To the editor -- Re: The June 27 article regarding Ellie Heffernan, who passed away June 21. I am so thankful for the opportunity to have known the wonderful Ellie Heffernan. As a Yakima Valley Community College alum, I am one of the thousands of students upon whom Ellie made an impact through her years of service. Ellie took great care and concern serving students. She had an amazing gift: No matter who you were, she would greet you with a smile; bearing no judgments, she would help you through any problem. She always had great ideas that inspired me to better myself and others. Ellie would always tell me the truth and brought up realistic approaches to problems for me to consider. She trusted me to make my own decisions.
I knew Ellie for nine years and she never quit caring or forgot me. After I moved on, she helped me succeed by writing me a recommendation that no doubt landed me my first professional job. I hope I can pass on to people in my life Ellie's smile, charisma and genuine concern that everyone deserves but many never see.
To a wonderful friend and mentor: You will forever be highly regarded and missed!
RYAN HAHN
Cashmere, Wash.
Community support
To the editor -- We are most fortunate to live in such a giving community. Yakima is a most unusual place for having so many who are in need and so many willing to keep giving. Recently, Yakima Specialties Inc., which works with special needs adults, held its fourth annual yard sale, which was by far the most successful one ever. As executive director, I know we were overwhelmed with the support we received from the Yakima community.
First off, were the many donations we received from individuals from all backgrounds. Second, were the two radio stations that donated air time to help promote the event. Thirdly, were the numerous volunteers and YSI employees who worked so hard to put on the event. You know who you are. The ones who always show up to support our mission. These are special people who just do it because and not for recognition. Yakima, you are the best givers of yourselves anywhere.
PATRICK McCARTHY
Yakima
Thanks for generosity
To the editor -- I do not know how to adequately thank those involved with the "Get Wylie House Wired" barbecue and auction at Snipes Mountain Restaurant & Brewery on June 12. The generous efforts of Soroptimists International of the Lower Yakima Valley and the staff of Snipes, and all those who donated many great desserts, were only surpassed by the generosity and support shown by those wonderful people who came for a wonderful evening.
Thank you doesn't begin to say how deeply appreciated we, the board of directors and the staff of Lower Valley Crisis Support Services, feel about all of those who gave so generously to help this vital agency. Thank you and bless you all!
CAROL STONE
Sunnyside
Rethink breed bans
To the editor -- Breed bans are bad policy. They are knee-jerk reactions based on faulty information, poor logic, media-fueled hysteria and they ignore several basic facts I learned from the Humane Society of the United States:
1. All dogs bite.
2. Cocker spaniels bite more often than any other breed.
3. When politically maligned breeds bite, they are more likely to be reported and the media is far more likely to pick up the story.
I believe sensationalism sells newspapers.
Breed bans unfairly punish responsible owners. Nationwide over 75 breeds have been banned, including golden retrievers. Thousands of innocent dogs who haven't hurt anyone have been ripped from their homes and killed, leaving behind devastated families who loved them and that too is a needless tragedy!
Yes, it is tragic when children are injured by dog bites, hit by cars, kicked by horses, drowned in canals and swimming pools or get E. coli from eating fast food. We live in a dangerous world. Are we going to ban everything that is potentially harmful?
Good dangerous animals ordinances with behavior-based levels and sanctions, which hold owners accountable, make sense. Breed bans do not! Let's not make policy based on hysteria. Let's use some common sense.
PAULENE PERRY
Yakima
Slow down now
To the editor -- The way l see it, before anyone will get mad enough to do something the gas price will have to get $6 a gallon. Well, I believe that we need to do something now. One thing we need to do nationwide is start driving 55 mph highway and 25 mph in town for the next two years or so, and that alone will make a statement to oil giants worldwide that we will not take it any more. Just doing this will save millions of gallons of fuel, and the demand will go down almost overnight. Just the thought will drive fuel price down, so I believe that our national government should do it now and we don't need new signs, just get the word out over the airways.
We need to start this as soon possible to start to turn around our economy.
Wait until this winter: The price for 100 gallons of heating oil will be well over $400, and for an average household, that will last about four weeks in the coldest season. We must act now. Call your senator.
JACK MORRIS
Yakima
Governor disappoints
To the editor -- I was very disappointed when I heard about Gov. Gregoire's underhanded deals with the Washington state tribes. Here we had a fantastic source of revenue, $140 million worth of shared tribal casino revenues, that could have greatly served to ease the current $2.4 billion deficit, and what does Gov. Gregoire do? She agrees to turn down every last cent of it, only to accept $650,000 from the tribes for her current campaign.
I understand entirely that candidates need to keep in the good graces of supporters in order to fund their re-election, but at what cost? I think this whole deal just goes to show that Gov. Gregoire puts the personal interests of her own re-election over the interests of the state she was elected to serve.
ROSEMARY HALL
Yakima
Elofson well-qualified
To the editor -- I would like to express to the voters my thoughts about David Elofson's qualifications for Superior Court judge. David followed his father, Howard Elofson, into the practice of law in Yakima. Howard, as a partner of mine years ago, was an outstanding lawyer. David has carried on this tradition in his practice. I have known David for 25 years and he joined our firm as a partner 12 years ago. David will be an exceptional judge, bringing to this position excellent skills and experience. In addition to being pragmatic and realistic, he has demonstrated a balance of interpreting the law in a respectful manner and applying it with common sense. David has considerable experience serving as a judge pro tem and has arbitrated many types of cases.
I enthusiastically support David Elofson for Superior Court judge, and I sincerely hope the voters of Yakima County will provide him with the opportunity to demonstrate his skills, experience and knowledge.
TONY MENKE
Yakima
Loving thing to do
To the editor -- Re: The June 28 article, "Clergy vs. suicide." The depths to which religious cruelty will sink is simply astounding. We see it across most of the major religions. History is full of examples. Even today people are fighting over religion.
Now comes an opportunity to enact a truly compassionate measure, Initiative 1000, which will allow an end to the practice of forced, unrelieved suffering on those who cannot help themselves.
There is a loving God, in fact that is the definition of God. Love. Sure, surviving pain and suffering can be a character building experience. A part of life. But if there is no chance of surviving, there is no purpose. That cannot be God's plan.
We now have a chance to provide for the transfer of material life to spiritual life without prolonged suffering. It is the loving thing to do.
RICHARD SPROUL
Yakima
Dogs, big and small
To the editor -- Re: Julia Bradley's June 26 letter. I find it strange that Ms. Bradley is irritated because certain dogs have been banned based solely on breed and are presumed to all act the same way. Ms. Bradley then implies that dachshunds are all alike and must all act the same way.
We have a 7-pound dachshund that is friendly to all, has never bitten anyone and can behave when it suits him. There is a great difference between Charlie the dachshund and, for example, a pit bull; if Charlie were to be vicious, the consequences would be minimal; if someone's large, soon-to-be-banned dog is vicious, the consequences can be deadly.
I happen to be a dog lover of any size; I just hope that if I am attacked, the dog is ankle height. Ms. Bradley is probably a responsible pet owner; unfortunately, many are not.
JUDY DALZELL
Yakima
Technology exists
To the editor -- With the price of gas going higher, instead of alternatives that are years away, why not available technology? Freight trains get 423 ton miles per gallon of fuel. That would be a 2,000-pound car (average size) getting 400 plus miles per gallon. The technology is call diesel electric. It is now available and off the shelf. Is there anyone who would like to get 400 mpg?
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