The tide is rising

I'm hoping to keep the momentum going on some real progressive changes here in Caldwell County. With that in mind, I wanted to share this email with you:

Greetings Friends:
I just learned that there will be a meeting this Thursday, February 1st at 7 pm at the DSS Health Conference Room (1966-B Morganton Blvd) by Chad Bar, Director Animal Control for Caldwell County. He will be presenting information to the Department of Health on the issue of animal overpopulation in our area.

A Task Force was created back in 2005 to address separately the issues of overpopulation, dangerous dog confinement, and animal nuisance issues. The Task Force has already presented its' findings to the Department of Health on the issues of dangerous dog confinement and animal nuisance.

On the subject of overpopulation (Thursday's agenda), the desire is to create a program that would reduce the number of abandoned animals in our area, create low cost methods for spay/neuter as well as try to reduce euthanasia and increase education among Caldwell residents on the subject of responsible pet ownership. The meeting is open to the public and the public is encouraged to attend. Information presented and discussed this Thursday will directly effect actions made by the Dept of Health in the future regarding this subject. I am making all plans to attend and am sending this out in the hopes that some of you might be interested in attending yourself. I am helping Billy of the Herbal shop downtown, collect signatures (and perhaps an email would do) to show support for a program that attempts to reduce euthanasia as the only means of addressing this issue. Billy, myself and I am sure many of you, would like to see a no-kill shelter created. The problem of abandoned animals however, is so bad in Caldwell that this is why Caldwell's animal shelter has not been able to be a no-kill shelter or why they have had to resort to euthanasia in merely a matter of days. The Humane Society will also be present at the meeting.

Email if you would like to show your support or plan on attending. Animal Control's # is 757-8625. If weather is too bad, I would call to see if the meeting is still taking place.

Regards,
Shelli

I know that your attendance would be of great support at this meeting. If you can't attend, give Chad Barr a call or email him. Shelli and Golden found a litter of 5 abandoned puppies on their ride Sunday, so this issue hits pretty close to home.

Keep in mind that this is one of many changes that people in our area would like to see happen in order to become a more progressive community. We will be in attendance at the next City Council meeting (Feb. 6th at 6pm) to once again request a recycling center in Lenoir. Last time around, Charlie Frye and James Lowicki were given little more than political lip service and even got that smarmy "We thank you for coming and speaking to us about this" from the mayor. Well, Charlie and James have uncovered the fact that each household pays $10 to the city specifically for recycling. The current total of this fund is $75,000 and yet, we still have no recycling center. I propose that everybody send the city council members an email expressing their support, desire and need for a recycling center in Lenoir. Remember our county motto: "Where progress meets tradition". It is time for more progress and less tradition (or as it really goes around here: that's the way we always dun' it). We need to actually progress...

Now, for a segue-less change of topic. Here is what you find in the dictionary beside the word "badass": Bart Wellens finished 4th on the day with a BROKEN WRIST that he suffered from an early race fall caused by a barricade. I called for him to win it, and with that kind of fire in the belly, you can't tell me he wouldn't have if lady luck had not been so cruel.

Sorry to give you so much homework this time, but we've got to speak up and demand that our progressive voices be heard! This town (and county) are on the verge of significant change and we have got to keep that momentum rolling!