Letters on WSU players leaving, Islamic speaker, healthier cleaning, Subaru ad

Hard to watch WSU players leave the nest

Though I have no children, I am now an empty-nester. And there are many of us throughout Shocker Nation.

We have watched our boys grow up to become the finest of men. On Sunday, Fred VanVleet took the first step into the outside world to train in Indianapolis for his shot at the big time. On Monday, Ron Baker slipped out the door headed to Los Angeles for his chance. The other three brothers – Evan Wessel, Anton Grady and Tom “Bush” Wamukota – will be leaving shortly to test their wings.

All five have been given the tools to achieve their goals by the staff of the Wichita State University men’s basketball team and the many teachers who directed their studies.

I know that other families will watch their sons and daughters take that next step into college, careers or wherever their future takes them. And I’m sure it must be hard to let go. Maybe I am just too sentimental, but these men have struck a chord with Wichita, and I hope they will continue to call us family.

Wherever their paths lead, we want to continue to watch them grow and make us proud. I hope they will allow us that opportunity.

Good luck, gentlemen.

A ray of hope

What joy to read M. Zuhdi Jasser’s letter about the speaker that the Islamic Society of Wichita was going to have recently (“Proud of Pompeo,” April 10 Letters to the Editor).

Jasser, president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, is a true American, who is also a Muslim. Please check his website to learn about his organization and the good work he is doing.

He is a light and a ray of hope in the darkness.

A healthier cleaning

Spring is here, signaling a time to spruce up our homes, cars, schoolrooms and yards.

Good thing you can use the Environmental Protection Agency Safer Choice label to help you find cleaning products that are made with ingredients that are safer for people and the environment.

Products with safer ingredients improve indoor air quality and can lower the risk of health hazards, including asthma and allergic reactions.

Cleaners also affect the quality of our local streams and rivers. When Safer Choice products get rinsed down the drain and make their way into the watershed, they are less toxic to fish and other aquatic life. That’s good news for folks who live near the Arkansas, Little Arkansas, Ninnescah, Smoky Hill and Neosho rivers and near Cowskin and Chisholm creeks, which are important to water quality and recreation.

Schools are encouraged to look at their cleaning products and choose the Safer Choice labels for their custodial teams.

Our regional staff has shared information about the Safer Choice program at environmental, recycling and healthy schools conferences. You can find out more at the website epa.gov/saferchoice.

Weather matters

An advertisement says, “The weather doesn’t matter if you drive a Subaru.” I’d like to take one out and see if that is true.

First, I’d drive it through a hailstorm. Because weather doesn’t matter, there would be no concern for dents or having the windshield shatter.

Next, I’d find a flooded road and drive right through it. No worry I might drown.

Last, I’d find a road closed by snow or ice, and drive around the barrier. There is no need to worry, because I’d be taking the ad’s advice.

But when I stop and think about believing what it’s saying, I realize it is very likely that I could end up dead.

This story was originally published April 15, 2016 at 7:05 PM with the headline "Letters on WSU players leaving, Islamic speaker, healthier cleaning, Subaru ad."