Letters for July 28, 2023

Unkept promises in Latah Creek infrastructure

In the 1990s, I was proud to serve as chairman of the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (now SRC). We provided input, and approval, to many regional transportation projects such as the North Spokane Corridor, the Spokane Intermodal Center, the Division Street Couplet and more.

These Citizen Advisory Committees are required if the region wants to receive federal and/or state funds. The Regional Council is made up of elected officials of the city of Spokane, small cities in the region and staffed by the state and county. At that time, we were asked to prioritize needed transportation projects in two six-year transportation plans. In both plans, the failure of the level of service of arterials and intersections in the Latah Creek area was addressed, and all stakeholders signed off on needed improvements, noting the rapid growth in the area.

This has only addressed the transportation issues: promises made, but unkept. Not addressed is the obvious need for services such as utilities, police, fire and schools. It takes time to address these infrastructure inadequacies while heretofore rapid growth of the population in this area goes on unabated.

No more empty promises, action now!

Richard B. Kayne

Spokane

Assault weapon bans do not deter criminals

Greegor Peak’s namesake Dave may be a noted ecologist, but his guest opinion on so-called “assault weapons” is so full of anti-gun tropes, distorted comparisons and reckless hyperbole that it ought not have passed journalistic standards for print (“What legacy are we leaving with assault weapons?” July 9).

First, the current Democrat-majority Legislature and governor do not represent the views of most lawful gun owners (nor do our U.S. senators), particularly in Eastern Washington, and passed their recent gun-ban bill over strenuous public objections. Demonstrable facts and long-term studies prove that gun bans do nothing to affect overall crime rates. Claiming that opponents of this or any ban “are (by default) condoning the senseless mass murder of children” is a hateful and false dichotomy. Why do gun-ban advocates always blame those who don’t commit crimes for violence? If gun control worked, then Chicago; Washington, D.C; Los Angeles; and other major cities should be the safest in the nation. But a typical weekend death toll tragically shows their laws do nothing to keep the public safe.

Finally, saying that gun-control opponents effectively “… allowed the implementation of the most effective child murder machine in the history of this country” is another wildly false accusation. Actually, that distinction belongs to the abortion industry, with more than a million deaths per year, for decades, since 1975. None of those victims had the chance to grow up either. So to answer your question, Mr. Greegor, yes, that is how little we as a nation respect human life.

John Lyons

Spokane

Priest River school board issues

As a graduate of Priest River public schools, I have watched with dismay as a narrow majority of bad faith actors on the school board have undercut the community they were elected to serve. It seems that these bad faith board members – Rutledge, Brown and superintendent Durst – are borrowing from the NIC board playbook on how to destroy a school from the inside. The common denominator in both situations is the Idaho Freedom Foundation, an organization whose overarching mission is to get the government out of the business of educating our children.

In Priest River, the IFF-supported members have done the following: changed to a four-day school week without an implementation plan; failed to support a vital school levy; chose an unqualified superintendent while overlooking Susan Luckey, an experienced educator and 2018 Distinguished National Principal. All of this has been done while parents and other community members pack board meetings and protest the actions of the board.

What is happening in Priest River is a tragedy, but there is hope. Concerned community members have been able to gather enough signatures to get a recall election to remove Rutledge and Brown from the board. The election will be held on Aug. 29.

If you care about what is happening to Priest River schools or public education in general, contact the Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction and Gov. Little and let them know how you feel. What is happening to Priest River’s children could also happen to yours.

Denece Goertzen

Spokane

From a former West Valley teacher

As a former teacher in the West Valley School District, I have to wonder why a Libertarian home-schooler would be interested in being on the school board, aside from wanting to eliminate public education.

Ted Wert

Sagle

Advocate for peace

Each August, people concerned about the myths of military victory and U.S. dependency upon weapons of mass destruction observe the anniversary of the atomic bombings of Japan. This year, Spokane Veterans For Peace and others will focus upon the SNAFU mission that began with Hanford-produced plutonium and resulted in the destruction of Nagasaki and the gratuitous killing of scores of thousands of civilians.

On Aug. 9, we will lament the creation, stockpiling and extortion of ever larger nuclear weapons. We will work toward a future without the threat of catastrophe by nuclear accident, mistake or military insanity. We will try to enlighten media and educational institutions away from the constantly repeated lie that atomic bombs hastened the end of World War II. We will advocate for peace in a country consumed with fear, weapons and war. You, the few, the peacemakers, are invited.

Rusty Nelson

Spokane