To the Editor: I really enjoy Keizer Rapids Park and frequently go there.   What does surprise me is apparently no one took the time to do a study of the river’s currents before installing the boat ramp. If one takes the time to walk down the boat dock (or just the river) you will notice [...]

To the Editor:  I watched the city council meeting on Channel 23 the other night and was amused at some of the content. The Council/Citizen Communication Work Group recommendations were finally addressed. The Work Group had three meetings and came up with only three suggestions. One was to extend public hearing time for citizens from [...]

Earth Day is celebrated around the world each year on April 22; 2013 marks the 43rd anniversary of the first Earth Day. The United States has progressed a long way since 1970; Oregon has one of the highest rates of recycling in the country. Today our society talks about recycling, reducing waste, and sustainable lifestyles.  [...]

To the Editor: Was anyone else struck by the irony of the headline on a letter last week? (Keizertimes, April 12)  “Respect everyone” was the headline; however the letter was anything but respectful.  Respecting someone requires listening and understanding. Webster’s defines respect as “an act of giving particular attention: consideration” or” high or special regard; [...]

By SUSAN ESTRICH I’m from Boston. Over the years, I lived in two apartments within a stone’s throw of Monday’s bombings. Over the years, I stood and cheered marathon runners countless times. I know every square inch of the area in all the pictures, which is hardly unusual. It’s the center of Boston. My nephew [...]

By GENE H. McINTYRE My eye teeth were cut on TV dramas in the early 1960s.  Most memorable to me—as a young whippersnapper back in those days—were 77 Sunset Strip, Route 66, and The Naked City.  They presented Hollywood versions of life among the in-crowd in Southern California, on-the-road along U.S 66 (all the way [...]

The beauty of communities is the diversity of options. There are different stores to shop, different parks to play in, different houses of worship to pray in. Communities, of course, are much more than the infrastructure. Communities are nothing withou its people and their pursuits. Those pursuits, be they athletic- or service-oriented, require money. Every [...]

To the Editor: When we hear about the conflicts between River Road businesses and Keizer Station, maybe the differences should be celebrated. After all, are they simply competing against each other, or are they mutually reinforcing the same general outcome? Businesses on River Road are geared towards various goods and services, that apart from normal [...]

To the Editor: Yes, of course, almost everyone of age has heard of The Perfect Storm movie, the one with George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, et al, a film based on a real storm that took down to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean a swordfishing vessel, the Andrea Gail, with all on board lost.  Well, now we’ve got our [...]

By DON VOWELL The four Vowell children scattered to the far reaches of the western states, including Alaska and Hawaii.  Our political stances may have the same degree of separation.  It has made me question if there is an underlying theory to my politics. Last week we attended Ralph Jull’s memorial service.  A deeply loved [...]