Newsletter — Spring 2022

Dear Friends,

The sky is a light gray blue; the earth is turning a fresh green and the robins are out there waking us up at four in the morning. Spring has come again. The return of the seasons is reassuring, while challenges abound. Still, we are mostly a hopeful and resilient species.

In that spirit, Open Spaces is pleased to publish an important and timely essay by former head of EPA Christine Todd Whitman on West Virginia v. EPA, a case recently argued before the Supreme Court of the United States “challenging the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency to address climate pollution from power plants under the Clean Air Act.”

Recently retired physician Ron Turker shares his insightful observations of the “trust gap” that has been developing for a while between doctors and their patients and that became apparent during the covid pandemic.

Richard Benner thoughtfully expresses his considerable insight into this uncertain time of pandemic emergence in the poem “Innocence.”

Elizabeth Cosgriff’s review of The Political Brain by Drew Westen is not new, but deserves a mention here as it is one of the most frequently accessed items on our website. This book has been around for a while, but is particularly relevant in election seasons regarding why people vote as they do: emotionally against their own interests.

Special thanks to Harry Kingston for his artful photography and to Marv Harrison for his sage advice and sense of humor.

Many of us feel compelled particularly by current world events to reach out and try to help those in need. For those who may be interested, one logical place to start is unicefusa.org.

All the best to you and yours,

The folks at Open Spaces: Views from the Northwest

Photo: iStock.com/Ulrike Leone