Letters: Thanks for shoveling, take down other dams, Biden’s executive orders and more | Feb. 21

Great neighbors did his shoveling

On Feb. 13, I was pondering how I was going to shovel my walks and driveway. Later, I heard noises outside my front door. I looked out and five men were busily shoveling my walk and driveway. One of them was my neighbor, Eric. The others I didn’t know. I stepped out to thank Eric and ask who the others were. He said they were neighbors from around our neighborhood. I thanked them also. Ten minutes later another man was snow-blowing my street sidewalk. I didn’t recognize him either.

With my COPD, I struggle with work like that. Being 83 years old doesn’t help either. This great bunch of guys were terrific neighbors, and I want to thank them publicly. They know who they are. God bless them. Goes to show there are good people out there.

I live in a wonderful neighborhood with good people. Thank you all so much.

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Kennewick needs timely plowing

As a lifelong Tri-Citian, I consider myself fortunate to live in the city of Kennewick. For the most part, I feel the city does a good job meeting its responsibilities of providing the services that we pay for that make us a desirable community. But here’s my beef: Snow removal! Not good! The street department (snow removal crew) needs to man up, grab a gear and do a better job.

My experience midmorning on Feb. 12, driving a route that was priority one (according to the city’s snow removal map), made me wonder what the city’s snow removal criteria “snow accumulates to a plowable depth” means. I couldn’t see lane lines, was snowplaning in the slow (right) lane, and didn’t see any plows.

Come on, man, if a crippled up old man like me can work the business end of a snow shovel and clear my sidewalk according to the street department’s recommendation: “the best time to shovel is immediately after it falls,” then you should do the same.

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Tear down old, abandoned dams

We’re trying to take down the wrong dams. If you read the report, you’ll see that comes down to dwindling habitat. That means spawning gravel. We have, by my count, in Washington State, over 40 privately owned and abandoned private dams that could be taken down right now. (Some private dams are for sale.) We could buy them, right now, and begin tearing them down. And all for the low, low, price of one year’s worth of billable hours.

The Hoh River dams prove how quickly de-siltation of spawning gravel could occur.

A choice: We can litigate for years or free up hundreds of square acres of spawning gravel now. Tear down abandoned dams. Buy the dams that are for sale and tear them down, too. Oregon’s doing it.

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COVID-19 letter appalling to her

I am appalled that the Herald would publish the letter from Judith and Harlan Schulz, full of incorrect facts about the COVID-19 vaccine. The Herald has a moral obligation to fact check lettters for disinformation that can damage public health and derail the effort to protect people’s lives.

Shame on the Herald. And shame on the Schultzes. Despite your claims to the contrary, it is a vaccine and it does not change your DNA. How ridiculous. You folks need to read the science about it rather than the conservative political opinion pieces.

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Republicans today the ‘granola party’

Look at the appalling actions of the Republican party today — from the repeated attempts by Republican state legislatures to override the results of free and fair elections — to the insurrection in the Capitol on Jan. 6. 

I have been around long enough to remember when my former party, the Republican party, stood for the Constitution and for conservative principles. Then, it had leaders who stood for what was right for the country, not conspiracies, outright lies and authoritarianism. 

So sad, but today, the Republican party is like granola — full of fruits, nuts and flakes!

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Wind power plan won’t help Benton

Scout Clean Energy (SCE) has submitted a proposal for a 1,150 MW wind/solar farm in Horse Heaven Hills. SCE was initially going to apply for approval with Benton County, but now has changed and gone directly to the state.

SCE has said they want to be open with residents about this project. They have provided no information to assess electricity rates for the power or who is buying it. SCE could receive an estimated $10.8 billion in revenue, of which Benton County would get a scant $260 million in taxes over 35 years. They cite a need for 4,400 MW of additional power in the Pacific Northwest over the next decade. In 2018, the Northwest sent 40 GWh of electricity to California, a third of which was wind power. Washington is not short of power; California is. Benton County should not keep subsidizing California’s short-sighted power planning, as it has done for decades.

So, what just happened here? The state of Washington and not Benton County is now going to decide if SCE can dot 75,000 acres of beautiful, pristine vistas with windmills and solar panels? Ironically, the only climate that will change with this farm is Benton County’s.

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Teachers: Get back to work or ...

Teachers should be put on notice. If ordered to go back to work and (they) refuse, all pay will be stopped, and then if they still refuse to work, they will be terminated like the air traffic controllers were.

Their unions have crossed the line and they need to be put in their place.

Teachers and all public employees should be put under the same rules as law enforcement and firefighters. No strikes and all unresolved issues handled by binding arbitration. If they don’t want to go back to work, quit.

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GOP chairmen’s own ethics doubtful

This conservative Republican disagrees severely with the so-called Republican leaders demanding that Congressman Dan Newhouse resign over his ... vote to impeach then-President Donald Trump. I disagree for 2 reasons.

First, these county party chairmen claim that Newhouse cast his vote against the wishes of the majority of his district. They make that claim without offering any evidence that their claim is accurate. Newhouse states that many Republicans agreed with his vote. Assuming that those who voted for Newhouse’s opponent in the last election also agree with Newhouse’s vote to impeach, then I can easily believe that a majority of Fourth District voters support Newhouse’s impeachment vote.

Second, I believe that impeachment is one of the most serious matters that Congress can consider. Voting on impeachments must be done with the highest level of ethics and be consistent with the evidence. Popularity of the vote must be a far lower consideration.

I suggest that, at the least, these county party chairmen be informed that they are no longer eligible to be considered as jurors. I believe they are an unacceptably high risk to put politics above ethics and evidence in criminal proceedings.

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Too much attention to Biden’s religion

The media certainly gave a lot of space to the fact that Biden is Catholic — something that has not been done with the religion of other presidents. Could this be because his views are contrary to the long-held truths of the Catholic Church? And what better way to discredit the church than to make a mockery of it in order to push the socialist anti-God agenda.

Editor’s note: For those of us old enough to remember, a lot of attention was paid to the fact JFK was Catholic. And, though few, if any, are old enough to remember, New York Gov. Al Smith drew similar attention in 1928.

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Feb. 8 article had misleading parts

Regarding the Tri-City Herald article of Feb. 8 supporting keeping the lower Snake River dams: There are two misleading statements in it.

First, in the second paragraph, it states that these dams provide irrigation. The river provides irrigation, not the dams. Irrigation is completely feasible without the dams by extending the pipes, and representative Simpson’s plan provides ample money for this. As an example, the undammed Hanford Reach of the Columbia has numerous irrigation and other water withdrawals.

Second, the article quotes the power production of these dams in capacity measurements, saying they have a capacity of 3,000 megawatts and 10% of hydropower production. That’s true, but they only actually produce around 1,000 MW and 4% of the power because of mostly low water flows. Presenting this in terms of capacity is very misleading. Also consider that up to 25% of Bonneville’s power is surplus and exported from our region.

Also, a Feb. 12 letter suggested to just build more hatcheries. Well, we tried that and it’s not working. Saying we should just rely on hatcheries is like saying it’s OK for animals to go extinct in the wild as long as we can see them in zoos.

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Let’s do study of dams on Skagit

There needs to be a study on the need to remove the Skagit Valley Dams.

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Democrats think Newhouse ‘brave’

I believe many who have said (Rep.) Dan Newhouse was “brave” or “did the right thing” must be Democrats.They are thrilled when GOP members betray their own party. It’s music to their ears.

Unfortunately, he voted on an issue that was and is 1) unconstitutional and 2) premature; we now know it was planned in advance by others. Where is the outcry for impeachment for those whose inflammatory language should be construed as inciting violence: Obama, Biden, Kamala Harris, Pelosi, Shumer, Maxine Waters, et al? Another case in point: Marjorie Taylor Greene was ousted from her committees, yet Eric Swalwell remains on the intelligence committee after his relationship with a Chinese spy.

Instead of pinning everything bad on Donald Trump, how about pinning the blame where it truly belongs - on the Democrat donkey. And again, next election, I, too, will be voting my conscience.

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Does Biden know what he signed?

President Joe Biden has hit the ground running, signing over 30 executive actions so far. 

He has put thousands out of work by canceling the XL pipeline and the building of the border walls to protect us. Eliminated women’s sports now permitting guys to participate in women’s sports, use the restrooms and showers. Frozen Trump rule meant to lower prices of insulin, which I depend on to live. We can’t deport known criminals. Mandatory you wear a mask when you are on federal property. I wonder if he wears a mask full time since he lives in a federal-owned facility? We know he didn’t at the Lincoln Memorial. I guess he and whoever he is with is exempt. 

I was really impressed that he signed all of them and knew what was in each of them?? Hmmm?? Wonder if we could have a recall and get the other guy back. Economy strong, America safe, Troops home not fighting in a war. Nations were having to pay their fair share.

Editor’s note: The 60-day suspension of the rule on insulin is not so simple as suggested. “The (Trump) executive order was a slap in the face because we were already the allow-cost alternative to high prescription drug prices,” Amy Simmons Farber, a spokesperson for the National Association of Community Health Centers, told an NBC affiliate. “The executive order just created massive red tape. It’s not a good rule.” The centers opposed the rule and already were passing on the envisioned savings to low-income families who are intended to benefit.

This story was originally published February 21, 2021 at 12:01 AM with the headline "Letters: Thanks for shoveling, take down other dams, Biden’s executive orders and more | Feb. 21."