Michele Tucci [06/01/2002]

To the editor:Recently, local writer Susan Meeker-Lowry included comments about Whitaker Woods and the north/south local road in a published column, writing that "some kind of bulldozing slated for Whitaker Woods regardless . . ." While it is obvious that Ms. Meeker-Lowry is against this proposed destruction, it does no good to the coming messy fight to save Whitaker Woods, when newspaper columnists, no matter how sympathetic they may be, seem so resigned to the loss of this great natural resource. Please Susan, use your "pen" as the mighty tool that it is. Hold it skyward like the sabre, and put forth a call to arms there are woods to save, not in Alaska, but right here at home.Joe Berry and company may have millions, and may believe that is his passport to do whatever he pleases, but there is a quiet majority of non-millionares who are far richer because we appreciate places such as Whitaker Woods - as is.Ms. Meeker-Lowry also wrote about the valley-wide housing crisis, making valid points about how the workers are being priced out of their apartments. The business people and landlords simply do not care enough, one jerk landlord even made a comment admitting that he raises rents purposely to make single mothers and people with pets leave town, The only thing that will change this type of landlord, along with the Berry's and Tarbell's, is rent control. The very mention of those two magic words certainly must make the greedy folks with shiney shoes shutter. Something drastic will have to happen, rent prices are a runaway train that needs to be derailed. How? Perhaps a mid-summer march on the village, right in front of all of the tourists, maybe even Channel 9?Many of us look forward to Susan's columns, as we also do of Susan Bruce. Please use your forums to help local people. It is all well and good to try and save the Artic, but there are local resources, both natural and human, which need saving as well.