Editor,

Please reference the Whidbey News-Times article, “Defaced bill appearing in Oak Harbor,” published on June 11.

Reporter Janis Reid called me wanting to know what I knew about the defaced money being passed around protesting the Navy.

What I told her was that, “I had received a message from a friend saying something to the effect that money had been showing up at local businesses, the businesses were upset and that if anyone I knew was doing this to tell them to cease and desist as it is illegal.”

I told Janis that I did not remember the exact words of the message and could send a copy of it to her, which I totally forgot to do. I then told Janis that I forwarded the message I got from my friend to Michael Monson.

This is a copy of the message that I sent to Michael: “I just got this message from one of my FB friends. Thought I should pass it on to you …

The message said, “Becky, someone in the anti-Growler movement stamped an anti-Growler message on a $1 bill and left it in a local business. One, it is illegal to deface money, fed law. Two, it created more anger then other things … be careful … if you know who did it, stop the defacing of money, really working against your message …”

This is the only communication I had with Michael Monson concerning the defaced bills.

Quotes attributed to me in the article are misleading and I want to clarify that I did not directly say them, but was instead relaying a message I had received.

I admit that I should have sent the copy of the message to Janis; it would have clarified what I was saying to her.

For now, just know that the exchange identified as between Michael Monson and I as depicted in the article did not occur.

I also would like to go on the record as saying there are many people who have issues with the noise and pollution. What individuals do to voice their displeasure with these issues are not always known or condoned by either Concerned Island Citizens or COER, just like the defacing of signs are for the pro-OLF folks.

The only thing we can do as a group is inform everyone we know, and hope the “right” person or persons hear and heed the message.

Michael has taken a lot of heat, as have I and others, for speaking up for the health, safety and wellbeing of our communities.

It is important that quotes published be accurate. I believe that Janis would have been able to accurately quote me had I sent her a copy of the message I forwarded to Michael.

Thank you for correcting this error.

Becky Spraitzar

Oak Harbor