Ellington

GUEST COLUMN: Fake experts equal real risk

A colleague of mine loves his cats. So, when he saw a social media post from a veterinarian warning that toxic mold in his cat’s water fountain might be poisoning them, he couldn’t resist clicking through to the full article. The vet highlighted her credentials, stating that she had been in practice for nine years and saw 60 cats per month. She said she had two cats herself and showed pictures of pink toxic slime in several cat water fountains. Her conclusion was to buy her recommended “safe” fountain, with a link to purchase.

LETTER: Memories of 9/11

It was 5:30 am, September 11, 2001. As usual, the counselor and I walked from the school to the football field and back before school started. Streetlights guided us down to the field and back. As we walked back, a friend stepped out on his porch and hollered, “A plane just hit the Twin Towers!” It was just after 6:00 am PST. I thought he was talking about a Cessna. We retraced our steps. School would start in two hours, and we had to prepare for the day

LETTER: Renters drink the same water, so why were we left out?

When is Mayor Peter Sharp going to step forward and accept responsibility for what happens within the City of Soap Lake? Whenever concerns are raised, we hear blame directed toward the City Council. The council did place restrictions on the mayor’s authority, but those restrictions did not remove him from office or erase his statutory duties. Under RCW 35A.12.100, the mayor remains Soap Lake’s chief executive and administrative officer, with general supervision over city administration. Most residents have already heard the allegations and controversies surrounding City Hall. Those matters can be addressed through the appropriate investigations and public processes. Right now, we need to confront a recent and documented failure involving our drinking water.

GRANDMA GREEN SAYS: Back to school

Well, summer break is almost at its conclusion. So, on Wednesday, Sept, 2, I, at 85 years of age, will be heading back to school. Only in the afternoon, though. How did I wind up in the classroom? My daughter is a fifth-grade teacher at Garden Heights Elementary School. I was going up in the summer to help her prepare for the following school year. There was a lot to do. It was then I learned I could help in the classroom, when class was in session. What did I have to do? Go to the administration office at 1620 S. Pioneer Way and fill out the necessary paperwork and the required background check. Yay, I passed.

GRANDMA GREEN SAYS: Exercise your right to vote

Regarding voting, or the lack thereof in Grant County, I read the Columbia Basin Herald’s edition of Aug. 20 to learn that only 34% of voters took the effort to vote in the primary election. Fifty-nine percent of those 65 and older were the highest number of voters. Those 25-34 were the lowest number at 14%. Why is the voter turnout so dismal? Maybe people should educate themselves as to what their forefathers (women too!) did to ensure our right to vote, to govern ourselves and to live in a democracy – not in a kingdom with a king or queen ruling over us. The Pilgrims fled to our shores seeking freedom to worship as they chose and to govern and live as they wanted. So many things have been accomplished by working together via the judicial way.

GUEST COLUMN: Consumers say BG Wealth / DSJEX turned trust into a crypto trap

A few months ago, my colleague's mom was invited to invest in a crypto exchange by members of her church family. Surrounded by friends who said they were watching their own money grow, she said yes. A few months later, she had lost everything. Since January, the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker has logged more than $1.1 million in reported losses from a crypto scheme operating as BG Wealth and DSJEX. The danger in that scheme lies in who delivers the pitch. The invitation comes from a sister, a son, a fellow church member, or a community leader. And they all seem to be getting rich. The offer sounds simple. Open an account, deposit money into a crypto-linked wallet, and then enter trading codes shared by a “professor” and their assistant twice a day. After that, you watch the balance climb.

LETTER: Boys & Girls Club welcomes new CEO

LETTER: Campaign signs are free speech

While angry and frustrated, I am also deeply disappointed in the individual(s) who are violating my right to free speech. After obtaining a permit at City Hall, my husband and I have spent enthusiastic but tiring hot hours placing campaign signs. As of Aug. 25, 10 had been removed. One sign had the wood frame to which it was attached broken in two. The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights regards written text as an aspect of free speech. RCW 29A.84.040 states that anyone who removes or defaces lawfully placed political advertising (such as yard signs or billboards) without authorization is guilty of a misdemeanor. Candidates will attest that signs and advertising are not cheap. It would be nice to have the signs returned, but I don’t expect that to happen in today’s political climate.

LETTER: Why not rebuild the Hansen Road overpass better than before?

I have asked officials from the city of Moses Lake and the Washington State Department of Transportation a straightforward question about the Hansen Road overpass replacement: Why is the new overpass being built to the same dimensions as the bridge designed and constructed in the mid-1950s? Based on the drawings available online, the proposed overpass appears to be narrower than the city’s four other crossings. This matters because cyclists may have only about 18 inches of clearance when two semi-trucks pass each other on the overpass, creating an unsafe and intimidating situation.

LETTER: A thank you to our community from Southgate Pharmacy

In 2010, when Food Pavilion closed its doors, our father, Lateef Olaniyan, published a heartfelt letter in the Columbia Basin Herald thanking the customers and community for their support of the pharmacy he operated. Sixteen years later, as another chapter closes, we felt it was only right to do the same on his behalf. When Lateef opened Southgate Pharmacy in 2010, it was a new venture and a significant leap of faith. It came with the uncertainty of wondering whether a community he had come to call home would embrace him. Moses Lake answered that question beautifully. From the beginning, this community welcomed Lateef as a pharmacist, business owner, and friend. You gave him the opportunity to build something of his own, and in return, he devoted himself to serving the community that had welcomed him. He loved Moses Lake, and the kindness shown to him made it easy for him to call this place home.