Letters for June 8, 2023

Where are the traffic police?

I find it incredibly disturbing that there seems to be no traffic enforcement whatsoever in Spokane County. I see multiple vehicles driving with no license plates, expired tabs and RVs (tenement on wheels) parked on city streets. I pay more than $400 annually for tabs for my vehicles, but I’m beginning to wonder, “Why bother?” I am pretty sure the drivers of said vehicles have neither a driver’s license or insurance.

This issue seems to go much deeper as I witness gross speeding, running red lights and overall reckless driving. I have heard the argument that there are not enough officers to go around, but maybe there needs to be a “traffic division” that would be easily funded by the increased revenue of tabs and citations.

Ed Crosby

Spokane

Why Pride

In his June 4 letter entitled “Pride month,” William Tucker posed a question. He wondered why Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King Jr., presidents, veterans, moms, dads, Thanksgiving and even St. Patrick only get one or two days of recognition while “Pride gets a whole month?”

While some may point out to Mr. Tucker that Pride Month, St. Patrick’s, Mom and Dads’ Days are not federal holidays, his point is well-taken: Devoting a month to celebrating and standing up for the constitutional rights of the LGBTQIA+ community seems, well … not nearly enough.

Murray Krow

Spokane

Bravo to Rich Landers

Thank you for continuing to bring us the wonderful stories of long-time outdoors writer, Rich Landers. I thoroughly enjoyed Rich’s most recent articles about his trip to Africa and got a particular kick out of his birding adventures described in “Tickled by Feathers.” Being fairly new to birding myself (thanks to Spokane Audubon), I laughed out loud at Rich’s new term “a gape of birders.” (So perfect!) I was then inspired by his final line, “It would be a pity to return home from a trip like this without new motivation to go out each day and look for birds that you have experienced all your life and never really noticed.” (So true!)

I have enjoyed the outdoors all my life, but birding has opened my eyes – and ears – to a whole new way to appreciate nature. And birds are everywhere! (There are Peregrine falcons in downtown Spokane.) One never knows when you might see something totally new or interesting – whether minutes, or miles, or continents, away.

Thank you, Rich Landers. And thank you Spokesman-Review editors, for continuing to bring us his wonderful work.

Gary Lee

Spokane

Consideration for ballot measures

We are writing to bring awareness to two ballot measures for consideration by voters in Airway Heights during the Aug. 1 primary election.

One saves minds and the other saves lives.

Airway Heights has the lowest property tax rate among neighboring local governments. The city’s property tax levy of $1.43 per $1,000 funds all city services, including the library and fire department, which has seen a 172% call volume increase since 2013.

The first proposal asks voters to annex to the library district. Annexation is necessary to maintain funding for four full-time firefighters who were hired to respond to higher call volumes.

The second ballot measure asks voters to approve a bond to renovate a building for a fire station. Airway Heights secured a grant from the state for $1.3 million towards the property purchase. Accepting this funding is contingent on voters approving the bond to complete the purchase and finance renovations.

Airway Heights is changing for the better. Please visit the city’s website to learn more www.cawh.org.

Mitch Metzger

Fire chief, Airway Heights

Lesa Arrison

Supervisor of Airway Heights Library, Spokane County Library District

Showing respect for the flag

As Flag Day approaches, I would like to remind everyone of the fact that in 1998 the U.S. Congress issued guidelines for how to display and care for the American flag in a respectful manner.

I drive full-time for a major package delivery company. Since I don’t have my own route yet, I’ve spent the past two-plus years delivering in neighborhoods and communities all around the Spokane region. If I haven’t seen everything, I’ve still seen quite a lot.

I have seen the image of the American flag on doormats. I’ve seen the Star-Spangled Banner flown underneath other flags. I’ve seen the Stars and Stripes with added letters, insignia and designs. I’ve seen Old Glory on the back of pickup trucks reduced to shreds and tatters.

All of these practices, though ostensibly expressions of patriotism, are explicitly discouraged by the Federal Flag Code (PL 94-344).

I believe that every American has the right to free expression as guaranteed by our Constitution. Each of us can choose whether and how to express our patriotism. But every time I see our national emblem displayed in a manner inconsistent with the Federal Flag Code, I’m reminded of the line from “The Princess Bride”: “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Martin Hughes

Spokane