Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

Trip not planned or executed well

Mike Thomson wrote about his misadventure in downtown Spokane (Letters, Jan. 4), “I got to the STA terminal going west and six buses were blocking the street… After 10 minutes, I got by.” “Then, I made a second mistake by going around the block … seven more buses … After another 10 minutes, I got by.”

According to him, 13 buses sat around the Plaza for a total of at least 22 minutes straight. I know for a fact that the buses do not sit at the Plaza like that.

Spokane Transit Authority buses pull into the Plaza in waves. At the most, buses pull into the Plaza every 10 minutes during weekdays, sit for a maximum of five minutes, then leave.

On both Sprague and Riverside between Post and Wall, the right lane is restricted to buses only. If Thomson got caught up behind the buses, that meant he was breaking the law by being in the wrong lane to begin with.

He says he drove around for an hour and couldn’t find a place to park. How easy is it to find street parking during the busiest shopping season of the year? Not very. Thomson must have noticed, during his one-hour drive, about a dozen or so parking lots operated by Diamond Parking. There’s also the Parkade, the Riverpark Square parking garage and several other parking lots.

It sounds like Thomson didn’t plan his trip downtown very well and he’s looking to blame STA and the entire downtown core for his reluctance to pay for parking. Teresa Troyer STA coach operator, Spokane

Looking ahead, subliminally

Remember the “Saturday Night Live” skit about the subliminal news reporter? He’d read a news story and add his own subliminal comments, which were usually the real story. Here’s my take on the Dec. 29 article about Mayor John Talbott, with subliminal comments in parentheses.

Talbott says he’s been unfairly portrayed as an angry outsider who dislikes everything about city government. (Wow! A guy with backbone and integrity, willing to question some City Hall decisions.)

“He’s (Talbott) antagonized members of the council and he’ll have to struggle to get consensus built,” says Councilman Jeff Colliton. (Colliton and other council members are loyal to Jack Geraghty, who let them do their own thing. What? They were elected to be committed to the future of Spokane and the people? No, some of them would rather get sidetracked and not work with someone like Talbott, who will ask a lot of questions.)

Talbott’s proposal for an internal auditor also has met resistance from some council members. (Duh!)

In response to Talbott’s plan to nominate Cherie Rodgers as mayor pro-tem, Colliton said he admires Rodgers but thinks she may be too green for the job. (Rodgers is smart, does her homework and takes a firm stance on issues. That makes the other council members look bad. Colliton especially resents when Rodgers takes a lone stance on an issue and the other members eventually realize she is right.)

Best of luck to you, Mayor Talbott. Your military experience will certainly be invaluable, not to mention your parenting skills. Marie Hartzfeld Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Try animal killer in your home

I have been around animals all my life. My father was a zoo director and I have continued to keep animals after leaving home. One of the things he taught me was that all life has value.

I don’t mean the type of value that comes with the human view of what animals can do for us. And yes, even the thousands of chickens that are being killed in Hong Kong deserve to live a life without unnecessary suffering caused by humans.

There is a big difference between someone causing pain and suffering to any living creature for their own pleasure and killing some animals to protect the health and safety of others. Yes, if we had to kill a few humans to protect the rest of the planet, we would do it (as in the atomic bombing of Japan).

It’s not just ferrets here we should be concerned about. I suspect the young fellow who did it would cause pain to any living thing, given the chance. Anyone who thinks he shouldn’t be punished severely, here’s a suggestion:

When he gets community service, he can come to your house and baby-sit your children. Dylan E. Beecher Spokane

Right to focus on persons, not flaws

Thank you, Spokesman-Review, for your article on Shawn McClenahan (“Tell them I love, them,” Region, Jan. 3). It is time to stop expounding on the prostitution and drug habits of these murdered women and never forget these women are daughters, sisters and mothers who are loved and grieved for.

I pray that very soon the task force will put an end to the murder of these women. Alice Williamson Spokane

Ease up and enjoy the show

I’m not sure what point William P. Marineau (“Diversity missing at concert,” Dec. 27) was making in criticizing the Spokane Symphony and chorale for not having enough “people of color.” If the insinuation is that the symphony and chorale discriminate on the basis of ethnic background, I find that insulting to a very professional organization.

If the suggestion is that musicians be admitted because of their ethnic background, that also is offensive.

I have no doubt that admission to the Symphony and chorale is as it should be - based on musical ability. That was quite evident at the Christmas concert, as well as at their other wonderful performances throughout their many years in Spokane.

Lighten up, Marineau. Enjoy the wonderful music and stop searching for reasons to be angry. J. Douglas Bruce Coeur d’Alene

OTHER TOPICS

Somehow, public probably will pay

Your correction regarding Coach Price’s ultra-expensive accommodations in Santa Monica for the Rose Bowl actually raises further questions.

It seems to me that the coach received a pretty valuable gift which could reasonably be taxable. On the other hand, it seems likely that Leows will consider the forfeited rental on the accommodations as an advertising expense, and therefore, a deductible expense for tax purposes. In either case, friendly John Q. Public ultimately pays for the coach’s enviable luxury home away from home. William H. Allison Medical Lake

Coverage of killings unsatisfactory

We and others feel outraged at the newspaper coverage of the recent deaths of women in Spokane.

Isn’t one of the roles of The Spokesman-Review to enlighten citizens? What do you think would have happened if at the first murder of a female citizen of Spokane there had been front page coverage, active news reporting and pressure on our police department to solve the crimes?

Why has it taken so many deaths? And now that it has reached the status of serial killer, why does The Spokesman-Review deem it necessary to spend major headline space? Is it more printworthy because the term “serial killer” can be used?

If we or our friends/colleagues had been murdered, there would have been more coverage and more police involvement. We are blessed with homes on the South Side, with college educations, with economic advantages and with childhoods that do not include sexual molestation. Women employed in the sex industry have just as much worth as we do.

And how is it possible that The Spokesman-Review spent all that print space on a football game when all these women are being murdered? When we think of all the energy that went into a football game versus the minuscule amount spent on the murder of our citizens, we shudder. What is going on here?

Please, Spokesman-Review, be more responsible with your news coverage. All citizens are of equal value. Do not buy into the lower consciousness thinking that wounded, traumatized people somehow have lesser values. You are our local newspaper. Lead the way. Lindy Haunschild, Ian Cunningham and Nancy Lindberg Spokane