Letters To The Editor

ICE STORM ‘96

Trees: There ought to be a law

The fact that we recently had thousands of people stuck in the dark with no heat should serve to remind us just how dependant we are on electricity.

The news blames it on Ice Storm ‘96. I blame it on all the cheapskates out there who wouldn’t shell out a few bucks to trim their trees away from power lines. Now, we all pay for their negligence.

I have seen many power lines down and every one was knocked down by tree limbs that had been hanging over them. What do these tree owners think will happen if their branches break? I’m not one for more laws, but if there has ever been one we need, it is a law regulating trees to be trimmed away from power lines.

After this terrible series of power outages, do you think they will trim their trees? Nah - they don’t stop for red lights, either. Howard Danielson Spokane

Innkeepers blew chance to help

I was pleasantly surprised to see how caring, friendly and courteous Spokane people were in this disaster. Everyone wanted to help, donate time and work free of charge.

People who normally run red lights made intersections four-way stops. It is amazing how much we do care about each other and proves to me ours is really a small town with a big heart.

However, it angers me that local hotels and motels couldn’t do something for the people of Spokane. I’m not saying give the rooms free of charge, but honor the winter rates or give a reduced rate to people displaced by the storm. That would have been a real community service and would have let us know they care about local people and not just out-of-towners.

We were without heat or electricity for 80 hours and had ourselves and three dogs to keep warm, so we do know how hard this was for everyone.

We travel a lot on business and know what hotels are able to do with their rates if they want to. I personally will think twice about renting a room locally for my next getaway weekend. Kathleen M. Johnson Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

We always have the power to help

Weather doesn’t seem to care about your status or standing in society; it will rain or snow on us all, equally.

This year, “powerless” has a new meaning. As we sit in our homes without electricity and heat, do we see the fragile nature of our artificially created security? Do we see how close we all are to the poor and homeless and how powerless they feel? Or how close we are to becoming cold and hungry, like the street people?

While many of us go to a friend’s house and are warmed by their generosity (myself included), how many of our fellows don’t have that option?

Being prepared is not only Boy Scout motto wisdom, it’s also part of our American way of life. So, this disaster of snow and ice is a wake-up call.

We must not forget those who are always going to need our help. On the front page of the Nov. 25 paper, you briefly touch on the great need to contribute to the Christmas Fund that got under way the day after Thanksgiving. The need to helping our fellow man is ever present, even when we ourselves are also in need of help. You don’t have to like people and their lifestyles to help them.

When you do something for someone else, you feel better about yourself and who you are. It will also give you back some of that power you recently lost. And I’m not talking about electricity. Steven P. Thommen Spokane

Riders’ rough road unfair

I must applaud the Nov. 23 letter, “Good people being treated badly.” Law enforcement and city organizations are guilty of blatant disrespect and harassment toward motorcyclists. The Washington ABATE (American Bikers Aiming Towards Education) member who wrote it told it as it really is.

You think the California transplants face blind prejudice here in North Idaho? Try wearing leathers and ride a motorcycle!

Being an active North Idaho ABATE member for the last seven years, I have seen and heard a lot about these problems. Nowhere else in Idaho do we have such a problem with law enforcement harassment, not even in Boise.

It doesn’t seem to matter that motorcycle riders belong to the Christian Crusaders, ABATE, are lawyers, doctors and people from all walks of life who enjoy the sport of riding motorcycles. We are always targets for harassment. Sure, there’s the 1 percent of motorcycle riders who are gang members. In my experience, they don’t look for trouble - the cops seem to always make some for them.

Rocky Mantese says it all - ABATE doesn’t discriminate against race, creed, religion or the motorcycle you ride. Wouldn’t it be nice if people could follow our example and accept us for who we are, not what we ride? Beth Freeman Miller Spirit Lake

LAW AND JUSTICE

Justice is not paying others’ way

Re:”Adoption equity,” Perspective, Nov. 24.

Adoption is wonderful. I have an adopted sibling who is a dearly beloved member of the family. I have many friends who have adopted over the years and it has enriched their lives in many ways.

I am all for adoption - except when you ask somebody else to pay for it. The cost of all employee benefits gets passed on in the form of lower wages or higher prices to the consumer. I do not think the public should be expected to pay for anybody’s child, whether they have it themselves or adopt.

What about those people who choose not to have children? Should they be given a bonus and paid vacation to maintain fairness? I would like to know how Catherine A. Johnston plans to rectify those inequities in her “passion for justice”.

She states that justice in the workplace is really catching on, but here it was seen that her definition of justice is a bit different than mine. Inherent in the word “justice” is the concept that all of those involved are treated equally and fairly and that does not seem to be the case in this plan of so-called adoption equity.

By what reason do we expect the employer to pay for all our wants and needs? Thomas M. Ryan, M.D. Spokane

IN THE PAPER

CAP story meant a lot

Thank you for your article on the Civil Air Patrol (“Holidays on ice,” News, Nov. 23).

Many people do not know about this fine organization that teaches leadership, values and self-respect. Members are also offered disaster, survival and emergency training.

I am proud to say my son, Tim, is a member of CAP. He put in over 30 hours assisting during the recent storm.

I thank all Spokane Squadron members and staff for all they did during Ice Storm ‘96. It was great reading a positive story about our young people. They are an inspiration. Cathy L. Schlosser Spokane

Why no Grange convention coverage?

Three of us - two from this state and one from Oregon - carefully read The Spokesman-Review for five days. Our efforts were in vain. Never in that time did you so much as mention the first National Grange convention to be held in the state in 15 years. Again, as in 1981, it was held in Spokane.

This is the 130th anniversary of the only politically nonpartisan fraternity in the country, no longer limited to farmers. In 1991, only eight states, all west of the Mississippi, were gaining in membership. The most Grangers, 21,000, live in this geographically smallest of 11 western states. Twenty percent of the membership lives in our state. California ranks third in membership; Oregon is fourth.

Agriculture is the biggest employer in the state and although only 2 percent of the national population is made up of farmers, 100 percent of us consume food and fiber. As the city’s only daily newspaper, yours disappoints me. Anne L. Grimm-Richardson Naselle, Wash.

Editor’s note: Grange-related Spokesman-Review stories that pertained to some aspect of the Grange and its convention held in Spokane in November include “Grange rituals offer lessons” and “Farm-raised values,” both Nov. 10; “Northwest energy system winds up on Wednesday,” Nov. 11; and “Grange fears electricity deregulation,” Nov. 12. The last-mentioned story covered Grange Master Kermit Richardson’s speech to the organization’s national convention.

Baker story praiseworthy

The three installments of “Medal for a gallant man: The Vernon Baker story” were a long-overdue tribute to a true American hero and an excellent example of the role a newspaper can play in setting the story straight. This is information you will not find in your history books. The entire package - the personal reminiscences by Baker, as well as the historical context including period photographs and maps - made these articles keepers.

Much of the history of African Americans and the pivotal role they have played in the history of this country has been destroyed, hidden or downplayed. We need to know all of our history, the good and the bad, in order to fully understand why racism continues to plague this country. Only then can we deal with its lingering effects.

The Spokesman-Review, and particularly staff writer Ken Olsen, deserves praise for the entire package. Jennifer E. Roseman Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

Blood needs met and then some

It comes as no surprise that blood donors are the giving type (forgive the pun). The power outage in our area was yet another reinforcement of that fact.

Nov. 26, when many residents in the area were facing an unprecedented ice storm and lack of power, telephone lines at the Inland Northwest Blood Center were jammed with blood and platelet donors calling in to see if we needed them.

The media were extremely responsive and helped to get the word out of several canceled blood drives and our concern regarding an adequate blood supply due to those cancellations. Friday, over 160 donors had responded at the Blood Center at Fifth and Washington, nearly tripling the average daily donor support. On Saturday, more than 60 people lined up for over two hours to donate at a special drive held at the Couer d’Alene Rosauers.

While donors provided much-needed blood, the Blood Center was able to provide assistance with tissue typing for two kidney and three heart transplants, and distributed more than 800 units of blood and blood products to area hospitals.

These blood donors help to create a community of giving to support patients in need. Susan Ogan Inland Northwest Blood Center, Spokane

KHQ unfair to satellite dish owners

We’ve all seen the 18-inch satellite dishes popping up everywhere. As they become more affordable, more will be seen. But a warning should be given to all who consider buying this system.

Network affiliates cannot be sent to customers who have a local network broadcast unless they consider their picture quality to be poor from the broadcast. The unfortunate thing is that it is apparently up to the local station to decide whether or not you get good reception.

After two years of receiving the major networks over my dish, KHQ has filed a complaint against the satellite provider claiming it is unfair competition to the local affiliate and the provider is being forced under the law to terminate network service to people such as myself.

With Q6, I get a fuzzy picture with lousy sound. With DSS, I get a clear picture with perfect sound. Yet I have no way to challenge their claim that I can get good reception.

Either way you look at it, KHQ is trying to tell me which affiliate I will or will not watch and that rubs me the wrong way.

I urge anyone who owns one of these systems to find something else to watch when KHQ succeeds in its attempt to terminate service to those of us who have access to other affiliates through our dishes.

I will not allow Q6 to come across my TV screen again. I hope Q6 enjoy its supposed victory over dish owners. Michael J. Gay Spokane

GIVING THANKS

Kids, you showed the way

I thank my children, Josh, Jessi, Forrest and Meagan.

My husband works out of town and when it went cold and dark, I was very scared and thought it was only me holding our family together. I was wrong. My children made me no longer powerless. They all pitched in and, in no time, we were enjoying family prayer, dinner, popcorn and a game of Yahtzee by the fire.

Thanks, kids, for making this darkness seem brighter. I couldn’t have done it without you - nor would I want to do it without you. I love you all. Jill Moore Spokane

‘Hospitality was amazing’

Our friends Tom and Barb Kuuskvere, Colleen McCann, and Mike Lily were lifesavers. Tom and Barb and their daughters, Ellie and Marissa, welcomed us into their home for almost a week while our power was out. They gave us hot showers, a warm bed, and great meals. Their hospitality was amazing.

Colleen and Mike gave our two dogs a warm place to stay for a week. Our dogs think they rule the house, so taking care of them is not easy! We sincerely appreciate our friends’ gracious kindness. Kelly Nolen & Jon Scott Spokane

Thanks, Red Cross and van drivers

I thank the Red Cross for being so good and kind to make us all comfortable. I ate at the Libby shelter. And thanks to Vic Pearsons, who helped so many times.

Lynette Hammer, who helped me with calls through to home from Libby to find out about the power being on and the van drivers who took me to Libby and home again.

God bless the Washington Water Power workers and firefighters. I pray they stay well.

Some people complain they can’t go home, can’t bathe. I was so happy to get warm and fed, just thinking about those workers in the cold, it hurt me so. Vivian Warnke Spokane

Straight information appreciated

I live in Mead and was without power for eight days. I had not called Washington Water Power as I knew its people were repairing lines as fast as possible.

I was fortunate to have a wood stove, but had used my winter supply of wood. I called WWP and told a Jason there that I had a problem. It was my birthday and I wanted to bake myself a birthday cake but had no power. I also asked Jason for the truth about the situation in Mead as I had to make plans. He was helpful and courteous. He informed me of the Bonneville situation and it appeared I would be out of power until after Thanksgiving. He also informed me I had better go buy my birthday cake, as I probably would not be able to bake one.

I went home for lunch to add wood to my stove and my power was on! Now I know, Jason, this was a coincidence. But the coincidence could not have happened at a more perfect time. I wish I knew who you were and I would bake you a cake. Thank you for being kind, honest and listening to me, and for the lights on my birthday, which were not candles. Judy Beloate Mead