Letters To The Editor

Tue., March 2, 1999

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Here, supposedly petty crimes pay

I read with interest the recent letters and Doug Clark’s column regarding the many “petty crimes” that are occurring which continue to go unprosecuted. Such an incident happened to me.

A young man transitioning out of a group home took two checks from my checkbook, forged and attempted to cash each for $500. When I reported the crime, I was told by the investigating detective it would never be prosecuted as there was no manpower to do so. I was also told that there are hundreds of such cases every year in Spokane.

Message to the kid: It’s fine to rip people off since the likelihood of ever being punished is nil. In fact, this individual has gone on to do more so-called petty crimes around town and could be laying the groundwork for a lifetime of such activity.

An acquaintance related a similar incident. Someone she knew personally took checks out of her mailbox, forged and actually cashed them. The clearcut evidence would have convicted the crook but the case was never prosecuted for the same reason mine was not.

It’s a sad indictment of our justice system that these many cases are never pursued. The message being sent criminals only encourages continued sociopathic behavior. I admit I cannot offer a swift solution to this seemingly growing problem. However, it seems that the majority of law-abiding citizens should be aware of it, be very concerned, and some kind of action plan be formulated to correct this shameful situation.

As it stands, little protection is offered upright citizens and further criminal activity is encouraged. David B. Vogel Spokane

Put deputies’ time to better use

I read with interest the recent article in The Spokesman-Review regarding Sheriff Mark Sterk’s request for nine new deputies. At first glance, I thought it was a great idea. Then, my brother brought up the fact that most everytime he drives by Kaiser Mead, he sees up to four sheriff’s cars just sitting near the front gate, watching the Steelworkers.

From my understanding, there has been no aggressive behavior on the Steelworkers’ part and other than issuing minor citations for horn honking, the deputies have not had much to do. Friends who frequently drive by the plant in Trentwood say there were approximately the same number of sheriff vehicles always sitting there.

I have no part in this dispute between Kaiser and the Steelworkers but did begin asking myself why we taxpayers are required to foot the bill for the sheriff’s department being used in this manner. Could this be where the term “corporate welfare” comes from?

Let’s put the deputies and our tax dollars to better use. S.R. Schneider Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Talbott has allies - big deal

Having worked for Metropolitan Mortgage in the past, the Feb 21 story about it should have been interesting. I believed this major investigative article would show how the mayor and/or Metropolitan had misused their power and money. Instead, I get this non-story about Mayor John Talbott and Metropolitan as political allies.

Is it a surprise the mayor would have political allies? Councilwoman Roberta Greene is quoted, “I believe I make my decisions based on the issues.” Probably true, but if the information given to her comes from city managers, employees or the Cowles family, there’s little doubt she’s not getting enough information from all the available sources. At least the mayor looks beyond these areas for his information.

For decades, the city has spent millions of dollars on ill-planned or ill-thought-out projects. The new bridge, Salty’s, fighting with the Ronalds and Marks come to mind. This money was spent at the expense of our police, fire and street departments. This paper should spend some of its energy trying to find out what happened in these and other areas, to prevent that from happening again.

The paper attempted to smear Metropolitan and the mayor because they are politically aligned in a different direction from the newspaper’s owners. If the paper has real charges against these people, publish them and not innuendoes.

Your story hurt the Cowles family and this paper more than the people you attempted to smear. It’s this newspaper that is plugged into power and you misused it. Randy G. Beigh Spokane

PEOPLE IN SOCIETY

Mascot used to command great respect

Re: “NC students consider retiring Indian mascot” (Feb. 24).

I was troubled to read about how low the Indian mascot had fallen at North Central High School and the bad experience Tarra Dowd witnessed.

In my day, class of 1971, the “Indian” was painted on the hardwood floor outside the cafeteria near the east entrance to the (old) school. From day one, you were made aware that stepping on the Indian was tantamount to sacrilege. There was great pride in each student, knowing that an Indian could be painted on the floor and no one stepped on it without risk of great embarrassment. If you stepped on the Indian, you were immediately given a cloth and, on hands and knees, asked to kiss and then clean the entire painting. No distinction was made between male and female students. All violators were given the privilege of bowing to and cleaning the Indian.

It seems to me that pride for one’s school is perhaps lacking these days. Even Dowd states that she was “walking across an Indian’s face.” Why didn’t anyone tell her that was improper conduct?

If the word “Indian” is so derogatory, why do the Spokanes still call themselves the Spokane Tribe of Indians and refer to their home as the Spokane Indian Reservation? Wouldn’t it be politically correct to call themselves the Spokane Tribe of Native Americans?

Indian is not a dirty or derogatory word to me. It gives me visions of pride, respect, dignity and perseverance in the face of great odds. I am proud to be an alumnus of the North Central High School Indians. Jeff R. Brown Spokane

FIELD BURNING

Minor inconvenience, you say?

In response to a Feb. 24 Roundtable letter, I am glad to know that my having to stay indoors during the stubble burning is just a minor inconvenience during that time of year. I keep a suitcase ready because I could end up in the hospital any time of the day or night. As for sleeping, I have to try to sleep sitting up because I can’t breathe lying down.

As far as stubble burning being around for many decades, it has only been mainly since the 1960s. I have been around many more years than that.

It is odd that if it is only a minor inconvenience it affects so many people of all ages. John E. Jordan Spokane

Field burners the ones doing wrong

Patricia Hoffman, Janet Tenold and Tom Bailie are brave citizens who inform the public about wheat and grass seed farmers who pollute the air we breathe.

Many wheat and grass farmers (excluding Spokane County farmers) by their actions have shown themselves to be callous toward lung-impaired citizens and a highly organized pack of individuals who trample our natural right to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Yes, when farmers burn their fields, it increases the siltation of the surrounding streams as well as polluting the air. In the spring, drive along a burned hillside where wheat or grass stubble used to be and see the dark brown runoff. People and wildlife all pay the price for polluted water and air.

I’m tired of hearing the same lies put forth by the wheat/grass seed organizations (PACs) and demand that the farmers who pollute our water and air be jailed and/ or fined, not the people who hold the farmers accountable. Citizens should not pay the price for breathing polluted air and cleaning up polluted water caused by arcane, backward farm practices.

When late summer comes, remember to thank a field burning wheat/grass seed farmer for the yellow haze you will see and breathe.

Consider for a moment that farmers pass the cost of production on to all citizens when fields are burned. For many of us with asthma, cystic fibrosis and severe allergies, the cost is too high. Gary D. Burgess Spokane

Is forest smoke less troublesome?

At a recent Washington state House Agriculture and Ecology Committee hearing, the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Natural Resources pleaded their case for increasing the number of acres of prescribed burned acres on public lands in Washington from 20,000 to 45,000 acres annually. The Department of Ecology fully supported their plan because they had in place a “smoke management plan.”

Noticeably absent from the hearing was opposition from any environmental groups, including Save Our Summers. It was pointed out at hearings two years ago that agriculture’s smoke management plan wasn’t good enough. Bluegrass smoke was too great a danger to public health and it must be eliminated at all costs.

Although I agree that prescribed burning is a good idea in rebuilding forest health and reducing the possibilities of wildfires, I find it hard to understand how their smoke is any healthier than agriculture smoke. Maybe it’s because Save Our Summers and the Department of Ecology are more interested in eliminating agriculture than protecting public health. Art Schultheis Colton

THE ENVIRONMENT

Longer study needed to restore fishery

Frank B. Cicero Jr. (Letters, Feb. 16) is right about a couple of things.

The kokanee are not native to Lake Pend Oreille and the businesses around the lake would lose profits if the fishery collapses. What he and most people don’t understand is that there will always be power but when the fish are gone, they will be gone forever.

If you read the facts available, you will understand that the mysis shrimp are not the problem, that there hasn’t been a hatchery release of predator fish in years. We would love to hear from the group of independent experts what they think would be conclusive to improving the fishery, rather than just invalidating the study with negative statements.

What everyone should agree on is that it is necessary for the wild fish to spawn on shoreline gravel and there can’t be too many spawning beds. This is the first year, thanks to the three-year study, that we have seen redds in abundance. Bald eagles in greater numbers wintered on the lake. This is a win-win situation for the entire ecology of Lake Pend Oreille.

The three-year study is too short a time span. We need the seven-year study to bring the fishery back. It would be a sad situation to let a couple of dollars a month in utility bills cause failure of the fishery and jeopardize the future of one of North Idaho’s most pristine recreation areas. Levi Hubbard, president Lake Pend Oreille Idaho Club, Spokane

Most losses occurred before 1938

re: “Dwindling salmon returns.”

I take issue with your statement of the so-called truth about the dams. The chart shown on page B1, Feb. 21, is inaccurate and misleading. The chart should have represented all the data available prior to 1961.

A General Accounting Office audit states that salmon runs in the Columbia Basin have declined from an annual number of approximately 16 million in 1850 to 4 million in 1938, to 2.5 million today. The report also states that 12 million of the 14 million fish decline occurred before 1938, the year the first federal dam was built on the Columbia River.

Obviously, the Columbia River dams are not the primary factor in the dramatic decline of Northwest salmon runs. Standards for responsible reporting would demand that the facts be placed before the readers. Showing partial truth slants the public view. Regardless of your own beliefs, you have an obligation to your readers to present the truth and all of the facts.

It would be appropriate for the paper to publish a complete graph, illustrating the missing data. Kathryn M. Vogler Lacrosse, Wash.

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