Help hurricane victims
When I got word that there was flooding in the western North Carolina Appalachians, I tried to contact my relatives that live near Waynesville, N.C. It took me three days to contact them.
Later I learned that their area’s infrastructure had been decimated: no roads, no cell service, no internet, no electricity, no drinkable water. I watched with horror and pride the Facebook videos about the devastation. These Appalachians showed great resolve to take care of each other and to recover from nature’s wrath.
What really bothered me was the lack of anything in the national news media, except for Florida. The stories I saw on Facebook about North Carolina, Tennesee and West Virginia gave me great pride in our fellow Americans. Neighbors helping neighbors despite their losses: whole towns gone, almost whole families gone.
Winter is setting in with the first snowstorm and lots of folks without a home to go to. Thank you to the donors of generators, heaters, tents, sleeping bags and winter clothes. A lot has been done toward recovery by the locals, but they need our help. They will need our help for quite some time. Please be as generous as you can.
Ged W. Randall
Lewiston
Extra storage needed?
Empty buildings and storage buildings abound throughout Lewiston. Have you noticed that about 99% of shipping containers are owned and placed on business property, even property where city council members work?
So it is no surprise that codes have not been enforced and it is obvious why the Lewiston City Council is “changing” the code, rather than “enforcing” the codes.
Shame on you, council members. If businesses need additional storage for their belongings, they should rent local storage units like the rest of us. “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
Cathy Jo Zeller
Lewiston
Firefighters overworked
Shame on Lewiston Mayor Dan Johnson, department managers and the city council. Right now our Lewiston firefighters are working, and being overworked, without a contract.
This practice by our “strong mayor” is costing the taxpayers more money (paying overtime) and the safety of our firefighters. We just lost one firefighter to finish his career elsewhere after we paid for his training and experience. This will cost us double because now we have to hire and train someone else, if they hire anyone to fill the ranks. That’s right: Our department is understaffed, too.
Maybe if the mayor and city managers had to clock in and earn Idaho’s minimum wage they might make this a priority. Frankly, I haven’t seen the citizens of Lewiston be a priority at city hall for the last few years.
Lewiston deserves better.
Kevin Kelly
Lewiston
