Letters oppose West Bay Yards and down-listing wolves, and speak up for those with disabilities
Abandon West Bay Yards project
I write to encourage the abandonment of this housing project. I drive West Bay Drive almost every day. It is a scrap of asphalt. It is stuck between a steep, water-saturated unstable hill and a tidal zone. There is no room for widening and no room for improvements.
I do not believe that you want to build this monstrosity on tide land. With 478 units, the street will be almost completely shut down. Right now, at busy times of day, the roundabout at Harrison is difficult to negotiate because there is already heavy traffic coming out of Olympia.
So, are we looking at West Bay Yards to supply housing and affordable housing for the county? It appears to me that one of the reasons for allowing this travesty is the “treat” that the builder put in to provide low-cost housing. The pricetag for the project of $250 million is not much for this problem.
How much to protect Budd Inlet from population pollution? What about the retail use of the land as well as the over burden of so many units in such a small, environmentally sensitive location? Where are all the cars going to park? How will they get there with traffic blocked and backed up in all directions? There are no left turn lanes.
Do you think global warming might encourage Budd Inlet tides to take back what is hers? This project is too much in too delicate a location. Half this number might be bearable. Otherwise we have a disaster.
Judy Rogers, Olympia
Tell Fish and Wildlife not to down-list wolves
The future of Washington state’s wolves could soon be decided by the Fish and Wildlife Commission as they consider whether to reduce protections for wolves by down-listing them from state “endangered” status to state “sensitive” status. Such down listing would be a premature and dangerous decision that jeopardizes the already fragile recovery of wolves in the state.
Washington’s wolf population remains small and has not yet met the minimum goals set forth in the state’s Wolf Recovery Plan. They already face significant risks from poaching, climate change, and largely unregulated hunting on some Tribal lands. Reducing protections would pave the way for more killing and would bring Washington closer to future trophy hunting and trapping seasons. Maintaining their endangered status is essential to their continued recovery.
We must prioritize science-based conservation over political pressures and maintain endangered status for wolves. I urge you to join me in contacting commissioners and asking them to oppose down-listing wolves.
Cindy Joy Neff, Olympia
A day in the life of a person with disabilities
My name is Rilee. I am 55 years old. I am sending you this letter to make people aware of the life of a disabled person. I was born with many challenges as a kid on into my adult life.
When I was 10 years old, I found out that I have autism, a learning disability that made me learn a different way than most children. I struggled in school but I graduated high school; I was 19 years old.
I am speaking for all the disabled people — when you see us out in the community, we may act differently. Some of us have a mind of a kid in adult life. Please, if you see us out in the community having fun, talking differently or loud, do not stare at us or make rude comments about us because it is hard for all the disabled people to go out in the community. It takes a lot of work, patience and lots of encouragement to just get us out there.
If you want to, you can just ask us how we live — some of us will answer and some do not talk. I love my life. I have a mind of an 8-year-old. I am happy to be me. I have a very fun life. I still play with toys, I still sleep with a stuff animal, I do watch cartoons.
So next time you are out in the community, do not judge us. We are humans with disabilities.
Rilee Higley, Lacey