Letters To The Editor

Thu., Jan. 27, 2000

OVER THE LINE

Add to weight of depot opposition

“BNSF has been notified that it is a potentially responsible party for study and cleanup costs at approximately 32 Superfund sites for which investigation and remediation payments are or will be made, or are yet to be determined. ….”

“BNSF is involved in a number of administrative and judicial proceedings and other clean-up efforts at approximately 400 sites, including the Superfund sites, at which it is participating in the study or clean-up, or both, of alleged environmental contamination.”

The above comes from the BNSF Annual Report 1998. BNSF is seeking a permit to build a 500,000-gallon diesel storage and fueling depot over the Spokane aquifer, the sole source water supply for the greater Spokane region.

Economic development is important. But ask yourself what our economic forecast will be if there is a diesel spill over the aquifer. How many businesses or individuals would still be interested in locating in Spokane? Homes are generally people’s largest asset. What will happen to the value of property in Spokane if the single-source water supply is contaminated?

We can never replace or relocate our aquifer. BNSF can, and will, build their depot elsewhere in the region if they are denied a permit to build at Hauser.

Two hearing examiners, seven Spokane Neighborhood Councils, the 3rd Legislative District delegation, the Department of Ecology and even our governor actively oppose this threat to our water supply. Please ask your City Council and county commissioners to do the same. Richard Rush Spokane

SPOKANE MATTERS

Prices, gotchas discourage shoppers

Re: “Parking garage income falls below expectations” (Jan. 21).

I cannot imagine how management of the River Park Square garage could be surprised that downtown customers are finding other places to park. The substantial raise in rates surely has kept customers away. In addition, the shift from three free hours of parking with purchase to just a $1 discount with purchase convinces the shopper to leave sooner or park elsewhere.

To make matters worse, I found out two weeks ago that to qualify for this meager discount, the $20 minimum purchase must not only be from one store but all on one receipt. I had two receipts, one from the cosmetics department at Nordstrom and the other from the Nordstrom CafT. While the lunch and cosmetics totaled over $20 and were purchased just minutes apart, I was told by the parking attendant I was not allowed a discount because they were on separate receipts. Such trivial rules frustrate downtown shoppers.

I am a great fan of downtown and am thrilled to shop at the new mall. However, I have cut the amount of trips I make downtown simply because of the prohibitive price of parking. I am certain the parking garage would raise its revenues substantially if it gave a greater discount to shoppers. We would shop longer and buy more. The stores as well as the garage would benefit greatly. Betsy K. Eldenburg Spokane

Parking cost outweighs benefit

I read your article on the problems being experienced by the River Park Square parking garage with much interest but no surprise. The fees are high and the credits allowed for purchases are not enough.

One used to pretty well cover the cost of two or three hours of parking with a purchase of $75-$100. Recently, I parked there during the Symphony Lunch and Learn lecture at the Library, then walked over to Huppins, where I made a $200 purchase. My parking bill for less than two hours was $3, and I received only $1 credit for the purchase.

Additionally, as long as movie prices continue to be higher than those in the outlying theaters, added to parking costs (which are nonexistent at those theaters) I will probably visit River Park Square only rarely and will certainly park on street, if I can, when I do go there. Barbara B. Mueller Spokane < HEALTH AND SAFETY

Threats to women neglected

Re: Toxic-shock syndrome article (Jan. 22).

Tampons are another important potential source of toxic-shock syndrome. Although the risk is less now that the ultra-absorbent types were taken off the market, the potential is still there and manufacturers’ instructions should be followed carefully. As a dermatologist, I saw one of the first cases of TSS due to tampons years ago and the woman was lucky to have lost “only” most of her finger and toe tips. She nearly died but for a superb intensivist. The ICU nurse, having just read the first CDC bulletin about TSS, made the diagnosis.

One could note that the cause specific to women was omitted in this important article, just as there is not enough support for breast and ovarian cancer prevention and cure. Many thousands of women are silently dying while the media and politicians overly focus on nearly entirely preventable diseases, such as HIV-AIDS, as tragic as they are to society.

Since high-quality children (and grandchildren) are the most important things in life, it follows that women are the most important gender and their concerns need to be thought of first. Reed R. Lockwood, M.D. Spokane

Vision project helps protect the needy

In honor of Glaucoma Awareness Month, I’d like to inform readers about an eye health program that may help preserve their sight. EyeCare America Glaucoma Project is a public service program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. More than 4,100 ophthalmologists nationwide volunteer for this program to ensure that people receive medical eye care they may not have access to otherwise.

Here in Washington state, 63 patients have called the Glaucoma Project’s help line and 38 patients have been referred to one of 117 volunteer ophthalmologists located throughout Washington.

Glaucoma is often called the “sneak thief of sight” because there are no visual symptoms until irreversible vision loss has occurred. People who may be at increased risk for the disease are those of African ancestry, those with a family history of the disease or people who have had a serious or traumatic eye injury.

To learn more about glaucoma and the risk factors, the public can call the Glaucoma Project’s toll-free help line at 1-800-391-E (3937).

If the caller is at moderate to high risk for glaucoma, has been without medical eye care for at least two years, is a U.S. citizen or legal resident and does not belong to a prepaid or government health plan, they will be referred to a volunteer ophthalmologist in their area for an examination and treatment for glaucoma. Patients who have health insurance are billed accordingly, and are responsible for any fee not covered by the insurance.

For patients who do not have insurance, the fees are waived. Jeffery M. Snow, M.D. Spokane Eye Clinic

Accusation strongly offensive

Re: staff writer Jonathan Martin’s Jan. 13 article regarding Spokane Mental Health’s alleged exaggeration of its funding cut. As a 28-year employee of SMH, I took the accusation with a great deal of irritation. Last year, as we were faced with a reduction in funding and inevitable staff and program cut, I told many friends and others about our plight and how devastating the proposal was to the community. I was completely, totally and faithfully trusting the words of my own administration.

It is difficult to be convinced that the accuser, in this case Kasey Kramer, head of the county community services division, is totally correct. However, when I know so many previously functioning programs have been eliminated, my co-workers are still carrying twice as many clients as a nationally recommended number, and one would not have to look further than the severely curtailed Evergreen Club programs.

Additionally, what irked me so much are the words Kramer reportedly used to condemn SMH for lying and sabotage. They are piercingly damning words. Though he might have meant to point a finger solely at our CEO and his assistants, he has, in essence, put all of us working at SMH as collective corroborators of the wrongdoings. The fact is, we, as the direct service provider, are working hard, day in and day out, to our limit.

Whom will be the target of my strongest anger remains to be seen. Meanwhile, many of us are smoldering. I pray my own administration is not guilty of any wrongdoing. Tad Hasebe Spokane

Midwives provide invaluable service

As a staunch supporter of home birth and midwifery, my family and I appreciate the article praising midwives. We are using a midwife for the home birth of our next child. I recommend this wonderful and gentle way to any woman who wants to experience birth with dignity and privacy, without the excess technology and interventions hospitals use too often.

It was not said, but lay midwives do have recognized certification, known as the Certified Professional Midwife. This is administered through the North American Registry of Midwives, which has rigorous standards for knowledge, skills and experience.

Unfortunately for Americans, only 4 percent of our babies were birthed by midwives and in this freedom-loving country there are states that deny a family’s right to birth safely at home with a midwife in attendance. People should also know that studies prove home birth, in the presence of a experienced midwife to be just as safe as hospital birth and in some instances, actually safer. Another fact to know is that as of 1994, the United States ranked 25th in infant mortality and in almost all of these other countries with better outcomes it is midwives who provide most of the maternity care.

Our country could save billions of dollars a year if midwives were the primary care givers for pregnant women. As consumers we must stop the monopoly that doctors have over maternity care. They are the reason Cesarean sections are the most commonly performed surgery today. Midwives are the true guardians of safe and natural birth. Please support midwifery. Jenine S. Martin Cocolalla, Idaho

BELIEFS

Jesus said to correct wrongdoers

Those who have no religious leanings are always quick to quote, “Judge not, lest ye be judged.” They are quoting correctly. Jesus will judge you, no one else, when you stand before him on judgment day.

But to all Christians who have become silent because of this quote, let me throw this one out to you. In Luke 17: 3, Jesus himself says, “Be on your guard. If your brother does wrong, correct him; if he repents, forgive him.”

Christians are exercising their God-given rights as well as their free speech rights through this Bible verse. Correcting your brother is what Jesus commands us to do.

The headlines in the Jan. 20 Spokesman-Review, “Abortion foes assert rights,” is an example that some of us have taken our Lord’s command seriously and are speaking out against the killing of our most innocent, i.e. babies. The anniversary of Roe vs. Wade on Jan. 22 is a yearly reminder of the millions of deaths of murdered children because too many of us have remained silent. I ask those of you who have been silent, are you willing to correct your brother as Jesus commands?

I hope that all of you who hold “tolerance” as your god will tolerate me as I correct you. After all, in this country, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are rights. According to you, those freedoms have a new code word: “tolerance.” So, tolerate me and God bless you. Susan C. Bacon Spokane

CUBAN REFUGEE

Meddling, child stealing wrong

Only in America can a 6-year-old boy cause such uproar about where he should live. From the next of kin in the states who are so pathetically, selfishly using him for their own notoriety, right down to the candidates so desperately trying to become the next president of the United States.

This poor child has no idea what is going on. The media are eating him up alive while we feed their egos. This child belongs with his father, and this country needs to keep its nose out of other people’s business once and for all. If this was your child, wouldn’t you want him back? How dare another country tell you that you cannot have him. What kind of people are we becoming? To exploit such an innocent child who has lost his mother, to now have his father taken away because we think that is the way it should be?

We had better take a hard, long look in our own back yards before tending to someone else’s. Jeanie Defrancesco Nine Mile Falls

Boy belongs with father

I’m upset. Angry. Appalled. More than anything, I’m flabbergasted!

As I nurse my newborn son and watch my daughters play in the snow, my heart aches for the father in another country who has been robbed of his son. My own four young children are the center of my life. I would be crushed if we were separated in this way.

The boy just lost his mother. The immense pain and sorrow must be devastating. And now, to be separated from his loving father.

It is so obvious. Let him go home to his father. Why doesn’t the government allow 6-year-old Elian Gonzalez to return to his father? The U.S. Supreme Court just rightfully questioned why courts would try to tell parents who can have “visitation” with their child in the Troxel case.

How could anyone think that the boy doesn’t belong with his father?

And shame on the Republican presidential candidates, politicians, our president - and anyone else who isn’t brave enough to say the truth.

Thank you to Attorney General Janet Reno for stating the obvious: “The boy belongs with his father.” Lisa L. Johnson Deer Park

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