In last issue’s column, “No simple fix to school funding issue,” political reporter Jerry Cornfield omitted a key people’s initiative, which directed the Legislature to reduce class sizes.
I admire letter writer David Chapin’s zeal to halt global warming. However, in criticizing Frank Shiers’ cartoon about “kayaktivists” last issue, Chapin’s passions prevent an understanding of the purposes of political cartooning.
Thank you for calling our attention to the issue of climate change with your editorial cartoon from the May 22 edition. You seem to imply that if one calls for a decrease in fossil fuel extraction yet continues to use fossil fuel products they are hypocritical. By doing so you fell right into the message trap laid out by the industry spin doctors.
In a recent letter to the editor, representatives from two neighborhood groups requested additional studies to prove the need for the Energize Eastside project. Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and independent consultants have conducted multiple studies that all point to an urgent local need for the project, making additional studies unnecessary.
The cartoon on the May 22 Redmond Reporter opinion page deserves a response. The cartoon illustrates a “kayaktivist” participating in the May 16 Shell NO! protest of the Polar Pioneer drilling rig in Elliott Bay.
Roughly 18 months ago, my 10-year-old daughter, her elementary school principal and I stood up in front of Redmond City Council to bring their attention to the importance of improving visibility at crosswalks near school zones and improving and adding sidewalks on school routes. Whether you are a senior citizen or a young family with school-age children, living in a place where you can walk safely and easily from school, to a park or the local library makes all the difference. Walkability is a critical element of creating a successful and sustainable community.
I happened to read the answer to your “Question of the week” from your May 15 edition:
“Are Redmond’s City Council members doing a good job?” The answer to the poll was Yes: 36.8% No: 63.2%.
We are the Chicas for Change, a group of sophomores from Redmond High School who are working together to help change our community and the world, one step at a time.
In last week’s Letters to the Editor section, Mr. Usama Ahmed referred to the attack by two Muslims on the Texas “free speech event” and stated, “Islam has never permitted violence in response to blasphemy.”
Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) studies that show a need for Energize Eastside assume that no local generation plants are operating during an infrequent arctic winter event. This is an unrealistic assumption, because many of those generators were acquired by the company to serve exactly this scenario.
We at Bloomz believe that education is the most important investment a country can make, for its people and its future alike. As a Redmond-based startup that offers individual teachers a free app to save time and improve parental engagement in benefit of their students, we too believe we need to stand with our community in times of need.
The Washington State Council on Aging is asking you to join us, and Gov. Jay Inslee, in honoring older Americans during the month of May.
(The following comments from the Web are in response to Brian Hansford’s letter, “Teachers unions are getting in the way of education,” from last issue.)
The sentiment is understood and sound — I am not in agreement with the walkout, either. That said, there is some misinformation in this letter.
I am writing to indicate my opposition to the school-teacher strikes and demand for more money.
Once again, teachers unions are getting in the way of education. It’s pathetic that teachers from the Lake Washington School District (LWSD) are taking a school day to run to Olympia to rally on everything from pay raises to classroom sizes. Instead of robbing students of a school day, maybe the union should suggest their membership use a Saturday similar to the strong showing in Olympia on April 25.
Regarding last issue’s article, “How cyclists and drivers can safely share Redmond roads, trails,” Peter Dane and Carolyn Hope made the statement that there have been no issues with the Redmond Central Connector (RCC) since 2013 is misleading.
I am a longtime resident of the city of Redmond. My family has called the greater Redmond area home for more than 100 years. The growth that I have seen in the last 50 years has been positively mind boggling with the change from a sleepy little town of 500 populated mostly by farmers and loggers, to a bedroom community for Boeing and finally to a center of high-tech businesses that have a worldwide reach.
Last week’s guest column by Forterra staff members Norah Kates and Carrie Hawthorne was truly appropriate as we celebrate Earth Day and Arbor Day.
More than 30 corporate partners support Lake Washington Schools Foundation’s 10th anniversary Legacy for Learning luncheon. Investing in students, our community’s future workers, parents and leaders helps to build a strong and vibrant community. This year’s corporate partners have contributed more than $108,000 to expand the foundation’s investment in future ready academic courses, programs to ensure equal access to educational opportunities and programs supporting quality teaching within our district.
(Following is a letter from a parent, whose daughter is a patient at the Redmond business.)
Dear Dr. Moe and staff,
You have so beautifully made a difference in my family’s life both physically, spiritually and mentally.