Urging patience on stadium decision
I have been reading the pros and cons for building the Lookouts a new stadium in the Southside. My wife and I recently purchased a second home there in Chattanooga, and we absolutely love the Scenic City! We understand how difficult and important a decision this is for Hamilton County and the city. This is because our other home is in Tampa, Fla.; an ownership group there also wants a new stadium for our MLB team (Tampa Bay Rays).
As a big baseball fan and one who has gone to some Lookout games this year, I find it hard to believe the Lookouts are not putting a dime of their money up front. I think the time where taxpayers foot the entire bill for a new stadium for millionaire owners is long gone. I would love to see the Lookouts stay, but from what I can gather, there are more pressing issues for the city and county. I also agree it seems like this decision is being unnecessarily hurried. Building the Lookouts a new stadium may end up being the right decision, but I would encourage patience to all elected officials to make certain you get this right.
Kurt Piepenbrink
Pothole repairs are making a difference
This is a big thank-you to Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly in seeing that his One Chattanooga plan is making progress in improving our roads.
Thank you also to Ben Taylor, our city's deputy administrator for transportation, for his work making a more proactive plan that works better to improve all of our roads.
And a big thank-you to our city workers who have repaired 5,658 potholes since March.
Good work and much appreciated. I can certainly tell a difference when I drive on Hixson Pike.
Judi Young
Abortion in states correct decision
Given that the Constitution says nothing about abortion, returning its legality to the states is the correct decision.
James W. Hiestand
Women, don't forget pregnancy choice you made
In the last few weeks, there have been a lot of discussions about gun control and abortion. When asked about gun control, Nancy Pelosi said, "it's all about the children." She looked at another reporter and said, with a little smile and a real soft voice, "it's all about the children." When will she ever leave? The words that come out of her mouth create a lot of air pollution.
About abortion, she says it's all about the women and their right to kill the unborn children. Which is it, Nancy? Women and men have ways to get contraceptives. Some are even free. Women say, "It is my body, my choice." They made their choice when they got pregnant. The unborn baby has no choice. My hope is that when the mother makes the choice, good or bad, she will never forget.
Ruth Cote
Hixson
Time-out discipline no longer appropriate
Finally, someone in authority (Commissioner [Steve] Highlander and [Mayor] Jim Coppinger), also syndicated columnist Cal Thomas in the June 2, 2022 TFP, have been willing to address the "real" cause of lawlessness and misbehavior - discipline - at home and in school.
We have had three generations of Dr. Spock (time-out discipline). Discipline should be timely, appropriate and memorable. Whoever remembered a time-out?
Soon after corporal punishment was discontinued, students were attacking teachers - with impunity. We hear schools don't punish for fear of students (and parents). If true, legal consequences would be appropriate. Bullying is also a part of this problem which needs to be (memorably) addressed.
R.J. Merritt
Local mass shootings: Rinse and repeat
Rinse and repeat ... observations on local mass shootings and the criminal justice system:
The criminals do their job.
The first responders do their job.
The detectives do their job.
The prosecutors do their job.
The judges do their job.
The defense lawyers do their job.
Rinse and repeat.
Michael Mallen
Declaration preamble lost on legislators
Does the preamble to the Declaration of Independence have any meaning for our elected legislators? By their inaction, are they accomplices to killings? "We hold these truths to be self-evident (not needing to be demonstrated or explained) that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable (impossible to take away) rights, and that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Ironically, the first right listed is "life." Unfortunately, in the U.S., we have allowed the National Rifle Association, through its lobbying, to take away the right to "life" by promoting deadly military-style weapons designed to take away life. Moreover, our elected congressional representatives ignore the truths of our preamble. Their inaction removes the unalienable right to life by making it legal to possess such weapons. These are not hunting weapons but weapons to tear flesh and rip apart bodies.
So, the terms "self-evident" and right to life in our preamble become hollow for those we elect. We can fix the problem through the ballot box. Those elected officials supporting such guns must be defeated. Regrettably, our elected representatives are operating on loose thoughts and speculation. Vote!
Johnny Jones
Hixson
'Public interest' and 'The Jetsons'
In a July 5 Washington Post editorial on the Supreme Court's EPA decision, the phrase "in the public interest" was used. In a democracy, that is whatever the majority of voters want it to be.
We don't intend to be dictated to by Hollywood liberals and effete academicians who live in ivory towers and ride around in limousines, who suffer from guilt feelings and every neurosis in the psychology textbooks, and who have decided they are so enlightened they can tell the rest of us what to do and not do.
This is the only time in the history of mankind when going backward (in time) is somehow viewed as progress. Because after all, we were supposed to be living in the world of "The Jetsons" by now. If you are not familiar with this cartoon series, it's on the ME channel at 10:30 on Saturday mornings. I could name a lot of people who need to be watching it.
Charles Hyder
Dalton, Ga.
Recalls memories of Cameron Hill
I enjoyed the June 19 Local History column (Perspective, page F2) by Frank "Mickey" Robbins about the destruction of Cameron Hill. I am 95 years old, and this article brought back many memories. Some include the Cosmopolitan Funeral Home (which was later dismantled and sold piece by piece) where I worked at 6th and Pine streets. Others involved the fire engine racing down 6th Street and the hamburger joint across from the Episcopal church at 7th and Pine.
W.A. Long
Rossville, Ga.