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This column reflects the opinion of the writer. Learn about the differences between a news story and an opinion column.

Calm the sidewalk hysteria

I very much appreciated Shawn Vestal’s Sept. 27 column regarding his composite walk around the dangerous downtown streets of this stubbornly backward, charming city I call home. Vestal’s writing brought some much needed balance to the human issues faced by downtown Spokane.

It’s a city, people. Cities, in my experience, come with a complement of colorful and diverse characters. There’s simply got to be some gray area between the current hysteria and reasonable rules of conduct for public places.

I share Vestal’s urge to go sit on a sidewalk. And we wonder why the West Side still points and snickers?

Sandy Tarbox

Spokane

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