Crossing Georgia Avenue can be a risky walk for pedestrians
I am concerned about the safety of people who have to cross Georgia Avenue at the crosswalk from Oak Street to the Hamilton County Courthouse.
There are flashing yellow lights to alert traffic that a pedestrian is in the crosswalk. However, in my experience along with that of many others, traffic doesn't always stop to let people cross there, causing many people to almost get hit.
Employees at the courthouse and other citizens have told me that passing motorists have cursed at them for crossing there.
It is a state law. Traffic must yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk -- not try to run over them.
Donald Lee
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Health care plan needs 2nd chance
Because Tennessee is not accepting available federal funds, Gov. Haslam created a unique plan to assist the 280,000 people too poor for Obamacare who don't qualify for TennCare.
In the special legislative session, the health care committee did not even allow the full legislative body to vote on helping the poor.
As an Episcopal priest, I ask all people of this state to empower our representatives to act on behalf of all Tennesseans, not just those who can afford health care.
I am fortunate to have health insurance, as do many of you. Others have been born into poverty, cannot find a job with insurance benefits or have lost a job in the economic downturn.
Remember, "There but for the grace of God go I."
I urge you to tell your senators and representatives to pass legislation that would allow money already available to be used for the purpose designated -- so every Tennessean can access the health care system.
We have a second chance to resurrect this legislation.
Jo Ann Barker
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Watts Bar delays harm climate
The call from Southern Alliance for Clean Energy to delay licensing Watt's Bar unit 2, based on their contentions about earthquake and flood risks, is designed to make consumers pay even more for power ("Group wants approval withheld for new TVA nuclear unit," March 12). Delays equal increased costs, which TVA must pass on to the customer.
The NRC is fully aware of the potential seismic and flooding issues, and they have the sophisticated technical expertise to make safety assessments.
Every day Watts Bar is not operating means we are burning more coal to meet our electrical needs.
We know, without a doubt, there are increased deaths from mining and transportation of coal and from air pollution that plagues the Tennessee Valley.
TVA is on track for reducing coal burning to meet pollution and climate change goals. Keeping Watts Bar from operating will just delay improving our environment.
Ted Besmann
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Band unexpected musical treat
What a delightful evening I had March 9 at the Camp House Southside listening to the Jericho Brass Band directed by Frank Hale.
An all-volunteer ensemble, the Jericho Brass is made up of professional and college-trained musicians from the tri-state area.
The program included a variety of marches, popular tunes, patriotic favorites and sacred selections. Chattanooga is very fortunate to have this outstanding British-style brass band.
I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to hear it. You will enjoy every minute.
All concerts are free. The performance schedule is online at jerichobrassband.org.
T. Jack Brown
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Take advantage of tech training
Response to the article, "Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke, local business leaders hope to take advantage of Obama's high-tech training initiative": The effort of the president to find new ways to improve the economy is remarkable.
Training thousands of people to work in the technology fields is smart, and it has a future. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who will not take advantage of this opportunity.
The method the government is going to use -- training people in colleges and universities -- is the ideal one. What is not ideal is the response of many college students who are ungrateful for what they have access to, including these trainings and their current education.
They see education as an obligation rather than a privilege. Now, are they going to change their attitude and value this opportunity? Or will they continue to complain as they willingly blind themselves to the help they could get?
I hope Chattanooga students set an example by taking all the available opportunities coming to town. It would help this city as well as help the United States be a technology innovator.
Josue Fernandez Hernandez
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Our bulldozing no better than ISIS
After watching the wanton destruction of humanity's archaeological heritage by ISIS terrorists recently on television, I truly felt sick to my stomach.
How could people be so stupid, so evil, as to take away the historical artifacts of civilization for all time. After all, these things can never be replaced.
Then, as I traveled around town and to other places around the Tennessee Valley, it occurred to me that we are also wantonly destroying treasures that can never be brought back.
In this case, it is our countryside. When we bulldoze our hills into flat construction sites, we are taking away our own natural heritage, which was God given and cannot ever be brought back again.
Through mindless destruction of our hills, watersheds and forest lands, we are leaving behind no natural heritage for our children or their children.
In doing so, we are no better than ISIS destroying Mesopotamia.
Will Lance Hixson
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Pot prescription 'temporary fix'
There is a lot of media attention right now about a new bill being proposed in the Senate regarding legalizing medical marijuana and allowing the drug to be prescribed in Veterans Administration hospitals for our veterans. But nothing addresses the downside of pot, like the motivation and addictive issues that come with the drug.
In fact, it seems this bill is just a temporary fix focused on the symptoms and will do nothing about healing the wounds. Why not also include a provision that vets prescribed marijuana have to attend intensive counseling -- allowing the drug to mitigate the symptoms and the counseling to help heal the underlying wounds.
Know that I am a combat, service-connected disabled veteran also struggling with PTSD. I would rather find ways to lead a better life than just be drugged out and forgotten.
Read more about this: www.veteransauthority.com/blog/Pot-For-Vets-Is-This-The-Right-Path.
Joseph H. Lizio, Crossville, Tenn.
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Corker's appeal underestimated
I read a recent front page story in the TFP that said Tennessee voters were not in favor of Bob Corker running for president of the United States. The vote was ostensibly among a group of 600 individuals.
In my opinion, it was absurd of the author to print this conclusion for an entire state based on such a ridiculously small sampling of citizens.
Those of us who know this man know without a doubt that he is a statesman beyond compare, and that having him in any leadership position in our government would be to our benefit.
George S. Elder