Letters To The Editor

Tribe contributions need to be recognized

Last year I attended the Post Falls/ Coeur d’Alene Tribal Julyamsh Pow Wow partly out of curiosity and partly in response to the encouragement of my daughter Kerri Thoreson, who has played a major role in bringing this annual celebration to Post Falls.

I was deeply moved by the ceremony and by the friendly inclusion of nontribal members into the many cultural activities of the various tribes participating in the powwow.

In May, I attended a grandson’s graduation in Blackfoot. I was similarly moved by the closing ceremony featuring the entire high school choir and band at the rear of the auditorium, playing and singing The Lords Prayer. In front of the auditorium spotlighted on stage and in tribal dress, two graduating young women, members of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribe, signed the words to the Lords Prayer in unison with the choir. It was a very spiritual experience, which proves to me that we are all one people. Gods children. I attended this years powwow, not out of curiosity, rather out of a sincere desire to learn more about, and become more understanding of not only our different cultures but of our similarities as Americans in this nation which God has blessed so abundantly.

I would like everyone to recognize the great contribution to freedom made by all the tribes throughout this nation. As a Marine Corps combat veteran, I proudly display in my office a bronze replica and in the entrance to the County Administration Building there is a large picture of the six marines who raised the flag on Iwo Jima, including Ira Hayes, winner of the Bronze Star for Gallantry, and a member of the Pima Tribe of Arizona. I am also proud to have served in the epic Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in Korea in 1950 with Sgt. Gilbert Towner, a forward observer and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians now living in Lapwai, Idaho, and one of the 25 surviving members of the Chosin Few in Idaho. Indeed, we can all be proud of the 190,000 patriotic Native American military veterans, the highest number of veterans per capita of any ethnic group in America. To those patriots, I thank and salute you.

To the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce: Thank you for promoting this greater understanding. Well done. Ronald D. Rankin Kootenai County Commissioner

Protecting aquifer everyone’s job

This is a call to arms for everyone that cares about the protection of our sole source aquifer under the Rathdrum Prairie. As it stands now, we enjoy an exceptional grade of pure water, that has been left to us in legacy by our forefathers.

That is now at risk of contamination from an industry that has basically done what they wanted, when they wanted to, and where they wanted to. They will tell you they are good neighbors, good land stewards, and drink the same water we do. They will provide slide shows to elaborate on how good the new proposal is and how they will protect the aquifer with state-of-the-art construction.

Isn’t it strange that the state-of-the-art facility here is far better than the state-of-the-art facility they promised the residents in Whitefish, Montana? The problem is one of credibility, and it starts at their top president and filters down.

They seem unable to tell the truth, and when questioned about past occurrences, they claim it was an inherited problem. How many businesses can succeed by going out and merging or buying a failing business with a closet full of skeletons, especially environmental ones?

As a small group of concerned citizens (The Friends of the Aquifer) we are David trying to fight Goliath. We can only do so much, and have really accomplished a pretty good database of the problems Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway has caused in every area they serve.

We need your help to combat the project from being approved. The BNSF people will be approaching the county planners to ask for a conditional use permit.

The request has the opportunity to ask for the whole project at one time. If they submit for all at once, the county must consider it with the rules in effect at the time of application. There will be a public hearing, and that’s when we need everyone that cares about their water to come and say, “No, no, no.”

The date will be published, and hopefully more than once. This hearing may be the only chance and last chance for anyone to object. Last year they withdrew their application due to public concerns and now they are back.

This project doesn’t just affect the friends of the aquifer, it’s everyone’s problem. The county commissioners also may choose to hold a public hearing based on the hearing examiner’s recommendation.

We ask that prior to any approval, the Board of Commissioners receive the staff report about the Missoula Ordinance we have presented to them. Given the contents of the Missoula Ordinance we would have a greater amount of protection for our aquifer and also have wellhead preservation at the same time.

The Friends of the Aquifer will be holding an informational meeting soon, location, date and time to be announced. Please, be informed, care, and after listening to all presentations, decide if the potential of the size of risk is worth approving the project. Any risk to public safety, health and welfare should not be condoned. Clay R. Larkin Post Falls