South Platte Sentinel Wednesday, June 26, 2013 Page 9

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OpinionLetter

Feral cat problem needs immediate action!Editor: To: Sterling City Council, Logan County Humane Society, Northeast Colorado Health Department, and the Citizens of Sterling Three weeks ago, we discovered a family of feral cats had taken over our back yard and garage/shed. We contacted the Logan County Humane Society to take care of the problem only to be, what I consider,

stonewalled and ignored. Three weeks ago, we were advised by the Humane Society they only had one cat trap available and they would get back to us that day. We were going to capture the cats and take them out to a farm where cats are welcome. As of Monday morning, we still had not heard from the Humane Society so we called again only to be

told that somehow these feral cats are our problem and responsibility. We now have a serious skunk rabies problem in our community. Skunks inhabit the same biosphere as feral cats. This poses a real health and safety threat to our grandchildren who like to play in the back yard. The City of Sterling contracts with the Logan County Humane Society

and pays them $94,000/year to handle animal control for the City. A few weeks ago, the City Council approved another $15,000 grant to implement a feral cat program which at best will capture, spay / neuter 240 cats the first year. Humane Society Executive Director Dan Jones, who is paid a salary of $60,000/ year, says there are at least 9 colonies of feral cats

living in Sterling with a population of 180 to 500 cats per colony. If these figures are accurate, Sterling has a feral cat population of over 4,000 cats. With all of that money, $109K, being spent on animal control, you would think the family of cats in our back yard could be trapped and removed. As of today, we have not heard from Mr. Jones either. Please consider this a formal complaint about Sterling’s feral cat problem and how the Humane Society is not handling the problem. If they do not take care of this situation immediately, I promise I will take action myself to rid my property of these feral cats. We have been told by the Humane Society that if we do anything to these cats we could be charged with animal cruelty. These people are public servants and should not threaten the public with arrest. I would like to see the authorities arrest a totally disabled senior citizen who depends on life support oxygen. Please cart me off to jail so we can call the Denver TV stations and maybe even CNN. Jim Capps

Sterling

By Thresa Kautz Special to the Sentinel Everett Newton was born July 3, 1910 in Paxton, Keith County, Nebraska. A celebration of Everett’s 103 years young birthday will be held on Wed., July 3, 2013 at Riverview Golf Club, 13064 CR 370, Sterling, CO 80751. An open house reception will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. For more information, please call 522-5741. Cards, memories and well wishes can be sent to Everett at 403 N. 6th St., Sterling, CO 80751. Everett went to school through the fifth grade. He went on to marry Wilma Frances Coverdell on July 18, 1932. She passed away in 1947 at the age of 34. Everett then raised the four children by himself, Elaine, Lavern, Donald and Kenton. He married Vera Amelia Garlick Newcom on Aug. 16, 1950 in Ft. Collins. She passed away on Sept. 11, 1988. Over the years, Everett worked at carnivals that came to town, took care of the park and zoo. He had a bear named Jerry. He would hitch a burro to a 4-wheel cart with Jerry sitting beside him. The three would go to town and pick up old bread, dead chickens and other things the stores would throw away. When the animals heard the cart coming back, they were ready to eat. He would mow grass a little every day with “Old Faithful” the push mower and feed the grass to the animals. Clean pens, water the animals,

plant flowers and get the park ready for Sunday picnickers. The park would be full of people for miles around. This would be a “Big Time” back in those days. He worked for 14 years for Artificial Icehouse, telephone #40. Pay was $110 for foreman and $220 a month for Chief Engineer. Eventually, his feet broke down and he got arthritis from lifting heavy ice. During the depression he made

moonshine for a man, put it in 15 gallons kegs and delivered it on back roads. He had a hot rod 8 cylinder Ford and remembered that no one could catch him. He also had a souped-up Model A that would go 90 miles an hour. Over the years, Everett worked for theaters for about 28 and a half years, 16 and a half years of those in Sterling. At the same time, he had the Sterling Hotel above Sterling Travel. He sold the hotel and quit the theatres and went to the golf course in 1974 for three years. Then he retired. His ankle had gotten broke when it got run over with a golf cart. However, he still played golf three days a week at the age of 88. Then, at the age of 88, he decided to learn to dance. And he danced every Saturday night at the Logan County Heritage Center. Throughout his life, he liked to travel. He remembered how his first car was a 1928 Model A that used 180. He traded that for a 1930 Model A, New 325.

He drove that car for 12 years before buying a 1944 Ford “Bootleg Car.” Currently, he drives a Pontiac. Before cars, he drove many teams of horses on wagons and machinery, both wild and mean. He can remember breaking those horses. “In the old days that was what we had,” Everett said. “I rode a horse with Buffalo Bill. Buffalo Bill was a friend of my family. I was 6-years-old.” All friends, relatives, neighbors and family are invited to stop by the Riverview Golf Club at 13064 CR 370 on Wed., July 3 to say happy birthday to Everett.

Everett Newton to celebrate 103rd birthday

Everett Newton