WW welcomes letters to the editor via mail, e-mail or fax. Letters must be signed by the author and include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Preference will be given to letters of 250 words or less. Speak For Yourself I want to protest Mr. Piccolo's so-called representation of the will of North Portland on the light-rail expansion issue and his absolutism in opposing South-North rail ["The Ted Offensive," WW, March 17, 1999]. One would assume that Mr. Piccolo has never had the unfortunate experience of being caught, hung up, on top of the Fremont Bridge at rush hour. Nor would one assume that he is one of those unfortunates who during the August vehicle-exhaust smog season has to close his windows and turn air cleaners on high. Nor, it would seem, has Mr. Piccolo set himself the dreary task of reviewing raising freeway congestion rates and seriously contemplating a logical solution. Also, I would suspect that activist Piccolo has not had the delightful experience of visiting light rail-friendly cities. One would hope that he would go soon to Montreal, for example: a city with a great metro system and low downtown congestion (as well as great cuisine!). I hope that Willamette Week readers realize that Mr. Piccolo doesn't speak for many North Portland residents. The type of commute that light rail would provide would certainly improve my quality of life. One more frustrated commuter from North Portland, Nancy Hedrick North Portland Behind Every Great Man... In your article "Royal Flush" (March 31, 1999), regarding the Willamette River clean-up bill proposed by my husband (Rep. Randy Leonard), you said, "No one pulls Leonard's strings." Clearly, we have not met. Julie Ann Leonard Southeast 153rd Avenue Objection As the parents of a kindergartner and third grader at Irvington School, we must express our concern that your article on desegregation money ("Mixing It Up," April 7, 1999) grossly misrepresents Irvington School and its use of desegregation funding. No one would argue that the demographics of the Irvington neighborhood have changed in the past 10 years, primarily because of high housing costs, but if you look at the demographics of Irvington School (45 percent children of color and 55 percent Caucasian), which reporter Nigel Jaquiss failed to do, you would see that Irvington is one school where desegregation has worked, despite massive budget cuts and increased requirements due to education reform. As a student at Irvington, no matter what your religion or where your parents came from, you see other children who look like you and share your culture. You also have the ability to experience other races, religions and cultures in a rich and child development-centered environment that includes some of the finest P.E. and music education in the district. Is this a poor use of desegregation funds? We are not perfect, but most families at Irvington--whether families of color or Caucasian families, whether from inside or outside the school boundaries--choose Irvington because it represents an alternative to schools that aren't successfully desegregated in the district. Before Dr. Canada considers cutting desegregation funds to Irvington School, the district should set its goals and then see if Irvington meets them. Your reporters could benefit from this exercise as well. We believe Irvington School is the district model for successful desegregation. Kim Thomas and John Morrison Northeast 25th Avenue - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published April 21, 1999