Letters for Sept. 12

City just doesn’t care

I chose to be the principal proponent behind Proposition 1 because I recognized the problem homelessness (and drug use) represented in this city and how it was slowly strangling our urban core, parks and public spaces.

Alas, judging from their absence at Monday’s event, I see that Mayor Brown and the vast majority of city council members still don’t care at all or at least do not care enough to show up and become an active participant in resolving the issue. Hiding from the problem will not solve it; every member of our city’s elected government needs to become involved and address the issue every chance they can get.

The fact that every council member but Jonathan Bingle and Michael Cathcart chose to skip the event proves what the business owners reported to The Spokesman-Review’s interns a few weeks ago: The city just doesn’t care.

Brian Hansen

Spokane

Conroy for 5th Legislative District

Listen up! Don’t miss this chance! We have an unparalleled opportunity to elect someone amazing to the House of Representatives in the 5th Legislative District.

Carmela Conroy is this candidate, and she comes with training as a lawyer, experience as a prosecutor, and years serving in the United States Foreign Service. It is an important outreach arm for building good relationships with other countries. She has served in Japan with Tom Foley, Pakistan, Oslo, Norway, and Afghanistan, as well as having other international experiences. With the difficult situations our country faces in the world, her background cannot be duplicated by reading a book. It is unique.

Carmela chose to run for this position because she realizes the importance of her background for these times. Please, please help us all to benefit by this chance to elect a really knowledgeable person to this position.

Please mark your ballot for Carmela Conroy, and mail it on time.

Roz Luther

Spokane

Leach’s WSU memories live on

I’m so happy, like most, I’m sure, to see Coach Mike Leach inducted into WSU’s Athletic Hall of Fame. And while hosting Texas Tech, no less!

Now seems an appropriate time to also put his national hall of fame candidacy into “pirate perspective.” As previously reported, his career coaching win-loss percentage falls one win shy of the College HOF selection criteria. Here a memorable loss comes to mind, the 2013 New Mexico Bowl when he could have chosen to take a knee and won, but instead lost on a last-second field goal. We all know he was not one to do what’s expected, and I doubt he would complain about the national criteria or want an exception to be made on his behalf. Because unlike Al Davis, another famous football pirate, he would have had something more creative to say in mind than, “Just win, baby.”

I imagine Leach quoting someone like Daffy Duck, instead, perhaps reminding us, “The only two things a pirate’ll run for are money and public office.”

Go Cougs, and long live our Leach memories!

Donald McIntyre

Spokane

New road policies can’t come soon enough

With eardrums and nerve ends grated by the explosive and shrieking noises made by the tricked-out vehicles racing through the streets of north Spokane from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. every day, I think back fondly on the quiet days I spent this past summer in London and Washington, D.C., where the vast majority of drivers follow traffic laws and those who don’t are dealt with by law enforcement. Spokane’s streets instead are plagued with rampant reckless driving and street racing that maim and kill and fill our air with pollution, and noise harmful to our physical and mental health.

The new mayor endorses “safe streets” and there is a new chief of our police force, which has acquired a helicopter and drones that deal with moving vehicle violations more safely. There will be additional ticket-issuing cameras. I strongly suggest the large intersections of North Division Street, a state highway beloved of the street racers, for placement. I also suggest the acquisition of ticket-issuing noise meters.

The implementation of new policies and means of making our streets safer can’t come soon enough for the health and well-being of our community.

Linda Carroll

Spokane