A time to reflect on the words and works of past presidents, and the ‘honored dead’ As we approach the “250th birthday” of our nation, it is my hope that this Presidents Day is truly a day of remembrance of the great words and works of past presidents, rather than being distracted by compani es and corporations that would rather have us all making it a day for buying a new mattress, or furniture, or whatever. The works and words of Abraham Lincoln are especially meaningful at this time in our nation, and in particular those words spoken at Gettysburg in remembrance of those “honored dead” who gave their lives in the struggle to preserve this nation. Now it is again a time that we here need to highly resolve that the now millions of persons worldwide that have died in struggles to protect freedom have not died in vain, that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth. So help us God, William Sherrell, Lafayette Rodent poison is dangerous for our children, pets and wildlife Have you seen a black box with an opening sitting on the ground outside a local store? For clarity, I encourage you to Google images of “Rodenticide Bait Boxes.” If these look familiar to you, they should make you uneasy — they’re boxes filled with poison. While the idea is that the poison targets only rodents, that’s not the reality. Rodenticides affect animals that help control rodent populations (i.e, hawks and coyotes), curious dogs, and even young children who accidentally mistake bright colored pellets for a tasty treat. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ National Poison System, in 2023, there were nearly 5,700 cases of rodenticide poisoning in children 12 and under in the United States. Rodenticides are also found in the ASPCA’s “Top Ten Toxins of 2024” list for pets. Additionally, a study tested the livers of five coyotes in the Denver metro area and found second-generation anticoagulants in all five. Rodenticides are not safe for our children, pets, or local wildlife. There are safer alternatives. Please ask your local government official to support Senate Bill 62. Lindsay Hoppestad, Parker Lawmakers are back at work, so expect cost increases This is a very scary time of year for all of us. Whenever our legislators are meeting, expect everything to become more expensive when they finish. It does not matter if you are a homeowner or a business. They will figure out a new way to grab money from us, whether it’s natural gas mandates or delivery fees. (Does anyone know where the delivery fee money goes?) I can see why many people and business owners are leaving this place. Neal B. Cully, Colorado Springs How would we even field a team of Trump-loyal Olympians? Re: “U.S. athletes speaking up about politics face backlash,” Feb. 9 news story I read that some folks say that if someone plays for a national team, they should agree with all federal policies. I don’t know if those folks are Americans or not, but it seems like a rather un-American position, partly because it would be impossible to send a team of athletes most loyal to the president unless we assume that lie detectors are accurate, so we could weed out the athletes that Trump calls “losers.” Don Reckseen, Broomfield Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more. To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail. ...read more read less