SHERMAN: When east meets mess

My wife and I have lived on the east side of town for more than 20 years, and have always enjoyed the close in location that it has offered. What has taken place over the last couple of years is somewhat disturbing; the influx of transients and or possibly the homeless has changed the complexion of East Sherman.

Supposedly, Spokane doesn’t allow transients or the homeless, and suggest that they visit Coeur d’Alene. I don’t know if this is fact or fiction. I have always donated to Fresh Start and St. Vinny’s knowing that with a few bad decisions one could find himself in a similar position. Having said that, if not daily, at least weekly, new faces show up for the free stuff that East Sherman has to offer. Not unlike my bird feeders, if I have free bird food I’ve always got new birds dropping in for a meal.

A couple of months ago the state of Idaho gave another community a state mental facility instead of Coeur d’Alene, and I must say I was quite relieved we didn’t get it. Exit 15 has had the Port of Hope as long as I can remember, and we have never had any problems with their clients. My feeling is they run a pretty tight ship in regard to the community and their clients. With everyone trying to be politically correct, we shouldn’t be saying anything that might be construed as discrimination. But this new group that is showing up in our community are from large urban and metropolitan areas and have a criminal background, and that isn’t conducive to a residential community and reducing crime.

My wife walks to see her mother every morning at an assisted living facility. One recent morning on her walk, a man in a green camo outfit was waving a knife at her while riding his bike. It may not have been something to worry about, but it scared her enough to turn around and go home instead of visiting her mother.

A police officer from another state told my wife that they give a bus ticket to the homeless and a check for $500; it’s a Wells Fargo check and has to be cashed in Coeur d’Alene. This may not be true, but it wouldn’t surprise me if it was. Fidel Castro did something similar when he opened his prisons and insane asylums and shipped them to America via Florida, actually a pretty smart political move on his part to get rid of a burden on Cuba.

If we as a community were to have a contest with Spokane, and the contest was East Sprague vs. East Sherman, which one is the seediest? Maybe all we would need to win would be a few adult book stores and some exotic dance clubs. I liked East Sherman of the past, even if that makes me insensitive to my fellow man. It will probably be easier to move than change the complexion of East Sherman.

With tourist travelers from the east heading west, they would get a better view of Coeur d’Alene by taking Northwest Boulevard than Exit 15. Not that Coeur d’Alene cares about tourists or tourism.

SCOTT STEPHENS

Coeur d’Alene