Today's Opinions

The Gadsden County Coalition for Change (of which I am a member) is a no budget public service group of local citizens whose work supports the county's food banks, library system and Shanks Middle School. Our belief is that one is not likely to learn if hungry or if there are inadequate reading materials, or if there is a lack of support for the student.

Every healthy student in Gadsden County is capable of learning deeply – learning that happens at home and is reinforced in the classroom. It's through reinforcement and repetition that the brain learns.

• I attended the meeting Saturday in Gretna, and was not surprised to find no one from ADAGE was present. They claim to want to be open and honest, but yet we don't see them at meetings like this, when it's a perfect opportunity to answer our questions and concerns.

• I don't see anything wrong with the biomass plant. I think it'll be fine. I grew up with a wood-burning stove for heat, and I'm just fine. No one in my family has any problems from it.

Citizens of Gadsden County should be thankful for the efforts of the Concerned Citizens of Gadsden County to raise awareness about the proposed ADAGE biomass facility in Gretna. I attended the county commission meeting and the meeting in Gretna where citizens indicated their concerns about he health and sewer capacity issues of such a plant. Just as troubling was the manner in which the elected leaders proceeded to give either active or tacit approval and, apparently, promised tax abatements, for an enterprise about which there are still many questions.