Letters To The Editor
SPOKANE MATTERS
Bus route proposal just that
Re: “STA route changes look bad,” Letters, Aug. 20.
Some clarification must be made. The No. 12 U-City Limited is proposed to be replaced with a new No. 9 Sprague Limited. During the busiest hours (7-9 a.m. and 3-6 p.m.), STA will continue to offer high-speed service between the Valley Transit Center (VTC) and downtown, completing the trip in 25 minutes. Between downtown and the VTC, this bus would make three stops:
Sprague-Division, Sprague-Havana, and Sprague-Park. Between Division and Havana, the bus would go nonstop.
The No. 9 Limited will be as fast as the No. 12 is today for VTC to downtown trips and will run every 15 minutes. Peak-hour travelers will be able to travel between VTC and downtown as fast as they can now, and twice as often.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the No. 12 carries relatively few riders. With all the demands on STA, we believe it’s reasonable to ask these riders to use the No. 9, which makes the trip between the VTC and downtown in 30 minutes, only five minutes longer than the No. 12.
Under the new plan, you may spend a few minutes more on the bus, but you’ll spend less time waiting for it.
The proposed service is just that - proposed - and no decisions have been made. The best way for STA to know how people feel is to receive their survey responses, so do take part in this process.
To receive additional information or arrange for a presentation for a group, please notify STA. Connie J. Brady Spokane Transit Authority
STA bumbler can take a hike
It has long boon rumored the acronym STA stand for “stop thinking altogether.” I now know this to be fact.
During the recent wildfire situation, the police wisely cordoned off several streets, including Francis west of Indian Trail Road, in order to limit access to local traffic only and thus keep out the flocks of pyro-voyeurs who gravitate to any fire. A good thing!
However, some executive at Spokane Transit Authority decided to cancel the outlying half of two bus routes without communicating with police at the blockades, which was a stupid thing to do.
This decision stranded dozens of poor people whose only source of transportation is the bus. It stranded parents at the end of the line, unable to return home to their children. It stranded children downtown, unable to reach home. There was no bus service from midafternoon until late evening, when someone sensible put a stop to this mistake.
Those of us stranded out there waiting for the bus had no idea what was wrong as time went by and no bus appeared. We didn’t realize it was canceled because cars continued to flow by. Finally, our only alternative was to walk all the way into town.
The person responsible should do this: Ride the bus to the end of the North A route, then walk back to the Plaza. That 11-mile-plus hike would provide plenty of time to contemplate the next irresponsible decision. Margret Sinclair Spokane
SPOKANE MATTERS
Make falls site village-museum
After reading “Bridge to the Future” (Aug. 17) and attending the Spokane Falls Northwest Indians’ powwow in Riverfront Park, a vision for the falls emerged for me.
This vision grew from the questions posed by my 11-year-old daughter, Geri, about various Indian customs, questions I invariably had to answer, “I don’t know.” That evolved into, “Wouldn’t it be nice if there were a place we could learn about that?”
Our vision is of a living village-museum that preserves the past and shares it with present and future generations.
Our view of this village is unobstructed. No new bridge overshadows it. A grand staircase cascades down the hillside, serving as seating in an amphitheater. The flat area below, with the river and falls as a backdrop, becomes a stage for future powwows.
In the shadow of the Monroe Street Bridge, a variety of Native American structures represent the dwellings used by different tribes. Tribal families in traditional garb perform their historical trades and customs.
Up the hillside a new mall contains not movie screens but interactive exhibits and all forms of art and artifacts.
The village is managed by a representative tribal council to ensure authenticity.
This site will become the tourist attraction a new bridge could never be. It would be an educational journey back in time.
Spokane can build a bridge that gives lip service to Native American culture or we can create a true legacy for the future while preserving the view of the falls. Mary C. Gaddy Spokane
Police review long overdue
I’m happy to see the Spokane is finally taking seriously some of the abuses by the Spokane City Police Department, enough to create a council to review the allegations. I have no doubt the police have a tough job but the exonerated actions of their leader in recent months has led me to believe this unacceptable behavior has filtered down through department ranks to become justifiable behavior.
I trust this committee will review both sides of the issue and be strong enough to stand up against the police department if that is necessary. This committee is long overdue. W.J. Crawford Spokane
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Nethercutt’s help not much help
After 17-1/2 half years of faithful service in the U.S. Navy, I was caught in the crossfire of military downsizing. Upon receiving orders that forced me into the position of giving up custody of my 12-year-old daughter for two years, I chose to exercise my constitutional right and contacted Rep. George Nethercutt’s office.
Only constant calls from my mom and me produced sporadic interaction with Nethercutt’s Spokane office. After my request for a change of orders was denied, I went to see his aide, Don Gillespie.
Gillespie basically gave a politician’s talk, obviously feeling that being assigned 25 months on an aircraft carrier without my daughter was not a heavy burden. He warned that in this day of downsizing, bucking the system could be a bad move.
Six years ago, I made a deployment while my daughter was undergoing chemotherapy for rhabdomysarcoma. That time, I did not rock the boat. This time, I felt I was giving up too much. However, being a good sailor, I sucked it up and am currently serving aboard the USS Carl Vinson while my daughter resides with my parents in Spokane.
As I am a direct reflection of my commanding officer, so too are the aides who represent our elected officials. Knowing that, Nethercutt has lost all endorsements from my family.
I hope the one I spoke to can tell any children he may have that he loves them, every day. I have to phone my daughter for the next two years to tell her. Sandra Haats, chief petty officer, USN Bremerton
HIGHER EDUCATION
Makeover plans intensify mediocrity
I just returned from seeing the Summer Theatre for Youth production of “Oliver” at Eastern Washington University. Director Don McLaughlin did a wonderful job of instilling the discipline and joy of theater in a talented group of children.
What a valuable way for them to learn the skills needed for theatrical performance, the need to learn history, personal confidence, communication skills and to develop a broad base of general knowledge. No wonder so many theater majors go on to leadership roles in such a wide variety of career fields. What a sad and pitiful contrast it was to read EWU’s plan for rebuilding the university.
Since the presidency of H. George Frederickson, I’ve watched my alma mater change from a second-rate college to a third-rate university. In order to “entice” new students, they want to decimate the liberal arts, increase class size and add more “practical,” vocational courses. Instead of preparing students for the changes inevitable in the future by giving them a broad base of knowledge and critical thinking skills, we’ll train a new generation of technicians.
From the fuzzy rationalizations of the current president and greed of his administrative cronies to the spineless board of trustees, EWU has shown itself to be a school without conviction, commitment or direction. The kind of smart students they need to attract will be smart enough to go somewhere else.
EWU should either revert to being a college - and make it an excellent one - or should merge with Washington State University, becoming a branch campus and eliminating an entire level of shortsighted, inept administration. Jerry C. Kraft Cheney
Correction:
John F. Austin’s letter of Aug. 26 contained a typographical error. Austin was referring to the United Parcel Service strike, not the United Postal Service.