On behalf of the Cary CROP Walk, we would like to extend our deepest thanks to RTI for their $500 award through RTI’s 2009 Community Partnerships Program. RTI supports the efforts of local charities, this year with an emphasis on providing basic needs and health services. The Cary CROP Walk is an annual event that raises awareness of hunger both locally and globally. Funds raised during this years walk on Sunday, Oct. 5, will support Western Wake Crisis Ministry, the Dorcas Shop Food Bank, and Meals on Wheels, as well as other areas in America and around the world. We walk because countless people around the world walk many miles to find clean water and food. If you are interested in learning more about the CROP Walk, check the Church World Service Web site.

Barb Munch, Cary
Chair, Cary CROP Walk Steering committee

Rotary helped Read and Feed

Dear Cary Rotary Club Members:
We wish to convey to you our deep gratitude for helping us to “kick off” our Read and Feed Program at Cedar Fork Elementary School this summer.

We at Cedar Fork were excited to work once again with Read and Feed, which provides dinner, tutoring, and literacy incentives to students and their families.

Last Monday evening, we watched with appreciation as you gave each participating child their own book bag, along with a supply-filled pencil case and a brand new dictionary. Appreciation quickly turned to awe when you presented a well-planned lesson in dictionary usage along with the gifts! During the lesson, each child received individualized attention from you to ensure that they were happy, engaged, and learning.

Please know that the Cedar Fork staff is truly impressed with your generosity and commitment to the children. You obviously share our belief as educators that there are few things more important than promoting literacy in children. Speaking of the children, the smiles on their faces said it all.

Thank you from all involved with Cedar Fork Read and Feed, and may many good things come your way.

Kathleen Marynak, Principal
Diana Agius, Literacy Teacher
Cedar Fork Elementary

Solar incentives are stealth taxes

Mr. Yates’ letter regarding solar incentives failed to explain Progress Energy’s true motivation; after all, why would a utility in its right mind promote an energy source that costs five to six times more than our wonderfully efficient nuclear and coal power plants?

Here’s the reality — the state legislature passed a law a few years ago that requires utilities to generate an increasing amount of electricity from unreliable, expensive alternatives such as solar, wind, water, chicken poop, etc. Since they’d go broke doing this on their own nickel, the legislature also allowed utilities to pass on the much higher costs to all of their customers. Since there is no legitimate market for these alternative sources — save environmental extremists — the legislature is essentially compelling us all to pay for it, whether we want to or not.

Since Progress Energy, though, is not interested in investing in these things (political winds do change), they now promote incentives to convince us to put a solar panel or windmill on our roof, which will be a hard sell as most covenants in Cary neighborhoods don’t allow such things.

Where does PE get the money for these incentives? From its customers, of course! Where does the state and federal government get the money for tax subsidies for solar energy? From taxpayers, of course. To make matters worse, our brilliant state government compels utilities to purchase power generated from solar, wind, etc. at a price far higher than its real market value, which explains why SAS Institute, proud of its new solar energy park (paid in large part through our taxes), chose not to use its own “green” power, but sell it back to Progress Energy, spreading the cost across all PE customers. That’s double stealth taxation! We already have an efficient, environmentally friendly source of electric power in our own backyard: nuclear. It’s past time to reverse the alternative energy legislation, end all this solar energy malarkey and build another unit at Shearon Harris. Until then, watch your electricity bill as these stealth taxes hit our pocketbooks.

Kent Misegades, Cary

Environmentally conscious

In response to Kent Misegades’ opinion “Another waste” in the July 15 Cary News, I would refer him to the Web site environment-green.com. I find it extremely difficult to believe that anyone would promote improved recycling convenience and capacity as wasteful spending. Thank you Town of Cary for being environmentally conscious.

Barbara Dadswell, Cary