Small villages need funding from the state to build teen centers. These teen centers should be equipped with games and activities that would turn teenagers' heads. The lack of such a building in Marshall has led teens to negative alternative activities. Ever since the pool hall was shut down, a lot of middle school and high school students have been getting in trouble for criminal activities such as drug and alcohol abuse. Village children have a lot of time on their hands, especially during the summer months, because there aren't enough jobs to go around. When they get tired of doing the same old thing every day for three months straight, they tend to experiment. Their experiments either end up in violence, addiction to tobacco, drugs and/or alcohol, and a criminal record. I've witnessed a lot of people change over the years because of their little experiments.

I think that the state government along with the municipalities should try a little experimenting of their own. They should build centers where children could hang out in a drug, alcohol and violence-free environment. My hypothesis of the results of this experimert is that our future generations will not begin to abuse drugs, alcohol or each other, and they will learn that fun and happiness can be found without drugs, alcohol or violence.

Rose L. Fitka

Wrong Place For A Dump Site

Five years ago there was talk in the village of Marshall that we were going to get a new dump site, one with an actual burner built into it. Well, four years ago it finally came true. But before we got the money for a new dump, everyone in the village first had to vote on where the dump site would be located. There was a variety of places to choose from. There was a place across the creek, which was a bad place. There was another place by the sewage lagoon in which nothing would be burned, only recycled, which was a very good idea.

Instead of these sites, they chose one on the tundra right behind the village. The problem with this one is that during the winter in Marshall we always have cross winds, which mostly come from the east, and when the trash is burned, the smoke comes straight into town and the scent is very strong and stinky.

I think that the people should have thought more deeply before making this decision. They have been living here longer than I have, and they all knew about the type of winds we've got here. Now, everyone has to smell the nasty stench the dump gives off when they burn the trash. Just because some people didn't think twice!

Mildred Fitka