Letters for March 14, 2023

Solar panels

Solar electricity is coming at a fast rate with the recently passed Recovery Bill. In the Southwest there is the Gemini Solar (690 watts), Oberon Solar (500 megawatts), Rexford 1&2 (1200 watts and others in earlier stages of planning). Joshua trees, cactus and the threatened desert tortoises will suffer as has been shown in a study where tortoises were transplanted when a new solar farm was installed.

There are better ways to advance solar. France, for instance, recently required large parking lots to be covered by solar canopies that shade cars and provide up to 11 gigawatts of new generating capacity, equivalent to about 10 times the above three projects.

Jonathan Thompson reported in High Country News on Jan. 25 that 4,889 megawatts could be generated using the rooftops of the 3,000 big-box stores in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. Why isn’t Amazon required to have solar panels on their large warehouses that were recently built? Did Commissioner Al French or any commissioners think to have a feasibility study done? We need elected officials with imagination and a willingness to get out in front of the coming technology.

Jerry White Sr.

Spokane

Timme vs. Burgess

Drew Timme is a terrific player and is now the all-time leader in scoring for Gonzaga. But Frank Burgess will probably never be equaled in scoring proficiency for the Bulldogs.

I saw Burgess score 50 points one game in the Spokane Coliseum, this with all field goals worth just two points. He led the nation in scoring in 1961. Many of us high schoolers in the early ’60s tried to imitate what he could do with a basketball, a tribute to his many skills.

He could fake passes that had opponents turning around looking for the ball. Besides his great jump shot, he would hold the ball over his head, appearing to be looking to pass and would launch a shot that he made with great efficiency. He was just an amazing scorer.

Frank set the scoring record in three years and averaged more than 28 points in 78 games. Timme has played in 130 games and has averaged 17 points.

There’s no comparison and probably never will be another like Frank Burgess.

Leroy Miller

Bellevue, Washington

North Cheney Park

In the fall of 1970 I began my freshman year at Eastern. In February 1971, I suffered a near fatal head injury from a fall from a horse. I was unable to complete winter quarter but went back for spring. I received a BA in political science.

My parents and I decided I would stay for summer quarter. Not wanting to pay for dorm fees, they thought I could live in their small Airstream if we could find a mobile home space.

Fifty-two years ago, North Cheney Park was owned and operated by Tom Presnell. Mr. Presnell and his family lived in their house at the south end of the park. He was not an absent owner. He ran his park with pride. I lived there for more than eight years, moving into three different mobile homes, each larger than the previous one and Mr. Presnell did not object.

In 1979 I decided to move to Spokane. I spent all that summer going to mobile home parks in Spokane and was rejected for many reasons including being single and for the age of my mobile home. I finally put a “space wanted” ad in the Spokesman. I was contacted by someone who had space on 2 acres in Greenacres. I lived there until I bought my house in 2002.

It could be hard for those in the North Cheney Park to find a new place, I wish them well.

Janeen Thompson

Spokane Valley

Housing in Spokane

I have read the recent articles about the need for housing in Spokane County, with the latest stating 71,000 new homes are needed over the next 20 years to keep up with demand. Even apartments are scarce. And how many of these residents would like to be in their own home, have space around them, to rejuvenate, grow food and explore hobbies?

There have also been articles related to increasing density and allowing multiple houses on a single-family lot. Are there enough lots available to meet this demand? Is this good for the community to cram more people into the same space? Spokane used to be a really great place to live, have a family and grow old. Now there’s not enough room and we hear that we need to stop being “selfish” in the large number of single-family homes available in Spokane County.

Is that true or would our community be better by developing with a plan to build these 71,000 homes? Single-family homes, no less. And is 71,000 the right number or is the actual number higher than that? Maybe we should be aiming for 100,000. It’s not like we’re out of room, look at the area around Deer Park, Mica, Valleyford, Otis Orchards, Mead, etc. We have the land to create a great community, with enough room for the residents to grow and thrive. Let’s choose what is best for our community.

Ann Winkler

Spokane Valley