Letters: Feb. 19, 2019

‘Snowmaggedon’ brings out our best

The beauty of the Tri-Cities wasn’t just increased by the addition of a white blanket this past week, but also by the acts of kindness performed by neighbors, strangers, friends and family. It warms my snowbound heart to see people reaching out to help without expectation of payment or recognition. This demonstration of goodness reminds me that we Americans can come together to help each other in times of need without concern for race, religion, political affiliation, gender orientation or socioeconomic status.

A great big thank you to all of the emergency responders, medical personnel, city governments, school districts and especially the road maintenance crews for working so hard to keep everyone safe.

Also sending a great big shout out to the City of West Richland for doing a stellar job keeping their roads clear. Even with limited equipment, they made sure that every slight incline was de-iced and sanded. They got most of the horribly snowed in cul-de-sacs cleared out in a timely manner and even the mayor was out in his ATV plowing out other people’s driveways.

Kudos to the people in this area for doing good.

At least cartoonist has apologized

Non Sequitur. For goodness sake, the guy says he scribbled the tiny obscenity in a moment of frustration and forgot to white it out before submitting it. He apologized! Does Trump ever apologize for any of his horrible language? Which he screams out in public, even? I think Wiley should do a cartoon apologizing for his oversight and be allowed back into the fold. I know you aren’t the only paper that has dropped him, but be brave. We need his humor.

Draft permits not there for review

In January the Tri-City Herald identified a Department of Ecology comment period for proposed new state regulations on federal dams. The basis for the proposed regulations was identified as a draft EPA analysis addressing water temperatures that kill salmon.

What if the overall threats to fish (sea lions, terns, pelicans, hatchery mismanagement, overfishing) are ignored in these regulations? What if EPA’s draft analysis has errors or does not address high water temperatures that occurred when there were no dams during years of low water flow?

I found Ecology‘s public review page (comments due Feb. 19). Instead of discussing temperature, the web page says the purpose for the permits “is to authorize discharges from cooling water, equipment, floor drains, sumps, facility maintenance water, and other miscellaneous discharges.” Ecology’s web page did not have the permits available and said to ask EPA. I contacted EPA, but was told “These are actually predraft permits, which are different than the public comment draft permits we expect to release later….”)

It appears EPA/Ecology provided information to the newspapers but have not supported actual public review.

Homeschool exemption

It is my opinion that homeschoolers should not pay school taxes. My reasons are the following:

1. Homeschoolers are not educated by the public school. Hence is is common sense that they should not have to pay.

2. Congress is just trying to pay for all of the debt that they have instead of reducing on what they are paying on. So these taxes just keep on coming. This is unacceptable.

Think hard about helmet law change

re: proposed elimination of Helmet law for those over 21.

Sen. Sharon Brown, R-Kennewick, asserts that motor vehicle liability insurance or a surety bond will be required so taxpayers will not be on the hook for expenses. Insurance Council member says motor vehicle liability dies not cover driver. Brown will enforce this - how? Minimum insurance or bond? $200,000, $2 million? $5 million? A bad accident with brain injuries, broken spinal cord, etc., is an ER nightmare and can leave a person in a coma for years.

If Sen. Brown thinks the type of person who chooses to ride helmetless will comply with insurance requirements, I’ve got Eastern Washington oceanfront property to sell her. Or that younger riders will not violate the law or that such people will have health insurance, she is delusional.

Upside: Darwin Award will reduce the number of idiots in the breeding pool and there will be loads of organs for transplants. As two ex-sisters-in-law observed (both nurses), in springtime transplant mobiles hit the roads. Seriously guys - think about this.