Letters to the editor
May 22, 2013
Plant sale thanks!
The Snoqualmie Valley Hospital Auxiliary appreciates the support from the North Bend, Snoqualmie, Fall City and surrounding-area residents, the North Bend QFC and the many Valley businesses that displayed our publicity fliers for our annual plant sale held May 4.
The Auxiliary is especially grateful to Carmichael?s True Value Hardware and Adventure Bowing in Snoqualmie, North Bend Ace Hardware, Home Depot, Fred Meyer and Lowes in Issaquah for their generous donations.
Because of the success of the sale, the Auxiliary will be able to fund its sixth annual $1,000 scholarship for a Mount Si High School graduating senior pursuing studies in the medical field. Congratulations to Bob Edwards, who was the lucky winner of our garden cart.
John McLean
Secretary of the Snoqualmie
Valley Hospital Auxiliary
May 9, 2013 Letters to the Editor
May 8, 2013
Thank our firefighters, paid and volunteer
Our family has lived in North Bend for the past 13 years and only found out last Friday night that the North Bend and Snoqualmie fire stations are run by a combination of paid firefighters and volunteer medics.
Letters
May 1, 2013
Thank you for supporting the first North Bend Blues Walk
The first-ever North Bend Blues Walk was a great success thanks to everyone involved. More than 1,200 people came out April 20, filling 13 venues downtown. Following in the same fashion as the successful Jazz Walk in September, music could be found all up and down North Bend Way from 6 p.m. to midnight, and patrons wandered from venue to venue enjoying the experience of it all. Read more
Letters
April 24, 2013
Why should we starve the birds?
Now, we are being threatened with fines if we continue feeding birds after the bears leave their dens! Really?
This is a completely irresponsible policy. Our King County Fish and Wildlife Department apparently doesn’t care at all how many birds starve to death once the bears come out of their dens. Birds and other wildlife become dependent on the food we supply them, and they have more offspring as a result. Food for bears and birds and many other animals is very poor in spring and does not become abundant until late summer and fall, if at all.
Letters
April 17, 2013
Background checks alone won’t solve gun problems
Joe Crecca would have been convincing in his April 11 letter “There’s a problem with universal background checks” if he’d limited himself to believable points. He writes, “only honest, law-abiding citizens” are buying guns subject to an NICS background check.” Believable if limited to “law-abiding citizens of record,” but not true as stated.
Mr. Crecca says background checks will accomplish “nothing” because no criminal would ever submit to such scrutiny. No recognition of the possibility that the qualified buyer can sell that gun later picked up by law enforcement with tracing information back to the original buyer accruing from the background check.
He goes on to claim Adolf Hitler used “background checks” to control gun possession by the Jews. A check of the Jewish Virtual Library, Introductory History, covering from Jan. 30, 1933, when Hitler became chancellor, reveals none of what Mr. Crecca claims happened.
He wonders why DHS (I assume he’s referring to the Department of Homeland Security) is contracting to buy 1.6 million rounds of jacketed hollow point ammunition whose only purpose is to kill. He connects this with the push for background checks. I find the inference offensive and the connection nonsense.
Passage of background checks will not accomplish much without passage of additional legislation banning the sale of assault weapons and large ammunition magazines, plus action to deal with gang and mental health problems. But, it’s a beginning.
Dave Olson
North Bend
Letters
April 10, 2013
Trash on trails is ridiculous
What is being done regarding all the homeless people that are living off the Snoqualmie Trail? There is trash, needles, human waste and discarded clothing, not to mention the ever-growing homeless population.
I’m getting tired of having to go to other trails in the area to get away from the homeless. What is the King County Sheriff’s Office doing about this? They say they’re “aware of the problem,” but they are not taking any action about it. What about all the homeless that now call the library their “day home?” It’s a joke. I don’t even use the library anymore, yet I pay for it in my taxes!
Letter
April 3, 2013
To the Good Samaritan,
I appreciated your help in mounting a tire on my maroon car Feb. 27. I was upset with my wife’s visit to a Medicaid clinic. I failed to get your name and phone number. As you left me to get home in the 20 minutes until dinnertime your wife gave you, I saw that you had dropped a screwdriver or it fell out of your pickup. Give me a call at 888-2459 and I will return your tool. Thanks again, flat on Interstate 90.
Frank McFadden
Snoqualmie
Letters
March 28, 2013
Donate formula to help babies who need it
March 25-30 marks Hunger Action Week, which highlights those who are at risk of hunger, and hunger’s harmful impact on our community.
While the week shines a light on those in our community without enough food to eat, we pose the question, “What about babies without enough to eat?”
Letters
March 13, 2013
Democrats did it
“Would you rather people think you’re ignorant or are you willing to open your mouth/pen a letter to the editor and remove all doubt?” … or words to that effect.
A letter in the February 28 Star, “People need jobs, not cuts,” lays blame for the current mess in Washington, D.C., on the shoulders of Rep. Dave Reichert, our 8th Congressional District representative. I suggest Mr. Joselyn’s dissatisfaction should correctly be directed to do-littles Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell, the do-nothing U.S. Senate and the current occupant of the Oval Office.
Letters
March 6, 2013
Thanks for helping me take great photos
I was humbled, honored and greatly appreciative of the first-place recognition by the SnoValley Star of my Northwest Nature entry in the recent photo contest. A sincere thanks to the Star’s publisher and staff for holding and administrating the contest again this year.
I would like to acknowledge those who had a part in capturing that scene. First, I would like to thank God for the health, resources and opportunities to shoot pictures in such a beautiful area. A heartfelt thanks to my wife Lisa, for unwavering support despite my sometimes obsessive and occasionally messy hobby; to longtime friends and advocates Sally Rackets, Joan Guenther and Lynne Creed for years of encouragement; and to local photo pros Mary J. Miller and (Snapshot) Sandy Horvath for their inspiration and willingness to share expertise.
I owe a special debt of gratitude to Pastor Charlie Salmon, from Church on the Ridge. In 2004, after talking for just a few minutes, Charlie made an offer I couldn’t refuse: Did I want to borrow the church’s new Nikon D70 digital camera for a few days so I could take it for a test spin? That incredible act of trust changed an old film photographer’s life forever.
Finally, I salute my fellow shutterbug enthusiasts who took the time, energy and effort to participate in the contest. All of us will be better photographers in the future for having done so.
Danny Raphael
North Bend
