Don't parrot press release, give details

Monday as I walked the path on the causeway between Dog Beach and the Long Bridge I saw what looked like a piece of orange plastic blown against a bush.

Curious, I squatted on the slippery rocks on the lake side of the bush, reached into its interior, and uncurled what turned out to be a notice of the impending application of milfoil treatment. Boaters would have to navigate barely concealed offshore boulders and beach themselves on the rocky shore before performing the same maneuver as I did in order to read the warning. Does this constitute notice to citizens swimming their dogs there? There were no others.

 “Signs have been posted …”  claims the article (Daily Bee, Sept. 22) headlined “Treatment of milfoil starts.” Even “a sign posted” would have been a generous description. The website of treatment maps offered by the Bee contains nothing, instead pointing to an inactive domain. The Aquatechnex’s blog contains no postings more recent than July.

I am not among those ordinarily critical of the use of herbicides against milfoil in our lake, but I consider this warning inadequate.  The Bee could perform a valuable service to the community by publicizing this information sooner than the day after the application of the herbicide and by verifying information provided by the contractor rather than simply parroting their press release.

ALAN BARBER

Sandpoint