Opinion

Dear Editor,

My pen has been gathering dust, so now I’ll join the faithful “wise-all listen to me because I know best” group that contributes letters on a regular timetable for your viewer’s appetite. So here goes, you know from my past letters what quarter I am coming from. Allow me to create a situation, which you can place, yourself and many others including yours truly.

Dear Editor,

A recent story in the Spokesman-Review highlighted the case of Fred Watley, who found himself kicked to the back of the transplant line after his employer routinely changed insurance carriers, triggering a 6 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions. He would have died in less than 6 months without the transplant. Mr. Watley’s dilemma demonstrates why employers should not be health insurance buyers. Employers buying your health care without being able to ask your family’s health needs makes as much sense as having the boss buy your car for you without knowing how many kids you have to carry.

Dear Editor,

The Federal Reserve was planning to cross a wide stream. It had crossed many such streams and was skilled in crossing them well. But just as it stepped into the water, investment banks asked to ride along. They didn’t have the assets to cross the stream but knew the Fed did. The Fed looked at the investment banks and said, “I can’t let you ride on my back. You want me to take your bad debt in exchange for my instruments which have the full faith and credit of the United States,” it said. “You’ll sting me.” The investment banks said, “If we’re not able to get to the other side, everybody who is waiting for us will panic and that will be terrible.” “Besides,” they said, “If we sting you, we’ll all drown.”

Dear Editor,

I wish to comment on a letter submitted to your newspaper concerning the policy of the Chesaw Tavern requiring UPS and FedEx customers to pay a fee to retrieve their parcels.

Dear Editor,

People really aren’t afraid to show they care.

Saturday, March 15 was a very busy day and evening in Tonasket for “organized” random acts of kindness with several benefits going on at the same time; a benefit dinner at THS; the crab feed at the Eagles, Habitat for Humanity and the one I would like to highlight was the very large turnout for the Food Bank and Tonasket Saloon benefit for repairs to the HVAC system that was recently vandalized.

Dear Editor

At the overflowing and rambunctious March 10th public meeting of our fledgling Aeneas Valley Fire District 16, a Petition was presented signed by nearly 70 tax-paying residents. Passions were high and tempers flared on ‘both sides of the aisle.’ In times like these, level heads need to prevail. It would be good for all of us to remember these words found in Washington’s Public Meetings Act:

Dear Editor,

To all property owners:

My husband and I have received several letters from a company in California – N.R.L.L. East LLC – stating that they have analyzed our property and are willing to purchase it. The latest letter said they were willing to pay “$14,000 total in CASH” for this parcel. According to the letter, that is what recent sales in the area indicate the property is worth.

I share the following with all octogenarians. Author unknown. Life Begins at 80

I have good news for you. The first 80 years are the hardest. Once you reach 80, everyone wants to carry your bags and help you up the steps. If you forget your name and anybody else’s name or an appointment, or you’re your own telephone number, or promise to be three places at the same time, or can’t remember how many grandchildren you have, you need only explain that you are 80.

Calling all Tonasket voters! It is time to renew our school levy. This is a replacement levy, NOT a new tax. These funds represent roughly 15 percent of the school district budget and provide much-needed dollars for upkeep of our beautiful buildings and grounds; curriculum upgrades and improvements; continuing education for staff; new school buses and special programs, such as senior projects and sixth-grade camp.

As members of the Tonasket School Board, we are asking our voters to replace the expiring Maintenance and Operations Levy. Community support is crucial to our quest to provide quality programs and to maintain our facilities and grounds. Fortunately, levy dollars in our district are nearly matched by additional funds from the state, but we receive these matching funds ONLY if voters approve the levy. Ballots, separate from the presidential primary ballots, will be sent this week and must be postmarked no later than March 11th.