Running head: LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor Danielle E. Pugh HUM/111 August 28, 2011 Keshia Battle

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Letter to the Editor TO: Editor in Chief of Locale Daily News

Today, I am writing to you in regards to an epidemic that has stricken our small community of Hierz, where the concern has grown and we are now seeking this information to be brought out into the publics view. First I would like to shed a little light on the background of our quaint community. We are composed of about three hundred residents, ranging in the ages from the elderly to the young starting families. We are subtly located outside your metropolis of Locale. Recently there have been several outbreaks of unexplained illnesses throughout our small community. These outbreaks have stricken a wide range of ages, from the elderly in the retirement home just outside of our community, to the three month old infant that was transported to a major childrens hospital. Some of the complaints started very mild to include nausea, headaches, and other fever-like symptoms. Recently five adults were diagnosed with cancer, while their symptoms started with mildly as well. After a few more were diagnosed with a variety of other serious illnesses, a town meeting was called in where nearly everyone has attended. We discussed the possibility that those who were ill could possibly be victims of genetic defects, or even hereditary problems. However, our local diagnostician, Dr. Hause had reported that their family histories and recent testing proved this to be untrue. Dr. Hause continued to report that there must be an environmental link between all the cases that would cause symptoms to start the same, and eventually increase to the serious position that they are in.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR In the duration of the meeting, the community had decided to form a committee, under advisement of Dr. Hause, to seek out common environmental links, and track down the source that would cause such an outbreak. Our local lawyer, Jonathan C. Aukrahn, advised that he would represent our small village, and also claimed that funding would be necessary. Local entrepreneur, Ronnie Trumpet, has volunteered his services to raise any and all necessary funding for the committee, and also funding to pay for transportation services, by Jon Dear Transport, for those who can no longer take themselves for medical treatment.

The committee ultimately traced the problem back to a main gas valve, that has not been maintained properly, which is now leaking contaminants into the ground and water supply. They were able to do so by, first tracing each account of illness for common factors. The ill children were all found to have played in the naturally supplied sandbox at the park, which subsequently is directly about the gas valve. Others were found to share the same water supplied wells, which again were within three miles of the gas valves. They were able to finalize their findings after the well water and sandbox contents were officially tested at a state laboratory. Since the findings, we have since closed the park and supplied bottled water to those who are at risk for water contamination. As a community, we are working together to help each other in any way possible, and attempting to follow the appropriate channels to rectify the situation. We have made many unsuccessful attempts to contact and work with the gas company, Petro Inc., and have made no progression toward correcting this problem. Many letters have been written to various departments, and many phone calls have been made. We have also contacted the Public Utilities Commission, where we were directed to return to the gas company for rectification of the gas valve first.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We are now seeking the help of the local printing publication companies, such as Locale Daily News, to print this letter and bring this attention to a wider general public, in hopes that the government will aid us to correct the current situation, and potentially correct the damage that has been done. Please consider this letter for print in your next edition, as we are also sending a copy to the appropriate government agencies as well.

Sincerely, Hierz Healthy Community Committee: Al Dine Betty Ferd Eleanor Rosamelt