Sequim Gazette Editorial and Letters to the Editor
Letters to the editor
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Struggling with this economy
I read your Feb. 18 article entitled "Working together, buying locally" by Ash Merscher. It states that we should not buy from Walmart but instead buy from our other local shops and patronize our local restaurants. In the same letter, this person says "We are all struggling."
Yes, we are, and that is the reason I buy at Walmart, as they have the lowest price for good quality items.
I am on a fixed income and cannot afford to patronize higher-priced shops and restaurants. Many in this area can, but I can't. So I welcome IHOP restaurant! They have a great variety of good meals at a fair price and even senior meals at a discount, and I'm sure this will make eating out more affordable for many of our senior citizens that also are on a fixed income.
Local restaurants could cut their prices to give us a break in these tough times.
P.J. Wilson
Sequim
Left with very little
Listening to a speech by President Obama is like picking up a handful of sand at the beach. With the sun shining so brightly on the sand it seems to glisten but when you open your hand all the sand slips out and you are left with very little of what you thought you were getting.
Lee Jones
Sequim
Pumping: maybe not far-fetched
Many years ago Sequim's motto was, "Where water is wealth." A recent tongue-in-cheek item appeared in The Ditchwalker, a newsletter for Sequim old-timers.
The topic was Sequim's water dilemma: water for people versus leaving water in the Dungeness River for spawning fish.
The intended humor suggested that we let the water flow past town to the river's mouth, to benefit the fish, then pump it back up town to benefit the people. Maybe that idea is not so far-fetched.
Doug McInnes
Sequim
No one went hungry
On behalf of the board, Nina and the dedicated volunteers of the Sequim Food Bank, we would like to thank the people of the most-giving community in our great nation.
There are so many people to thanks, from the children of First Teacher, who delivered two little red wagons full of food, to the Sequim High School wrestler who cut his hair for the first time in years to help raise 3,000 pounds of food. All the businesses, their employees, the students of Greywolf, Helen Haller, Sequim Community School, Sequim Middle School and Sequim High School. So many people to thank, so just a big thank you to all the people of Sequim.
We had an increase of almost 40 percent from 2007 in families that we served. The community met this need; in fact, exceeded it. Not one person was turned away and our shelves never were bare.
Our mission statement at the Sequim Food Bank is, "No family, man, woman or especially a child, should have to go to bed hungry." We are extremely dedicated to our mission.
We couldn't do it without the love and generosity of the people of Sequim, both young and old, who supported us.
Thank you and God bless Sequim.
Stephen T. Rosales
President, Sequim Food Bank
Water rights
issue isn't new
I think some people must recall discussions about water rights at city council meetings and planning sessions back in the 1980s.
I was a city councilman back then. We had to address water a lot of the time. Planning for water in the Sequim-Dungeness area was required regularly, and we were required to do new five-year water plans. City engineer Taft tried to just rubber-stamp old plans, but I caught him at it and they had to come up with a new one right away. Their bill for about $10,000 was sorta pre-approved.
I still remember hearing Chuck Lehman heading toward City Hall. You could hear him before he rounded the corner at Sequim Avenue.
And if you had a car wash, you were gonna be at that meeting also; it was time to start recycling.
We tried to inform everyone that if you want water or water rights in the near future, it won't come easily because additional water rights are a thing of the past.
Nobody wanted to listen when we said, "If you live on the edge of the city, you may have to sign up for city water by annexing, soon."
And the state law says that the city has rights to water that exceed other folks' water rights. So before you start shouting now, you're kinda late!
Maybe someone could figure how to catch all that underground river coming up near Protection Island.
Des Sievers
Washougal
Dear Mr. President
I am thinking today of Knute Rockne. I am sure that you know about him and the way he motivated his football team with inspirational speeches, after which they triumphed against all odds. Remember the phrase, "Win one just for the Gipper"?
I am also thinking about World War II and what a terrible time that must have been for our country. We were fighting a war on two fronts against foes that started their aggressions during the Depression years.
How bleak it must have looked after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when historians say that had Japan taken advantage of the situation they could have easily occupied the West Coast of the United States. The American people were forced during the war to make unbelievable adjustments to their lives. There was fighting in the armed services, working in industry building the weapons of war, rationing of all types, drives to "buy bonds" and many other sacrifices.
Within four years after Pearl Harbor, the United States was victorious and the indomitable American spirit had made itself felt around the world. This amazing feat of victory was encouraged and inspired by FDR. Through his many speeches and fireside chats to the American public, he kept our hopes alive and encouraged us to persevere while keeping us informed.
So, Mr. President, at this point in time I am longing for a Knute Rockne or an FDR to step up and give us hope; to renew our spirit. I am sick and tired of being afraid. You know what FDR had to say about fear. Of course we are all afraid and depressed during this time.
We are the best-informed generation ever. We have the television, the radio, the newspapers and the Internet. Bad news sells and we have a whole lot of selling of that commodity going on at this time.
There are little glimmers of hope out there, little mustard seeds that stay hidden in the news. These mustard seeds could be planted and nourished. They could grow into a recovery.
I want to go out and buy something I don't need and that makes me feel better. It makes me feel empowered, happy. Let's encourage people to be optimistic, to look for a mustard seed to plant, to be charitable and help their fellow man, to spend some money.
Mr. President, you are a gifted orator. How about renewing our spirit?
Don't lie to us, but don't feed us a steady diet of gloom and doom either. Do you realize that there are over 90 percent of us who are not unemployed? What a powerful team that is! We are the greatest nation on earth!
How about a weekly television address in prime time to remind us of how great we are, to give us encouragement. How about a fireside chat on TV now and then that will come into our living rooms and tell us that you have faith in us, that you know we can overcome this war against an enemy every bit as insidious as the enemies in World War II.
How about it, Mr. President? How about exhorting us to victory during these trying times?
Only, let's not win this one for the Gipper. Let's win this one for us and for our children.
God bless you Mr. President and God bless these United States of America.
Angelo M. Spandrio Jr.
Sequim
I read your Feb. 18 article entitled "Working together, buying locally" by Ash Merscher. It states that we should not buy from Walmart but instead buy from our other local shops and patronize our local restaurants. In the same letter, this person says "We are all struggling."
Yes, we are, and that is the reason I buy at Walmart, as they have the lowest price for good quality items.
I am on a fixed income and cannot afford to patronize higher-priced shops and restaurants. Many in this area can, but I can't. So I welcome IHOP restaurant! They have a great variety of good meals at a fair price and even senior meals at a discount, and I'm sure this will make eating out more affordable for many of our senior citizens that also are on a fixed income.
Local restaurants could cut their prices to give us a break in these tough times.
P.J. Wilson
Sequim
Left with very little
Listening to a speech by President Obama is like picking up a handful of sand at the beach. With the sun shining so brightly on the sand it seems to glisten but when you open your hand all the sand slips out and you are left with very little of what you thought you were getting.
Lee Jones
Sequim
Pumping: maybe not far-fetched
Many years ago Sequim's motto was, "Where water is wealth." A recent tongue-in-cheek item appeared in The Ditchwalker, a newsletter for Sequim old-timers.
The topic was Sequim's water dilemma: water for people versus leaving water in the Dungeness River for spawning fish.
The intended humor suggested that we let the water flow past town to the river's mouth, to benefit the fish, then pump it back up town to benefit the people. Maybe that idea is not so far-fetched.
Doug McInnes
Sequim
No one went hungry
On behalf of the board, Nina and the dedicated volunteers of the Sequim Food Bank, we would like to thank the people of the most-giving community in our great nation.
There are so many people to thanks, from the children of First Teacher, who delivered two little red wagons full of food, to the Sequim High School wrestler who cut his hair for the first time in years to help raise 3,000 pounds of food. All the businesses, their employees, the students of Greywolf, Helen Haller, Sequim Community School, Sequim Middle School and Sequim High School. So many people to thank, so just a big thank you to all the people of Sequim.
We had an increase of almost 40 percent from 2007 in families that we served. The community met this need; in fact, exceeded it. Not one person was turned away and our shelves never were bare.
Our mission statement at the Sequim Food Bank is, "No family, man, woman or especially a child, should have to go to bed hungry." We are extremely dedicated to our mission.
We couldn't do it without the love and generosity of the people of Sequim, both young and old, who supported us.
Thank you and God bless Sequim.
Stephen T. Rosales
President, Sequim Food Bank
Water rights
issue isn't new
I think some people must recall discussions about water rights at city council meetings and planning sessions back in the 1980s.
I was a city councilman back then. We had to address water a lot of the time. Planning for water in the Sequim-Dungeness area was required regularly, and we were required to do new five-year water plans. City engineer Taft tried to just rubber-stamp old plans, but I caught him at it and they had to come up with a new one right away. Their bill for about $10,000 was sorta pre-approved.
I still remember hearing Chuck Lehman heading toward City Hall. You could hear him before he rounded the corner at Sequim Avenue.
And if you had a car wash, you were gonna be at that meeting also; it was time to start recycling.
We tried to inform everyone that if you want water or water rights in the near future, it won't come easily because additional water rights are a thing of the past.
Nobody wanted to listen when we said, "If you live on the edge of the city, you may have to sign up for city water by annexing, soon."
And the state law says that the city has rights to water that exceed other folks' water rights. So before you start shouting now, you're kinda late!
Maybe someone could figure how to catch all that underground river coming up near Protection Island.
Des Sievers
Washougal
Dear Mr. President
I am thinking today of Knute Rockne. I am sure that you know about him and the way he motivated his football team with inspirational speeches, after which they triumphed against all odds. Remember the phrase, "Win one just for the Gipper"?
I am also thinking about World War II and what a terrible time that must have been for our country. We were fighting a war on two fronts against foes that started their aggressions during the Depression years.
How bleak it must have looked after the attack on Pearl Harbor, when historians say that had Japan taken advantage of the situation they could have easily occupied the West Coast of the United States. The American people were forced during the war to make unbelievable adjustments to their lives. There was fighting in the armed services, working in industry building the weapons of war, rationing of all types, drives to "buy bonds" and many other sacrifices.
Within four years after Pearl Harbor, the United States was victorious and the indomitable American spirit had made itself felt around the world. This amazing feat of victory was encouraged and inspired by FDR. Through his many speeches and fireside chats to the American public, he kept our hopes alive and encouraged us to persevere while keeping us informed.
So, Mr. President, at this point in time I am longing for a Knute Rockne or an FDR to step up and give us hope; to renew our spirit. I am sick and tired of being afraid. You know what FDR had to say about fear. Of course we are all afraid and depressed during this time.
We are the best-informed generation ever. We have the television, the radio, the newspapers and the Internet. Bad news sells and we have a whole lot of selling of that commodity going on at this time.
There are little glimmers of hope out there, little mustard seeds that stay hidden in the news. These mustard seeds could be planted and nourished. They could grow into a recovery.
I want to go out and buy something I don't need and that makes me feel better. It makes me feel empowered, happy. Let's encourage people to be optimistic, to look for a mustard seed to plant, to be charitable and help their fellow man, to spend some money.
Mr. President, you are a gifted orator. How about renewing our spirit?
Don't lie to us, but don't feed us a steady diet of gloom and doom either. Do you realize that there are over 90 percent of us who are not unemployed? What a powerful team that is! We are the greatest nation on earth!
How about a weekly television address in prime time to remind us of how great we are, to give us encouragement. How about a fireside chat on TV now and then that will come into our living rooms and tell us that you have faith in us, that you know we can overcome this war against an enemy every bit as insidious as the enemies in World War II.
How about it, Mr. President? How about exhorting us to victory during these trying times?
Only, let's not win this one for the Gipper. Let's win this one for us and for our children.
God bless you Mr. President and God bless these United States of America.
Angelo M. Spandrio Jr.
Sequim
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