Serving those who served
Re: the Feb. 1 article “Veterans need more home care choices.”
Thank you to home care provider Becca Caneloz for serving those who served. I applaud her column regarding home care for veterans through the VA. Client-directed care is essential for dignity and independence, and fits within necessary budgets. In fact, it can make care more efficient. I strongly agree that with proper training and monitoring, paid family/friend caregivers are a valuable resource for clients and the home care delivery system as a whole. For example, family caregivers are much more likely to work split shifts: shorter blocks of time targeting high-need activities such as getting up, fed and dressed in the morning and dinner/getting ready for bed in the evening. As an RN working with people striving to maintain independent living at home, I was dismayed by the low wages and benefits earned by direct care providers compared to, for example, administrative and marketing staff. I hope Ms. Caneloz receives tremendous support in advocating with legislators for her ideas. I will be contacting my representatives accordingly.
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Robin Gwozdz
Northeast side
South Kolb Road Davis-Monthan base area
I have been a resident of Tucson for 33 years and my route into Tucson is from South Kolb Road and I-10 area. I have to drive past the Davis-Monthan AFB area that constantly has litter on both sides of the area. On Feb. 3, I was dangerously cut-off when it appeared that the lane left of mine had a real Christmas tree on the road. I pray that no one was injured or killed as they quickly avoided hitting that tree as the speed limit is 50 miles per hour.
I blame the driver who didn’t secure the tree safely, and I blame the litterbugs who are so lazy they can’t store their garbage in their vehicle until they get home. What a great “Welcome to Tucson.” Maybe we should change our state flower to a plastic bag, Mayor Romero.
I don’t know who is responsible for the care of this section, but as the mother of an Airman who served for 24 years, this is humiliating.
June Brownlee
Southeast side
Voting by mail
I am a 97-year-old disabled veteran of WWII who is incensed that his right to vote will be denied by political action.
If a provision for special parking is a “Law of the Land” for the handicapped, then a constitutional right must hold superior position and be protected from petty political interference.
Voting by mail must be protected by congressional action of patriotic members of Congress.
Billy H. Conn
Midtown
Why growth?
Re: the Feb. 4 article “Arizona can’t grow without more water.”
Adam Minter’s opinion summarizes the looming threat to real estate developers and agriculture in Arizona due to water shortages brought on by climate change and our state’s rapid growth. The premise of the piece is that somehow ongoing growth is a good thing. Perhaps he has not noticed that in the real world, resources are finite and that unconstrained growth brings to bear the mathematical truth that no politician, economist, or journalist can erase. Perceptive observers have been pointing out this obvious logic for decades, as did Malthus more than 200 years ago. The earth’s population just passed the 8 billion mark, and humankind would be well-advised to take a fresh accounting of the long list of problems caused by overpopulation, particularly the overly consumptive growth championed by the capitalist U.S. No law of nature forces us to choose continued, unlimited growth over a steady-state, equilibrium condition in which we strive for a stable world in which problems get solved, not accelerated.
Terry McDaniel
North side
Water in the Southwest
It seems a great waste of money for Arizona to build a desalination plant in Mexico, and the challenges of putting in an elaborate piping system and getting right-of-ways to build and get the water here. A more effective proposition would be to build the desalination plant off of the coast of California that would tie into their infrastructure water systems. Then reduce the amount of water that is supplied from the desalination plant from California’s rights from the Colorado River to be diverted to Arizona. The same logic should apply to all the states of the basin with support of the federal government and the states that are involved in needing the water from the Colorado river. This would be a huge savings by already using infrastructure that is already in place.
Phillip Davis
Foothills
Support for Ukraine
As a sympathizer of Ukraine in the Russian invasion, I also have an opinion on how to support their effort. The Ukrainians, being knowledgeable of our military capabilities, do request the best and most sophisticated of our systems such as the Abrams battle tanks, long range HIMARS and jet fighters. No one seems to mention a system that could be critical in ground support as a tank killer, and which could be easily deployed, that being our A-10 Warthog. As the A-10 system is now being phased out, it should be easy to train their pilots and to deploy, all by this spring to counteract the anticipated Russian advances. The A-10s would be useful as a ground support system and tank killer in the coming spring offensive. And, as for the A-10, it could be a sort of last hurrah.
Robert Fabio
Southeast side
Tucson traffic
Re: the Jan. 29 article “Drugs a factor in Tucson pedestrian deaths.”
As a winter snowbird from Colorado, I’ve taken note of the spate of recent pedestrian traffic deaths here, some accidental, some hit and runs, i.e. the tragic death of the “umbrella lady.”
Some local reporting suggests a relation to the victims and the usage of fentanyl and methamphetamines, colloquially “speed.” As has been noted, automobile speeders are abundant. I live in midtown and nowhere have I driven that anybody adheres to the speed limit. And I mean going 15-25 mph over the posted limit, as on Broadway, Grant Road, Speedway (no pun intended) and others.
Generally, I’m in the far-right lane, waving as they go by, saying to myself “see you at the next light.”
I’d guess those guilty don’t realize their gas consumption. Slow down, what’s the hurry?
P.S. Don’t even get me started on pot holes.
William Drury
Midtown
Thank you
Re: the Jan. 17 article “How to keep moving in the era of COVID.”
Recently I read Dr. Barton Goldsmith’s column about coping with the sadness of isolation that comes from losing loved ones and all of the time spent socially isolated during the pandemic. He talks about ways in which we can all be more positive, I find his articles in general to be most helpful to anyone who is dealing with loneliness, sadness, losses and grief issues. Some of us still do not feel comfortable in crowded situations.
People continue to die from COVID, so even though the government is no longer going to continue economical support, it does not mean that it no longer exists. There are those of us who have compromised immune systems, and we must find ways to find emotional support and it is so helpful to hear words of encouragement.
Thanks to the Daily Star for providing such a great columnist!
Janice Campos
Foothills
Youth sports
After watching the recent NFL Pro Bowl flag football game, it has become clear that a support of girls flag football for young ladies in Arizona high schools gets my support and should get yours. It has already become a recognized high school sport in California, Nevada and a couple of other states. What a great way to recognize and support the athletic prowess, grace and keen athleticism of women’s sports.
John (Jay) Van Echo
West side
Does gouging really hurt?
Yes, it does, and Super Bowl fans and other Phoenix area visitors are going to feel it first-hand! Prices and fees are doubling and tripling for everything from soup to nuts. Game tickets, hotels, restaurants, etc., you get the idea. Well, tickets have always been obscene for the average Joe, and when you buy them, you never know if “your team” will even make it to the “big game.”
Kenneth Unwin
East side
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