Letters for April 30, 2024
If you can’t pay, park the car
While sitting at the traffic light, I look around at license plates to see who is current. When I spot an outdated plate, it’s usually on a luxury car or big SUV. These people are cheating the rest of us who diligently pay our fees and get up-to-date tags and are freeloaders to say the least. If you can’t pay for the tags, park the car! All of my friends are on retirement income, and we manage to pay for our tags. Roads don’t fix themselves. It’s car tags that help.
Tom Hinkle
Spokane Valley
Got smoke detectors?
Horror, disbelief, shame and tears for yet another loss-of-life Spokane home fire near North Central High School on 1700 block of North Howard. This time young “homeowner” family members perish?
There should have been a smoke detector in every room with a closet. Did any presale home inspection catch that one? Not important enough?
It’s a 3-decade-old ordinance, if not older. And the fire department installed smoke detectors are available for free. Religious organizations offer them too.
Is your life not worth $10 to $20 for a 10-year battery built in smoke detector?
Renters disabling or removing smoke detectors for cannabis, fentanyl or cooking excuses is idiotic too. It happens, nonetheless.
I’ve encountered renters changing electric breakers swapped out for larger breakers to accommodate plug in electric heaters only to melt the wiring in the wall. Thank goodness the fiberglass insulation didn’t burn.
What will it take to convince people smoke detectors (plural) to save their lives while they sleep in their bedrooms?
Mike Reno
Spokane
Celebrate public service recognition week
During the week of May 5-11, public servants across the country will be honored for their commitment to ensure our government fulfills the needs of all Americans and keeps our country moving forward. President Ronald Reagan and Congress first established Public Service Recognition Week in 1985 to recognize all public servants.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management listed Washington State having 66,040 federal civilian and postal employees and 60,364 federal civilian retirees (2022). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists 44,600 government jobs in Spokane and Spokane Valley (2024). People fulfilling these jobs make government work at all levels, including local, county, state, and federal.
As president of the Spokane Chapter of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, I encourage you to say “thank you” to these public servants during May 5-11. If you are either an active or retired federal employee, then I also invite you to join our chapter’s lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m., May 13 at Darcy’s Restaurant in the Spokane Valley. I hope to see you there.
Scott Robinson
Spokane