Letters To The Editor

More plaudits for Murphy

We, members of a Day Out for The Blind of Spokane, would like to add our comments about Patty Murphy (“Mom for all seasons,” May 9). We are a group of blind and vision-impaired folks and Patty was our aerobics instructor. She was a most loving and caring person. She treated these folks like they didn’t have a disability. We will be forever grateful to her and now we know we are not alone in our praise. Happy Mothers Day, Patty. Carol A. Absalonson Day Out for the Blind of Spokane Inc.

Chenoweth explains legislation

Rich Landers’ editorial in The Spokesman-Review’s May 13 edition (“Tick, tick, tick …”) would mislead one to believe my legislation to require public input on forest road closures would destroy fisheries, reduce the numbers of Big Bull elk and cost taxpayers too much money. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Forest Roads Community Right-to-Know Act is necessary because the Forest Service is not ensuring that local governments and communities are informed of decisions to close roads. Often many families throughout Idaho who enjoy the vast beauty and recreation of our forests are shocked when they discover, without warning, they can’t access their favorite areas because the roads are closed. Too many roads have been closed too many times to too many people.

My legislation will establish mandatory procedures to be followed by the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management in advance of the permanent closure of any forest road to ensure local participation in the decision-making process.

Landers asserts that tearing up roads, installing hazardous “tank traps” and planting vegetation on the pathways is a sensible way to manage forest roads. This “sensible management” creates a serious hazard to forest visitors, especially to those who follow snowmobile trails that are mapped by the Forest Service and then obliterated. Also, the Forest Service’s road closures on the Targhee National Forest greatly threatens Idaho fisheries due to erosion and sediment pollution from soil removed when the roads were closed. This “sensible management” is a slap in the face to local communities who are kept in the dark. Requiring local input is simply a fair and reasonable approach. Helen Chenoweth U.S. Representative, 1st District - Idaho

Rogers Pirates deserve praise

This is in regard to the May 16 article by Chris Derrick, “Rogers surprises Mead”.

You should give more credit to Rogers, a baseball team that came from the losers bracket a few years ago, to being real winners.

I watched the last three games, and these young men are a credit to their school and baseball, in their ability and sportsmanship. They were focused on what had to be done, when the situation looked bleak. Twice in the last game, Mead had the bases loaded, and Rogers put them out. Credit must go to Jim Wasem for his coaching and bringing this team from nowhere to being champions and gentlemen. Richard M. Ervin Spokane