Letters to the Editor

Combine the tracks

Editor, the Journal,

Concerning the proposed removal of the train tracks through 1.5 miles of Shelton and conversion to a trail: This seems very short-sighted and costly. In my opinion, the better option would be to combine the tracks and a trail alongside as a benefit to the community and in conjunction with the Simpson Peninsular Railway make it a part of a wonderful tourist attraction that would bring in dollars to the area. I ask what would be wrong with that?

Greg Linder, Union

Eye on local news

Editor, the Journal,

Thank you, reporter Kirk Boxleitner, for your article “League of Women Voters discusses local journalism.”

As members of a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering voters and defending democracy, we are well aware of national research that links a local news decline over the past 15 years with changes in American political participation, political partisanship, public health, civic engagement and municipal finance.

Our study, about which you wrote, looks at the situation in Washington. What, if any, impact has occurred as a result of three daily and 20 weekly newspapers closing? Are we paying any price for the loss of two-thirds of journalism jobs, many filled by reporters who tracked the doings of elected officials and other government decision-makers? Our study also reviews suggestions for dealing with the rapidly changing media landscape.

Including Sally Hale and Dee Anne Finken, whom you quoted, eight other League members from throughout Washington are conducting this research: Linda Hughes from Whatcom County; Lauren Snider from King County; Delores Irwin from Kittitas County; Dee Ann Kline from Mason County; Sharon Wilhem, Carol Rikerd, and Joanne Lisosky, from Tacoma/Pierce County; and Lyn Whitley from Island County.

As is the case with all the studies conducted by the League, members from throughout Washington will have an opportunity to review our efforts and, next year, decide whether the League should have a role advocating or bringing about legislation or programs to address this issue.

Again, thank you for this opportunity to share some information about our concerns.

Dee Anne Finken and Delores Irwin, co-chairs

Local and Regional News Study for the League of Women Voters of Washington

Rapid response

Editor, the Journal,

Our current Mason County Sheriff Casey Salisbury plans to retire this year. To my knowledge the only contender to this position is Ryan Spurling. Candidate Spurling has Sheriff Salsbury’s big shoes to fill. Personally, I think he’s the man for this job.

Last Thursday, I cold-called the sheriff’s satellite office at the Mason County Corrections Center and met with Deputy Ferron Lining, alternative sentencing supervisor. Once he corrected a glitch in a client’s electronic leg bracelet in the entrance way, I adduced my desire to have assistance removing the avalanches of trash that have cascaded down the south slope on the north side of state Route 3 east of town just opposite the new Pear Orchard Park and Ride.

Deputy Sheriff Lining exhibited attributes of the quintessential good guy they cast in the very best Western films from the 1950s: fit, handsome, full head of hair, and best of all — exuding an aura of competency and professional correctness. Best of all — he was patient as I outlined my desires regarding this town’s and Oakland Bay Marina’s beautification efforts for this trash avalanche area — a major route and hence a first impression for visitors to town.

The very next morning, I noticed a Mason County Corrections Center van accompanied by a work crew climbing the precipitous trash avalanches then bucking those massive black garbage bags down the hill and across the street for retrieval by — well — proper disposal I imagine. The hill climbers and bag buckers were energetic and appeared content with this job.

I encourage the residents of Shelton to park their cars in the Plum Orchard Park and Ride facing north and absorb the beauty of a proper hillside — sans trash.

I don’t want to defund these police – law enforcement officers! They’re on my side of social stability.

James Poirson, Shelton

We better start now

Editor, the Journal,

Last week, a letter writer made interesting comments regarding climate change and oil. The Earth has, in fact, experienced five ice ages. The last began about 18,000 years ago and ended 6,300 years later. Large areas of Asia, Europe, North and South America were covered in ice, in some places 12,000 feet thick. The Greenland ice sheet is a holdover from that event.

The new ice age examples that he refers to are extreme fluctuations of normal weather cycles, statistical outliers. In 2021, the June to December temperature difference in Calgary was 124.7 degrees Fahrenheit. While less than the 164 degrees difference recorded in Montana 90 years ago, the 2021 weather in Calgary, (150 miles north of Montana), was not a new ice age, just a typical year in Alberta.

Yes, climate change is a natural phenomenon, but it is a fact not a theory. The 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Shelton in June of 2021 are a fact. The wildfires raging in Texas today are a fact. In early March, the temperatures in Antarctica were 50 to 70 degrees above normal; the highest ever recorded. The fact is climate is changing worldwide, and it is getting hotter, not colder. Burning fossil fuels increases the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide and is exacerbating the problem.

Regarding his three questions: All oil affects climate change regardless its origin. The United States is the third-largest producer of oil, behind Russia and Saudi Arabia. I don’t know why people think that America has stopped producing oil, we have not. By the way, most of our imported oil comes from Canada, not the Middle East.

As for replacing the millions of oil-using devices, apart from generators, every item mentioned can be purchased today powered by electricity. Technically, solar panels and wind turbines are generators so scratch that from the list. Yes, it will take decades to phase in new equipment but if we do not start now, when will we? Next week is not necessarily too soon. The sales staff at Tesla, Ford and General Motors dealerships will be glad to help you.

Lastly, most of us do not think about it but downtown Shelton is just above sea level. If preparedness means building sea walls, we better start planning for walling Shelton off from Oakland Bay.

James Biehl, Shelton

It’s here, it’s true

Editor, the Journal,

An increasing body of scientific research has debunked naysayers’ claims that the current global warming of planet Earth is natural and not related to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. In fact, there are a number of reasons for this misunderstanding.

Chief among the reasons is that the speed that the planet is warming remains unprecedented. There is more carbon dioxide and methane in our atmosphere than at any time in at least 800,000 years. We are currently seeing rising temperatures occurring in decades, unlike the climate changes in past eras which took thousands of years.

Ninety-seven percent of the world’s most experienced climatologists agree that the rise in global temperatures is caused by too much carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere. Every report since 1995 released by the International Panel on Climate Change states that there is stronger evidence that human-induced warming is widespread across the planet. The few scientists who deny the existence of global climate change turn out to be closely connected to the fossil fuels industry.

Since scientists began monitoring the planet’s warming trend, the rise in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses and the rise in temperatures have closely followed the same upward path. The planet cooled slightly between the 1940s to the 1970s. After that, warmer temperatures began to accelerate even faster.

No other natural causes, e.g., changes in solar output, cyclic variances or volcanic eruptions have been identified as causing today’s unprecedented warming.

The evidence is all around us. More extreme weather-related events, including wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, ocean acidification, rapidly melting ice at both poles, extreme cold snaps, catastrophic storms, warming ocean water, and droughts are occurring all over the globe. These events have increased in intensity nearly every year since the late 1800s with the advent of the industrial period in the late 1800s.

Perhaps the strongest case for global warming is that climate scientists’ computer model simulations cannot reproduce recent warming trends unless it includes human-caused greenhouse gasses.

For those skeptics who still deny the existential threat of climate change, my advice is to be very careful about where you get your information. There are many good resources available on the topic of climate change, including libraries, books and magazines, and the internet. Above all, keep an open mind.

Donna Simmons, Hoodsport

Dump Trump

Editor, the Journal,

Amazingly, the Orange Man continues to posture and tease with the prospect that he may run again in 2024 and thereby extend his failed presidency another four years. That would make it eight total. Heaven forbid! Locust plagues last only seven years. He keeps his millions of adherents aboil with fables about a stolen election and shadowy, deep state conspiracies against him and them — all sponsored by either QAnon or “Crooked Hillary.” You pick one — or both, for that matter.

In counterpoint, I suggest that all rational adults (and Trump Party members, too) consider these readily proven facts:

■ The current president, Joe Biden, got 10,000,000-plus more votes than Trump did.

■ This has been formally certified by all 50 secretaries of state — the officials designated to certify elections in our country. Many of those are Republicans.

■ Despite the whining by Trump, he and his claque have not been able to document any significant fraud or plot to tamper with the official results.

■ Aside from his lackluster first-term performance, his actions disqualify him from holding public office. I refer to his inciting a mob to storm the Capitol and kill six people, including a police officer. This was simply an attempted coup, which can carry a sentence of death upon conviction, not to mention disqualification from holding office forever.

Why does this matter? 147 members of Congress, all Republicans, refuse to accept the fact that Biden won the election. What is more important is that the majority of Republican voters support Trump’s false claims and fantasize that he is the legitimate winner. What this amounts to is that he becomes president because he says so and thereby short-circuits our bedrock principle of democratic elections. Folks, that spells the death of the great experiment. If he ever gets back into the White House, he’ll stay until he dies. As a side note, the 22nd Amendment bars him anyway, if you believe his assertion that he was re-elected in 2020. One may only be elected to the office twice.

Toby Kevin, Shelton

Speaking of energy

Editor, the Journal,

I suspect most people have heard of John Kerry. The 78-year-old was just given the title of U.S. special envoy for climate change by the Biden administration. (Our first one ever!) The New York Times has dubbed him our new “climate czar” and the late radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh referred to him simply as “Lurch.” Many seeing or hearing Kerry today would agree with Rush.

Kerry is what one might call “filthy rich.” In 1995, he married Teresa Heinz, heir to the Heinz Ketchup fortune; her net worth is around $750 million. She gave her new husband $5 million for his own Gulfstream private jet.

Mr. Kerry now flies (rides) all over the world leaving a giant carbon footprint and visits many U.S.-hating foreign leaders about green gobbledegook in places like Whocaresistan. We just don’t know — and few really care — where Mr. Kerry is now.

Wherever he may be, Kerry has some time to think about Biden’s pledge — made before he became president — to eliminate fossil fuels. But wait, this means no jet fuel for the Gulfstream. What’s Kerry supposed to do now? Hitchhike? In China? In Africa? Australia? How embarrassing. Why, he might never get back to America. (“Hooray,” shout many of us not duped by the Green New Deal.)

While here, let’s chat with other climate change wokesters (puppeteers?) in the White House about fossil fuels, OK? If Kerry’s jet can’t fly, neither can any commercial U.S. airliners, right? How then can anyone fly to a distant city to visit or possibly care for a seriously sick relative? Need to make a long business trip? In a hurry? Forget it.

So dismiss the idea of flying anywhere under the Green New Deal, but don’t forget that over 50% of our imported cargo comes by ship and almost 40% is transported by train. Those big cargo ships and tankers and the locomotives pulling the long trains all — all — move thanks to diesel-electric power, and always remember, diesel = fossil fuel.

Finally, let’s never forget our truckers, those sturdy men and women who drive the big 18-wheelers day and night on our interstate highways and in our cities and towns. Liberals, you are the ones who should especially appreciate these people. They will deliver your favorite foodstuffs (chopped kale, refrigerated hemp milk, etc.,) to your closest Whole Foods market in a big semi powered by a diesel engine that runs on ... fossil fuel.

Green New Dealers, we on the right welcome any ideas for energy innovation, but for now, all you have is pixie dust. Give it time, and for your plans today, lots and lots of time.

Why not go out and watch a rerun of the movie “Bullitt” and listen to that beautiful, deep-throated roar of Steve McQueen’s 1968 Ford Mustang GT? Aaah. The internal combustion engine using clean American fuel. This is how the world wins.

Robert E. Graham, Union

Little green frog

Editor, the Journal,

A little green frog on the wall talks to me and the flying saucer people nod their heads in agreement. I cannot understand the devotion to ex-President Donald Trump — thoughts of relatives’ and friends’ devotion to a charlatan that does not believe in the Constitution (Jan. 6, 2021). He’s a crook of great order.

Trump followers compare him to President Joe Biden of what a great loser he is while he has devoted his whole life to the people of this country. He is the president leading us out of this terrible unjust war with Russia’s Putin killing and maiming the people of Ukraine. Trump would do a better job, what a joke! Putin is one of Trump’s best friends. That is not for me. I want to live free under the Constitution of the United States.

Earl Mallinger, Shelton