Letters for Jan. 20, 2023
Support for Odegard
Kara Odegard, Spokane City Council’s former manager of sustainability, was the focus of a recent S-R article (“City Council’s sustainability lead resigns amid ethics review, calls complaint ‘harassment,’ ” Dec. 21). It highlighted an ethics complaint made by an individual and cast an unwarranted shadow on Odegard’s character as facilitator for the Sustainability Action Subcommittee. This volunteer group was formed by the City Council in 2019 with the goal to develop an updated Sustainability Action Plan.
We members of the SAS think the public deserves the truth about Odegard and the high caliber of professionalism she practiced throughout this process. Without her tenacious guidance and skilled facilitation, the Sustainability Action Plan would still just be a collection of ideas. In a little over two years time, Odegard successfully managed 40-plus volunteers, operating in multiple workgroups. She inspired us to complete this important road map to a more livable future. It was troubling to many of us who worked with Odegard to read this unfair piece in our local paper. The public deserves to know of the passion, integrity and professionalism with which she led this effort.
We want to highlight that the SAS, with Odegard’s leadership, has provided an effective example of participatory democracy. This successful effort at grassroots policymaking led the City Council to create other stakeholder and volunteer groups that contribute their personal and professional experience. We stand by Kara Odegard, and are thankful and proud to have worked with her.
Kirsten Angell, David Camp, Delaney Carr, Ian Cunningham, Amy Dawley, Kelly Hansen, Brian Henning, Ted Hensold, Elyse Hochstadt, Wyeth Larson, Ryan Lok, Larry Luton, Pat Millen, Trenton Miller, Mike Petersen, Naghmana Sherazi, Morgan Shimabuku and Chelsea Updegrove
Spokane
Elle McSharry
Spokane Valley
Patrick Miller
Cheney
Good news for climate
In the summer of 2021, I added “heat dome” to my vocabulary, because we in the Northwest experienced extremely high temperatures for an extended period. We learned that heat dome is an area of extreme heat that gets trapped under a high pressure “dome.” Climate change is causing the frequency of heat domes to rise, so maybe instead of experiencing one every 50 years, we can expect it to happen again in the next 10 years.
More recently, Californians have been introduced firsthand to an “atmospheric river.” Heat domes and atmospheric rivers are just two of the weather disruptions intensified by climate change.
But there is good news! For Americans, the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act includes a lot of legislation to address climate change. The IRA is expected to reduce U.S. emissions by 40% by 2030, but this requires people and businesses to take advantage of the money on offer. To find out how to save on appliances, electric vehicles, home improvement, solar panels AND help save the planet, you can go to a number of websites. This one will tell you how much you can save on specific items: bit.ly/3w2HxIE. After that heat dome, I’m interested in the heat pump air conditioner!
Margaret Davis
Moscow, Idaho
No need for zip line
Linda Mcintosh’s “Zip line ‘beautification’?” (Jan. 15) raises significant concerns. Can there be any link between the park’s beautification efforts for Expo’s 50th and a proposed zip line along the river?
Building on her expressed concerns, without the added expense of full-time security patrols or unsightly modifications to the Monroe Street bridge, “zippers” would risk endangerment from items deliberately thrown at them from the bridge. In further questioning how a zip line “contributes to the preservation of our environment” one should keep in mind that each “zipper” will need to be returned from Peaceful Valley. Their transportation will involve many round trips and added congestion all day long.
Should the city be investing in modifications made solely for the profit of private enterprises? With the majestic and inspirational view from the plaza being unsurpassed, can’t we remain focused on preserving the river’s natural wonders instead of seeking new ways to monetize it?
Vickie Munch
Spokane
Government today
How long will it take before political pundits and politicians who actually want to govern stop calling the Matt Gaetz, Marjorie Taylor Greene and their cohorts, conservatives or far-right wingers? When will they correctly label them as anarchists? These people do not want government to function and they will do everything necessary to prevent it from functioning.
A brief history of how we got to this point: As president in the 1980s, Ronald Reagan stated, “Government is not the solution. Government is the problem.” Coming from a president, that was the official start of skepticism and cynicism toward government.
Newt Gingrich as speaker of the House in the 1990s, turned cynicism into outright hatred with his “leave no prisoners” approach, acting to shut down government whenever he didn’t get his way.
Donald Trump turned hatred into active violence through four years of constant invective, culminating in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot that he instigated.
Today with instant communication among violent groups not just in the USA, but internationally as witnessed in Brazil, no single leader is necessary. The seeds of anarchy, chaos and violence have been planted, thereby decentralizing planning and coordination. That, together with easy access to firearms, sets the stage for mayhem.
Today the anarchists will do what they want to do virtually unchecked. With the total capitulation of Kevin McCarthy, a man of no principle, they are in charge. They will not negotiate. Their goal is chaos. Preventing government from functioning, or outright violence, is their means.
Bruce Barnbaum
Granite Falls, Washington