The plight of the Tontitown Area Fire Department is alarming.

I assume by now everyone in Northwest Arkansas knows that the city pushed the TAFD out of Tontitown.

First, we were told we were doing something illegal by having an "interlocal" contract with the TAFD and this went on for months. The TAFD wrote contract after contract and at the end of the day, they changed it to say "service" contract. You would think the city would be happy and sign a contract with TAFD, but no, the city came up with a new angle to alienate the TAFD.

Now the powers that be said there was a law if we were to become a first-class city, we would to have to have a municipal fire department of our own. This was not true. We must become a first-class city when we reach 5,000 in population. The law quoted stated a city of the second and first class must "provide" fire protection.

When that did not work, the city wanted to keep the TAFD's service money and pay the TAFD employees' salaries, which gave our heartless mayor ability to fire the TAFD staff. TAFD knows how many people this mayor has fired for no good reason over the last 18 months, so the answer was no.

Finally, the city makes a deal with the TAFD that they would pay TAFD for the months they had not been paid, if the TAFD would sign a contract stating that in two years, the city would own all of the TAFD's equipment, lock, stock and barrel. We can honestly thank Clint Penzo, Mike Zulpo, Bobby Pianalto and Jack Beckford for the deal going south. I witnessed all this and anyone can go to Tontitown.com and listen to the City Council audios for themselves.

The purpose of telling you the above was to tell you this. The mayor and his four Merry Men, which includes Donnie Davis now, have not paid and will not pay the TAFD for the past three months even though the TAFD responded to every call within the city. Yes, TAFD moved out of the city building. Wouldn't you if you were not paid for months?

Our beloved TAFD needs people's help. They are struggling to buy property and build a building. Supporters of the TAFD are hosting a huge rummage sale from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 18-19 at 710 Javello Road in Tontitown. Those wishing to help should clean out that garage and help support the TAFD by donating items at the sale address any day between 4 and 8 p.m. through Wednesday, June 16. Donation of money can also be made P.O. Box 42, Tontitown, AR 72770. All donations are tax-deductible and would be greatly appreciated.

Let's show these men we care about them. That's the least we can do considering the TAFD's dedication and loyalty for the past 35 years.

Rhonda Doudna

Tontitown

THE RICH NOT TO BLAME

The Rev. Lowell Grisham's thinking goes in some strange directions, but his piece Sunday, July 6, relating economic practices in Old Testament times to present day in order to care for the poor is total nonsense. Of course, his premise is the usual tripe: Blaming the plight of poor people on rich people.

In Bible times every seven years a Sabbatical Year was declared where everyone would "rest" and all debts would be forgiven (can you imagine the balances on charge cards now as the debt forgiving year approached?). Every 50 years was a Jubilee Year when all property was redistributed to make everyone equal.

People such as Rev. Grisham and President Obama believe government policies can make people equal by taking from one and giving to another. China is a great example of what happens when people, through their own initiative and abilities, are free to achieve as much as they are able. Once the Chinese people led a miserable life, but a new leader allowed a bit of capitalism to creep in and there was no holding them back. Now the people on the streets of Beijing look much the same as in other industrialized nations.

A primary cause of poverty in America is the breakdown of the family unit and the decay of American society in general. People such as Al Sharpton cultivate the "victim" attitude but never mention that over 70 percent of black children are born out-of-wedlock, most likely to grow up in poverty without the support and guidance of a father. This is also much too prevalent among other groups.

Forty-five million Americans -- one in seven -- are on food stamps, and poverty is increasing. Many of the new jobs are part time and low paying. Obama's policies (involve) taxes, Obamacare, crushing regulations, prevent businesses investing to create good jobs.

Regarding the Supreme Court's Hobby Lobby decision on contraceptives, the left is milking it for all they can. Hillary Clinton's outrage was an Oscar-winning performance. You don't hear that Hobby Lobby has been and will continue to insure 16 contraceptives -- just not abortion pills.

BARBARA FOREMAN

Siloam Springs