Reader responds to reader's response

Dear editor:

My name is Paula Barnard. I am a resident of Lowman, ID. A native Idahoan raised in Mountain Home. I am writing in response to the letter that was published about me by Larry Heinen.

Obviously, he printed gossip and lies about me. He never called to speak to me directly. He only spoke to the Lawsons, as his letter mirrors Marla's letter. I printed the facts. Several people in Lowman and Mountain Home have contacted me encouraging me to write a response to his accusations.

Here are the facts about the elk incident. Elk were not being fed. Marla's hay was not secure and she refused to use elk panels to secure her hay. I tried to resolve the problem with them. I offered to pay her for some of her hay, which she declined. Other neighbors also went to her to resolve the problem.

Finally, after the elk was injured, which the incident was captured on video tape and turned over to Fish and Game. IDF&G took four weeks to come look for the injured elk. By that time, the ravens had cleaned it to the bone.

A neighbor found the elk dead across from Lawson's house. Our subdivision decided to feed the elk in an attempt to keep them out of Lawson's hay. As a whole, we all pitched in and bought feed. Elk have never been fed adjacent to Lawson's property. We fed in the lower meadow. IDF&G officer Ben Cadwallder never told us where to feed the elk. The only advice Ben gave us was to coordinate feeding times with Marla. Which I did and she did not stick to the schedule. Therefore, we had to watch when she headed out to feed her horses.

Elk have wintered in our subdivision for 20 years that I know of. Back in the '80s IDF&G fed elk in the meadow. Elk were here first. Our subdivision as a whole enjoys the elk. Neighbors have planted and irrigated pasture grass in the meadow to provide food for the deer and elk. As houses have been built, we have put back what we have taken away by re-planting bitterbrush and pasture grass.

We were all able to live peacefully here for many years with the elk before the Lawson's moved in.

If there is any further questions feel free to contact me directly. I can provide you with the names of the other residents that witness this incident. Bottom line, Fred and Marla Lawson have proven unworthy to work for the citizens of Idaho.

Paula Barnard