By now most people in Ironton are aware of the big orange trucks roaming the streets and making beautiful trees ugly. If not, I invite you to drive down McPherson Street and see their work on a maple tree.

If you would like more enlightenment, please check out the majestic oak on the corner of Fourth and Hecla. It would make a tree-hugger roll over and die.

My yard has a 45-year-old dogwood tree that has not grown an inch in 15 years and is not touching the power line. When they wanted to trim it (trim is too nice a word), I protested.

The representative for the company said, “We trim trees in accordance with the guidelines of the National Arbor Association.”

I told them the National Arbor Association would give them an F on some of the trees they trimmed.

We realize power lines must be cleared for safety reasons, but the matter in which they do so is egregious. AEP should be aware of what they are paying these people to do. Not just give them a blank check and license to slash, destroy and make ugly what is not.

What they are doing is equivalent to homicidal rape of trees.

We as homeowners and customers feel we are being treated without any regard or respect.

Helen Stallard

Ironton

 

Harry Reid refuses to negotiate on ObamaCare

How can the Republicans be blamed for shutting down the government when Harry Reid refuses to even take the House bill to conference and Obama plays golf instead of talking to House leadership.

It is shameful that the Senate won’t even talk to the House. Harry Reid should

Oakley Gillispie

Greenup, Ky.

 

The House sent multiple government funding bills to the Senate that defunded and delayed ObamaCare. America doesn’t want the health care takeover.

Yet Harry Reid refuses to negotiate with the House. He’d rather protect Obama’s legacy than protect your country from what Democrats call a “train wreck.”

Obama is trying to blame conservatives for the government shutdown. But he and Harry Reid are the ones refusing to negotiate.

We can’t let them get away with that.

Louise Unroe

Crown City