Letters To The Editor

SPOKANE MATTERS

I see appointment as chance to help

Concerning filling the recent Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority board vacancy:

When the board members’ deadlock first occurred, I was approached by people with an outstanding reputation as peacemakers who asked if, since I had prior experience on the board, I would be willing to assume the Spokane position.

When I asked about the legality of such an action, I was assured that preliminary opinion indicated that such an appointment is legal.

When I was notified that the Municipal Research Group in Olympia confirmed the legality of such action, I gave a verbal OK to submit my name to the various mayors in the county, in hopes of bringing about a compromise solution to a thorny problem so the work of this board can move forward.

I call the public’s attention to the fact that many of the decisions and regulations previously made by this board are now mandated by state and federal agencies. I feel that SCAPCA should begin a new effort in conjunction with the Soil Conservation Service to formulate and move forward with an active plan to reduce blowing dust pollution by promoting an extensive rural tree planting effort. A creative approach and a cooperative attitude can help bring about better air quality for the entire Inland Empire for the next century. Mike Brewer Spokane

No hidden agenda in picking Brewer

As mayor of a small town in Spokane County, I chose not to follow Mayor John Talbott’s request to support Cherie Rodgers. I asked other mayors to support Mike Brewer.

As a past Spokane City Council member, having served on the SCAPCA Board, I felt he was the more qualified candidate. Obviously the majority of mayors agreed and Brewer was elected by a fair, democratic process.

Never was there an intent to remove Spokane’s voice on the board. A representative from Spokane was elected. Brewer was not Talbott’s hand-picked choice, but that doesn’t mean he won’t represent his city. Many boards and commissions are filled by unelected officials. This entire process is nothing new or noteworthy.

I was never contacted by Bob Dellwo, or anyone else, asking to support Brewer; there was no conspiracy, no hidden agenda. Furthermore, I suggest a more fitting title to the article would have been “Karen Dorn Steele’s crusade against agriculture.”

Talbott insists this all has to do with grass growers. He is entirely off base with his accusations. It is an air quality issue, and all the cities and towns have an interest. We must consider road dust, wood smoke, industrial emissions, carbon monoxide and slash burning. These are countywide impacts, and we chose a representative who would focus on public health goals and at the same time be capable of reaching these accomplishments without placing economic hardship on businesses and communities.

The mayors weighed their options, made their own decisions and exercised their right to vote. Michael J. Fuchs mayor of Rockford, Wash.

Rodgers, not Brewer, belongs on board

Mike Brewer’s recent retirement from public service came complete with the kudos and appreciation accorded all those who represent citizens by being elected to public office. I hope Brewer will continue to serve the interests of Spokane citizens by refusing to be used in a heavy-handed effort by grass growers to settle political scores.

If Brewer takes the city’s seat on the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority board, every action of the board will be invalid, as he is not the chosen representative of the people of Spokane. Votes by Brewer that go against public health and clean air will be scrutinized and criticized. Decisions of the board may be subject to appeal.

Brewer should continue to enjoy his retirement and the grass farmers should go back to watching their grass grow. The people of Spokane deserve to be represented by their choice for the SCAPCA board: Cherie Rodgers. Steven R. Radkey Spokane

More fruits of bad lawmaking

Congratulations to The Spokesman-Review and Mayor John Talbott for telling it like it is (Feb. 27). The article to which I refer is not about clean air but about the democratic process and representation of the citizens.

Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers is the city of Spokane’s choice for the county clean air board, so how can Mike Brewer, who is not a councilman, plan to represent the city of Spokane? And why is Bob Dellwo’s opinion more important than the citizens of this city?

I have lived in six states and three other countries, and I have never experienced such odd laws as this state has. I agree with Talbott’s statement. But not only the law he refers to in the article needs to be changed. Many of this state’s laws do - now. For example, the law that allows a 13-year-old child to walk out of his or her parents’ home, without their consent, while holding them responsible for their child’s actions. A sane state Legislature wrote such a law?

It’s time the people get laws they want and by which they can live. C.H. Swinburne Jr. Spokane

HEALTH AND SAFETY

Hepatitis immunizations crucial

“Immunizations not best response” (Letters, Feb. 21) states that hepatitis A prevention is as simple as thorough hand washing and good hygiene practices.

It’s important to stress that a hepatitis A epidemic in Spokane County is on the upswing. There have been 102 cases reported to date since January, compared to 189 cases in all of 1997. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high-risk groups, which include residents of an outbreak community, should consider vaccination to protect themselves and prevent continued spread of the disease. Hand washing is not sufficient to prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus when person-to-person contact is the most frequent cause of transmission.

Individuals who have contracted hepatitis A may be unaware of their infection for weeks. They can unknowingly spread the disease to others as early as two weeks before symptoms appear. Young children often go undiagnosed because they have no symptoms during the course of the disease, putting family members at risk. Among older adults who contact hepatitis A, approximately 25 percent are hospitalized and some will die.

Immune globulin (IG) given to those who have been exposed provides immunity for only three months. Currently, IG is in short supply nationwide. Hepatitis A vaccine is readily available and provides long-lasting protection against this viral infection.

It’s unrealistic to think that hepatitis A can be brought under control by simple hand washing. We encourage Spokane-area residents to get vaccinated now, and we commend the Spokane Regional Health District in their efforts to educate and protect the people of Spokane. Thelma King Thiel, chairman and CEO Hepatitis Foundation International, Cedar Grove, N.J.

YMCA withheld danger information

I am the mother of four boys. My husband and I were shocked to hear on the evening news (Feb. 23) that an E. coli outbreak had been confirmed at the YMCA in Spokane. We were concerned not only for the ill children but also because we had spent the day before on a church outing of swimming and basketball at the YMCA.

As the superintendent of our Sunday school, I was heartsick knowing I had to contact the 25 people who attended our outing. But that was nothing compared to how I felt when I found out the YMCA knew of the E. coli problem two days before our trip. We had made prior arrangements for our large group and none of us were told of the E. coli problem. We thus never had the option of deciding whether to put our children at risk.

I spoke to YMCA Executive Director Rich Wallis with my concerns about how they were handling the situation. He assured me the Health Department had given him the OK to let people swim. He said he didn’t wish to create a panic. It’s ironic that the Health Department would tell him to not be concerned about facilities other than the day care, yet they thoroughly tested the swimming pools on Monday.

Many people are becoming untrusting, especially when it comes to eating out or using facilities that prefer to hide a life-threatening situation. rather than close their doors for a few days. Is money worth more than our children’s lives? Michele Kiesz Ritzville

Do not forsake sunscreen use

The Feb. 18 article, “Deceptive protection,” about sunscreens and skin cancer, may leave readers confused about sunscreens and skin cancer. Your allotted space is not enough for a full clarification.

However, R. Ceilley, M.D., president of the American Academy of Dermatology, states, “Overwhelming evidence supports the beneficial effects of sunscreen usage, not only in preventing painful sunburn, but also in preventing photoaging and skin cancer, including many cases of melanoma. We believe it would be irresponsible to recommend that regular use of sunscreen be discontinued.” I feel most dermatologists would strongly agree.

Important tips:

Use at least an SPF l5; higher is better, since the number only shows UV-B (burn) protection, not UV-A.

Use every morning; don’t leave home without it.

People of all skin types benefit, not just redheads.

Waterproof forms may give better results.

Apply thickly but avoid the eyes; use wraparound ophthalmologist-recommended sunglasses.

Avoid exposure from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Reflected light from water, sand, etc., is often intense.

Sun damage in children is especially dangerous.

In my opinion, tanning beds damage the skin; there is no such thing as a “safe” tan. Sunscreens, protective clothing, wide-brimmed hats are far better.

Know the ABCDs of abnormal moles.

Get a regular, complete skin exam from your dermatologist, the doctor best able to detect skin cancers at an early, curable stage and advise on skin care. Reed R. Lockwood, M.D. retired dermatologic surgeon, Spokane

GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS

Tell us who’s doing the corrupting

It came as no surprise that Trent Lott and the GOP leadership chose to bury any chance for meaningful change in the way our corrupt political system finances elections.

The McCain-Feingold bill would have provided a good first step toward implementing some semblance of democratic principle to our current plutocracy.

The Spokesman-Review pledges to give us the truth. What concerns me is what we aren’t told. I challenge this paper to report, whenever possible in its stories concerning politics, who has been buying influence. Some recent examples:

When Sen. Slade Gorton recently went to bat for Microsoft, no mention was made of the money Bill Gates has been giving Gorton.

When the Building Industry Association of Washington was fined for illegal campaign finance violations, why weren’t we informed whose election to public office they were financing, and what sort of coincidental favors they’ve enjoyed from these politicians?

Countless examples could be made regarding Sen. Larry Craig’s shameless defense of the mining and timber industry. His annual attempts to promote bogus forest health bills and schemes to shaft taxpayers with the full cost of cleaning up the Coeur d’Alene Basin from mining wastes are inexcusable. Every time he pipes up, we should be reminded who he works for.

Gorton and Rep. George Nethercutt vote lockstep with Craig. They keep their heads a little lower but are doing just as much damage.

The politicians that corporations are getting elected aren’t going to fix the problem. Citizens will have to do this. Perhaps this newspaper could help us. Gregory G. Jett Spokane

OTHER TOPICS

E-mail valuable as additional channel

I agree with James A. Nelson’s heartwarming letter to his granddaughter, Mandy, that there are unique pleasures that can be derived from receiving a handwritten letter through the postal system and, indeed, he illustrates all these in an appealing, persuasive way.

I hope he doesn’t come to regret telling her that a letter is not really a letter unless it comes in an envelope. While e-mail isn’t a substitute for the full charms of a handwritten letter, I don’t think there can be too many channels of communication in a world increasingly beset by other distractions. Philip J. Mulligan Spokane

What good has Clinton done?

What has Bill Clinton done? I see his popularity rising in the midst of yet another allegation of immoral conduct and I can’t find an answer to this question.

Instead of pointing out my personal opinion in this matter, I would like to give the misguided supporters of the president a chance to defend him. Before you start answering my question, let’s eliminate some of the bogus answers.

First, jumping on board does not count as doing something. Anyone can stand in the shadows waiting to champion someone else’s ideas. Secondly, the state of the economy is not acceptable unless you can show that he is in some way responsible for it. By the way, let’s all give our thanks to Alan Greenspan.

Lastly, I’m looking for good things he has done for us as a country, not for what he may have done for lovestarved interns. Michael Z. Magin, Jr. Spokane

Franklin a trouper, queen of soul

I take exception to comments by Ben Wener of the Orange County Register regarding Aretha Franklin’s performance at the Grammy Awards (Spokesman-Review, Feb. 27).

To write “horrendous” and Aretha Franklin in the same context is pure ignorance. Her choice of attire may have been poor, however, the lady did an excellent job singing an aria for which she had a mere 45 minutes to prepare, following Luciano Pavarotti’s sick call.

Franklin truly is and will remain the queen of soul. Marilyn L. Dugger Greenacres

I’m a nuisance to telemarketers

I found Phyllis Heinel’s way of irritating telemarketers most ingenious (“I turn tables on telemarketers,” Letters, Feb. 25). My niece has been known to ask for the caller’s home telephone number, “so I can call you back tomorrow when you’re eating dinner and hear your message.”

However, I have found a method of eliminating the calls altogether and my solution is permanent - so far.

After Dakotah Direct set up shop in Spokane, we were inundated with telemarketing calls, sometimes four or five a day. Most came around dinner time or during the evening family or relaxation time.

My solution was to ask the telemarketer for his or her supervisor. I’ve never had to wait more than 30 seconds for the supervisor to come on the line. I then have told the supervisor my name and telephone number, and have requested (demanded?) to be put on their do-not-call list. They are required by law to do this.

I then ask for the supervisor’s name, name of the telemarketing firm and write it down, although I’ve not had to use it. At least they know I’m keeping notes, too.

I had to do this perhaps three or four times (I also did it with a couple of national telephone service providers) and in the several weeks since have received perhaps one or two calls. It seems to have worked. The short amount of time this method takes is well worth the effort. Dolores Hilt Medical Lake

Time to lean on troublemakers

Re: “FBI busts pair for possession of germ agent,” (Feb. 20). Scary stuff. We have a lot of dangerous people in this country who seem interested in harming lots of innocent people. I think it may be time for the government to come down hard on these white supremacist groups and militia organizations. They serve no valid purpose in this country. Frank W. Rives Helena, Mont.