Dear Editor,

I was dismayed by two things in the July 9 issue. Gary Gillespie wrote in defense of feeding squirrels. Yes, squirrels are very cute. However, they are considered nuisance animals by state wildlife agencies. They damage gardens, chew home and vehicle wiring, raid bird nests and feeders, girdle trees, and live in attics and crawlspaces. Some home inspectors estimate that 20 percent of house fires in the United States are caused by squirrels chewing on electrical wires. Feeding squirrels only makes these problems worse.

“The Talented Mr. Tomasie” seems to glorify firearms, and comes on the heels of another recent front page photo of a smiling man toting a high powered rifle. In these days of frequent mass shootings and other gun violence, it upsets me to see the Kirkland Reporter devote a seemingly disproportionate amount of space to articles about guns.

~Karen Story, Kirkland