I am writing as supporter of Barack Obama. In Lawrence County, Democrats have kept their thoughts to themselves mostly.

It is time to step up and say we are proud and we are strong. We miss our Democratic leader and hero George Patterson and his daughter Peggy, a lifelong Democrat. All of us Democrats know the two of them would be out here tirelessly and wholeheartedly working to get Barack Obama elected the next President of the United States.

We have many Democratic Party leaders to be proud of locally and on the state level with our countywide elected officials and Gov. Ted Strickland. Now, Obama has brought it to a new level: a national level.

With Barack Obama, Democrats have a national leader that seeks common ground.

Union jobs have left this area just like the young people. What do we need to do? We need to bring back good union jobs to hire our youth and our laid off manufacturing workers.

The green sector can do this. We need to invest in green technology, solar wind and hydro power. As we know, our area is ripe for manufacturing and the green sector can be the industry that resuscitates our manufacturing sector.

Who champions this cause? Barack Obama! Obama will create opportunities for all these things to be manufactured and utilized in our area. Not only that, Obama has a plan to encourage our youth to get an education and support their country through a variety of ways such as civil service, including the Armed Forces and the Peace Corps to help pay for their college education.

Barack Obama has brought many people together — Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. The time has come for people who want a better America to step up and say, “I am proud to back Barack Obama.”

I am enjoying my time volunteering at the Lawrence County Obama Headquarters. For the first time in years, I am meeting lots of like-minded people. It is a wonderful feeling. And I hope you will join us.

Jacqueline B. Good

Willow Wood

Clean Ohio program has

helped Lawrence County

State Issue 2 is important to the residents of Lawrence County and we can all continue to reap the benefits of this program without a tax increase. Just because this is a bond issue does not mean an increase, it is permissive, not mandatory and is an extension of an existing program.

The program began in 2001 and is set to expire soon, which is the reason it’s on the ballot in November. During the last decade, Lawrence County has greatly benefited from many aspects of this program, including Brownfield-funded projects. Those include the Carlyle Tile Plant which is no longer a county eyesore, the former Allied Chemical-Signal-Honeywell site that has been turned into an asset instead of a liability, and the Malleable/Ironton Iron location now undergoing renovation.

Boaters too, now have better access to the Ohio River thanks to the Nature Works component of the program, which has provided launch sites in several locations.

So far, Lawrence County has not used provisions in this program to fund preservation of working family farms, drinking water protection, or to expand wildlife habitats, but these components are there if the need arises to use them.

Lawrence County voters can continue to enable our community’s development entities to use this funding and make the county better by casting a “Yes” vote on State Issue 2. This is an opportunity we would be foolish to let lapse.

Jo Huff

Chesapeake