Letters to the editor for April 9
Caught unprepared for COVID-19
Why were we caught unprepared for the coronavirus pandemic? Among the reasons:
1) 1n 2018, the Trump Administration eliminated the Director for Global Health Security & Biodefense.
2) In 2019, the Trump Administration shuttered the USAID program “Predict,” designed to detect animal to human viruses that have potential to cause pandemics.
This needs to be emphasized.
Each year during the Trump Administration, the President’s budget proposals had a decreased amount designated for the Centers for Disease Control. Fortunately, in each instance, Congress restored the cuts so that the actual budget included a slight increase. But that proved to be not enough to make us ready for the COVID-19 pandemic.
WSECU here for members during challenging times
Access to financial services is an essential function and WSECU will remain open to support members during #stayhomestayhealthy (following all social distancing protocols, of course).
We want to thank our members for their patience as they adapt to this fast-changing environment over the last few weeks. What never changes is our steadfast commitment to helping people through difficult times. We’re in this together and we’ll get to the other side together.
Lastly, WSECU salutes all the public employees, medical providers, grocery store workers, and the many other individuals in essential functions working on behalf of the community. We are proud to stand alongside you during this time.
Sustainable cities are for people and nature
A recent letter to the editor criticizing the conservation of urban green spaces ignores the benefits of healthy urban ecosystems and seems to argue for the removal of Olympia’s few remaining forested areas. It also contains numerous factual errors.
The Olympia Coalition for Ecosystems Preservation (OCEP) works to conserve and restore key undeveloped ecosystems in Olympia, including shoreline forests such as the West Bay Woods. We focus on urban ecosystems because sustainable cities are the key to reversing the decline in the health of Puget Sound and because people who live in cities enjoy and benefit from a connection to nature.
Budd Inlet is one of the most compromised waterways in Puget Sound. We have seen huge recent declines in shorebird populations. Our native Coho run is now functionally extinct two out of every three years. To preserve only pristine areas is not enough. To improve the health of Puget Sound we have to build cleaner cities. The West Bay Woods, with new green infrastructure projects, provides stormwater treatment directly above Budd Inlet.
Contrary to the recent letter, the West Bay Woods is open year-round to the public, except for an area that is closed during the heron breeding season.
Almost all of the funding has come from private donors. The author of the recent letter need not be concerned about how others choose to be charitable or choose to craft their legacies in Olympia. Those who enjoy the walkable connections, views of Mount Rainier, forest scenery and higher property values have no such concerns either.