Letters to the Editor - January 16, 2008

Academics losing battle with athletics for money

I certainly appreciate the views expressed by George Beres, a former insider, concerning academics taking second place to athletics in our educational institutions. It confirms what many of us have suspicioned for years. The devolution of academics and the evolution of athletics. Hold on to your wallets as “big donors” ram a new basketball complex down our throats.

Arvid Freiberg
Springfield


Restoring native habitat along the Willamette

In Dorothy Velasco’s article on Willamalane (Dec. 19), she mentions that Willamalane has been working to “clean up” the banks of the Willamette River between Island Park and East Alton Baker Park. What “clean up” really means is destroying wildlife/bird habitat. Yes, there were invasive blackberries that needed to come out, but there were also native blackberries, snowberries, thimbleberries, dogwood, ninebark, Oregon grape, wild roses, current, and other native plants that birds need for nourishment, shelter, nesting and protection from predators if they are to survive. Everywhere else along the course of the Willamette River, organizations and volunteers have been working extremely hard to restore native habitat, planting native plants. Although I really appreciate Willamalane and almost everything that they do, I feel it was very wrong for Willamalane to destroy the native habitat that they were so fortunate to have. I am hoping that Willamalane will replant this area with native plants before the coming spring.

Carol Stern
Springfield


Library appreciates help from volunteers, Borders

Friends of the Springfield Public Library recently completed another holiday stint of "Wrap 'n Rap" of gift-wrapping for donations at Borders Bookstore in Oakway Center. Led by "Chief Elf," Kate Wallace, a crew of elves began wrapping the day after Thanksgiving and continued through numerous days until Christmas Eve. This is a fundraiser project for the Springfield Library and helps the library enhance children's programs, and purchase books or other items on the library's wish list.
Therefore, the Springfield Library Board wishes to recognize all the hard work of Kate and the other elves, and the generosity of the customers who stopped by to have their purchases giftwrapped. This year's donations were nearly $1400. We also wish to acknowledge Borders for their cooperation in providing the opportunities, space and quality supplies for fundraising, to us, as well as other nonprofit groups.

Ruth Haberman
Chair
Springfield Public Library Board