders are well underfunded.  There's supposed to be more than double the amount of fire stations in these areas due to growing population. — Rom Houtstra, via email

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I spent several weeks in Santa Clarita last August. It was very hot and dry. I visited many of the beach's and spent quite a bit of time in Malibu and Oxnard. All of the restaurants along the beach drive are gone. So sad to see such devastation. What I did notice was that for some reason the State does not do mitigation burning of the plentiful scrub that is everywhere. Had this been done, I think much of the rapid spread could have been avoided around populated areas. — Richard Vollo, via email

iN RESPONSE to the Jan. 8 newsletter editorial and news article regarding Donald Trump and Canada as the 51st state 

Good day sir, I enjoy your publication, thank you very much for all your efforts. Regarding Trump, I think too many people suffer from extreme cognitive dissonance when it comes to his mouth. Honestly, what is the worry here? Are people afraid the USA is going to invade Canada? That's really not how this works. As with any boastful and bombastic person, let him run off his mouth, who cares? The world is still spinning on it's axis. Trade deals are all about embellishments, let this one play out just like every other time. — Thomas Mackey, via email

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I don't think anything is beyond this megalomaniac's beliefs. To take over another country (Canada, Greenland or even Panama) would, I am certain, trigger a conflict beyond simply arguing with NATO, the UN and other countries involved. Threatening a war, whether economic or otherwise, cannot be ignored by the U.S. lawmakers. — Evan Winkelaar, Enderby, via email

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Stop giving Donald Trump space. This guy is manipulator in chief! He has the news system amplifying his every late night indigestion thought. Will anyone in the media step up and say "enough, this is not news, it's mind control!" — Jane Duber, via email

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Oh yeah, we should worry. The man is deranged and is setting himself up to be the first North American dictator. Once his term is up, I highly doubt he will leave. He's already dropping hints to that effect, and is paving the way to take over Canada, Mexico, Panama and wherever else he can reach before the world can react. Just look at what his good friend Russian President Vladimir Putin has accomplished. It's history repeating itself and they all learned from Hitler. Remember, Putin is a threat to the rest of Europe and North Korea's Kim Jong Un is a threat to Asia. Could be the three amigos, have cooked up a plan to take over the world. So glad I'm too old to suffer through too much of the aftermath. — Diane Jackson, via email

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The man is absolutely crazy and people voting for him are questionable, so it begs the question, will they be behind him if he does start something insane with Canada. We should be very cautious and firm with him and not budge an inch in any stand we take. He believes himself to be all powerful, we need to tell and show him he is not. — Marti Giroux, via email

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If it was Russia or China making comments like this about a country next to them, the USA and the world would be screaming. — Johann Collins, via email

BC nurse swiped opioids and worked while high: regulator

Why do we allow the ‘regulator’ to adjudicate and administer the penalty for this crime of theft, combined with the potential serious harm to patients under their care? They should have been charged in a criminal court, then the judge could have given a day in jail with a promise for good behaviour in future. — Ginny Dournovo, via iNFOnews.ca

BC anti-vax nurses lose fight against union

Maybe read your contract, the part that says you may be required to have vaccinations. I believe it’s in the Occupational Health and Safety Program portion, and it isn’t optional. If your “ethical standards” conflict with your Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree, or some semblance of scientific study, then maybe nursing isn’t for you. Take responsibility for your actions instead of blaming everyone else. — Curt Finsterwald, via iNFOnews.ca

BC lawyer to pay $35K after 'harsh' words ruled client discrimination

RE: "Really, 35K? Did the poor dear almost die? That’s crazy!" — William Mastop, via iNFOnews.ca

People need to realize, in Canada, these kinds of penalties for discriminatory words and actions, no matter how that abuse is "downplayed, disguised or minimized",  towards those who are already in a position of disadvantage, such as non-white, non-cis, non-male, non-rich, uneducated, unhealthy, troubled, etc. are necessary and important in reducing and/or eventually eliminating the vast harm caused mostly by the advantaged, privileged, greedy, ignorant and insensitive among us. This case isn't simply about punitive damages for the perpetrator but also fair warning that abuse by discrimination is not acceptable in our country, and that's just one more Canadian characteristic we can all be proud of! — Karen Klein, via email

Trudeau prorogues Parliament, will step down as prime minister after leadership race

Among those set to run for federal Liberal leader are former minister of finance Chrystia Freeland, current Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney. Rumours of former B.C. premier Christy Clark’s intent to run for the job have been around for quite a while. If I were a Conservative, I would be ecstatic if the Liberals picked Christy Clark as their new leader. Read: 117 BC Liberal Falsehoods, Boondoggles and Scandals: The Complete List — David Buckna, via email

Critics of six-storey apartment building in Kamloops consider legal action

Now in a few years we are not going to be able to buy gasoline powered vehicles, so where will these residents be able to recharge their electric vehicles? Using the present resident’s parking spots for the six-story building is not ethical. The present residents will be subjected to several vehicles starting their engines right next to their houses, this includes the noise of car doors slamming, and people talking to each other at all hours and the smell of exhaust entering their doors and windows. This proposed building should come with an adequate parkade. — Jeanette Bouman-Noordam, via iNFOnews.ca

iN PHOTOS: North Okanagan painter uses his art to raise money for charity

I love this win, win! — Bonnie Derry, via iNFOnews.ca

Problem Trees and Healthy Evergreens: Why Winter is The Best Time to Call Pine Valley Tree Services

They’ve done a couple of tricky tree removals for me. Great job! — Bonnie Derry, via iNFOnews.ca

Court orders more parenting time for Kamloops sperm donor

Who would have thought that arrangement could ever fell apart. — Dick Dawson, via iNFOnews.ca

iN RESPONSE to the Jan. 3 newsletter editorial regarding fireworks on New Year's Eve

Fireworks? Love them! My dog? Not so much. — Marc Bremner, via email 

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Hello Marshall,

I’ve written about this topic before and I’m writing again. Why do people need fireworks? They don’t add anything to the enjoyment of any event. They bring harm to animals, yes, and to humans who suffer from anxiety or are post-op. You report in your comments that fireworks are illegal and further express your glee that they are bootlegged. Please stop encouraging people to break the law. Maybe I’ll drive to Kamloops and park my vehicle across your street, blocking traffic for fun. It’s illegal, I know, but I would get a lot of pleasure out of it.

I hope you never have to recover from the removal of a brain tumour or chemotherapy and then suffer more because some people believe it’s their right to have fun and break the law at the same time. — Elizabeth Woods, via email

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I love fireworks, the sound, the look and the smell. I am a pet owner. My pets are indoors, distracted. I have no problem and I only wish my neighbours would do what yours do. — Marti Giroux, via email

iN RESPONSE to the Dec. 30 newsletter editorial regarding BC bureaucrats working from home

If the work gets done, it's not my concern whether it is done from home or in an office.  Actually, it's probably better for the environment to have less people commuting. — Trevor Reeves, via email 

Letter to the Editor 

I am struck anew by the attitude of a visitor to this unfortunate city named Penticton. I say unfortunate, not because I disrespect Penticton, I have come to love this place despite myself, my work experiences, the arguably corrupt workplaces, the arguably corrupt politicians from a string of mayors and councillors to a string of MLA's and MP's.

Am I really being unfair? What is Penticton ultimately? Is it a place to live always or only for those who can afford the out of line rentals and housing costs? This city is no Vancouver, and yet it has the costs associated with being either a Vancouver lite or a North American Dusseldorf. Why is there such a heavy handed emphasis on volunteerism? Is it prejudice against seniors that volunteers are so heavily counted upon? Why the emphasis on wooing arguably corrupt organizations like Ironman, who are accountable to nobody at all?

Why does the city not do more to attract sustainable jobs, even offering tax-free status to those employers who only offer full time employment? Require all corporations to pay a living wage before they even build one piece of their future business? Bring in a bylaw that holds corporations accountable for litter and cart losses? Banning all drive-through oriented businesses? Having a plan of a garbage can every fifteen metres along the poorer neighbourhood streets? Charging the rich for the privilege of their wonderful and exclusive views? Requiring all politicians to post bonds against their failure to retrieve all of their election signs? Require all businesses to provide bike lock space or facilities with funding for the less lucrative businesses?

That letter writer might want to thank their lucky stars they have never been homeless, if that is the case, and pray they never become homeless, which is what I have been more than once, and maybe that is the truth of my life, that I was homeless even when living with my birth family? Being bothered by the homeless is unfortunate, I make a point of never bothering anyone but I also have been fortunate to have people who cared that I remain alive in this world, for whatever that is worth.

Sincerely,

Patrick McCall Longworth

To contact a reporter for this story, email Marshall Jones or call 250-718-2724 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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