Letters To The Editor

IDAHO VIEWPOINTS

Students rights being run over

I have recently learned of a “quasi news group” made up of students at Lakeland High School. Apparently one of the “newsworthy” activities is videotaping vehicles in the Lakeland High School parking lot and broadcasting their choice of “Heap of the Week” through the announcements at the school.

First, this is not just “freedom of speech” but malicious. It hurts feelings and is not necessary. How would adult workers feel when driving to work in the only vehicle they could afford and having a videotape nominating their mode of transportation as that week’s “Heap of the Week?” Would that employee feel honored? Would you think it was funny if it happened to you or would you feel saddened that you couldn’t keep up with the Jones at your place of employment?

Teenagers can be sensitive. When something they already are embarrassed about is shown throughout the school it is demoralizing. Freedom of speech is one thing, but then even adults can be held liable for personal injury when the intent is obviously malicious.

The Lakeland school board ultimately is responsible in assuring the individual rights of students - who are people too - are not given up for a few laughs. Liz Peterson Rathdrum, Idaho

Celebrate the Fourth in parks

Some ideas for our city.

Cancel all parades for the summer of 1999.

Fourth of July: sell permits to set up displays, stationary floats and exhibits in both McEuen and City Park. Consider using the Third Street and Independence Point parking lots to help preserve the grass. Let the people mill around and interact with the displays. Maybe have some activities on the tennis and basketball courts. Activities could last all day as people are waiting for the fireworks. Can we change something to keep the fireworks a family activity that doesn’t cost so much to police? Let’s look at what Spokane is doing. Don’t worry about displacing the parking. People find places to park already (all around my house eight blocks away).

Downtown/McEuen Park development: The message was loud and clear, no new building. That doesn’t mean we don’t want more to happen down there. Street fairs are great. The people at the city meetings came up with some good ideas. Sports events are great. The museum could be open year round with a children’s museum. The Cultural Center could be supported and enhanced. A farmer’s market and garden show could happen. Musical and theatrical events could happen.

The enthusiasm of the people who responded to the redevelopment of downtown was great. Let’s keep this going and start working on some of their ideas. Maggie A. Tallman Coeur d’Alene

ANIMAL CONTROL

Dogs’ escape, attack was accidental

Lately I’ve read sensationalized, slanted articles regarding four Saint Bernards and a young girl. I’ve gathered my own data.

When the dogs were impounded, I called the shelter to inquire if they belonged to the Tesdals. They did. The supervisor volunteered that the dogs seemed loved and gentle, and that this was an unfortunate accident.

Later, I read that the shelter agreed the dogs needed to be destroyed.

My children, ages 7 and 15, and I visited the Tesdals this winter to breed our Saint Bernard to their Buck. We were impressed by the way the Tesdals raised, sheltered and cared for all four of their champion dogs. Their dogs were mild tempered and affectionate. From the arthritic Bonnie to the bouncy pup Willow, all displayed a demeanor of grace. Katie belongs to Tesdal’s daughter.

The Tesdals are responsible, good people who made a mistake. Gates get left open. Dogs bite. The Tesdals need not be portrayed as criminals for wanting to keep their pets alive. Neither should they be taunted by the media and threatened by advocates of the victim.

Thank God that Cassie Jones’ injuries were minor. If I were she or her family, I wouldn’t want the dogs destroyed because this was an accident.

Just knowing how remorseful the Tesdals were by initially volunteering the disposal of their pets would be enough of a punishment for them. Remember, these are dumb animals that rely on humans, not people who do have the ability to reason, stalk, rape and still not get euthanized. Sandy Baird Spokane

ENVIRONMENT

Let Forest Practices Board do its job

Recently, the National Marine Fisheries Service officially proposed to list seven populations of salmon and two populations of steelhead as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Our coastal salmon are indeed in dire straits.

Meanwhile, state forestry rules are being rewritten by the timber industry, and attempts are being made to push a timber industry deal through the Legislature.

The proposed legislation pushes through a deal struck with the timber companies for logging rules in Washington. By requiring the State Forest Practices Board to adopt the backroom deal, the Legislature would shut out scientific, environmental and public review for the new rules. If the timber companies think that their deal is worthy of being part of a salmon recovery plan, why are they shutting off the public review of the Forest Practices Board?

The Legislature should let the Forest Practices Board do its job. Contact your state representatives and tell them this “timber bill” should be killed. Dave L. Robinson Curlew, Wash.

Origin of rich soil incorrect

Re: Paul Lindholdt’s Street Level column of March 21.

Lindholdt’s statement that water swept past the Palouse 15,000 years ago, when the ice dam that formed ancient Lake Missoula broke, “leaving behind the rich Palouse soil” is totally incorrect. One has to ponder what else in the article might be so far off the mark.

The flooding from the breached ice dam, which occurred more than 50 times in the late Pleistocene (about 12,500) years ago), had absolutely no role in the development of the Palouse soil. Prior to the flooding from the breached ice dam, Palouse soil covered most of the area southwest of Spokane to Oregon. After the flooding, the Channeled Scabland was formed by stripping the Palouse soil from the basalt, while leaving the deep deposits of Palouse soil east and west of the Channeled Scabland intact. After the last flood the loess, which is deposited by the wind, resumed deposition and is now a meter or so thick in the Channeled Scabland. Andrew W. Berg Spokane

End fishing before ending dams

The article, “Dams go or salmon will, scientists say” (Region, March 23) mentions the Snake River salmon and steelhead being listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and the solution is to remove the dams.

It seems to me the first step, long before removing the very expensive dams, would be to stop commercial and recreational fishing of these species. This would also stop the commercial fishing in our coastal waters to the federal limits out to sea. This first step would take years of study to see if that will bring them back.

To demolish our dams and electrical power-generating facilities would bring huge increases in power costs. The inexpensive electricity that has brought industries to our region would be gone, and those jobs directly linked to the cheap power would be gone. Then the employment sector that relies on those industries for the spinoff of services will start to go under as well.

Has the environmental issue really been looked at from all aspects? Are we ready to throw away possibly more than we are realizing for salmon and steelhead that should have a moratorium from harvest for a period of time, or, if they are truly endangered, a moratorium indefinitely? I hope all points of view are considered by the majority of us before we tear down the dams.

Should we have a public vote, or let the experts tell us what to do? I’d like to have the majority rule on something of this nature, not the vocal minority. Bob E. Knapp Bonners Ferry, Idaho

Forest Service’s plan illogical

The Lands Council and a coalition of forest conservation groups filed formal comments criticizing the Forest Service’s plan to clearcut 5,000 acres and intensively log 20,000 acres on the Idaho Panhandle and Colville national forests. The coalition and panel of scientific experts reviewed the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Douglas Fir Bark Beetle Project in great detail, and concluded that intensive logging will do more harm than good. Common sense tells us that the forest cannot possibly be “restored” by logging, yet that is exactly what the agency is planning.

Dr. Tim Ingalsbee, fire ecologist, found that “the proposed commercial salvage logging will increase fire risks and fuel hazards, degrade ecological and social values and resources, and greatly increase the scale and cost of authentic ecosystem restoration.” Dr. Joe Fox, forest entomologist, states that the Forest Service failed to meet its obligations “by ignoring science, environmental realities and public opinion.” Economist Dr. Pete Morton found the economic analysis to be incomplete, stating, “if a total economic framework was used, the agency may find that the true economic value of Idaho’s and Washington’s national forests is in recreation, passive use benefits, watershed protection and providing habitat for native fish and wildlife.”

The agency will now issue a Final Environmental Impact Statement and project decision. Anyone who submitted comments on the DEIS can appeal the decision. In the meantime, we are still waiting to see if this project will be exempted from citizen appeal, allowing the chain saws start buzzing immediately. Lisa Ramirez conservation biologist, The Lands Council, Spokane

GONZAGA BASKETBALL

Let’s lighten up on out-of-towners

I have been listening with amusement to the hoopla over the correct pronunciation of Gonzaga. I am amazed that so many people, including The Spokesman-Review, are claiming that everybody is pronouncing the name incorrectly. Has anybody researched this?

St. Aloysius Gonzaga was born in Castiglione, where they would certainly have pronounced the zaga the way you would pronounce saga. The American Heritage Dictionary, Second College Edition, shows the “a” pronounced as the “a” in father. There are many Catholic Schools throughout the country also named after St. Aloysius Gonzaga. I called three of them and they all use the “saga” pronunciation.

Until recently, not many knew of Gonzaga University, but St. Aloysius Gonzaga has been known for centuries. It’s going to be hard to convince the rest of the world to re-write their dictionaries to conform to Spokane’s preferred pronunciation.

But if the Zags keep doing what they’ve been doing, anything is possible.

I personally believe that the students can pronounce the name anyway they like - it’s their school, and their team that they have to be proud of. Besides, who wants to yell “go Zogs!”? It just doesn’t have the same effect.

But let’s lighten up on everybody else. They are not using the wrong pronunciation. Matt Fenske Spokane

Bulldogs great asset to Spokane

Congratulations to the Gonzaga Bulldogs! Their success and exciting playoff games brought the entire community together and made us all proud. This great team of articulate athletes represented our community well.

I was lucky enough to attend the games in Phoenix. It was a wonderful trip, and I learned something. More than once, locals and fans from other parts of the country asked me, “What is a Gonzaga?” After explaining about the Jesuit saint, they would invariably ask, “Where is Spokane?” Until then, I didn’t realize how obscure Spokane is. We are in the backwater and most of the rest of the nation has never heard of us.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs did a lot to change that situation. They helped put us on the map. Yet a few years from now the nation’s collective memory will forget us again. Everyone here should realize what a great asset Gonzaga and the Bulldogs are and support them 100 percent. I suggest that the Chamber of Commerce, Vision 2000, the Downtown Partnership and every other community organization send a fat check to the Gonzaga Athletic Department. The Bulldogs and Spokane should be in the final 64 every year! Jim Hollingsworth Gonzaga class of 1969, Veradale