Valentine’s Day should be presented in a positive way. It is a day for displaying appreciation and love. How could a journalist turn that into a negative thing worthy of the front page of the newspaper?

The Observer’s Feb. 15 Saturday edition showed its negative and millennial attitude by the content of the front page article: “Experts offer tips to end Valentine’s Day heartache.” Sarcasm: Well, good for The Observer. Absolutely brilliant.

The Observer was quick to point out that some people don’t get any attention on Valentine’s Day. So the La Grande High School and Middle School hide the Valentine’s Day deliveries from the students until the end of the school day and then the receiving students pick them up as they leave the school.

So now, Valentine’s Day is bad and we must hide the Valentine’s Day gifts because the gifts make students (who don’t receive any gifts) have “heartache.”

My question is: Would it be better if everyone received a Valentine’s Day gift? That appears to me to be the attitude of The Observer and Yeates, the high school counselor.

At least the school counselor didn’t suggest the state should provide Valentine’s gifts for all students so that no one has heartache.

Why didn’t The Observer and Yeates notice the Valentine’s Day rose petals covering the sidewalk in front of Cherry’s Florist? I think the petals were delightful and uplifting. And I think that should have made the front page of The Observer.

I know you do a lot of work to gather stories and I appreciate that. I read the Phil Wright “Good local reporting worth the price” column. To me, good local reporting doesn’t mean a lot of work trying to point out something bad about Valentine’s Day. Can you please do a lot of work to find the good things about Valentine’s Day? Good things about Valentine’s Day were everywhere, and it would be much easier to find the good things than doing a lot of work digging up something negative.

William DeLashmutt

La Grande