RD201906

A Lifeline in

the Heartland

The article about farm-

ers dying by suicide

at nearly twice the rate

of the general popula-

tion could not have

been more timely this

spring, with the record

flooding of farmlands

in the Midwest that

will have a devastating

effect on the farming

community. I pray that

farmers will be able to

get mental health re-

sources to assist them

and prevent further

losses. Thank you for

Unsolved!

I really enjoyed

reading about these

mysteries. Life is always a lot more

exciting when you are presented with

challenging puzzles—including some

we might never solve!

—Kathy pendracky Avella, Pennsylvania

terrible. My friend’s fa-

ther committed suicide

in 1986 after losing his

farm. High interest rates

were a factor in his loss.

—marge holley

Filer, Idaho

9 Really

Practical Jokes

Number seven talked

about wrong-way

driving on the highway.

In recent years, there

have been a number

of tragic and fatal car

accidents because of

wrong-way drivers in

our area. It is not a

laughing matter, and

I think including this

in your issue was in

poor taste.

—Susan kraus

Dayton, Ohio

Death Rattle

The author, Kyle

Dickman, said he’d

always thought of the

rattlesnake as the

“gentleman’s viper,”

as it was thought to

be considerate enough

to warn you before it

would strike. In my

many hikes over many

decades, I have found

numerous rattlesnakes

LETTERS

Notes on the

April issue

printing the Farm

Aid Hotline and the

National Suicide

Prevention Lifeline

phone numbers.

—Ronald L. bell

St. Joseph, Missouri

I remember the 1980s

vividly. We had to sell

our home before we lost

it because of no jobs.

We had to carry a sec-

ond mortgage, and I re-

member the interest

rate was high. The fact

that interest rates went

up when people were

already struggling was

8 june 2019 | rd.com

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