Instead of reading the incessant ravings in your “Say-It-Ain’t-So-Joe” editorial bashing of Vice President Joe Biden, I recently found something “highly effective” in your newspaper, a piece written for USA Weekend by renowned leadership expert Steven Covey.

President Barack Obama’s first year in office has truly devastated the United States.

The Waynesboro Lions Club would like to thank the community for their support of our recent Christmas tree sale at the Willy’s Ice Cream lot.

I work at William Perry Elementary School and I have two children at Westwood Hills. My daughter is a second-grader and my son is in prekindergarten, which this year was relocated to Berkeley Glenn.

The Jan. 7 front-page story (“In wake of snowfall, many sidewalks still buried”) was a useful reminder that we should clear our sidewalks of snow as soon as circumstances permit.

I understand the implication in the editorial column (“Midweek Briefing,” Jan. 13) about delay for the sake of delay with respect to a Waynesboro redistricting decision. That is not my suggestion or intent.

Some Americans made a big mistake voting Barack Obama in as president of this country.

When I think of Tiger Woods and his present situation, I think of the vocal group, the Mills Brothers.

If the Dec. 11 editorial, “Nobel ideas,” was intended to inform your readers about the content and tone of our president’s address to the international community, it missed the mark.

When I heard the Waynesboro Generals were up for sale, I was totally floored (“Generals put up for sale by Carter,” Dec. 18). After only one year of ownership, the current owners are throwing in the towel.

I’m a parent of a Westwood Elementary School third-grader and a 2-year-old. I’ve studied these enrollment numbers, maps, district lines, etc., for months and just redrawing the lines to reallocate the kids to other schools won’t fix this issue (“Split proposal,” Dec. 15).  It would only put each school at its maximum number of students, leaving no room for growth and making some kids move without their peer groups. So making that type of change now would only make our family go through this thing again once our youngest enters elementary school.

The article by Tony Gonzalez regarding Virginia’s 2008 puppy mill legislation (“Pooch law still divides,” Dec. 3) suggested that groups remain divided over the law, but I respectfully disagree.

How many of you passed over without a second thought the story titled, “EPA decides that climate-change gasses endanger people’s health” (Dec. 8)?

I am disappointed but not surprised at your one-sided coverage of the proposed redistribution of Waynesboro’s elementary students (“Waynesboro to consider dividing schools,” Dec. 9; “Grades shift solid choice,” Dec. 10).

I am writing to express my opposition to the redistricting proposal for Waynesboro schools (“Split proposal,” Dec. 15). Reconfiguring the entire make-up of all city elementary schools is like using a shotgun when a water gun would solve the problem.

It all started with a shortage of two classrooms. Next fall, Westwood Hills Elementary School in Waynesboro is projected to be short two classrooms to support the growing residential development on the west end of our city.

I was a soldier for 28 years. For the last nine, while we have been at war, I have been a citizen. Now, after thinking about our commander-in chief’s speech Tuesday night, I redefine myself: I am a mad, concerned citizen, father and grandfather.

“Farmers fight Bay rules,” Dec. 3, is about the most distorted article I’ve seen in some time.

I find it frightening that recently the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit computers were hacked and yet there has been very little information about this in our news (“Chill on warming,” Dec. 3). The hacked e-mails indicate how scientists have manipulated data to support the global warming fraud. One e-mail talks about a “trick” to “hide the decline” in global temperatures. Another states, “The fact is that we can’t account for the lack of warming at the moment and it is a travesty that we can’t.”

If you happen to be a small bird in the fields or backyards of Augusta County, or any county or city in Virginia, you had better carry a loaded gun because you are in danger.

This destroyer of wildlife is not climate change, hunters, guns or the automobile, but a cousin of the tabby cat, that lovable creature that sleeps in your favorite chair. I’m referring to the feral cat.

Congratulations to Schola Cantorum, the Waynesboro High School Concert Choir and Kate Collins Middle School Ragazzi on their recent production of “Carmina Burana.”

I would like to sincerely thank each voter for your confidence in re-electing me to an eighth term in the Virginia House of Delegates. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of the 25th District for almost 14 years, and I look forward to continuing my service.

Based on the realities noted below, President Barack Obama should order a phased withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, to begin immediately and be completed by the end of 2010:

By now, at least a third of our country should be calling for the impeachment of President Barack Obama.

The blood of 100 million people murdered by Marxists, Communists and socialists cries out against the political, economic and social policies of our president.

If you believe The News Virginian (“Time to do what works,” Nov. 8) and others, you would think that a successful downtown is all that is needed for Waynesboro to survive into the future. Wow. That seems easy enough. After all, there are a few empty buildings downtown and if they had small businesses in them, we would all prosper! New businesses like Ruth’s Renovations and the Wine Emporium are the latest additions to downtown, but they cannot survive without the patronage of the community.

At the conclusion of a successful effort to provide shoes (5,500 pairs were collected) for the widows in Kenya, Africa, I would like to express on behalf of Summit Square sponsors of the shoe collection effort, our thanks to the staff of The News Virginian. Their excellent work helped to make this collection effort one to be remembered.

Is it possible that with all the publicity about the flu season this year being doubly bad I am the only one concerned with not sharing the virus with others?

After casting my vote Tuesday, I told a worker there was going to be a lot of confusion concerning the write-in votes. First of all, “TYPE IN” would have been a more appropriate description of what you would find upon entering the voting booth. No wonder some voters actually wrote on the screen itself, as reported in Thursday’s newspaper (“Write-ins wrangled”).

While there are several candidates running for the office of Waynesboro city treasurer, I believe Terry Kent is the best choice. As a former employee of the Treasurer’s Office, I feel Terry has the background, skills and ability to correct the problems in the office and bring it back to credible standards and accounting procedures, as it should be.

I am writing to endorse Stephanie Beverage for city treasurer of Waynesboro. While Sandra Dixon is a fine person and has worked hard to do her job, she has had four years to improve the operations of the Treasurer’s Office and has failed to do so, according to audit reports and complaints from citizens. It is vital that this office can be run in an efficient and organized manner.