Sammamish Forum
July 8, 2009
By Contributed
These things take time
I doubt that a recent writer has ever taken the propaganda paper Pravda seriously or quoted it before his using it against President Obama in his letter.
The writer expects 30 years of undermining of our economy by the Republicans — who controlled the Congress from 1995 until 2006 and had presidents in office for 20 years of the last 28 years — to turn around in five months? This is insane!
Recessions take time to turn around, doing any type of analysis on President Obama’s performance now is just ludicrous and purely politically motivated propaganda worthy of Pravda.
Michael T. Barr
Sammamish
Leave Beaver Lake Park in its natural state
Beaver Lake Park has historic significance to Sammamish and must be saved in its natural state as much as possible. King County recognized the landscape’s importance and took a big step by commissioning art that honors Native Americans and pays respect to the beautiful setting that we are all blessed to use and enjoy.
David Boxley, who created the two larger story poles is a world-renowned artist. His carving unifies an American eagle and a Russian bear to become a symbol of peace. Boxley’s art is in fine collections aound the world.
What is now the park has been C.L. Bartell’s home site, a resort and a Catholic summer camp. This adds historic value although only the lodge remains. The lodge, too, is in jeopardy of being reconstructed in the name of increased revenue.
Beaver Lake Park is a gem in our city that does not deserve the consultant driven, chopped up, paved over, fenced in, lit up, revenue generating master plans that have been presented to the City Council. These master plans are not thoughtful enough and destroy the sanctity of the setting.
Janis Seil
Sammamish
What’s next for the Freed House?
Now that a majority of the Sammamish City Council appears to have sealed the fate of the Reard/Freed House, it might be a good time to reflect on a few questions.
First, what is the value of old things in our society in general? Do we respect older people for the experience they have gained, just in living a long time? Is there an intrinsic value in old buildings, just by virtue of their being old? I believe that the answer to both of those questions is yes.
My husband and I just returned from nine days back east. Where our old buildings would be considered youngsters, they seem to revere the old in Maryland, Pennsylvania and, of course, Washington, D.C.
What would the Smithsonian Institution contain, were it not for the things that are no longer in use in society?
Not everything there was of great historical significance when it was put away by its owners but just look at it now.
I hope it’s not too late for us to realize that there is a need to remember our roots, and to save what little remains of the history of our city. Our neighbors in Redmond and Bellevue have made that commitment.
The little old log house in Kelsey Creek Park, for instance, was probably considered an eyesore before a group of people determined to make it an example of nineteenth-century living. Can’t we find the will to do something similar with our disappearing heritage?
If you can help in this effort, please contact one of the three City Council members who saw the wisdom of keeping the old, and not letting the Reard/Freed House go the way of nearly everything else in Sammamish that’s not shiny and new.
They are Michele Pettiti, Jack Barry and Don Gerend. We, the members of the Sammamish Heritage Society, will stay in touch with them to pool our, and your, resources, in hopes of salvaging this piece of history.
Penny J. Short
Sammamish
Chickens are fine
My husband and myself purchased a lot in Loree Estates on New Year’s Eve in 1984 and subsequently built our home there. We sold that home in 1996, but still continue to live on the plateau. The Loree Estates CC&R’s stated that small animals as well as horses can be raised and kept on the properties within Loree Estates. Unless the homeowners have voted to change these covenants and restrictions since, I would presume the homeowners in question have a right to at least raise some chickens. I believe this right has also been grandfathered by the county and city as well even though the plateau is now urban.
Why not ask your neighbors to keep the animals away from the property lines? Having animals and gardens, I believe, is a positive and not a negative. Why not let our children and grandchildren have an awareness of where food really comes from and the effort it takes to grow crops and care for animals so that we are fed.
Pam Ellsworth
Sammamish
As a 14-year-old, I have looked upon the lives of many teens stumbling to find their way through to high school. Although I am young, I have witnessed much more than you may realize.
In a middle school as safe as mine, I am still surrounded by smokers, druggies and kids who have sex after school. Even with our health teachers telling us how harmful these acts may be and trying every way possible to prevent us from performing them, it is still no use.
It is difficult to understand why teens do these things. Stress? Friends? Family? As a child, I can see where these kids are coming from, but why they would turn to such things, I could never imagine. Talking and encouraging kids only goes so far, as teens my age find it hard to talk about what they are feeling. This often causes depression and possible suicide.
This problem can never be fully solved, but it can be helped. Teens need to feel like they can talk and not keep it bottled up inside. They should not feel embarrassed, scared or ashamed to let it all out.
If you are a parent, let your child know he or she can always come to you for help. If you have a friend who is smoking, doing drugs, or generally depressed, let them know that you’re there to help them and encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, and if they are not comfortable doing that, to call a help hotline. It could save a life.
Kylie Boyd
Issaquah
These things take time
I doubt that a recent writer has ever taken the propaganda paper Pravda seriously or quoted it before his using it against President Obama in his letter.
The writer expects 30 years of undermining of our economy by the Republicans — who controlled the Congress from 1995 until 2006 and had presidents in office for 20 years of the last 28 years — to turn around in five months? This is insane!
Recessions take time to turn around, doing any type of analysis on President Obama’s performance now is just ludicrous and purely politically motivated propaganda worthy of Pravda.
Michael T. Barr
Sammamish
Leave Beaver Lake Park in its natural state
Beaver Lake Park has historic significance to Sammamish and must be saved in its natural state as much as possible. King County recognized the landscape’s importance and took a big step by commissioning art that honors Native Americans and pays respect to the beautiful setting that we are all blessed to use and enjoy.
David Boxley, who created the two larger story poles is a world-renowned artist. His carving unifies an American eagle and a Russian bear to become a symbol of peace. Boxley’s art is in fine collections aound the world.
What is now the park has been C.L. Bartell’s home site, a resort and a Catholic summer camp. This adds historic value although only the lodge remains. The lodge, too, is in jeopardy of being reconstructed in the name of increased revenue.
Beaver Lake Park is a gem in our city that does not deserve the consultant driven, chopped up, paved over, fenced in, lit up, revenue generating master plans that have been presented to the City Council. These master plans are not thoughtful enough and destroy the sanctity of the setting.
Janis Seil
Sammamish
What’s next for the Freed House?
Now that a majority of the Sammamish City Council appears to have sealed the fate of the Reard/Freed House, it might be a good time to reflect on a few questions.
First, what is the value of old things in our society in general? Do we respect older people for the experience they have gained, just in living a long time? Is there an intrinsic value in old buildings, just by virtue of their being old? I believe that the answer to both of those questions is yes.
My husband and I just returned from nine days back east. Where our old buildings would be considered youngsters, they seem to revere the old in Maryland, Pennsylvania and, of course, Washington, D.C.
What would the Smithsonian Institution contain, were it not for the things that are no longer in use in society?
Not everything there was of great historical significance when it was put away by its owners but just look at it now.
I hope it’s not too late for us to realize that there is a need to remember our roots, and to save what little remains of the history of our city. Our neighbors in Redmond and Bellevue have made that commitment.
The little old log house in Kelsey Creek Park, for instance, was probably considered an eyesore before a group of people determined to make it an example of nineteenth-century living. Can’t we find the will to do something similar with our disappearing heritage?
If you can help in this effort, please contact one of the three City Council members who saw the wisdom of keeping the old, and not letting the Reard/Freed House go the way of nearly everything else in Sammamish that’s not shiny and new.
They are Michele Pettiti, Jack Barry and Don Gerend. We, the members of the Sammamish Heritage Society, will stay in touch with them to pool our, and your, resources, in hopes of salvaging this piece of history.
Penny J. Short
Sammamish
Chickens are fine
My husband and myself purchased a lot in Loree Estates on New Year’s Eve in 1984 and subsequently built our home there. We sold that home in 1996, but still continue to live on the plateau. The Loree Estates CC&R’s stated that small animals as well as horses can be raised and kept on the properties within Loree Estates. Unless the homeowners have voted to change these covenants and restrictions since, I would presume the homeowners in question have a right to at least raise some chickens. I believe this right has also been grandfathered by the county and city as well even though the plateau is now urban.
Why not ask your neighbors to keep the animals away from the property lines? Having animals and gardens, I believe, is a positive and not a negative. Why not let our children and grandchildren have an awareness of where food really comes from and the effort it takes to grow crops and care for animals so that we are fed.
Pam Ellsworth
Sammamish
As a 14-year-old, I have looked upon the lives of many teens stumbling to find their way through to high school. Although I am young, I have witnessed much more than you may realize.
In a middle school as safe as mine, I am still surrounded by smokers, druggies and kids who have sex after school. Even with our health teachers telling us how harmful these acts may be and trying every way possible to prevent us from performing them, it is still no use.
It is difficult to understand why teens do these things. Stress? Friends? Family? As a child, I can see where these kids are coming from, but why they would turn to such things, I could never imagine. Talking and encouraging kids only goes so far, as teens my age find it hard to talk about what they are feeling. This often causes depression and possible suicide.
This problem can never be fully solved, but it can be helped. Teens need to feel like they can talk and not keep it bottled up inside. They should not feel embarrassed, scared or ashamed to let it all out.
If you are a parent, let your child know he or she can always come to you for help. If you have a friend who is smoking, doing drugs, or generally depressed, let them know that you’re there to help them and encourage them to talk to a trusted adult, and if they are not comfortable doing that, to call a help hotline. It could save a life.
Kylie Boyd
Issaquah
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