Don’t fall for it
Dear Editor:
Recently I was in line for my COVID 19 booster shot. I suddenly felt patriotic to be there and to see so many others there too. I felt we were locking arms against this threat to our national well-being. I was proud of King County with its current rate of 70% fully vaccinated and of Seattle with an even higher rate. I was sad and embarrassed that my beloved Okanogan County trails so far behind with only 55.6% vaccinated, and with an infection rate about 2.5 times that of King County. I wish I could boast that we in Okanogan County are as good or better than those west siders. Where is our competitive spirit?
Why are we divided on this issue? Who has to gain by our division? Perhaps what an eminent public health expert studying the problem said this summer could be right: that much of the polarization about the COVID vaccine is being fueled by Russian ( and perhaps Chinese ) internet trolls, turning what should be an uncontroversial public health issue into a polarized political one. The refrain “divide and conquer” comes to mind. The Russians must be chortling at how our strength and cohesion are being sapped by our inability to come together to defeat COVID.
I don’t normally buy into conspiracy theories, but this one has the ring of plausibility. It is ironic that those once most vehemently anti-communist may now be falling prey to Russian stealth operations to divide and conquer. For years we never had a national rift over the requirements for children to get polio, rubella, measles, mumps, DTaP, chicken pox, meningococcal, pneumococcal and other vaccinations to attend school ( with certain exceptions allowed ). For the most part everyone goes along and our society and children are the better for it.
Come on friends, we can argue politics about many other things, but let’s all get behind vaccines and masks, put COVID behind us and get back to showing our enemies that we can get our house in order and aren’t falling for their dirty tricks.
Kathleen Learned
Twisp
Appreciation to all
Dear Editor:
The Methow Valley Senior Citizens Association was privileged to sponsor a lunch in honor of our veterans. The lunch was a small way of thanking all who have served in the Armed Forces and for protecting the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy in this country.
We would like to thank the veterans and guests who attended and also thank the following: Twisp Police Chief Paul Budrow; American Legion Auxiliary Unit 120; Terry Hardesty and Dennis Morgan; Methow Valley Community Center for use of the gym; Winthrop Kiwanis for helping with set up and take down the room; Blue Star Coffee; B-S Bar-B-Que for providing the lunch; and Methow Valley Senior Citizens Volunteers for helping.
Judy Tonseth, President
Methow Valley Senior Citizens Association
Help with taxes
Dear Editor:
After reading a letter from a local about the delay in receiving his income tax refund, I also called Sen. Cantwell’s office and after submitting my information, it took just over two weeks to receive my refund that I filed in April.
Marlene Temple
Winthrop
