LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[August 2nd, 2006] FISHING FOR CORRECTNESS

"You are...likely to encounter Vietnamese Americans catching squawfish," wrote Chris Lydgate in "River Rats" [WW, July 19, 2006].

As a severely politically correct publication, you should know that the word "squaw" is no longer socially acceptable. The fish you mention is now referred to as the Northern Pikeminnow.

Stephen Sasser
Southwest 6th Avenue

HIPSTERS VS. HICKS

I think it is time to give your readers a little more credit in regards to the "Red Dawn" article [WW, July 12, 2006]. First, I am sure that most Portlanders are aware that we live in a little blue island and the rest of the state is pretty conservative. If one were to look at the color-coded county map of Oregon after the 2004 Presidential election, it would look more like a cherry and not a blueberry.

Secondly, what the article fails to mention is this is hardly exclusive to Oregon. Simple math would show that if Bush and Kerry had evenly split the vote in King County (Seattle), Bush would have taken Washington. The same could be true for Michigan if Wayne County (Detroit) had split the vote, Hennepin County (Minneapolis) for Minnesota, Cook County (Chicago) in Illinois, and Milwaukee County in Wisconsin.

The only true "blue" states in the United States are some of the New England ones. It is time the people realized that it is not a battle of blue and red states, but a battle between rural and urban areas.

Bryce Shotwell
Northeast 41st Avenue

CLARA'S SYNERGISM

I continue to bristle over your June 28 issue's coverage of my friend Clara Padilla Andrews ["Citizen Clara"]. Clara's brilliant husband has been my career mentor for a dozen years, and both Clara and he have served me as role models of ethical behavior, professionalism, social and political conscience and activism, and political savvy.

My overriding thought about the facts and innuendo presented in the article is, so what? Are $600 political contributions scandalous? What's wrong with providing a conduit for community outreach by local government to a minority population? Why not obtain PDC funds that exist to support efforts like those related to the nonprofit and minority businesses in furtherance of Portland's vision of a diverse and healthy urban community?

I have seen Clara work tirelessly to raise money for the nonprofit and to support it through her own and her family's efforts and personal financial contributions. I applaud Clara for her dedication to the public service and for developing relationships that provide synergism in benefiting causes about which she cares deeply and which benefit the community as a whole. I wish that we had many more altruistic contributors to our community like Clara.

Kathleen Barsocchini
Lake Oswego

JUNK FOOD FOR THOUGHT

It was with great surprise and dismay that we, Portland Public Schools' Wellness Advisory Committee, read the July 19 article "Lunch Counter," which implies that the district is sacrificing nutrition to earn money. In our research, PPS has gone the extra mile to improve the nutritional content of foods in schools, frequently at increased expense, and any implication otherwise is wrong and ill-informed.

Unlike most districts in the nation, state or local funding does not support PPS' Nutrition Services. This means in many ways it is financially independent from the district and must manage its finances to avoid dipping into already strapped funds. Keeping a budget balanced is how PPS and our community ensure that feeding our kids healthy foods is the priority. This has proven to be invaluable, as evidenced by the recent changes to improve food choices and the school environment—removal of all vending machines in middle schools, removal of branded fast foods from all schools, removal of à la carte items in favor of complete meals, improved nutritional content of favorite food such as bento and pizza.

Nutrition Services Director Kristy Obbink has remained stalwart in her efforts to improve nutrition, and next year's Nutrition Services program embodies this goal.

During this time of progress, we must commend PPS and Nutrition Services for making positive changes to improve the health of our children. Furthermore, Portlanders need to be accurately informed so that they are inspired to support PPS' efforts to make healthy environments for our children.

Sincere and informed,
The PPS Wellness Advisory Committee

PAMPLIN = LITTLE FAT BOY?

In your article "The Island of Dr. Pamplin" [WW, July 12, 2006], there seems to me to be a few points I don't understand. Maybe you'll clarify.

(1) The words "contaminated material" appear frequently throughout the article, although no description of the nature of the contamination or the exact source of the contamination is addressed.

I thoroughly enjoyed Division of State Lands natural resource coordniator Joy Freibaum's description of fill as clean or "class A" dirt. I can only guess she read that in some college text.

(2) It's written that the Department of Environmental Quality has given Ross Island until February 2008 to "finish its cleanup." Now with a little elementary arithmetic, that works out to about 17 months from now. "Jumping the gun" comes to mind.

And who is Mike Houck, and what gives him the right to question [Ross Island Sand and Gravel owner] Dr. [Robert] Pamplin's integrity? I agree, opinions are like assholes. So Mr. Houck is entitled to his.

Dr. Pamplin's donation of this property should, in itself, say something. His commitment to restore the island's ecosystem is costing millions of personal dollars—not taxpayers'.

This is a case of the mean old camp counselor prodding the little fat boy on the first day of camp. Beware of graduation day.

Oh, one more thing. On the day of this writing, Thursday, July 13, 2006, the City of Portland has just issued a warning of the notorious combined sewer outflow, or overflow, or downflow—whatever. Two key words are "sewage" and "river."

What would Mr. Houck rather swim in, "clean, or 'Class A,' dirt," or shit?

Michael Gray
East Burnside Street