Thumbs Up and Down – Views by the Echo Press April 6, 2012

Talk about it

Lobster a la food stamps

Thumbs Down: An e-mail going around about a grocery receipt found in a parking lot in Menominee, Michigan is cause for outrage: It shows that a shopper used a form of food stamps to purchase six lobsters, two porterhouse steaks and six cases of Mountain Dew Soda. We thought it might be too outrageous to be real but after verifying it through the fact-checking website, snopes.com, we discovered it actually happened. The story, however, has a kicker of an ending: The shopper wasn’t some lazy welfare bum who was foolishly wasting money. Authorities said he was a criminal trying to make a quick buck by selling the food to someone else for 50 percent off the retail price. The suspect was charged with food stamp trafficking, a felony punishable by five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. While the idea of using food stamps to buy such luxury food items is repugnant and clearly goes against the intent of the program, it’s technically legal. The incident should open a discussion about limiting food stamp purchases to just the staples and necessities.

Responsible dog owners

Thumbs Up: A local resident sends a “thumbs up” to responsible dog owners who leash and pick up their dogs’ waste. “I saw just that yesterday,” she said. “I don’t mind if the dog uses the edge of my yard or elsewhere when the owners are that considerate. This time was at a neighbor’s but the owner had a waste bag with his two dogs. Another neighbor was keeping his dog’s outside barking to a minimum. I try and do these same things with my dog. Way to go!”

Yellow ribbons

Thumbs Up/Down: The idea of displaying yellow ribbons around Alexandria to honor the return of local troops was a great idea. Unfortunately, the ribbons are looking a little worn these days. “We put yellow ribbons up to support and honor our troops but when they become tattered and torn, no one takes the time to replace them or take them down altogether,” said a reader. “There should be a time limit or another reminder date to replace them or remove them in a more timely fashion to keep the ribbons from becoming a dishonor.”

Digging program

Thumbs Up: Here’s a good program that could save your life: Gopher State One Call (GSOC). Anyone who plans to dig a hole more than a foot deep should call GSOC at 1-800-252-1166 or visit its website – www.gopherstateonecall.org – at least 48 hours before digging. GOSC will notify utilities in the area, which will then locate underground power lines. Electricians can locate any private power lines and the GSOC has a list of locators on its website. So remember: Call before you dig. It’s not only a safety issue; it’s the law.

Tags: opinion, editorials