Letter Policy

Letters Policy

 

taylorvilledailynews.com welcomes letters to the editor, as a way we can let our readers and listeners sound off on the issues most important to them. If you wish to submit a letter, please note the following guidelines:

 

  • All letters should be no more than 500 words in length, and should include the writer's name, address and phone number. We will not publish street address, e-mail address or phone number; rather, we reserve the right to contact writers to determine their validity.
  • Letters must be submitted electronically in Word doc or text format; no hand-written letters are accepted.
  • If the editor comments about a letter, the reader may respond with at least as many words as were used by the editor. We would like to stimulate a sincere dialogue.
  • All letters become property of Miller Communications, Inc., and are subject to editing for length, content, grammar, punctuation at the editor's discretion.
  • Material that may libel or slander an individual or group will neither be accepted nor posted.
  • All letters must be e-mail'ed to editorial@randyradio.com to ensure your message is received, please include "Letter to the Editor" in the subject line.


                                                                   We look forward to hearing from you.

Letters Archives for 2020-08

Station Editorial: Miller Media Group Starting Suicide Prevention Campaign

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted August 29, 2020

 

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.

 

The Regional Radio listening area has seen an abnormally high number of suicides in recent months and years.  And, the stress of the coronavirus outbreak has made it worse.

 

The word suicide is one we don’t like to talk about or deal with.  We think it’s someone else’s problem, and then when you least expect it, a friend or loved one takes their life and you then wonder why.  Why did they feel like their life wasn’t worth living?  Didn’t they think about those they would be leaving behind?  What would lead them to make such a drastic decision?

 

As I said, we don’t like dealing with the subject because it’s uncomfortable, but too many times even in recent months in our own communities, it’s affected our families and friends.

 

That’s why we’re going to do something about it.  Over the next several months, you’ll hear law enforcement officials, health care professionals, and clergy in interviews and news stories on our group of stations, talk about suicide prevention.   Please don’t turn it off because it’s an uncomfortable subject.  Listen.  Truly listen to understand the “why”, so that maybe you and I can help a relative, neighbor, or friend that may be feeling depressed to the point they’re contemplating suicide.  

 

I’ll be listening even though discussing it or listening about it, IS uncomfortable.  But, what’s more uncomfortable is reporting news stories and obituaries about local friends and neighbors that have lost loved ones due to suicide.

Together, let’s address this subject, so we don’t lose anymore of our loved ones, friends and neighbors in our local communities.  Together, let’s help those who may be contemplating suicide.  Let’s tackle this problem...together.

 

And, if YOU feel depressed, call 800-273-TALK.  That's 800-273-TALK.

 

That’s our opinion...we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.

Letter to the Editor: Complete the Census!

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted August 17, 2020
 

Dear Editor:

 

Free money from the Census! A couple minutes can make the difference between having or not having a local Fire Department or a Hospital. A couple minutes can provide funding to repair that bumpy road we all complain about. It will help our schools. This free money is at our finger tips.

 

Here's why:

Every year, "Billions" of Dollars in federal funding goes to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data. The results of the 2020 Census will directly affect YOUR community funding. If you don't act now, the money will go elsewhere!

 

Go here to easily do it online: census.gov   Or do it by phone: 1 844-330-2020

 

Act now, this opportunity ends September 30, 2020.

 

Sincerely,
James Goltz
Bunker Hill
 

Letter to the Editor: It All Depends On Where You Stand

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Posted August 8, 2020

 

Dear Editor:

 

 

Dear Editors:

Mother once said it all depends on where you stand. In 60-plus years, I’ve stood in almost equal parts Chicagoland and rural Illinois. That’s long enough to understand a little about people in each region.

 

A lot of what we know about each other is what we’ve heard.  When I visited my Grandmother in Harrisburg, IL in summer 1962, and residents heard that I was from Chicago (actually south suburban Hazel Crest), I’d hear quips like “Aha, Gangsters”, and some mention of Al Capone as if he and I were blood relatives. I was nine.

 

To a Southern Illinoisan in 1962, Chicago was everything down to Kankakee, and qualified as city slicker territory. Southern Illinois residents had other thoughts about Chicago, its politics and fabled windy-ness.

 

No one, however, mentioned one part of the state seceding from the other. Apparently, that’s changed since there’s talk about Chicago becoming its own state.  Hardly Brexit level stuff, but notable.

 

My thirty-plus years in rural Illinois included stops in Robinson, Lawrenceville, and Paris where I sold advertising for the local radio station. This meant visiting merchants in a 40-mile radius of Paris. In two years, I learned rural routes 130, 49, 133 and 36 better than I ever knew streets like Harlem, Pulaski, and Kedzie in 23 years of growing up in Hazel Crest.

   

I also learned what made country folk different from Chicagoans: not much. There were some rural idioms, e.g., referring to travel in terms of miles instead of minutes as we do in rush hour Chicago, or calling Coca Cola “soda” instead of “pop” as most of us did up north. Otherwise both sides just wanted to work hard and be told the truth.

 

The occasional secession chatter, I think, is due to one side not holding up their end of the “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” deal. Who’s to blame depends on where you stand.

 

Chicago and Illinois becoming separate states is uncharted water in our lifetime.  Someone could end up with secessionist’s remorse.

 

Maybe enough level heads will decide to be careful what they wish for.  What we have might not be so bad after all.

 

Jim Newton

Itasca, Illinois 60143

Station Editorial: The Answer Is In The Middle

STATION EDITORIAL

Posted August 2, 2020

 

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.  In my travels across both of my Taylorville and Clinton markets the last several months during the coronavirus outbreak, I've heard the same thing from our listeners and advertisers.  And, it's this question:  Who are we to believe?

 

Sadly, I don't have an answer for them.  When you mix an unknown virus, politicians and fear, that's a bad combination.  Going into the outbreak, both Republicans and Democrats scared us into staying in our homes as much as possible because they didn't want to be blamed for killing off Grandma.

 

As the months have worn on, the noise from both the left and the right, has gotten louder.  We have Al Sharpton on the left and Tucker Carlson on the right, espousing their views on the coronavirus outbreak, and basically saying if you don't believe everything they tell us, you're stupid.

 

Unfortunately, the answer to all this noise is in the middle, but no politican is willing to go there for fear they'll be severely criticized for moving from the far left or far right.

 

The answer is in the middle because that's where common sense is.  Common sense is to respect this virus by being responsible and making smart decisions.  Practice social distancing, wear a mask anytime you're out of the house going to the store or pharmacy, and wash your hands. If you're in the vulnerable population or have other health conditions, take that into consideration anytime you do anything or go anywhere.

  

We should all just be using common sense thru this.  A vaccine is coming.  We don't know when.  But, until then, let's not go off the cliff and believe everything the left or the right are telling us.

  

Because, the answer is in the middle.

 

Stay healthy and safe and there will be a positive end to this.

 

That's our opinion, we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.

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