PRESS: Contrast on the front page

It was no coincidence that the Cd’A Press printed two articles on the front page. The first article reported that the CEO of Avista, Scott Morris, will get a raise to $3 million this year, while people are struggling to pay their power bills in this recession. He enjoys earning in one year what most people will never need or spend in a lifetime. And what a difficult job Scott has overseeing a company that is a monopoly — there really is no other competition.

Below that is the heart wrenching article about Mrs. Taylor who is now homeless and living on friends’ sofas, after her son, Ryan, was murdered. I had the privilege of meeting this brave Christian woman, and she told me about the generosity of the people in this community.

Her son leaves three daughters behind. She explained how Lake City Church conducted the funeral, and how the company where her son worked, paid for the funeral. The company then pointed two cranes in the sky that touched, as a tribute to their fallen worker.

I am reminded of the Bible verse, “for what does it profit a man, to gain the world, but lose his soul.” I don’t know if CEO Scott was one of the generous people of Cd’A who helped Mrs. Taylor, but I am proud of the many generous people in this community who helped, despite their own hardships.

The Cd’A Press is doing a great job, because the last article on the front page gave us some humor, and even managed to fool my son Shane, who in the early morning was half awake, and started to believe the fun April Fool’s day spoof on President Obama — that our president was going to turn water into wine and create jobs.

STEVE BELL

Coeur d’Alene