In response to Kay Smith’s letter about polling people who found out their schools are “failing.” I am a parent of two Renton Park Elementary students. I was offered a transfer for both of my children because their school didn’t meet the AYP for the last two years. My choices were Tiffany Park or Talbot Hill.
While I sympathize with the Wrights’ plight trying to get out of their own driveway, obstructed due to the overflow traffic caused by the closure of Duvall, I’m a little concerned about her solution. If she is asking people to stop in the middle of the traffic flow to let her out onto the road, she is advocating an unsafe and illegal action. This is unsafe due to the hazards created when only part of the traffic stops.
Renton’s new garbage contract was passed by the Renton City Council on Sept. 22, 2008.
The Renton City Council made a decision to throw out the contract which expires Dec. 31, 2009, which was negotiated in 2000 with a monthly rate of $13.44 for a 32-gallon can a week, for a contract that cuts down service and increases rates to the customer.
The front page of the Renton Reporter (Sept. 20) carried
Melissa Kruger’s (M.K.) Letter to the Editor (Renton Reporter, Sept 20) was entitled: “Palin’s positions are not “friendly,” then goes about showing us readers the examples she has for making this judgment.
People who are excited at the prospect of Sarah Palin’s candidacy need to look a bit more closely, because her positions are not woman-friendly, family-friendly, or even America-friendly.
I am responding to the news that our garbage rates will be increasing. I understand that the cost for services will increase; but with this $60-a-year increase to my household budget (more than a 270 percent increase, going from $3.36/can to $9.20/can), I was completely baffled as to what I will be receiving for my money.
I’ve really had it with John Carlson’s opinion pieces. I’m not sure his opinions are worth the paper they’re written on.
I am responding to John Carlson’s commentary on “Palin can think for herself.” I am “astonished” as well but not at the “brazen hypocrisy of liberals.” I am more astonished at Mr. Carlson’s comparisons. He compares Ferraro’s campaign with Palin’s. These are different times – he’s comparing apples to oranges. The “doesn’t have enough experience” statements were originally being made by McCain against Obama as a “reason” to vote for McCain. Now that the “doesn’t have enough experience” is being used against Palin, he calls it “excuse.”
I have never written to an editor before but I am so outraged with our animal-control people that I had to voice my opinion for the poor voiceless animals in our area. A few weeks ago I was appalled at our animal-control officers when they darted a frightened bear 60 feet up in a tree in Kennydale. It fell and was badly injured. What did they think it would be? Or did they even think? It cost us taxpayers a lot of money to have the poor bear’s broken bones repaired, not to mention the pain of the poor bear.
Gov. Sarah Palin is like a shooting star – a meteor streaking through the dead rubble of the McCain campaign. Mirror image of Obama? Not even close. She is a replica of John McCain in reverse. She is the star of his show, a reflection of him in every sense. She can draw the large crowds, which he cannot; she has the high energy, which he does not; she is a comedian, which he is not; she reads the teleprompter well; he gets befuddled.
The Machinists are right to strike. They deserve much better than what they are getting. Boeing is reporting record profits and a seven-year backlog of orders and they still want to cut their employees’ benefits and reduce job security. Is that fair?
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave a rousing speech at the Republican Convention. But the speech, written by one of George W. Bush’s speech writers, didn’t reveal anything about Gov. Palin’s own views on many important issues.
I am thrilled with Sen. John McCain’s selection of Gov. Sarah Palin. I’m so excited that the person with whom Sen. McCain decided he had the most chemistry also happens to be a woman. There is no doubt in my mind that the United States is ready for a female vice president. I am a 22-year-old man now and I remember having a conversation with my mom long ago in which she told me that in the 80s many women couldn’t buy a home without the signature of a man. I remember how angry that made me. Today, we have the opportunity to elect our first female vice president. I admire how she became governor by defeating the Republican incumbent governor in his own primary and a former two-term Democratic governor in the general election. Gov. Palin truly is an independent Republican. When people talk about how Sarah Palin has distanced herself from ineffective and corrupt Republicans in her own state, it’s true! Gov. Palin didn’t just avoid being photographed with corrupt Republicans; she ran against them and beat them! I think Gov. Palin is extremely impressive and my mom and I can’t wait to cast our votes for the McCain/Palin ticket!
If Leiana Smith truly believes the letter from Beatrice Clark was based on “sensationalized reports,” wait until she hears “the rest of the story.” She admits she doesn’t even know the full story, so I will fill in some blanks. There are a variety of ways the WASL test scores can be interpreted, but when it all boils down, we still must admit the educational system is broken and needs to be fixed. I am very concerned about all children, not just mine. Emily Garland’s report only included the Title I schools that did not make Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in the Renton School District. The other schools on the down list are Black River High, Hazen High, Lindbergh High, Renton High (level 5), McKnight Middle School (level 4), Nelsen Middle School (level 3) and (Dimmitt Middle School, level 4).
In reply to Beatrice Clark’s letter about our “failing” middle schools, it seems to me that she has just listened to sensationalized reports. I can’t speak for Dimmit or Nelson, but here is the information for McKnight. I believe that the following applies to all three schools.
From Washington, D.C., to Washington state, it is TIME FOR CHANGE. The dismal news that all three middle schools in the Renton School District failed to meet the adequate yearly progress (AYP) standard sends a strong message that our children are in deep trouble and we ‘‘cannot afford to wait.” This is a recurring problem in the District which has not been fixed.
Dean Radford wrote an article (Editor’s Note, Aug. 16, Renton Reporter) telling Renton voters to vote for Ms. Maxwell because she is a strong candidate, has an understanding of the Renton community and is a Democrat. The only one of these that should matter in this election is whether she is a stronger candidate.
Now that school is out and the kids will be using the streets and alleys more, and throwing their cigarettes here and there, we need to be more concerned about fire hazards.
If you can stand one more letter regarding “Huckleberry Finn,” I urge everyone interested in other points of view and new insights to buy or check out the July 14, 2008, copy of Time Magazine’s annual “Making of America” Issue. It has a picture of Mark Twain on the front, and the title says “The Dangerous Mind of Mark Twain.” Subtitled articles include:
