Letters to the Editor
Questioning vaccination
Dear Editor,
Just wanted to give Angela Evans and the Sheet some praise for printing an article on the difficult topic of Vaccination Debate and impending Senate Bill No. 277. I really appreciated seeing some additional information in the newspaper that we don’t ordinarily hear about in main stream media.
About three years ago I began doing my own research and was really shocked by what I found. I was even more shocked that this information was not public knowledge. I’ve been wanting to have conversations and ask questions about the information I found but it’s a really hard topic to bring up without coming across as ‘anti vaccine.’
I don’t think genuine interest in this topic should be taboo, especially in light of the impending legislation, and I think the time is now for us citizens to talk about this stuff openly.
I noticed in the article that Dr. Wilson extended an invitation to go ahead and ask, if we have questions. I got the impression this was a sincere and stress free invite, so in the hopes of keeping a public conversation alive, I was wondering if I could ask a question. I suppose anyone can respond, but I’m most interested in the opinion of a medical professional.
Here is my question:
One of the first things I found out is that a large portion of the CDC’s safety studies on vaccines are authored by a fugitive felon on the OIG’s top ten most wanted list by the name of Poul (not Paul) Thorsen. These studies have not been retracted or reviewed for accuracy. Poul Thorsen is the author of the main study that was used to discredit Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who is the famed doctor who first suggested a link between MMR and autism. During the November 29th, 2012 Congressional Autism Hearings it was cited that 21 of the CDC’s 24 vaccine safety studies were lead authored by this fugitive. Also, he is wanted for fraud for stealing over a million dollars of vaccine research money which he was able to do by falsifying documents.
The next thing I was surprised to find out is that Professor John Walker Smith, who was the co-author with Dr. Wakefield on the 1998 Lancet study, has won his appeal. He has been fully exonerated. Professor John Walker Smith is now retired, although he is world-reknown as the father of gastroenternology. He is the one who discovered a novel bowel disease which he termed ‘autistic enterocolitis’ this is what the Lancet study was about. Those are Professor Johnn Walker Smith’s findings.
So the question then becomes:
What do you think of Professor John Walker Smith’s work verses Poul Thorsen? The CDC would have us dismiss Professor John Walker Smith and still trust Poul Thorsen. How?
Anyone want to take a stab or jab at this?
Athina Kaviris
June Lake
Round Fire Relief Fund thanks
Dear Editor,
On behalf of our Swall Meadows and Paradise neighbors, we would like to thank everyone involved in helping our communities move forward from the Round Fire. The big-hearted generosity from the entire Eastern Sierra has been both overwhelming and uplifting.
Financial contributions started pouring in the first day after the fire and total almost $200,000 (every cent of those funds has gone directly to those most affected by this event). Also, thousands of dollars in gift cards and certificates were donated to fire victims from numerous Eastern Sierra businesses and community members. This is in addition to the incredible Relief Center at the Tri-County Fairgrounds which consisted of thousands of donated clothing and household items for those who lost their homes. And to top it off, hundreds of volunteers donated their time to help raise funds, assist in property clean-up efforts and help staff the Bishop Relief Center and the Crowley Lake Shelter.
Thank you to all who started Go Fund Me campaigns and all who contributed to a Go Fund Me account or to the Round Fire Relief Fund. Many thanks to ALL who contributed their time, energy or money to help our communities recover, with special thanks to the following (please forgive us if we missed listing your name—there were just so many who helped out):
Folks Who Went Above and Beyond:
Tawni Thompson, Donalda Day, Amy King, Gail Swain, Jeff Griffiths, Ken Lloyd, Laura Smith, Robin Grasseschi, Craig Schmidt, Kim & Sean Frank.
Local Businesses:
Alex Printing, Alta One Federal Credit Union, Astorga’s Restaurant, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, Bishop Country Club, Black Gold Asphalt, Blue Handcrafted Foods & The Eatery, Blue Lupine, BP Distributing, Burgers Restaurant, Chalfant Big Trees & Farm, Community Skis, Crowley Lake Store, East Side Bake Shop, Eastern Sierra Realty, Eastern Sierra Wholesalers, Fendon’s Furniture, Gear Exchange, Gillespie Distributing, Good Life Cafe, High Country Lumber, High Sierra Distributing, Holy Smoke Texas BBQ, Hometown Catering, Jack’s Restaurant, K-Mart, Lakanuki, Mammoth Brewing Company, Mammoth DIY Center, Mammoth Pet Products, Mammoth Times, Manor Market, Manor True Value Hardware, McDonald’s, Nik n Willie’s, Penny’s, Porter & O’Dell Accounting, Preferred Septic & Disposal, River and Range, Round Valley School, Sage to Summit, Schat’s Bakkery, Sierra Sundance, Slocums Grill & Bar, Smart & Final, St. Timothy’s Attic Thrift Store, Tom’s Place, Tailwaggers, Thai’d Up, Union Bank, Verizon, Vons, Wye Road Feed & Supply.
Service Clubs & Non-Profits:
Altrusa of the Eastern Sierra, American Red Cross, Bishop Chamber of Commerce, Bishop Lions Club, Bishop Noon and Sunrise Rotary Clubs, Cast Off – Mammoth Hospital Auxiliary, Earth to Sky Calculus Youth Club, Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fairgrounds, Eastside Velo Cycling Club, Independence Lions Club, Inyo Council for the Arts, June Lake Loop Women’s Club Thrift Store, Lions Club International, Mammoth High School ASB, Mammoth High School Culinary Arts, Mammoth Lakes Chamber of Commerce, Mammoth Lakes Contractors Association, Mammoth Lakes Foundation, Mammoth Lakes Noon Rotary, Mammoth Lakes Peace Officers Association, Mammoth Lakes Repertory, Salvation Army, Second Chance Thrift Shop – Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, 4-H.
Mono County Government:
Supervisor Fred Stump, Supervisor Stacy Corless, Environmental Services Manager Tony Dublino, County Administrative Officer Jim Leddy, Public Health Director Lynda Salcido, Sheriff Ingrid Braun, Assessor Barry Beck, Public Health Officer Dr. Rick Johnson, Mono County Staff.
Finally, we would like to express our appreciation for every firefighter who took on the difficult and dangerous job of fighting this fire and working to protect our communities. A special thank you goes out to the volunteer firefighters from the Wheeler Crest, Paradise, Long Valley, Bishop, Big Pine, Lone Pine, Independence, Mammoth and June Lake Fire Departments. You are amazing and we will always hold you in our hearts!
-The Round Fire Relief Fund Committee consists of: Judy Bornfeld, Bill Goodman, Amy King, Terry Lee, Pat Pontak, Lynn Peterson, Lee Ann Wood
Thanks for the Clean Up
Dear Editor:
Another successful Town Clean-Up Day was held on Saturday, May 16. The Town would like to thank everyone for pitching in to help clean up our town in advance of another busy summer!
The Town Clean-Up Day Stations located in the Sierra Valley Sites, the Community Center, and MHS Parking Lot were thoroughly utilized by community members dropping off everything from pine needles to the proverbial kitchen sink!
Thanks to the community, Mammoth Disposal collected and transported approximately 30.36 tons of green waste, 4.48 tons of e-waste, and 24.41 tons of bulky trash for a total of 53.3 tons. In addition, we collected 120 yards of metal. Our clean up makes for safer defensible space and cleaner neighborhoods, and helps keep Mammoth a beautiful place to live and to visit!
Town Clean-Up Day is an immense undertaking that would not be possible without the generous support and community-wide collaborative efforts of our many businesses, non-profit organizations, and volunteers. The Town would like to recognize and thank the following organizations: Mammoth Disposal, Mono County, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Mammoth Unified School District, Mammoth Lakes Fire Protection District, The Mammoth Lakes Police Department, The Mono County Sheriff’s Office, Sierra Conservation Project, The U.S. Forest Service, Cal. Recycle, The Mammoth Lakes Board of Realtors, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra, The Mammoth Knolls Homeowners Association, The Sheet, The Mammoth Times, KMMT Radio, and Sierra Wave.
Special thanks to the Old Mammoth Restaurant Row Association, Sierra Nevada Resort and Rob Gill from Sierra Wave for an outstanding Celebration of Thanks!
The Town would also like to thank the following individuals: Rick Vahl, John Mayworn, Jim Tharp, Kirk Schaubmayer, Greg Eckert, Jeff Bonneau, Tracy Ceja, and Tyler Searles.
Finally, the Town would like to thank the following elected officials and Town employees for their efforts in making a difference in our community: Mayor Jo Bacon, Mammoth Lakes Recreation Board Member Rich Boccia, Stu Brown, Warren (Hawk) Bowling, Chris Kibler, Steve Searles, Grady Dutton, Sandra Moberly, Diana Jacobson, Derrick Halferty, Jennifer Crittenden, and Eric Bertovich.
Sherine Sanders
Town of Mammoth Lakes
Code Compliance Officer
