Thank you to Target

Dear Editor,

The Lake Stevens Early Learning Center (ELC) would like to thank Target for a $2,000 Literacy Grant. 
The ELC is using this money to give all 120 students two books twice a year at our "Cookies & Milk" family nights. 
Thanks to the community spirit and generosity of Target, the ELC can fund this program for two years.  We are very grateful.
 
Kathleen Gortner, ECEAP Teacher
Lake Stevens School District
Early Learning Center

Shoreline Master Plan off to the Department of Ecology

Dear Editor,

Congratulations to the City of Lake Stevens for recently submitting their state-required update of the Shoreline Master Plan (Everett Herald: Monday Dec.5).
  With so many stakeholders and overlapping agencies, it isn’t a contest where anyone can stand up and proclaim themselves the winner.  Instead, all parties deserve a long nap and some Scoobie snacks!  
But for me, one clear winner in the SMP is public process and transparency, mostly through the heroic labors and organizational skills of the city’s planning and development department. 
From the early studies of the city’s consultants and advisory committee, to the wonderful people on our planning commission (first Wed. of every month at 7 p.m.), Dept. of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, Save our Shorelines, private consultants, city staff, HOA’s, citizens, and the city council, Planning Director Ableman and Principle Planner Watkins fielded hundreds of questions and concerns, researched them, and answered them.
This immense amount of footwork and documentation eventually led to an on time SMP submittal to Ecology. 
Thanks again for the hard work and professionalism of the planning department for the City of Lake Stevens. 

Tom Matlack
Lake Stevens

Some watchdogs . . . don’t

Dear Editor,
 
Considering our nation’s dire financial straits, one is left to wonder what we’re entitled to expect from our political leaders.
Should we not expect them to be a bit more savvy in finance, employment, security, and infrastructure than the average citizen? Are they not paid to be?
Isn’t that so the average citizen can go about his or her business secure in the knowledge their interests are being watched over by competent legislators?
Were there not many credible voices warning of the slippery slopes associated with our “phony” economy?
And, with so many recognizing the warnings sounded by the “dot.com” bust, one must assume our leaders had things on their minds substantially different from what the populace might have hoped or expected?
It seems I recall Governor Gregoire bragging about our state’s eight billion dollar “surplus” just a few weeks before the first shoe fell.
Who was feeding her that information? And, is that person still employed?
But now, accepting our realities, it is reassuring to know while the governor can’t ensure police officers and firefighters can keep their jobs and our streets and homes safe, that at least some segments of our citizenry can have their needs met.
Recently, the governor decided to throw her weight behind the legalization of marijuana use and the drive to allow homosexual “marriage.” So while we all face difficult times, it is good to know that the political leader of our state has the time to support illicit drug users and those advocating sexual deviance as an accepted “lifestyle.”
Question? When catering to the lowest common denominator, what gives that common denominator a reason to stop going ever lower?
 
William Cook
Lake Stevens

 Dear Editor,

Recently, a family member of mine was hit by a drunk driver at a major intersection in Lake Stevens.
It turned out to be a hit and run, and when the police officers came it seemed to be they were more interested in asking questions to the victim than wondering how they were going to apprehend this criminal. 
An innocent person could have been killed, and since this individual was not caught well that means that someone else can be killed down the road because someone chose to drink and drive. 
I know it is not easy for the police to catch everyone who commits a crime but there also is an impression I am getting that they don't even care anymore.  For goodness sakes, they haven't even called my family member back like they promised to inform them either way about the investigation or the lack of one.   All I ask for is some efficiency in the police department before this type of thing turns into a fatal case.

Jeff Swanson
Everett