Tucson Speaks Out: Aug. 16 letters of the day

Re: the Aug. 11 letter ‘Weird: Label of the month.’

Are you kidding me? You have a lying, cheating convicted felon spewing hateful misinformation all over the media, internet and social media and your worried about the kids seeing the word weird from the Democrats, how about the example Trump and his ilk are setting for our kids?

Thank you.

Larry Huff

Midtown

Low-information columnist

Re: the Aug 13 article “Informing low-information voters.”

Cal Thomas blames the increasing support for Harris/Walz on low-information voters who base their positions “mostly on non-substantive things.” He suggests voters be tested like sick people to find out why they are misguided.

Well this voter thinks that voters are misinformed by reading Cal’s op-ed pieces. Cal admits to watching Fox News. That explains a lot.

I must remind Cal that a certain ex-president and candidate has filed for bankruptcy multiple times, told upwards of 30,000 documented lies, been convicted of multiple felonies, impeached twice, indicted on charges of inciting an insurrection, manipulating an election, and stealing classified documents. And if Cal had been actually listening to this buffoon for the last 8 years, he would know that Trump has autocratic ambitions with utter disdain for the Constitution. And then there’s JD Vance. But according to Cal Thomas, these are all non-substantive things.

Tom Ryan

East side

Misuse of tax dollars

Echoing a recent letter to the Star regarding Tom Horne’s ads for Arizona’s Dept. of Education during the Paris Olympics: This effort was a colossal miss in intent, and embarrassing misuse of taxpayer dollars during extremely expensive advertising time.

One ad titled “RAISE YOUR HAND TO LIFT THE FUTURE” begins with a voice over video of a nondescript school hallway followed by closeups of presumably homeless children entreating their parents to provide their education. Horne then appears on camera explaining that an education can change young lives and encouraging parents to “please visit “our website” (Azed.Gov/Homeless) for more info.

A strong message being pitched to homeless parents: Who have neither TV’s or internet access.

The funds for producing and airing this self-serving, politically motivated ad should have been spent funding counselors and educators in person to help guide these families on ways to access schools for their children.

Darla Thompson

Foothills

Improving literacy rates in Tucson

Many of us are feeling our mental health suffer with the overwhelming weight of national and global news these days. One way to combat this lack of control is by focusing on what we can do within our own community.

At Literacy Connects, I witness the difference people make by volunteering with our Reading Seed program. This evidence based, volunteer driven program helps kindergarten through 2nd grade students improve their reading, which has the potential to impact their entire life’s trajectory.

Literacy rates are one of the greatest indicators of success and financial well-being. In Pima County, 59% of our 800,000+ third graders tested below proficient on reading.

Our research shows that children receiving Reading Seed make greater academic gains than their non-Reading Seed counterparts.

Our current goal is to recruit, train, and match 200 new Reading Seed volunteers with emerging readers. Please join us in making a lasting impact right here at home.

With hope and gratitude,

Sharon O’Brien,

Executive Director

Midtown

Vote for 3 for the ACC

The recent violent monsoon storms, while welcome for the rain they bring, should remind us all that climate change is responsible for increasing the severity of floods, power outages, and wind damage. What can we all do? Most people do not realize that the five member ACC (Arizona Corporation Commission) sets the rates for electricity, and current members have dismantled renewable energy standards.

We need to elect climate focused members of the Arizona Corporate Commission who will work to increase renewable energy in our state. I support Ylenia Aguilar, Josh Polacheck and Jon Hill. Remember, you can vote for 3 for the ACC!

Katy Garmany

West side

TEP, Mayor, and the Council

Re: the Aug. 11 article “TEP, Mayor and Council, and a little history.”

Steve Auslander nailed it when he educated folks on the self-serving motives of the Tucson mayor and her council mates. Yes, expect nothing to evolve from their actions to investigate how to acquire TEP, an appearance that is more of a “smoke screen” to cover their ineptitude in managing the more important issues most in the Old Pueblo care about. What do you expect coming from a mayor who can’t “back the blue”, a councilman who was cited in violating the city’s sexual harassment policy during an alcohol-influenced business trip to San Diego a few years ago, a group who claims they want to plant a million trees but at the same time allow huge distribution centers to be built by the airport, “heat islands”, without significant remediation from the developers for the vast razing of the native desert. In this latter regard, I will give them credit for planting a dozen trees down Campbell a few years ago — however, UGH, they have only managed to keep several alive.

Spike Horrigan

Northwest side

Military Service

Enough of the disparaging remarks about Tim Walz’s military service! Anyone who volunteers to serve our country in whatever capacity for whatever amount of time, deserves genuine thanks.

Intimating that Walz’s 24 years of service as a combat arms NCO, rising to the rank of Command Sergeant Major, is somehow tainted by his choice of time to separate and happenstance in missing combat experience, is just ignorant on the part of JD Vance. The irony in this story is that Vance’s boss gets no such break in his cowardly draft-dodging actions pinned to a non-disqualifying heel spur condition. Hey JD, did you check with Trump before bandying about with military service remarks?

Oh, one other point for our correspondent hero Mr. Vance. I served 3 consecutive years in Vietnam as a combat platoon leader and company commander in the 101st Airborne which included bullet, shrapnel wounds and 2 purple hearts. It was said that while combat troops used “latrine” for bathroom, correspondents used “powder room.” Just sayin’.

William Ohl

Marana

Signers misled? I don’t think so!

Regarding putting Proposition 139 on the ballot:

More than 820,000 people signed the petition to put the proposition on the ballot.

383,973 valid signatures are required to put it on the ballot.

The legally required random sampling of signatures validated 577,971 signatures.

Opponents say that an unspecified number of signers were “misled”.

Even if some signers did not completely understand what they were signing, I find it gravely insulting to Arizona voters to assume that many were so ill-informed that it justifies invalidating the whole process. More than 820,000 want the issue on the ballot!

Accept that fact that a majority of Arizonans support responsible and medically sound health care for women, including abortion.

Anne Parker

Midtown

Ready for good news?

Letters always hit home runs when they surprise or inspire and I hope Star readers also like a shot of good news!

Since the majority of Arizonans are rightly concerned about rising temperatures, water supplies, and wildfires, it’s a relief when there’s good news about progress in slowing the cause — carbon emissions.

Households throughout all 50 states last year took advantage of IRA tax credits for energy efficiency to the tune of hang on... $8 Billion! People everywhere are investing in clean energy. According to E&E News last week, over 3.4 million households claimed tax credits for energy upgrades — from solar panels and batteries, heat pumps, even insulation.

Those upgrades are smart! You save around 30% off the cost to purchase and install then continue to save big bucks every month with much lower energy costs. Want more benefits? Job creation locally and nationally, better performing appliances and less pollution in your own house. That’s good news for everyone.

Jane Conlin

Oro Valley

Trump closer to worst than Biden

Re: the July 27 article “For now it’s Kamala Harris” and the July 24 letter “Trump lies about Biden.”

It is laughable. Gary Franks claims Biden is the worst President due to lowest sustained approval rating. Approval ratings are opinion polls that are fluid and aren’t averaged until a term is over. Biden had a high 57 (so far) versus Trump’s high of 49. Trump leads the worst approval rankings among Presidents that finished their terms. Trump’s claim that Biden is the worst President ever doesn’t hold up under academic analysis. A letter writer cites Gallup and Guardian polls listing Trump as 41st and 45th worst President respectively. US News and World Report Feb. 23, 2024 article titled “How Historians Rate Presidents” averaged the results of three recent scholarly surveys by Siena College, C-Span and the Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey. The US News article rated Trump as third worst President in history. It is beyond my comprehension that voters in the US would reelect the 3rd worst President. Weird!

Jerry Spaniol

East side

UofA basketball

WHY (besides money) are the 2024-2027 UCLA and U of A basketball games scheduled at neutral sites? This is a rivalry that begets participation by the active fan bases. Having games away from home makes it difficult (and expensive) for those who want to root for their teams in a home environment. Once again, the fans have been jettisoned for the almighty dollar. That’s been going on for years, of course, but with the upheaval in conference realignment, it makes perfect sense to have these games scheduled as part of a home/home series. I forgot, “sense” doesn’t play a factor anymore.

Thomas Rothe

Foothills

Water and copper don’t mix

Re: the Aug. 11 article “Sonora ranchers protest mine’s water use.”

We in Southern Arizona should pay close attention to reporter Emily Bregel’s story on Sonoran residents protesting the gross depletion of their water resources as well as the lingering effects of toxic minerals dumped by the mining giant Grupo Mexico at Cananea.

This is the cautionary tale that we should all keep in mind as Hudbay continues its determined march towards building a giant “Copper World” in the middle of the delicate ecosystem of the Santa Rita mountains. Mineral extraction corporations have one interest and one interest only: profit. They do not care that their mining techniques use extreme amounts of water that deplete the local water table and pollutes waterways. And make no mistake, no mining corporation will adhere to regulations or laws unless absolutely forced to. Never have, never will. That means years in the courts while the damage continues. Like the folks in Sonora, we Southern Arizonans don’t have the resources to share with a giant profit-making company.

Margaret Zanger

Midtown