Letters to the editor for Nov. 7
Concern about unvaccinated home health care workers
I am very concerned that Providence SoundHomeCare does not alert patients at home and in nursing homes that the care workers working intimately with them may not be vaccinated.
I have experienced this and I am a 79-year-old recovering cancer patient who currently is housebound with a broken leg. I have kept my home free from COVID-19 and COVID carriers for a year and a half only to find caregivers scheduled who are not vaccinated. I was not alerted or given a choice until a vaccinated worker alerted me.
This is ethically and professionally scary and probably an issue to pursue with legal help, but I think people should know what is happening to their loved ones. The governor needs to end this exception, which is dangerous and unfair to all.
Joan Tucker, Lacey
Lacey’s clear expectations appreciated
The Lacey City Council demonstrates real leadership by clearly delineating expectations for the people who live in the proposed homeless RV parking lot at Carpenter Road. Their approach is in stark contrast to the city of Olympia’s ‘’compassionate” governance of homeless camps.
The community pays the cost of “compassionate” governance in increasing lawlessness and non-enforcement, loss of private property rights, public space destruction, and environmental decline. The inherent tax burden for more social programs tendering limited results in mitigating camps degrades the taxpayers’ quality of life. Regional medical facilities are subservient to “compassionate” governance as it is deemed preferable to increase emergency transport times over evicting encampments obstructing routes to emergency rooms.
The region would do well to set clear, enforceable expectations of residents in homeless camps we provide. Simply pumping increased tax dollars into this coffer clearly provides no measurable improvement for the impacted communities or the homeless.
Jann Coffman, Olympia
Quince Street mitigation site places children at risk
Let me first express my deep empathy for the homeless. I have dedicated my career to serving the underserved and vulnerable. I believe now more than ever in Olympia there needs to be a solution that is safe for all, offering housing, addiction rehabilitation, and mental health services. These solutions must be safe for our children, businesses and citizens equally.
I am a concerned parent of children attending Saint Michael Parish School. I am outraged that this mitigation site that previously failed downtown is now planned to be within 450 feet of a school. I personally can’t believe there are not laws in place to protect children from this dangerous experiment. This low-barrier site will house homeless, allow drug and alcohol use, no background checks, visitors, low security if any, and possibly sex offenders next to a school!
I work near Ensign Road, which is similar to downtown as another area with an abundant homeless population. I personally see the undertreated mental health disorders, unpredictable aggressive behaviors, trash, falling objects into roadways, vandalism to property, and stealing of coworkers car parts. Businesses are having to add security to keep their employees safe.
People aren’t going to want to work, visit, own a business or live in Olympia if this is how city officials are handling the problem. I realize Olympia closed on this $2 million property before fully considering its negative impacts. However, there is still opportunity to turn it into something positive like a youth center benefiting the future of Olympia.
Nicole Leyster, Olympia