My Uncle was mentally retarded and was restricted quite a bit from being part of society in general and disallowed from participating in normal activities. This was in the 1940s! As the years went on he was much more a part of society and was treated as an adult. He was funny, smart, told great stories and shot a mean game of pool! He was a threat to no one.

We need to help the mentally challenged men and women as much as possible and The Village needs to break out of the 1950s and realize that we are all not alike and that we have no control over how our brains were formed, what genes we inherited, etc. I firmly believe that more and more people need to realize that and these individuals need a good community with lots of support to grow within.

The denial of adding on to the current facility is ridiculous and would be a large and sad set back to helping these individuals who need our help quite a bit.

I hope for a happy outcome here and life can be short, so why not provide the opportunity to live it as comfortable and peaceful as possible?

Robert Arnold

Centennial, Colo.

Palmer not big enough for facility

As a private citizen and resident of the Palmer area, I would like to provide additional information about mental health centers that are located in Nebraska communities. According to the Web site for the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, there are 51 mental health centers in our state. Seventy percent of the centers are small facilities, licensed for 20 beds or less. Eight centers, with 21-40 beds, are located in Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, York, Boys Town, Lincoln (2) and Omaha (2). Six centers licensed for more than 40 beds are in Omaha (4), South Sioux City and Palmer (population about 450). All but two facilities are in large towns or cities with a population over 6000, except for Life Quest in Palmer, licensed for 41 residents, and a small eight-bed facility in rural Pleasanton. Life Quest in Palmer is one of only a few for-profit centers in the state.

Palmer residents are proud of our town and are very caring citizens, providing jobs, activities, and assistance for Life Quest residents. But, not everyone feels a small, rural community can adequately meet the needs of all who reside in a large facility. It is necessary for Life Quest to transport their residents to neighboring towns for all health care needs, shopping, and most recreation and entertainment activities. No wonder our citizens expressed concern when the village board was asked for a conditional use permit by Life Quest to expand its facility to accommodate 14 additional residents. A representative of Life Quest and homeowners living near the center attended the open monthly meeting when the board denied the request. Now they are facing a discrimination lawsuit. Could something be wrong with the system?

Cheryl Tickner

Palmer

Roads too dangerous for school

I am a 17-year-old student at . . . well, actually I could be from any high school in the area: Senior High, Northwest, Central Catholic or Heartland Lutheran. Anyway, I just wanted to thank the school boards for spending so much time and money on lectures, speakers, educational videos and pamphlets about the dangers of drunk driving. You see, they have saved many lives.

The only thing I have trouble comprehending, though, is the ironic and hypocritical decision of not canceling school on these past horrendously snowy days. You see, I learned that the influence of alcohol has hazardous affects on your driving like blurred vision, inability to stay on the right side of the road, delayed senses like stopping, and that you should take the keys of anyone you suspect is under the influence. On Feb. 5, and also the other day, Jan. 29, I had not an iota of vision beyond two feet of my headlights, could not determine between the road and the five-foot drop ditch/grass area, let alone the line that split the road, and should have landed in jail for all the stop signs I ran or almost ran. Since my classmates did it too, I should have taken their keys away. I believe my life, as well as my classmate's lives, were all in danger. Now I know whoever makes the verdict of canceling school cannot radio in every time a snow flake falls, but when I cannot see my bright red car outside through the window, I think it would be okay if they did, or at least give us a late start so inexperienced drivers can miss the rush of the working class. Plus, I would rather go to school on a beautiful day in June than attend a peer's funeral. So thank you school board, superintendents and to whom it may concern for taking the time and money to teach us all one important lesson of road safety, yet failing to consider the other one.

Lindsey Jean Roetzel

4119 Manchester Road