JOAN HURLOCK
Senate's rejection was blatant sexism
Kudos to The Statesman for calling a spade a spade. The Statesman editorial says that the votes were a result of narrow-mindedness and sexism.
The sole reason 19 Idaho legislators voted down Joan Hurlock is blatant sexism, and extreme narrow-mindedness being the cause of sexism. Hurlock's appointment would have been a loose brick on the edifice white men built long ago to control government, women and society.
The Fish and Game Commission website merely states that "To be appointed, commissioners must be a bona fide resident of the region from which they are appointed, and be well informed and interested in wildlife conservation and restoration. During their terms, commissioners may not hold any other elective or appointive office."
Clearly, any person with a brain can see that being a nonhunter is a fictitious reason for not confirming Hurlock for the Idaho Fish and Game Commission.
These 19 backward-thinking sexists need to be voted out of office! Women, don't just vote for open-minded candidates, run for office yourselves. It's time to turn the old boys club out to pasture.
I commend Gov. Otter for choosing Hurlock and the 16 legislators who voted for her.
FRAN COLLETTE, Boise
Pearce is unqualified
As if holding Joan Hurlock to a standard against which no prior director has been held wasn't bad enough, Sen. Pearce asking her to withdraw and apply to become director of the Board of Nursing because she is a woman is absolutely reprehensible. He has demonstrated loud and clear who is the least qualified person for a job in public service.
ERIC S. ROSSMAN, Boise
HERITAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL
Troubling questions surround incident
The events occurring at Heritage Middle School on Feb. 15 will be analyzed to "figure out if there were any problems and how those can be fixed." After reading the newspaper article, I submit the following:
Problems? How about:
Why did the teacher not let the resource officer know when he asked an eighth-grader to leave the school building and bring back an unidentified article? Is a teacher allowed to have a student leave the building? Letting the RO know would have prevented all the ensuing events.
How about educating teachers about something other than how to use a gun? How soon would a teacher have intervened with his/her gun, if it had been necessary?
Why does a resource officer need to be "told?"
How many other doors there can an intruder enter, unnoticed, carrying a package?
Maybe I was more alarmed by this than I needed to be, but after reading the newspaper article, it certainly would lead someone to believe it would be easy to enter Heritage Middle School unnoticed. Thank God it was an eighth-grader carrying an antique shovel and not an intruder with a grudge and an automatic weapon. This time.
VIRGINIA ROSE, Boise
BRENT COLES
Reliving history serves no useful purpose
I am deeply disturbed the Idaho Statesman felt it necessary to rebash Brent Coles and his staff. They have suffered/paid for their crimes. To bring it up again served no purpose than to cause old sores to fester again.
Brent Coles is an honorable man and did much good for this community. We tend to forget that good because of the mistakes he made. He has paid for those mistakes. Leave him alone and quit trying to bring further shame to him and his family. What good does it do? To rehash old news because it is the "10th anniversary." What nonsense! It's past and dead. Let it stay buried.
This keeps on the negative trend that the Statesman seems to historically follow. They have no good reporters to find new or positive news so, "let's go dig up some negative dirt." It's a negative story with negative story lines and causes people to suffer again for something they have already paid for. Drop it and move on.
This is the final straw. I'm canceling my subscription. Your paper has gotten small and more worthless over the years. This type of reporting is why you're losing subscribers.
JERRY LISTER, Boise
IDAHO SCHOOLS
Parents should look elsewhere for education
In my 26 years as a public schoolteacher in Idaho, I can honestly say I don't believe our Legislature will properly fund public education. It hasn't in the past, and I don't believe it will despite protests from concerned parents, students, teachers and citizens.
Here's a thought: Before outfitting all students with the latest and greatest laptops. you might want to observe in a classroom for say five minutes or so. From the tangle of cords to the blocky monitor that I have squinted into for six years. Yes, it would be handy if I, as a teacher, had a laptop at my disposal -but I don't.
I can't help but long for that era not so long ago ... just me and a roomful of kids. All I had to do was teach them. I didn't have to write grants for my classroom. I didn't have to beg parents for basic supplies.
So I say to you students and parents: Go on! Don't stay in this state if you're planning to educate your children. Don't stay in this state if you're planning a career in public education. Go on to states that value public education.
SHANNON POWERS, Boise
ALBERTSONS
Local control works better for company
I note in the paper that The Albertson Foundation is again putting millions into Idaho education, and I'm reminded of how much good Kay and Joe and their company have done for our state.
As a retired employee and longtime customer of Albertsons, I applaud the news that the chain is being reunited after seven years under the ownership of Supervalu. Control of the company will again be in the hands of people Joe hired (or would have) - and back here in Idaho as well. Bob Miller and his team are excellent at what they do - and they do it like Joe did. Yes, things will be different, and jobs will certainly be affected - Cerberus is a lean and mean operation, after all. But I'm betting that the Albertsons LLC team will make Albertsons more competitive and once again make us all proud of what Joe built here in our state.
CURTIS STODDARD, Eagle
IDAHO POWER
No break for solar folks
Last June, we fired up 24 solar panels on my roof, about 5kW capacity.
Residential solar projects are reducing the amount of high cost spot market power we may have to buy at a rate higher than 7 cents/kWhr. Of course, the panels shut down at night and I use inexpensive coal and hydro power.
This is a hobby, to wit:
The cost is around $25,000. Payback period is about 30 years.
Great hobby: Live off energy provided free by the sun.
The suggested new tariff:
Customer charge increased to $21/mo, recover cost of wires and meters. Therefore, reducing the kWhr charge to 4 cents/kWhr.
I hope to have a net credit at the end of this year! I will frame the small check I might get from Idaho Power!
Whooooops!
Idaho Power's suggested tariff says I lose that credit at the end of the calendar year? What? So, if I have a surplus at the end of the year, Idaho Power wants it at no cost? Free energy?
Is this big business playing the bully card?
I hope the PUC encourages IPCo to revise the suggested tariff. Or, let's sell the idea of Germany's feed-in tariff where ratepayers help us solar folks.
JAMES THOMAS, Boise
