Tucson Speaks Out: September 30

Rillito/downtown

I walked the Loop path along the Rillito. The amount of trash in the river bed is astounding, the majority I presume flushed out of drug and homeless camps in culverts by the rain. I wasn’t stabbed to death, but someone else recently was. Downtown for a show, I wasn’t killed with a hatchet, someone else recently was, but there were scary people at the bus station and in doorways. Tucson, we have a big problem, sympathy isn’t solving it, perhaps very strict law enforcement and mandatory treatment will. Otherwise we will continue to suffer worsening drug use, graffiti, shoplifting, panhandling, unsafe bus stops, trash and violence.

Brian McCarthy

Midtown

Exhaustion at NOAA

Weather forecasts are important for farmers, utility companies to determine electrical demands, for boating, hiking, picnics, and having an umbrella if it might rain. Often, forecasts can be a matter of life or death.

Weather forecasts are based on computer models that take numerous atmospheric factors into account, but because the earth’s atmosphere is chaotic and ever-changing, humans must assess which of those models will create the most accurate forecasts — humans with rigorous training and experience.

Administration staffing cuts and lack of appreciation for the difficulties forecasters now face threaten we the people, as demonstrated during the Texas floods in July. Many forecasters must work double shifts after almost 600 Weather Service employees were fired, resigned, or retired under pressure. Those still on the job are exhausted from working extra shifts and long hours.

There is a breaking point for everyone. If next week brings a government shutdown these remaining forecasters may have to work without pay. Trump should bring back weather personnel at full salary now.

Melody Sears

North side

Disgusting behavior

Trump and Mike Johnson are shutting down our government to protect pedophiles. Holy Mike won’t confirm Adelita Grijalva because she would be the deciding vote to release the Epstein files. “Christians” shutting down the government, hurting millions of people just to help pedophiles.

The Republican control all 3 branches of government and then blame the Democrats for the shutdown. The last time we shut the government down was because whiny baby Trump didn’t get his border wall. This is getting real old. How this is not the biggest scandal in US history is beyond me. Jan 6th, 2021 should have been the end of him. His insane rant in front of the UN should be enough to invoke the 25th amendment. This is absolute insanity. This is no way to run a country.

Terry Louck

East side

We should all be antifa

With the release of President Trump’s memo announcing his campaign to dismantle a radical, left-wing domestic terrorism network I feel like I need to publicly state my complicity as an “antifa” radical ... a patriotic American who is anti-fascist (antifa). I was indoctrinated by my father who committed “political violence” against fascism while serving in WWII in Europe. As a youth in the 1950s, I accepted this philosophy of violence as I played army with friends, pretending to shoot at German Nazis in my backyard.

As a teen, I became totally committed to nonviolence but continued to fight fascism through my donations to the American Civil Liberties Union. Today, I regularly raise my voice at protests in opposition to our Dear Leader’s dictatorial actions. Antifa is not an organization directed and supported by wealthy radicals. It is a philosophy adopted by millions of Americans today who are standing against the birth of the American fascist state. All Americans should be “antifa!”

Bruce Hilpert

North side

Vaccine availability

As a physician, I applaud Governor Hobbs’ decision to make the Covid vaccine available to all Arizonans. As a pediatrician, I am concerned about access to the routine childhood vaccines that have saved thousands of lives. I remember early in my career caring for children with Haemophilus meningitis in the hospital. Many were left with significant disabilities and some died despite our best efforts. Younger pediatricians have never seen that disease. Why? Because the H. flu vaccine was developed in the 1980s and has eliminated the risk of contracting the disease. The same goes for measles and other vaccine preventable diseases. I call on Governor Hobbs and her administration to affirm, like many other states have done, that children in our state will continue to have access to all vaccines as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and make sure they are covered by al insurance plans and the Vaccines for Children Program.

Eve Shapiro

MD, Masters in Public Health

Foothills

Trump’s lapdog

The Republican Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, will never make a move unless the move has the express consent and approval of his boss, Donald Trump.

Accordingly, Johnson is deliberately delaying the swearing-in of Arizona’s duly elected Representative Adelita Grijalva. Grijalva’s potential vote is projected to be the deciding vote needed to force a discharge petition, allowing a House floor vote on releasing the Epstein files.

First, Johnson’s excuse was that he hadn’t received the “necessary” paperwork, “officially” recognizing her 40-point win. Paperwork that apparently wasn’t necessary when he earlier swore in a Virginia Democrat and several Republicans.

Now, Johnson wants to wait until the House is back in session, which would delay her swearing in until at least October 7, but maybe as late as October 14.

Trump actually included the release of the files as part of his campaign platform, but his AG Pam Bondi apparently told Trump that his name appeared multiple times in Epstein related documents.

Johnson is simply following orders.

Glen Vann

West side

Lost sock

Like many before her that darn Heloise is trying to ignore me, leaving me no recourse but to submit this as a letter to the editor. Dear Heloise, you know how discouraging it is to lose a sock, and how satisfying when you find it in a corner of one of those fitted sheets. Well, I’ve taken to adding odd socks, left over from previous defeats, to the corners of fitted sheets to be washed. My spirits are always high when emptying the dryer because I know, I simply know, there’s going to be something in one of those pouches. Hope this helps others like me! PH in Tucson

Peter Harley

Midtown

War-ravaged Portland, Oregon

This is getting ridiculous. Trump is sending military troops to protect “war-ravaged” Portland, Oregon. I previously lived and worked in Portland and after retirement moved to Green Valley, AZ. Many of my friends and relatives still live and thrive in Portland and are unaware of any war taking place there. Do we want our tax money spent and wasted on this stupid action by President Trump?

Alan Roehl

Green Valley

Organ/blood donation

17 years ago, my son Jason received the gift of life from Matthew Kota of Byron, NY. Matthew and his family had flown from Byron to Phoenix so Matthew could have brain surgery related to a large AVM growth. His donation of life that saved not only Jason with kidney/pancreas, but a father who had 5 children with a double lung transplant. Matthew donated his time to the Red Cross and wanted to be a doctor. Matthews’ donation to Jason, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 12 and was on dialysis for three years was no longer a diabetic. I will be forever grateful to Matthew for those extra 8 years. Each year his family holds a blood drive with the local Red Cross in his honor. As a way to remember Matthew, I ask anyone who can to go to their local Red Cross and donate blood and notify the Red Cross in Byron NY that it is being donated in Matthew’s honor.

Bernice Bennett

North side

Adelita Grijalva

Ms. Grijalva needs to be sworn in immediately. For better or worse, she was elected by her constituents, they deserve her voice in Congress.

I hope she takes a moment, before she begins to parrot Leader Jeffries, and the Democratic talking points, to savor and awe the honor she has won. She will be one of only 435 members of the House who help govern this country. I hope she takes the time to meet her colleagues from both sides of the aisle, whom she will have to work with in that task. But that may be a bit of old hat, given she is a Congressman’s daughter.

I also wonder how long it will be before she joins the “squad.”

Jay Allen

Midtown

Solar best in balanced portfolio

I agree with the opinion of Dylan Bearce (9/28) that solar is best in a balanced portfolio as we move forward toward increased renewable energy. I disagree with President Trump in the United Nations last week for labeling renewable energy as a “scam.” Find out for yourself. Ask your Google, Siri, or Alexa assistant: “How does the cost of renewable energy compare to the cost of fossil fuel energy?” Their answers will confirm that renewable energy today costs much less than fossil fuel energy and is why over 90% of new power capacity built globally is renewable. The Trump administration has halted all development aimed at further lowering the cost of renewable energy and is impeding increases in capacity. The real danger is relying solely on fossil fuel energy and on the “drill-baby-drill” scam that is draining the dollars of “we the people.” We need to elect leaders with an energy plan that makes common sense.

Dennis Lichtenberger

Foothills

ICE

I see now the ICE people are patrolling workplaces, colleges/universities, utilizing all of the devices used for surveillance. If I am of brown color or speaking Spanish, I will be targeted for questioning or detainment. Even though I served in the military, when this country was asked to defend other countries. Most of us went and served and even put all on the line but if you don’t have a passport you’re detainable even deportable. Kind reminds me of my old days in the elementary school system, if one was caught speaking Spanish, we were removed from the playground washed our mouth out and spanked by the school principal. All I asked was “donde esta el bano?” My guess is that they will now patrolling, LTE for my surname and my color is brown and I got a speeding ticket about 40 years ago and I was a U.S. Marine.

Vicente Rivera

Northwest side

Data centers don’t work here

People are protesting data centers due to their significant energy and water demands, which can strain local resources and infrastructure and potentially lead to higher utility costs for residents. Other reasons include environmental concerns like greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution, potential negative impacts on community quality of life and local property values, and a perception that the promised economic benefits, such as jobs, are minimal. If we need data centers, okay. I am sure there might be locations where they are feasible. The desert is just not one of them. “Not in my backyard” is very important in this instance. Our backyard is simply not the best for water guzzling, noise polluting, air heating, energy gulping, data centers. Loyal says, Data centers are energy hogs and use substantial water for cooling, even when it is recycled through cooling systems — he is correct.

Peter Bisschop

East side

TEP and solar energy

As a user of rooftop solar panels for home electrical energy generation since 2012, I have watched the utility industry steadily build its opposition to the revolution in renewable energy production. They have resisted and slow-walked transitioning their infrastructure away from fossil fuels provided by mammoth, entrenched corporations whose lobbying power is immense.

My local solar system provider recently informed me how TEP has flipped the incentive structure for adopting green solar energy production. They state, “Each kilowatt-hour sent back to the grid results in a credit on your bill, BUT the amount TEP pays you is slightly less than the cost you pay TEP. So, you lose a little each time you send energy back.” Homeowners who wish to do their part in minimizing their carbon footprint are left with diminished reasons to do so. As long as Arizonans continue to elect Republicans to the Arizona Corporation Commission, consumers will lose out to utilities.

Terry McDaniel

North side

Re: Vets without citizenship fear deportation

As to Julio Torres, a vet, fearing deportation, I think the better question would be, why didn’t the United States confer citizenship to Julio at the end of his military service to the United States? How more “American” do you need to be to gain citizenship?

Joyce Chonis

Los Angeles