Have you been dropped from your insurance plan? Have you experienced the doubling of premiums and deductibles? Have you signed up for the exchanges plan that will include maternity care even if you are over 50? Here we are headed for a single payer system and socialized medicine. Yes a system Canadians file over the border to get away from. A system that will be run as efficiently as our postal system.Take a number. We have all been taken. Remember who got us here.

Today is not about politics. Today Christians celebrate the birth of the Savior. Christ was born to save us from our sins. The gift of the Holy Spirit can guide us in so many good ways.

So today do not talk about politics or Obamacare. Talk about our blessings in Christ.

San Juan Island Prevention Coalition’s community survey web link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LBRHXQN

To date we have had 270 responses!  Thank you to each and every one of you who completed the survey and circulated it within you circle of influence!

We have until the end of December to continue to collect input, so if you have not personally completed the survey, it takes just 5 minutes…please do so.

Also, send it out to a few folks within the community.  Demographically, our data is off on gender with 30 % male participants, and 70% female, so I am guessing that mothers were responding, and not the fathers, too.  So reach out to the male population!  Age and ethnicity demographics for respondents is running close to our island’s general adult population.

Cheers!

Cynthia Stark-Wickman, Prevention Coordinator
San Juan County Health and Community Services
San Juan Island Prevention Coalition
www.sjipc.org  360.378.9683 (office)     360.317.6549 (cell)

It appears that a letter writing campaign has been organized and waged against one of our neighbors, for renting his commercial property to the U.S. Customs agency.

Dear Editor,

How sad.  A ½ page ad in the paper complaining about a building that was rented to the U.S. Customs agency, people leaving threatening messages to the owner of the building, others saying anyone who speaks up in favor of the lease is brave.  Well, a brave high school student wrote a letter to the Editor about the pettiness, wasted energy, and anger of this group.   This group of organized individuals are some of the same individuals we see over and over in our community looking for ways to “control” the islands.  They are called many things by citizens at large: a gang, a mob, a clique, a-*%&#@s.  This group’s favored methods are to organize behind the scenes, speak out, intimidate, and to be intolerant of differences.  They tend to be nasty to those who do not agree with them.  They belittle and shout down those who offer a different view.  They also do not care what the law is.   What matters to them is their desires, needs and personal prejudices.  Other people’s constitutional and legal rights and views are not relevant.  They just want their way, and watch out if you get in their way.  A member of this group told me what they are doing is free speech, and they would rather be for something, rather than being against something.   It is clear that to these individuals, the ends justify the means and we should all just get with their program, as they know best. Continued