Speak up on grizzlies
Dear Editor:
Remember the Grizzly Bear Reintroduction Plan? It is becoming real. The North Cascades National Park Service Complex has released its report on the public scoping meetings held in Winthrop, Okanogan, Chelan, Cle Elum, Seattle and Bellingham. With 1,474 comments in favor and only 285 opposed, it appears likely that we will soon enjoy a large population of grizzlies in the Cascades, perhaps coming to your own backyard! Out of the thousands of comments received, only 249 people bothered to address the issue of human safety, and that, folks, is the way that big cities impose their will on rural areas.
You will get another chance to comment after the park service completes its work on the plan, probably later this year or early next. When the time comes, I hope you will speak up.
Howie Johnson, Twisp
Glyphosate awareness
Dear Editor:
With good reason, glyphosate has been receiving more coverage of late. It happens to be produced by the same multinational agrochemical and biotech corporation that brought us Agent Orange, DDT and rBGH (bovine growth hormone). The Environmental Protection Agency was aware of the carcinogenic risks associated with it as early as 30 years ago yet approved its use. As of 2007, it was the most widely used herbicide in U.S. agriculture and is used worldwide. In fact, crops have been developed which have been genetically modified making them resistant to glyphosate.
Whether we realize it or not, we are exposed to glyphosate quite regularly. It is, on a routine basis, used by Okanogan County on our roadsides and, subsequently, near our crops, water, livestock and dwelling places. In March 2015, The World Health Organization International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) assessed five organophosphate pesticides, glyphosate among them, and concluded “… that there is sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Glyphosate also caused DNA and chromosomal damage in human cells…” Glyphosate is categorized by the IARC as probably carcinogenic to humans. Countries, including The Netherlands, Brazil, Germany, and Argentina have already banned it. In Denmark, the Working Environment Authority (WEA) has declared glyphosate a carcinogen.
Is there, perhaps, too much haste in putting products on the market first and later acknowledging their release may not have been in the best planetary and public health interest? I’d prefer to err on the side of caution. Let’s not wait for more studies to appear while continuing to allow an identified toxin to further seep into our ecosystem.
Let’s encourage local business owners to read the reports on glyphosate and discontinue its sale and use here in the Methow Valley. Contact the Okanogan County Department of Public Works and call for the immediate suspension of its use along our roads. Please take this opportunity to challenge and stand up to harmful corporate interests; to demand that our local and federal governments put public health first; to raise public awareness of the herbicidal impact on the entire ecosystem.
Lee Cobert, Carlton
Creating more problems
Dear Editor:
We’ve been shocked by the amount of trash in ditches around the area, especially along Twisp-Winthrop Eastside Road. Who is being incredibly lazy and tossing plastic bottles and beer cans onto the roads of our beautiful valley? This seems like a new thing we haven’t noticed before. And will this situation worsen with increased traffic due to tourism via ATVs?
Opening more roads to ATVs will create more problems. Reducing the speed limit along Twisp-Winthrop Eastside Road inconveniences locals traveling to work or performing the routines of daily life. Making it easier for some ATVer to get his hamburger in Conconully on time doesn’t seem to be a good reason to allow access to more roads.
Teresa Skye, David Ward, Winthrop
Benefits only a few
Dear Editor:
The well-organized ATV lobby is at it again. This time they want to force us all to permanently slow down our driving from home to town to work so they can use our public, paved roads for their ATV outings.
The new Washington ATV law allows only roads with speed limits of 35 mph or lower to be opened for ATVs. Parts of East Chewuch Road, Bear Creek Road, Twisp-Winthrop Eastside Road, and Upper Beaver Creek Road currently have higher speed limits. The ATV clubs are asking the county to reduce the speed limits on parts of those roads so they can run their ATVs on them.
Most of Okanogan County is already open to ATVs. What the ATVers want now has nothing to do with safety. It’s part of their plan to make the Methow Valley the next big destination for ATV clubs and rallies. If you want to know what an ATV rally in the Methow could look like, just look at ATV clubs’ websites.
County engineer Josh Thomson’s job is to recommend speed limits for county roads based on safety. It’s not to promote special interest use of the roads. Nonetheless, this non-safety related request to benefit ATV clubs will cost his and public works staffers’ time and our tax money in responding.
Please comment on the proposal at the June 30 county commissioners’ hearing or by email to ljohns@co.okanogan.wa.us. Tell them that reducing the speed limits for the ATV clubs’ pleasure adds nothing to public safety. It inconveniences everyone for the benefit of just a few.
Randy Brook, Twisp
Need help at rink
Dear Editor:
Well folks, we’re underway with construction at the Winthrop Ice & Sports Rink, thanks to Jerry Palm and Mike Schmidt stepping up to come out last Wednesday and dig our footings, and Dennis Jones and Saul Labanauskas for cutting down some trees that were in the building footprint or affected it. I would also like to thank Larry Zimmerlund for stepping up and getting us our structural drawings in a very timely manner. I need to also thank Tom Sullivan for stepping up again to help us along with Pat Norwell and his crew for getting our power switched over to a new transformer. We are forming and pouring walls and will be pouring a concrete slab early next week.
We are desperately in need of carpenters and laborers to help start the framing around Wednesday (June 24). Folks, timing is critical as we fell behind due to some state requirements. If you can help us in any way, please come down to the ice rink any day and volunteer a little bit of time, or contact us through our website, www.winthropicerink.com. Thank you for your help. I can’t build this building by myself.
Marc Robertson, Winthrop
Impressed with training
Dear Editor:
Thank you to David Rains from Rainstorm wildland firefighting for doing such an exemplary job of teaching 35 or so trainees over the last four days. We all made it through and received our red card certifications.
This job is quite demanding and it is not for everybody. Also, it is a short season. This type of job can be a starting point for an exciting career for a young person. I was quite impressed with the level of commitment of all who attended this four-day class, the vast majority being 18-25 years old, from near and far away.
Brad Campbell, Twisp
