Bird flu threatens nation’s dairy supply
Dear editor,
The deadly flu virus is not just “for the birds” anymore.
The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has just decreed that dairy cows must be tested for the deadly bird flu, which has already killed millions of chickens in the U.S. The unprecedented transmission of the H5N1 virus to cows has drawn public health concerns, because cows are mammals, just like humans.
Although the precise cause of the outbreak remains uncertain, the horrendous conditions in today’s factory farms make egg and dairy production extremely vulnerable to disease outbreaks. Sick, crowded, highly-stressed animals in contact with contaminated feces and urine provide ideal incubation media for viruses.
Indeed, 61% of the 1,415 pathogens known to infect humans originate with animals.
These include Asian flu, dengue fever, Ebola, bird flu, HIV, West Nile fever, yellow fever, and the more recent COVID-19 pandemic.
Each of us can help end animal farming and build up our own health by replacing animal products with delicious, healthy, cruelty-free, eco-friendly plant-based meats, cheeses and ice creams offered by our favorite supermarket. These foods don’t carry flu viruses, or government warning labels. They may have been the preferred fare in the Garden of Eden.
Sincerely,
Lorenzo Octavio
Plea for police protection
Once again, the city of Pewee Valley finds itself in need of increased police protection. While city leaders and concerned residents discuss generating the tax revenue necessary to fund the hiring of a new officer, they should be mindful about the conditions under which their previous police chief left.
A November 2022 report in the Oldham Era cited “a toxic relationship with the mayor” as the primary reason the very popular officer resigned. Funding the position is obviously important, but if a potentially toxic work environment still exists, no amount of money will give the people of Pewee Valley the police protection they deserve.
Barry L. Wilding
Crestwood
Taking ‘break’ no reason to avoid following law
To the editor:
I would like to remind all government agencies of KRS 61.680 to KRS 61.850, commonly referred to to as the Open Meetings Act: The General Assembly has recognized that the formation of public policy is public business and should not be conducted in secret.
The act requires that all meetings of a quorum of the members of a public agency where public business is discussed, or action is taken, must occur in meetings open to the public unless an exemption applies.
You all receive training on open meetings. There are 13 exceptions to the open meetings statute, and your training would have expounded upon what those exceptions are. Please do not use “we need a break” to conduct business out of the view of the public. You may think that the public is unaware of these shenanigans, and many members of the public may be unaware; however, I am not one of them. Please stop!
While I am also well aware of the remedy, I have not been personally affected by the shenanigans, and will instead wait for your decision to “call for a break” to come back and bite you in the buttocks.
Robin Vessels
La Grange