Brock was smart businessman, too
While much was made in his obituary of Pat Brock’s directing his brother Bill’s successful campaign to become the 3rd District’s congressman, Pat was one of the finest businessmen Chattanooga has ever known. He led Brock Candy Company with a thoughtful humility that sadly seems to be disappearing from American business. He was a consensus builder, never a dictator.
As an attorney at Miller & Martin, I had the privilege of working with Pat and his team on the initial public stock offering of Brock Candy Co. and then its sale to Brach Confections a year later. Pat had the best interests of his shareholders and employees always at the forefront of his thinking in these transactions.
A few years later I had the opportunity to move from law into business. I consulted Pat for advice, and followed it. And as usual, he was spot on.
Chattanooga lost a wonderful citizen in the passing of Paul K. Brock.
Alec Taylor
Charleston, South Carolina
Stickers needed for fire protection?
When I first moved into my house in Holly Hills some 51 years ago, I was able to get a from the local fire department a red reflective fire department sticker. Said sticker was to be applied to the window or windows in my home where a child or children slept. The sticker could be seen from the street and would alert first responders that a child lived in my home.
The stickers have long since been removed, but I wonder why the fire department(s) don’t reconstitute a similar system. A large round reflective sticker, color coded to indicate adults, children and pets, could be placed on mailboxes, etc., to indicate who resided in each home in the city and county. A black bar across any sticker might be used to indicate special-needs persons or pets.
Such a system would need to be coordinated with fire personnel and perhaps the Post Office, too. The sticker should be cost-effective for those who could pay, and covered by donations or grants for those who could not.
Just a thought.
Ben Johnston
Cleveland No Kings coverage was lacking
Your recent article about the No Kings protests in Cleveland left much to be desired. While I appreciate the effort that reporter Sam Still and the newspaper made to cover the event, the article was lacking the scope of the movement and also showed a bias in the first graph.
As a former journalist myself, the choice to start the article with a statement that these protesters are part of the minority of Tennessee voters diminishes what they are doing from the start. The story was about a group of 100+ protesters, not what the electoral numbers were last year.
I also feel that the scope of No Kings was lost by saying, “Similar events took place in Chattanooga, Dalton and Summerville, Ga.” Cleveland was one of more than 2,700 organized rallies in the U.S. and across the world.
Mr. Still was factual in his reporting, but I definitely feel he missed the point a bit.
I recognize my own bias in this as well, but more so than my bias I desire to see the free press executed well so that people get the information that they need.
Thomas McCurdy
Not seating House member is wrong
One of the most foundational features of our constitutional republic is that the people elect their representatives to Congress. When the speaker of the House refuses to administer the oath of office to a duly elected representative so that he can use the open seat as a bargaining chip in legislative negotiations, he is disrespecting the electoral process and violating the very spirit of our Constitution.
Speaker Johnson should be removed.
Greg Gloss
Cleveland
Alarming that Trump changing our military
America, please listen! Trump is attacking every institution of democracy.
That’s what tyrants do after attaining power. They use the tools of democracy to get elected, then use those same tools to bring it down. He uses the Justice Department as his own private law firm.
He is changing the culture of the military. He’s put unwanted troops in cities and hinted they would be used for training against the “enemy within,” which is more dangerous than the one outside.” Preposterous!
Trump and the secretary of defense addressed hundreds of generals and admirals from around the world. Hegseth informed them of how he’s changing the military. Trump told the apolitical top brass they could “Clap if they wanted to.” Also, “Disagree, but there goes your rank and future.” What a narcissistic bully.
Trump said he “wanted generals like Hitler’s — “loyal.” He’s drunk on power. We were warned by his niece, Dr. Mary Trump, in “Too Much and Never Enough.”
Many generals have already been fired, and Hegseth plans another 20% reduction.
A military loyal to this president is very alarming.
Wilbourne C. Markham Sr.
Trump, UAE prove ‘rich’ never enough
Trump’s altercation with the Australian reporter was over the Trump family amassing a fortune for their World Liberty Finance in a quid pro quo for up to 500,000 Nvidia computer chips. The deal was done in the United Arab Emirates: home to Dubai, Abu Dhabi — next to Saudi Arabia the wealthiest, most profligate spenders on earth. Ski resorts in a desert, islands created to reconfigure the globe (this failed), the world’s tallest building, and a 110-mile, 1,600-foot-tall city. These attest to their obscene superabundance.
United Arab Emirates supports the Rapid Support Force, formerly Janjaweed and Wagner Group, that has massacred thousands of people, uses rape as a weapon, and burned hundreds of villages in Sudan displacing millions. Their motive is gold. Rich is never rich enough. Trump proves that. UAE proves that.
Had Trump a smidgen of conscience, he could have forced the UAE to back off its atrocities. But his total lack of concern for even America’s health and safety is evident by his unqualified appointee for health. Respect for life that was touted when Roe v. Wade was destroyed has not been displayed. But corruption and suppression of the media, justice and Congress which might inhibit corruption are amply displayed.
Lucy Taylor
Not too late: Let’s save Engel Stadium
In the late 1970s, plans were made to demolish the Walnut Street Bridge because of concerns about structural integrity. Thank goodness a group of determined citizens came along with a better plan.
Now here we are facing the loss of another community treasure.
Demolishing Engel Stadium may be expedient, but that doesn’t make it right. Especially when the historic site could accommodate the university’s plans for women’s athletics and remain true to its baseball heritage. Think Jackie Mitchell Field at Joe Engel Stadium.
Could there be any better legacy for women’s athletics?
Soccer and baseball can be played on the same field (according to ChatGPT). There is ample space on either end of the historic grandstands to add new structures. Keeping the iconic outfield wall (second deepest center field in baseball) only means more advertising revenue to keep the place going.
Sure, county leaders would have to find a new location for the health department, but that’s not impossible either. It wasn’t too long ago when the state had to make alternative plans for the hospital at Moccasin Bend. Isn’t it worth a try?
Really what this comes down to is money and means. The money to save Engel will be substantial, but it’s there. Donors and corporations eagerly wrote checks during Engel Foundation days. The ballpark’s legendary status in the world of baseball means Engel can draw donors from anywhere. But the drive to restore and revitalize the ballpark will take heavy lifting. That’s best left to a nonprofit organization with expertise to manage the work on behalf of the university and the community. Maybe that’s the old Engel Foundation or something entirely new.
The other part is vision. That’s the fun part. What would we do with an old ballpark between games and matches? Walking tours for sure. Maybe concerts, farmer’s markets, movie nights and other special events. Weddings, even (an old Engel tradition). Or just open the gates for area residents to enjoy. The real question is what can’t you do with Engel? The goal is to keep it filled with happy people. That’s Engel’s gift to us.
So here we are. Another defining moment for Chattanooga. A chance for UTC to show what it means to be an engaged university. Five years from now on the 100th anniversary of Opening Day, will we celebrate a new future for Engel Stadium or mourn beside a headstone at a gravesite?
Yes, it’s the bottom of the ninth and we’re behind, but we can still win the game. All we need is our best hitters, our community leaders and UTC to step up to the plate and take a swing.
Form a committee. Take a fresh look. It’s not too late to do the right thing.
Janna Jahn
Engel Foundation co-founder