Thanks, Memorial Hospital team
This is a letter of appreciation to Dr. Shauna Lorenzo and all of the staff of the surgical center at Memorial Hospital. Everyone was so nice. The nurses and staff who work on 500 South wing were willing to help me with whatever I needed. They had patience, love and kindness that was greatly appreciated.
May God bless you in your work.
Willadean Crisp, Athens, Tenn.
State park burial for Nathan Forrest?
I don't mind if our politically correct governors wish to relocate for the second time the grave site of Tennessee's most outstanding Civil War soldier, Nathan Bedford Forrest, and his wife, Mary.
At first, I thought it was a cruel tragedy, but my admiration for the general made me realize I don't want to see his grave site where it is hated or disrespected. My old hippie guru used to say: "One should not be where one does not belong."
I came up with a suggestion: The Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park in Eva, Tenn. It is a beautiful place with the sweetest people.
There is also a Forrest City, Ark., and more than 30 monuments and 50 biographies. We even have a Forrest Avenue here and in Rossville, Ga.
Forrest did not start the Klan and was not a racist. He contributed $5,000 to the Independent Order of Pole Bearers, forerunner to our NAACP. He did more during and after the war for the blacks than anyone I've researched. He freed his slaves before Lincoln.
The Forrest haters need a history lesson.
I wonder how many untruthful Yankee newspapers and our so-called leaders will have children named after them?
Robert Lee Brown
Bottle law makes so much sense
Our family has vacationed in Michigan for many years. We gladly pay the deposit on every beer, soft drink, carbonated and mineral water, wine cooler and canned cocktail container we purchase.
The Michigan Beverage Container Act, commonly known as the Bottle Law, was implemented in 1978. Customers pay the 10-cent deposit and return the containers to a reverse vending machine. A printed receipt is presented for the refund.
Redemption rates are close to 95 percent, with $368.3 million dollars in deposits collected in 2012. This equates to well over 3.5 billion containers being reused or recycled in a single year. A law passed in 2004 prohibits beverage containers, as defined in the law, from being disposed of in a landfill.
Only 11 states currently have bottle laws. These laws have kept enormous amounts of waste out of landfills and significantly reduced roadside litter. Passing container legislation in the 39 states without them is politically contentious. This law is so sensible. But, once again, money (i.e. lobbyists) trumps protection of the only planet we have.
Alison Hoffman, Signal Mountain
Kids will benefit from 'Sesame Street' move
An educated citizenry is essential to a functional republic, and the foundation of education is love of learning. Therefore, those who seek to strengthen the republic should promote love of learning.
Ideally, private enterprises would do this because they're more efficient and effective than government bureaucracies, but they need it to be profitable.
HBO's purchase of "Sesame Street" is a great example of how this should work. HBO expands its programming, "Sesame Workshop" becomes more sustainable, PBS reduces its costs, and kids still get free access to a great show that gets them excited about learning.
Only hypocritical pseudo-conservatives could object to this.
Greg Lauderman, East Ridge
Mail processing should stay here
I have become aware there are plans to close/shut down mail processing at the Shallowford Road Post Office in Chattanooga. Mail processing is the heart and soul of postal operations.
As a retired postal worker, this news is sad. Postal operations are very important to any community (business and residential).
How is it economically sound to mail a letter in Chattanooga with a Chattanooga address on it and have it processed at another location hundreds of miles away to be delivered back in Chattanooga days later when it could have been delivered the next day?
Chattanooga deserves to continue to have mail processing done here. We are a growing economy that needs mail processing operations. The loss of mail processing in Chattanooga means a loss of jobs and economic damage to our area.
Irene Waynetta, Dowdell
Learn the real facts about Islam
An Aug. 9 letter, "Stealthy Muslims looking to convert," is "right on." Islam is truly out to get the kafirs (unbelievers/non-Muslims). If you do not know this, or know it and are unwilling to say it, we will lose our American way of life.
We must wake up and learn the facts about Islam. This faith considers Muhammad perfect. Muslims are required to emulate him to be a Muslim. I recommend the short book "Why We Left Islam" by Crimp and Richardson.
Peaceful Islam is a facade. Before learning more about your religion, learn the basics of Islam. You will be amazed.
Roger W. Catlin
Wilcox Tunnel criticism 'laughable'
As a Brainerd resident from 1968 to 1989, I find the accusation that the city has been "racist" in its dealings about the Wilcox Tunnel laughable. After 21 years of routinely driving through all three tunnels, I can say they often had the same problems: narrow lanes, poor visibility and constant leaks. Money was spent on maintenance that didn't accomplish anything.
People, get real.
These tunnels were built in the '20s and '30s. As the saying goes, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
If you want tunnels built to Florida and California standards, you're going to have to pay the price.
C.M. Hyder, Dalton, Ga.
Port no good for Georgia county
So shocked were the majority of the residents of Murray County, Ga., to learn there would be a 24/7 regional port constructed on land in residential Crandall.
This monstrosity will sit at the gateway to the Cohutta Wilderness area and Chattahoochee National Forest, which occupies a large portion of northeastern Murray County. This area of pristine mountainous landscapes and abundant wildlife also features several of Georgia's premier backpacking trails, mountain rivers and trout streams.
Diesel fumes are some of the worst pollutants. Winds and rains will distribute these fumes and pollutants into local residential and wilderness areas, both land and water.
There will be additional noise and light pollution. There will also be possible storing and shipping of hazardous materials. Traffic on local roads will become congested. Roads and bridges will be damaged or destroyed.
This port will turn a residential area into an industrial area, reducing home values.
I do not have a problem with economic growth and additional revenue - in its proper industrial location.
Patty Schoen-Jones, Tennga, Ga.