Letters for June 13, 2024

Lindgren and Walters reunion

Thank you for the excellent reporting on last week’s reunion celebration featuring legendary distance runner Gerry Lindgren and his iconic former coach Tracy Walters. This evening event at Rogers High School was enjoyed by hundreds of nostalgic fans as well as inspired youth. Recollections and stories of Lindgren’s extraordinary athletic accomplishments were shared with stories of the coaching, inspiration and support from Tracy Walters.

It was very entertaining and inspirational listening to Gerry, who was joined by former teammates Len Long, and Steve Jones, discuss many facets of his running experiences. The obvious bond between Tracy and Gerry was also celebrated and serves as an example of what the support and care of a great coach or mentor can do. Many commented about how welcome it was to have something so positive in our community.

Special thanks to John Blanchette and Dave Nichols for spot-on reporting. A huge shout-out to the administration of John Rogers High School, for recognizing and celebrating a legendary runner and coach. One result of this event will be the opportunity to create a lasting display in the halls of John Rogers to keep the memory of this legacy alive forever.

Dave Stenersen

Spokane

High schoolers grilling hopeful congressional candidates

Great to see candidates for Congress speaking up in front of high school students.

This is the best time to ask the hard questions, before they are elected, to inform our votes.

Hopefully there will be other chances to ask if they favor important things like increasing the child tax credit to once again cut poverty in half. And calling on support for global health, like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance that has saved millions of lives and protected us locally.

So many ways Congress can create a better country and world, protect the children, and give everyone a fair chance to excel.

These are issues candidates must take a public stand on and our questions help ensure democracy works.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish, Washington

Scorn heaped upon Baumgartner

J.D. Fliesen’s June 9 letter; “They deserve respect, not suspicion and prejudice,” heaps scorn upon Michael Baumgartner, implying he’s a liar, belittling his military service and labeling him as a dullard. It’s pretty damning stuff.

Guess Ms. Fliesen got so caught up sharing an amusing anecdote she forgot to mention she’s the social media manager for Dr. Bernadine Bank, a Democrat running for CMR’s open congressional seat. Mr. Baumgartner is doing the same as a Republican.

Ms. Fliesen demands respect for those circumventing U.S. law. She provides no rationale for her demand. Apparently, in her world, the only person who doesn’t “deserve respect” is someone with the audacity to potentially derail her candidate’s, and possibly her own, D.C. dreams.

Doubtless, as with all seeking high office, Dr. Bank touts’ transparency as a key component of her character.

If the Bank run falls short, which this silly stunt shows it should, it would be no great surprise to find Ms. Fliesen profitably consulting in-service experiences at local schools and ERs exploring the “intricacises” of the three main versions and roughly twenty-five dialects, comprising the Arabic language. This would allow the “Tunisian American” to facilitate even more “contributions” gifted to the community from Spokane’s “significant Syrian population.”

William Baxley

Spokane