Letters for April 21, 2022

BNSF’s lack of concern

My close neighbors and I live in an idyllic backwater area adjoining the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad’s Marshall Yard on the south. The access to our properties is from Scribner Road on an easement owned by BNSF, whose lack of maintenance over several years has made the road only marginally passable, especially during winters. Our other access is through the BNSF Marshall Yard.

In the 46 years I have resided here and traveled through the yard, the railroad employees have been pleasant and friendly, acknowledging my right to pass through the yard to my home. This access has also occasionally been used by delivery persons and Scribner neighbors stuck by one of the two live railroad tracks blocking traffic with slow-moving trains on Scribner Road, as well as by emergency vehicles and wildfire evacuations. I have lived through two emergency wildfire evacuations in just the past few years, and egress through the yard has been crucial.

All this changed early last month when BNSF personnel were found digging post holes to support steel posts and locking gates to block the road through the yard, with no warning or communication whatsoever from BNSF. Attempts to express my concern about this peremptory action have either been ignored or dismissed. BNSF now patrols the yard to report any “trespassers.” I am dismayed and distressed by the loss of my access through the yard and by BNSF’s aggressive lack of concern over my rights and safety.

Libby Beck

Marshall

Rams fan

I’ve been a Rams fan since before there was a Seahawks team. By my first sentence you can tell I’ve been around a while – hence not a big internet user. I would like to see The Spokesman-Review commit space and knowledge on all four divisional teams. I’ve got friends who are Arizona and San Francisco fans. I read the information on the Seahawks and I’m sure there are others out there who would like information on the divisional teams.

Go Rams!

Lenny Long

Spokane

Police task force

The mayor and police chief are creating a “gun violence task force” in an attempt to stem the increase in fatal shootings in Spokane.

Mayor Woodward to this point has been mostly disappointing in her capacity as mayor, but her idea to emulate Seattle’s program of going after repeat offenders has merit. Hardly a day goes by without an article in the S-R about a person being arrested for some type of violent crime, followed by a lengthy list of prior felony convictions and an early prison release.

In the 1990s, America cracked down on crime. Many repeat offenders became incarcerated for life. The result was a huge decline in violent crime in America. As time passed, those on the left became more and more outraged that felons were actually forced to spend their remaining years in prison. The pendulum began to shift the other way. The George Floyd issue became the focal point, leading to calls from the left to defund the police and violent rioting in many liberal cities.

Today we have AGs in some states refusing to prosecute felonies unless someone is injured due to violence. In Spokane, we have Shawn Vestal’s never-ending rants against rare instances when police overreact, along with the idea that some who commit felonies should be released into counseling rather than incarcerated! In the 1990s, we became fed up with living in fear and put bad actors away. Crime dropped precipitously as a result. Time to revisit the ’90s, Spokane!

Hal Dixon

Spokane