Letters to the editor for July 14
Clifthorne is the right choice for Olympia School Board
As an attorney and mother with deep local roots, I care deeply about who we elect to our Olympia School Board. I grew up in Olympia, graduated from Capital High School, and returned home to practice law with my father, 46-year Olympia attorney Stephen Henderson, and my husband, Simon Stocker, and to raise our two children.
I enthusiastically endorse re-electing Scott Clifthorne to Olympia School Board Position 5. His pragmatic and compassionate approach, as well as his diligence in examining issues and listening closely to people’s questions and concerns, sets him apart.
On a personal level, I’ll never forget when, late one night, a major leak sprung in our basement. We called our neighbor across the street (Scott), who dropped everything to run over and help. He rolled-up his sleeves, stopped our leak and stayed for hours, helping on his hands and knees to sop up the leaked water. There’s a saying that, “You will never forget a person who came to you with a torch in the dark.” Scott Clifthorne is that kind of friend.
Scott’s rolling-up-his-sleeves-to-help-a-friend-in-need attitude extends to his professional life, where he has a demonstrated history of crafting creative solutions. I’m consistently impressed by Scott’s ability to ignite positive change by fueling an improved mutual understanding between all sides of an issue.
Scott is a visionary and empathic leader with a proven results-driven approach. Please join me in re-electing Scott Clifthorne to the Olympia School Board.
Stephanie Henderson Stocker, Olympia
We need to tune in to this climate emergency
Apparently the saying, “Nero fiddled while Rome burned” is not true. Even so, we use it to discuss a person who is an irresponsible leader that is so out of touch with a major emergency that they instead have fun while others suffer.
Is that not what our leaders are doing and have been doing for decades? Is that not what we individuals have been doing? Let’s not continue to fiddle while America and the world burns, floods, and fries anymore!
Without a livable planet, families and children will increasingly suffer and soon die. We take our climate for granted even today as it becomes less and less hospitable for life. Extreme changes are happening even now and the close future looks more and more grim.
Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives NOW and let them know this is a national emergency and we need action now! They need to prioritize funding to reverse climate change quickly and efficiently. And each of us can take the steps we are able to to weatherize, buy an electric car, get solar energy, and conserve. We can each personally reduce our use of fossil fuel energy.
Robin Ivey-Black, Olympia
Happy with Biden
To the gentleman, presumed Donald Trump supporter, who yelled the following at me in traffic, “How is bleep Joe Biden working for you?” The answer is, “Just fine.” Competence and lack of demagoguery and lying work for me. I note that Trump’s last approval rating as president was 34% and Biden is between 51.9 percent and 55.1 percent, depending on the poll.
Edward Shaffer, Olympia