THANK YOU ...

... to United Water

Upon our return to Boise from a short ski trip, we discovered that we had no running water. A visit to our crawlspace and a bit of research led us to contact United Water about 3 p.m. with concerns about possible freezing at the meter. They were swamped with similar calls and as the day turned into evening, we were convinced that we’d get no service until the following day. To our surprise we got a phone call about 11:30 p.m. from a service worker headed to our location and 30 minutes later that water was running again in our home. Many thanks to United Water and its employees who are putting in some long, long hours during this frozen weather.

MARSHALL GARRETT, Boise

... for great service

Thanks to the Idaho Statesman delivery person, to Idaho Power and the BSU classical music station for keeping me simultaneously informed, warm and entertained throughout this extended period of frigid weather! Great service!

CHARLENE CURRY, Boise

... to thoughtful driver

There is so much negative stuff out there right now that I wanted to share a very positive experience that my elderly mother-in-law had recently. She went out to get her mail at the same time the Allied Waste truck was there picking up her trash. He stopped the truck and got out. He gently scolded her for being out when it was so slick and then offered her his arm and walked her back up to her door; at the same time he pulled up her trash can to the house. What a gentleman! What an awesome guy! Just wanted to share.

BETH DENNIS, Boise

... to a good neighbor

Thanks to my neighbor, Korey Hall, who helped me finish getting rid of the ice on my driveway recently. He finished the job in short order. Thanks so much, Korey.

BARB HICKS, Boise

... to Yanke family

Thank you to the Yanke family and their employees for opening the Yanke Motor Museum, Jan. 19. The hosts were gracious, the building heated, and the display extensive with exhibits from the early 20th century to present. Guests were greeted by an array of Model T Fords, a Rolls Royce and other makes. The display included motorized bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, tractors, fire engines, drill presses, a punch press, an acetylene generator and other metal-working tools. One fire engine was steam-powered and was last fired for the local firefighters’ water games. On display were “drag saws,” machine and hand tools, air compressors, water pumps, kitchen and other items.

A Model T Touring car had been modified as a “work vehicle,” a wood bed installed where the rear seat would have been. A couple expressed an interest in that Model T. The lady lifted the lid of the dashboard box. It contained a 6-volt dry cell. “What is that for?” she said. I told her it was used to start the engine and then switched to an internal engine magneto. If that battery was used sparingly, the driver could start the engine for over a year.

GERRY DIFFENDAFFER, Boise

... to Glenns Ferry

Wanted to thank the community of Glenns Ferry! With the recent interstate closure, my daughter and fellow students were stopped for 10 hours on a bus and they were a mile from Glenns Ferry. A father of one of the students on the bus, who lives in Glenns Ferry, asked the state police if he could deliver food to the bus of students. They approved. As he went to buy the food in Glenns Ferry, people heard of the students’ plight, and the great community of Glenns Ferry donated food and money to help my daughter and the other students!

Thank you from a mom would couldn’t be there, to the people who were there!

MARILYN H. ELDREDGE, Meridian

... to giving community

Soroptimist International of Boise had the privilege of coordinating Christmas gift giving for the Boise community via our Oldsters and Foster Children Holiday Projects. These projects would not be possible without the help of many volunteer partners. Since 1971 the Idaho Statesman has printed the list of requests, and without its generous support we would be unable to continue to provide this service.

Area nursing homes, Senior Solutions and the Department of Health & Welfare staff compile the requests and ensure gifts are distributed.

Thank you to the Department of Health and Welfare which furnished the phone bank; IRET Properties and Excell Business Management, which provides and coordinates our sorting and distribution point; and Senior Solutions, Stepping Stones Salon and Spa, Westmark Credit Union, and Washington Federal Savings & Loan for allowing us to use their businesses as drop-off locations.

We extend our deepest gratitude to our generous and giving community; it’s SI Boise’s greatest honor to facilitate such a tremendous outpouring of support to those in need. To each of you who purchased gifts and sent donations, thank you for embracing these seniors and children and ensuring that Christmas brought them both presents and the knowledge that someone cares.

LENA GANDIAGA, Boise

... to store manager

I live in East Boise and shop at the ParkCenter Albertsons grocery store. I am a regular customer there because of its great customer service. All the employees are fantastic; they are very helpful and friendly. I became ill with a bad case of the flu a few weeks ago. Everyone I knew was at work or out of town. I called the Albertsons store and Tom Davis, the store manager, answered. I told him I would pay an employee $25 to bring me 7-Up, crackers and ice. Tom said he would be happy to personally deliver it himself and wouldn’t hear of me paying him extra to do so. He brought it over and put it in my kitchen for me. I was overwhelmed by his kindness and caring attitude.

What a great example he sets for his employees. I am well again. I know Tom speeded up my recovery by his kind act. I am even a more loyal customer than I was before. I have since been in the store and Tom made a point of coming up and asking me how I was feeling. Thank you, Tom.

HELEN JOHANSEN, Boise

... for flooding help

My wife and I would like to give out a big thank you to the following people who helped with our little flooding situation in our kitchen during the Christmas holiday. Tyler Craft of Majestic Flooring and Design in Garden City was so accommodating to our schedules and helped us with suggestions as to the type of vinyl to put down. Fern eased our minds at the store as we looked over the selections of flooring. Shaun Nill, who specializes in laying tile and counter tops, did a fantastic job of fixing the particle boards and laying the vinyl. Roy Towers, who is a plumbing contractor, made sure that the connections for the refrigerator and dishwasher were all in working order.

Prior to all this, our next-door neighbor, Scott, bless his heart, came over to check out the leaking water from the faucet and then commenced to fix the problem without a second thought! We are very pleased with the expertise of these people and their willingness to answer any and all questions!

MIKE AND SUE SASAKI, Boise

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Idaho should participate in Medicaid expansion

The Sunday Insight section of your paper (Jan. 6) carried an article by Ted Epperly, M.D., discussing the reasons that Idaho should participate in the expanded Medicaid program that will come with implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). He gave eight very good reasons for Idaho to participate in the program.

I hope that the people of Idaho (including the governor and the Legislature) are aware of this wonderful asset we have in Idaho, Dr. Ted Epperly. He is very knowledgeable about the effect that the ACA will have on the people, the doctors and hospitals, the employers, and the economy of Idaho.

If anyone is really interested in a down-to-earth look at the key elements that can lead us to reduced medical costs and improved quality of our medical care system, I would recommend that you read Dr. Epperly’s recent book, “FRACTURED: America’s Broken Health Care System and What We Must Do to Heal It,” published by Sterling and Ross Publishers, New York.

DON PRICE, M.D., retired, Nampa

BILL OF RIGHTS

Threats to our freedom

You chip away at one of our Bill of Rights, you chip away at all of our Bill of Rights.

In limiting the number of bullets a person can have in a magazine to 10 rounds, President Obama is chipping away at our Bill of Rights. What’s next? Government limits on the amount of words newspapers can report or editorialize on controversial, emotional or offensive subjects? After all, these could cause someone to commit an act of violence.

The Obama administration is calling for the government to “research” the “relationship between video games, media images, and violence.” What about “images” of violence by news “media”? Don’t those count? Could news media outlets truly rely on their First Amendment right of “freedom of the press”? If government can chip away at one amendment, it can chip away at all amendments.

Think it will never happen? Boise limits where people can smoke, including when they’re outside. New York City limits the size of the cup of soda people can buy. Think limits on media images, free speech, religious speech the government deems “intolerant” or other Bill of Rights protections will never happen? Think again.

STEPHEN M. ACKERMAN, Kuna

WINTER ICE

Clear dangerous street crossings

I would like to voice my opinion about not keeping crosswalks clear of ice. They are very, very slick and rough with the ice that is on the slope to cross the street. I was wondering who takes care of the removal of ice on the street corners. It is very hard to cross without falling down. Please, please do something before there is someone who starts to walk and then falls down and winds up in the hospital, or gets run over by a car. This can be prevented.

JOYCE RUCKS, Boise