Letters for Sept. 6, 2022
Make sure your walk is as good as your talk
Being retired military and working with children around the world (Hanoi, Holland, Belgium and the U.S.) I can see what Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers says about our children and military in her TV ads are true.
At our request she was able to visit and give encouragement to fourth-grade children at Woodridge Elementary School here in Spokane and review the artwork of our great country by the Airway Heights Elementary School.
Additionally, when the Mann Armory closed, she took his medals and pictures to her office for safe keeping until a place could be found to display them.
Also, our congresswoman was able to help change the name of our VA hospital and dedicate the new Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center. (Thank you, Pfc. Joe E Mann and Sgt. Bruce Grandstaff, for giving your life for our freedom, congressional medal of honor recipients from Spokane).
Thank you to all our service men and women and Fairchild Air Force Base for all you do. My drill sergeant used to say when I talked – Kiss Kiss, Cunningham. It means, keep it simple.
In closing, all I can say with our congresswoman’s leadership, “I am proud to be an American.”
P.S., Congresswoman McMorris Rodgers – your walk is as good as your talk.
Matt Cunningham, U.S. Army, retired
Spokane
Maggie Yates new vision
Al French started his political career in 2001 when I was 11. I’m 32 years old now and while I have chosen to make my future in Spokane, I know that Al French does not represent what our county can achieve and deserves. His ideas are stale and outdated for our current moment of civic strife, persistent inequities and rising costs. We need a new vision for Spokane County. We need public servants who will work on the community issues that will determine our next 20 years: sustainability, community safety and economic opportunity. It is critical my generation recognize the opportunity we have to shape our future in November’s local election.
Maggie Yates brings fresh leadership, hard-earned experience and a vision for a future in Spokane County where all our families can thrive. Maggie is here for the community. Not only has Maggie been an active participant in the betterment of our community for years, but I can attest to her courage and integrity and know she is the right person for this role. I have known Maggie and her family since moving to Spokane in 2000. Maggie is committed to making decisions that support healthy families, promote government accountability and transparency, restore trust, expand economic opportunity, embrace sustainable growth and ensure an equitable and healthy future for Spokane County!
I am confident that Maggie will represent us well. Join me this November in casting a ballot for a brighter future. Vote Maggie Yates for County Commissioner, District 5!
Jeremy Taylor
Spokane
Quality Inn Catalyst Project
I’ve been an active resident of Spokane’s West Hills neighborhood for almost 20 years. I share many of my neighbor’s concerns about the growing consequences of homelessness in our area and across our city. That’s why I’m in support of the Quality Inn Catalyst Project. It’s well-funded and has a solid plan. Because I know that our neighborhood and our city are healthier and safer when people are off our streets, out of our forests and into housing. I appreciate the growing number of other West Hills neighbors I’ve talked to who feel the same. We can protect and advocate for our neighborhood while being compassionate. I challenge other neighborhoods to do the same.
Ryan Oelrich
Spokane
If not now, when?
It’s time for a comprehensive approach to public safety and necessary improvements that will restore confidence in our urban core.
“Make it Matter” was the founding principle of HDG when we opened our doors in downtown Spokane over 10 years ago. With projects all over the country, we’ve learned that to be successful, we have to carefully listen to our clients and lead to ensure we’re building spaces that shape people’s lives and make a difference. It’s time for Spokane’s leaders to take a page out of our playbook, listen and support immediate actionable policies that will improve downtown.
The absence of workers is stalling Spokane’s post-pandemic recovery and continues to impact our small business neighbors. As the owner of NUDO Ramen Bar, Josh also acutely knows the impact of their absence. But the reality is, our employees do not feel comfortable reintegrating into downtown today. They’re concerned about the lack of cleanliness and in particular, threats to their personal safety after dark. Their desire to be downtown is fading quickly and it must be addressed now or we’ll lose the vibrant downtown we’ve all worked so hard to build.
Like nearly every business we know, we fully support the efforts to clarify legislation that will address hazardous encampments and enforce the city’s sit-lie ordinance. This is an opportunity for our officials to show they care about our city. The time has come to take action. If not now, when?
Armando Hurtado and Josh Hissong
Spokane
Voting in Idaho
It is campaign season for the 2022 midterm election. The issues that face our nation and state are often perceived as insurmountable from the media perspective, but in truth that is not so. To tackle our problems, we have to meet them with our boots on the ground, one issue at a time. More often than not, we see a name on a signboard and that sticks in our mind so we end up voting for that person. That kind of voting is how we got ourselves into the seemingly insurmountable mess we find ourselves.
I encourage you to find out about the candidates any chance you get. Visit websites. When you see that candidates are in your area, go talk to them, ask them questions, find out what they think. Ask incumbents about their voting records. Knowing the candidates will tell you far more than sound bites you get from campaign signs.
Right now the GOP hardliners have a stranglehold on Idaho politics and they need to be held accountable. That is our job as voters. The big problems are solved at our front door one vote at a time. Educate yourself on the candidates and vote.
Brian Potter
Potlatch
CMR town hall
McMorris Rodgers’ recent town hall (“At town hall, McMorris Rodgers questions FBI raid of Trump home,” Sept. 1) was everything we have come to expect from our MAGA-loving representative. “Weaponizing the FBI.” “Election ‘irregularities.’ ” Limiting women’s health options? All very dangerous MAGA bylines among many others during her Q&A session.
CMR has clearly drifted into the far right antidemocratic faction that is threatening the very foundation our great country. Natasha Hill represents a high quality option to get the wheels of true democracy back on track. Voting this fall has never been more important for everyone, but especially for women who value their own autonomy.
Glenn Kellogg
Spokane
SPS Monday late start
Mr. Archer’s defense of late start Monday at Spokane Public Schools (“Despite what critic say, SPS changes will boost students,” Aug. 31) is full of bias suggesting that the nonteacher, nonunion public is not entitled to express concerns.
He suggests that a 60-minute late start only results in two minutes of lost instruction time. My rudimentary math would suggest that 60 minutes divided by five (if there are five) days a week would result in 12 minutes of lost time. Every. Single. Week.
Per SPS, structured time to collaborate is “consistent with other area school districts.” (I would remind you there is more than one definition of “collaborate”). In general, area schools are underperforming.
Most telling is Mr. Archer’s list of traits of “high-performing schools.” He only lists five of nine and still “instruction” comes in a paltry No. 4.
How about using that precious 60 minutes a week to teach? Every. Single. Week. Action is always more effective than words.
Beverly Myers
Spokane
Wrong site, wrong project
I read about the pending closure of the very popular and successful South Hill Grill with disappointment. It will be a sad loss for the Lincoln Heights community.
I also read, with great disbelief and concern, about the scope of the Chick-fil-A proposal for building on 29th Avenue. A project of this magnitude will have a strong negative effect on that entire area of the South Hill. A drive-in with two drive-thru lanes, 100 parking spots and seating for 90 is a big project and will have a huge impact on traffic throughout the area.
In the last few years, a large number of multifamily housing developments were built south of 29th and another development is going up west of Southeast Boulevard above 29th, adding additional traffic to an area that already had a substantial number of apartments and condominiums, as well as two large retirement communities.
The Chick-fil-A proposed building site is not on the edge of the Lincoln Heights business area where a major increase in traffic might be more manageable. It is right in middle of the area that does not have space for expansion to handle a large increase in traffic entering and exiting the site. These traffic issues alone are sufficient to turn down the project.
Other proposals to build drive ins on the same location were denied because of city code restrictions regarding drive through lanes. Chick-fil-A’s plans have the same problems that caused others to be denied, so why is the conversation continuing?
Betsy Carosella
Spokane