Mendota needs its own clinic for residents

If you have ever been to our little town of Mendota, Va., you know our population is gloriously small. You also know that we have a clinic, Mendota Medical (Stone Mountain Health) that is utilized by almost every person within our own little area. This clinic has been extremely beneficial to all of our townspeople and even played a key role in my own cancer diagnosis. So imagine the outrage we all feel upon learning of its closure.
We have people in our community who have no other means of medical care; whether it be because of lack of transportation or the very idea of being able to pay for health care. I would have never seen a physician had it not been for a payment scale and the same is true for countless others. We have people who are in such poor health that the five minute travel is all they can endure. We have leukemia patients, cancer patients, elderly patients, diabetics, amputees, heart attack victims and children all in need of this clinic.
Our community is small and our clinic should not suffer because of our numbers. It’s a government-funded operation and we feel saddened that they are closing because of a patient count and not the need. Health care has been reduced to a numerical quota instead of medical demand. It’s sad and sickening. To those who feel numbers are more important, we implore you to take a good look at the quality of a human life as opposed to the number on a paycheck. We need our clinic and our amazing medical staff needs their jobs. It’s as simple as that. Please don’t take what little security our community has left.

Heather Harless
Mendota, Va.

Virginia: For ‘lovers’ of the status quo?

I had to write in after noticing a letter that had been sent in by Mr. Andrew Snyder of Bristol, Tenn., which alarmed me. Not sure whether it was an intended goal of his, but I’m generally sickened by people from this area who fall somewhere in that gray area between “ultra-conservatives” and “pinheads,” who go on a senseless tirade and then have the audacity to try casting the rest of us in with their lot.
I cannot speak for the other residents of this area (as that would be pretentious), but I can confidently speak for myself; I’ve been doing so for years. I find it disheartening to learn of the stereotypes believed by some to be the distilled essence of this region’s population and Mr. Snyder’s comments help do nothing but validate these stereotypes. It is possible to be “educated,” per se, without being exposed to the full range of educational institutions (I , for one, am only a high school graduate). Sometimes, people just need to take the blinders from their eyes, think before they speak or write and we all may just get out of this thing alive.
Well, that’s my two cents and I expect to get change back. Long live Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert!

David Laughlin
Bristol, Va.

Rick Boucher fights for shared values

I am writing to respond to Mark Caruso’s recent letter about our congressman Rick Boucher. U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher has served this community for two decades fighting hard for the values that we share. The Rick Boucher who first got elected to this district is the same one who still serves in Congress.
Boucher led the fight to secure more than $10 billion for clean coal research that will create jobs and ensure the future of this region. That’s why we elected him and that’s why we need him to continue serving us. He remains an independent minded conservative voice in Congress. The independent National Journal ranked Boucher as one of the centrist members of the House of Representatives.
We know we need a congressman that understands the unique nature of this district and the challenges we face. Virginia doesn’t end at Roanoke and we need a congressman who understands this part of the 9th Congressional District. Rick Boucher’s service in Congress makes clear that he does.

Ronnie Shortt
Pound, Va.