I am a Democrat. I vote for Democrats. John McCain will be an exception.

John McCain served this country above and beyond the call of duty. He deserves to be president.

Melba Segoviano, Lincoln

Raise bus fares, keep service

In a letter to the mayor and City Council, I suggested that cutting bus service between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. means senior citizens, students, parents with small children and people with disabilities who depend on midday bus service will lose. Our city is too big to not provide at least hourly bus service.

The mayor thanked me for writing but said predictions indicated a $6 million shortfall for 2008-09 if the current service level is maintained. StarTran would need nearly $500,000 additional to maintain its current service level, mainly because of increased fuel costs. He said it appeared the public would not support that kind of budget increase for StarTran, which it views as the lowest priority among city services.

He said he hoped an expanded Ride for Five program for low-income families would increase ridership during the remaining bus hours, resulting in public support for restoration of bus hours.

Every rider I know would prefer a fare increase to a cut in service. Many Ride for Five users need midday service. Won’t ridership decrease without midday service? Consider the following examples:

* A single parent of toddlers, lost job at Tabitha, doesn’t drive, has bus pass and little money. She goes downtown from 56th and South with children to register for unemployment and takes children to day care on the way to a 1:30 interview at Lancaster Manor.

* Your freshman daughter with morning classes at UNL until 11:20 must be at 48th and Van Dorn McDonald’s job at 1:30. She has the UNL bus pass.

* An elderly man living alone on limited fixed income, cannot cook, goes to Matt Talbot Kitchen at noon for one good meal each day and socialization. Has Ride for Five pass.

* You and your spouse ride the bus to work daily. At 10:30, school calls for you to pick up ill child.

* Your son with disability cannot drive a car and moved from Rulo to Lincoln to get vocational rehabilitation services for which he must have transportation between home, voc rehab, school, job and other service providers throughout the day. Voc Rehab pays for Ride for Five pass and other services.

There must be a way to save current service.

Tracey L. Hillman, Lincoln

Don’t support puppy mills

I wish all of you could meet Zachary. Zachary is a 10-year-old tiny poodle with half of his lower jaw missing. I got to hold him on the way to his first time of getting to walk on grass and being free of a 2 foot by 3 foot cage. While holding this incredibly tiny, emaciated dog, I found myself trying to imagine what kind of human being would allow another of God’s creatures to  live a life like Zachary lived.

Zachary spent his first 10 years in a commercial breeding facility, also notoriously known as a puppy mill, in Nebraska. He was rescued from the facility within the past three months. His “job” at the puppy mill was to mate with the females so the breeder could sell the puppies to brokers who sell and deliver the puppies to pet stores across the United States.

Zachary was once a puppy and was probably born at this puppy mill. He spent his entire life at this place with very little or no vet care, poor nutrition and locked up in a small cage. Half his lower jaw is missing because of lack of proper dental care. The jaw simply disintegrated.

If you must buy a purebred dog, remember these three things: Breeders of quality dogs will want to know exactly where their puppies will live; you must meet the puppy’s mother and you must see the actual space where the dogs spend their days.

The best of all choices is to rescue a dog from a shelter, breed rescue or a Humane Society. There are many, many quality, purebred or mixed breed, wonderful dogs waiting for someone to love them and commit to providing them a forever home and the care they need.

Let’s extend Nebraska’s motto of “The Good Life” to all living creatures in Nebraska.

Pauline Balta, Lincoln