EDITOR:
Fourteen years ago we bought a run down house in the Niagara Wis. Heights area.
When we first moved to town, only one neighbor lady welcomed us to the neighborhood.
Subsequently, we put in a lot of sweat and money into our home and property and turned it into one of the nicest around as we've done before.
About 12 years ago, I endeavored to change the Niagara telephone system so all local residents could call the Iron Mountain, Kingsford, area telephone exchanges and save money, and I did.
And, it would be fair to say the collective community as a whole has saved a few million dollars since its inception. This was a thankless job that took over four years of my life to accomplish and at my expense.
In the year 2000, I tried my hand at wood carving and soon there after carved my way to become one of the best fish carvers in the world.
I'm glad that God has given me a lot of different skills and made me self reliant.
However, the local neighborhood that I live in has a lot to be desired.
Since living here I've almost been run over by speeding and careless drivers many times. Many of which were reported to local authorities.
My dog and I were both attacked by a pit bull that had no right being in town but local authorities chose to do nothing about it.
I've had my property damaged more than once by adjacent neighbors. I have been harassed many times by neighbors who are within eyesight of my home.
I was stalked about a block from my house last fall by a neighbor who was hiding in the bushes late one dark night. The harassment and stalking incidents were reported to the sheriff and local police.
Harassment and stalking are both class one felonies in the state of Wisconsin and if convicted carry a mandatory lengthy prison sentence.
I also have a neighbor who won't cut down his dead trees and loves to see them sail through my fence and destroy a part of it when the wind blows.
Another thing that disturbs me about the neighborhood is the ever increasing black bear population each year.
But thank God that the state of Wisconsin has finally got around to issuing me my concealed carry pistol permit so I'm not walking around the bear herd late at night unprotected.
Roger Newhouse
Niagara, Wis.