Letters for Thursday, June 11

Protect federal lands from the current administration

I am an outdoor guy who has celebrated something special – a vast treasure of public lands. I have taken for granted our national forests and parks would be intact for our children. The Trump administration aims to change the rules by increasing logging, mining and commercial interests.

Take note – the federal government holds, not owns, 640 million acres. We own it. Any resident of Washington owns a piece of Yellowstone. Jane Doe of Michigan owns a piece of the Colville National Forest. The weight of your input does not change with your ZIP code. We Westerners may have a larger stake in how federal lands are managed however legally not any larger than Jane. This history of legal public ownership is why we should care about the following:

• National Park Service dollars spent on making D.C.’s Reflective Pool more attractive or building a Triumphal Arch.

• The Forest Service designated 58 million acres for road construction, rescinding the “roadless rule.”

• The Bureau of Land Management manages 245 million acres that will now be opened to increased drilling, mining and logging.

These are a few examples of pending rules changes. If you care do your research and contact your state and federal representatives. Thank you.

David King

Kettle Falls

Keep rural hospitals funded

On April 11, at 1:30 a.m., I was rushing my mom to Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville when she had a heart attack and was DOA at the locked ER doors. I pounded on the doors, screaming for help, and a nurse named Danny rushed out. We dragged Mom onto the pavement, where he started chest compressions. After 16 minutes of CPR, they got her back and air-lifted her to Spokane.

Because of the quick actions of Danny and others at Mount Carmel, my mom is alive today and seemingly has no lasting deficits other than 12 broken ribs and a broken breastbone.

It is crucial that we keep our rural hospitals open. They save lives! I cannot thank Danny and his coworkers enough for their care, expertise and determination to keep my mom alive.

Rep. Michael Baumgartner, however, has voted to cut funding for rural hospitals, the VA and many other programs that help people in Eastern Washington, in order to give more tax breaks to billionaires. This is unconscionable. He follows the fascist playbook, votes against our interests, and cares little about his constituents (unless they donate to his campaign). He doesn’t welcome dissenting opinions but is instead an obedient bootlicker.

On behalf of my family and the wonderful staff at Mount Carmel, I beg you to remember our story when you vote. Do not give Baumgartner another term to betray us. Vote him out!

Jeri Lynn Cabbage

Colville

Honoring our graduates

Congratulations to The Spokesman -Review for its excellent report on the 7,797 students from 69 schools in the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene area! The schools in our area are remarkable to review, with graduating classes anywhere from 300 to 20. One student from each school is selected in the coverage. It is a remarkable story of the diversity and wonder of all of them. What a glorious time in Spokane to celebrate these graduations. It lifts my spirits to know that these young people are preparing for a bright future!

Sheri S. Barnard

Spokane