Friday, May 10, 2013
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Celebrate Clear Creek Trail We celebrated our 20th Earth Day with a fantastic event on the Clear Creek Trail. About 70 Central Kitsap High School students from Bill Wilson’s classes put in 400 feet of trail in the last downtown section behind Car Toys off Silverdale Way. Twelve Sailors from the Bangor Intermediate Maintenance Facility also came out to assist. Sid Williams and Thomas Hunter from the Silverdale Water District added tools and adult direction. Lori Raymaker from the Kitsap County Parks Department brought more tools. The kids really hustled and were lots of fun to be around. A very generous Peter Braun, of Taco Bell, provided burritos for the hungry kids as he has done each Earth Day for the past 20 years! The way the
EDITORIAL CONTINUED FROM A4
After federal sequestration cuts brought about furlough days for air traffic controllers, and the nation’s airports suddenly became a confusing mix of delayed and cancelled f lights, Congress took action. They pulled air traffic controllers from the mix and ceased the mandate to furlough the controllers.
www.bremertonpatriot.com | www.centralkitsapreporter.com
community supports this event is truly inspirational. Every year, the students come motivated and eager to work. In no time at all, they figure out what needs to be done, and do it. It is a joy to share their enthusiasm and energy. The most rewarding thing about the Clear Creek Trail Earth Day event is the way folks come together to improve their community and have a great time doing it! You just feel good hanging around them. To all who pitched in, thanks a million. Tex Lewis Clear Creek Task Force
No gun show loophole exists
It’s easy to understand how the average person could come to believe that there is such a thing as a “gun show loophole.” That’s all they hear from the media and from politicians eager to exploit hot button issues. In fact, there is no “gun show loophole.” Much like the “assault
Could it be that getting home from Washington D.C. became a nightmare they didn’t want to deal with? Could it be that as Senators and Representatives they found themselves all the sudden a victim of their own actions? Maybe. But it does seem strange that it took only one week without the full power of America’s airports for Congress to decide air travel was the one place
weapons” myth, it is a lie propagated by antigun extremist groups. True military assault weapons have been under strict government control since 1934. The guns being referred to as assault weapons are normal semi-automatic rifles differing only cosmetically from commonly used hunting rifles. Likewise, the vast majority of firearms sold at gun shows are sold by federally licensed dealers who are required to conduct background checks. While private sales do occur at gun shows, they are subject to the same state and federal laws that govern all other private sales of guns. If anything, guns sold at gun shows are the least likely to wind up being used in crimes. A 2001 report from the Bureau of Justice Statistics on Firearm Use by Offenders shows that less than 1 percent of guns used in crimes come from gun shows while more than 8 percent come from retail stores. (http://bjs.gov/
that they weren’t going to allow sequestration to continue. Congress needs to get to work and resolve the budget problems with real answers. Congress needs to end the sequestration soon before real families with real needs are dangerously affected, be it in education, housing, mental health needs, or just their paychecks. Think about that next time you board a plane, Mr. Congressman.
content/pub/press/fuopr. cfm) The largest gun shows in our state are run by The Washington Arms Collectors. Sale and possession of firearms at WAC shows are restricted to members, all of whom undergo background checks. Can we do better? Sure! The NICS data base is woefully inadequate and needs to be updated (www. fixnics.org ). Also, current laws need to be enforced. According to the FBI, the number of felons and fugitive denied a firearm in 2010 was 48,321 yet the number of prosecutions was just 44. We need to stop focusing on quick fixes that will accomplish nothing and concentrate on real solutions. Charles Ely Bremerton
Don’t reinvent the wheel The restructuring of the Kitsap County
Page A5
government as reported in the Central Kitsap Reporter on April 26 amounts to reinventing the wheel. Each form of government has a particular way of doing things and when a region like Kitsap County has grown and developed to a point where the commission form of government, as Kitsap County is, becomes obsolete, you have the kinds of problems the commissioners are now wrestling with. A commission form of government has the commissioners performing dual functions by legislating and executing policies, which is self-serving in terms of evaluating their performance. Commissioners are politicians and may not have the qualification to manage. Department directors possess the necessary education, training and experience to run their departments. The problem arises where in order to keep their jobs, they are compelled
to sacrifice sound judgement developed through education and experience to please their political bosses. This results in short-changing taxpayers the quality of services they deserve and have paid for. The solution is not to change the job description of these departments to achieve better coordination among directors and efficiency but to change the form of government to something that approximates the council/manager form patterned after the corporation with a board that formulates policies and a CEO that implements those policies. A corporation is a model whose existence hinges on efficiency and cost-effective operations. Until then, all the tweaking and attempts to restructure Kitsap County’s government is an exercise in futility. Noel C. Sim, PE Bremerton
Occupational Hearing Loss PSNS BANGOR KEYPORT Hearing Loss caused by exposure to loud noise is an injury. Let us help you navigate the paperwork and receive the benefits you deserve.
No Cost to the Injured Worker Convenient Locations Bremerton and Port Orchard Call 1-800-422-8942
PROVIDER FOR ALL CLAIMS USE YOUR BENEFITS Have an Existing claim Providing Services for Existing Claims. for Hearing Loss? Call Today to Upgrade Your Hearing! Upgrade Your System Today!
Integrated t 4UBUF PG UIF "SU )FBSJOH 4ZTUFNT Latest Generation Hearing t "TTJTUJWF 57 -JTUFOJOH 4ZTUFNT Aids with Wireless - TV, Cell Phone, Compatibility t #MVFUPPUI $PNQBUJCMF )FBSJOH Computer, Voice IQ t $VTUPN )FBSJOH 1SPUFDUJPO
ALWAYS NO COST TO THE INJURED WORKER
OWCP Hearing Loss Claims
Bremerton (360) 373-5883 Port Orchard (360) 876-1252 Toll Free 1-800-422-8942