Letters To The Editor
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Meeting to consider smoke threat
It’s been recognized in this country that citizens have the right to nonsmoking sections in restaurants, the workplace and in public buildings because breathing someone else’s smoke can injure your health. Because of field burning, there aren’t any nonsmoking sections in Spokane County in the summertime.
Grass smoke is serious pollution. It’s composed of tiny particulates, 90 percent of which measure less than 2.5 microns in diameter. The smaller the particulate, the more harmful it is to your health.
Particulate pollution has been associated with cough, shortness of breath, wheezing, asthma attacks, emphysema, chronic bronchitis and restricted activity days due to illness. Exposure over a lifetime is strongly associated with the development of lung cancer.
In Spokane County there are 20,000 people with asthma, over 2,800 people with emphysema and over 20,000 people with chronic bronchitis. Over 2,500 people are on oxygen.
The Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority is having a public workshop at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the lower level of the Spokane County Public Works Building, W1026 Broadway. The future of field burning will be discussed.
Growers are asking for total deregulation of the grass seed industry, which would open the door to unlimited increases in the number of acres dedicated to grass seed production. If this issue is important to you, please come to this meeting. Bonnie Mager Washington Environmental Council, Spokane
Downtown river hazardous, restricted
I was disappointed and upset to see the picture in the July 13 paper (The Region), showing four people fishing for crawdads in the forebay of the Spokane River at Riverfront Park.
Because of the danger to life in the area of this river from the Division Street Bridge to below the falls at Monroe Street, it’s against city ordinance to be in or on the river in that area without a permit from the chief of police.
The speed of the river varies greatly during the year and the undertow in the forebay is strong and very dangerous. The bottom is slippery, and several people have drowned in that section of the river.
This area is posted by Washington Water Power Co., whose signs warn people to stay out of the river and stay alive.
I hope your pictorial display and story won’t suggest to readers they are free to roam the river at will in this dangerous area. Perhaps you should run an article on river dangers. John H. Happy, Jr. Spokane
SPOKANE MATTERS
Consultant comes lowly recommended
Councilwomen Bev Numbers and Phyllis Holmes selected yet another consultant to see what we, the taxpaying citizens of Spokane, want as priorities for our community.
On a five-to-one vote, our council agreed to pay ex-Bellevue mayor Cary Bozeman a $44,600 consultant’s fee to work with 25 citizens hand selected by Mayor Jack Geraghty and City Council members to accomplish this job. Who is this guy?
He was president of the King County Boys and Girls Club. A Bellevue Journal story on June 17 1994 included this: “The King County Boys and Girls Club has decided to hire an outside management consultant in the wake of claims the organization has been poorly run under President Cary Bozeman”
Isn’t this interesting? Our new consultant was evaluated by another consultant and asked to leave his $75,000-a-year job not only for financial mismanagement, but for unacceptable management tactics and style. More from the Bellevue Journal: “Bozeman to leave post with kids club” and “Critics charge he was better at spending money than raising it” (Sept. 27 1994).
Doesn’t that sound familiar? Spending money, that is.
I’m confused. Why are we paying a guy who just got canned for bad management to do a job neighborhood groups and citizens retreats offered to do for free?
September, election time, Orville headed for the barnes; and Bev, your number’s up. Jonathan Swanstrom, Sr. Spokane
Machiavelli on Mallon
This is in reference to the July 8 article, “County engineer ousted.” We have known Ron Hormann for a long time. He is a gentleman and a dedicated servant for the county.
Yes, we have hoped for a much needed change in the Spokane County Commissioners office, and thought he was the one for the job. Commissioner Phil Harris told us himself, “I’m getting rid of that gutless Hormann.” Yet in the paper Harris states he had nothing to do with the promotion (of Bill Johns).
The article also states that Dennis Scott, our public works director, took full responsibility. Scott himself remarked about Ron’s ability and qualifications, and had the highest praise and respect for him. Mind you, this was prior to Harris’ election.
A small child can see through this. Scott is an appointee and can be replaced immediately by the commissioners if he doesn’t do what they demand of him.
How interesting. L.M. Julian Spokane
Also tell about good day care
Your recent articles on day care have been predominantly negative. Although the 13 day care facilities that lost their licenses due to violations comprise less that 2 percent of the Spokane area’s 800 providers, your articles give only token mention to any positive things being done. It seems you prefer to glorify failure rather than take the time to recognize excellence.
At our day care/preschool, we have hatched chicks, had kittens, dogs, bunnies, toads, rats, goats and horses visit, planted a garden, visited Cheney-Cowles Museum, touched treasure from the Atoacha and marveled at the Manito Park gardens.
We have written with feather quills using ink we made ourselves, made wooden sailboats, candles and tie-dyed T-shirts. We cook, create and enjoy hands-on learning.
In addition to math, reading, science, history, geography, physics and art, our preschoolers are learning to read music, play instruments and speak Spanish.
Although I feel ours is one of the best providers in the area, it is only one of many excellent centers. Instead of scaring parents, why don’t you tell them what to look for in a good day care and then give some recognition to centers that are doing an outstanding job of caring for and educating their students. Misty K. Circle, preschool program director Fantasy Farm Child Development Center, Spokane
OTHER TOPICS
Clinton selling out once too often
President Clinton began his career by backing down from a decision. The bill he vetoed in May - the “logging without laws” rider tacked on to the budget bill - he now intends to pass.
He will be chasing yet again and forever the big business interests that are never going to support him, no matter how much he rolls over for them, and no matter how many of the public’s treasures, and future, he delivers to them.
I used to be a Clinton voter. I had hope. I live in the wildest valley in the lower 48, Montana’s Yaak, in which various big timber companies have stopped any and all wilderness protection for the better part of three decades. If Clinton sells out the Yaak, I am through with him. I’ll sit out four years of Republican looting, then campaign for Gore in 2000.
I never, until now, believed the jokes about Clinton selling out his supporters to appease his enemies. What it’s doing to this magical land - the grizzlies, elk, trout and people - is sad. I can’t believe he’s considering selling out the Yaak and the rest of the national forests he is responsible for. Forests we are all responsible for.
Pat Williams, Montana’s sole representative, and Washington’s senator, Patty Murray are the only ones west of the divide who have any real guts or vision.
All the wild things are leaving us. Rick Bass Troy, Mont.
Get to know a Promise Keeper
As the wife of a Promise Keeper, I would like to suggest you become acquainted with one. It may sound unreal to you, but if you really knew one you would see the difference it makes.
My husband attended Promise Keepers in Portland last year and came back a changed man. During the past 12 months, I have watched him work hard, with God’s help, to keep the promise he made. In doing so, he has become a more loving and caring husband and a better father. We’ve been married almost 18 years. He has always been faithful and a wonderful lover, but he has become so much more understanding and sensitive to my needs.
He is the head of our home, thank God, but he and I have always been a team, functioning together through good times and bad.
He went to Seattle to renew his promise to God. Our 16-year-old son went and also came back strengthened in his belief in God and his own commitment to purity.
This isn’t a pep rally. It’s a life changing experience! Marriages have been renewed and strengthened and families reunited through the commitments these men have made to God.
In a generation whose moral values are being totally pushed aside, I thank God for these thousands of men who aren’t ashamed to publicly take their stand for Christ, their families and purity! Barbara J. Sain Coeur d’Alene