Urban gardens offer multiple benefits
The city of Chattanooga needs more gardens such as the Warner Park Urban Garden. As a UTC environmental science and biology student, I have studied this garden and its positive effects.
This garden is shaped and constructed to allow pollutants from local traffic and the average trash/waste to flow into the garden, where it undergoes decomposition. The contaminated runoff is then held within an underground basin until it can flow into a sewage water container.
This basin containment allows the storm/contaminated water to be held here until the sewage system can accommodate its flow, thus prohibiting an overflow of the sewage water system, which would contaminate groundwater and eventually flow into the river.
As you can see, the garden has many benefits, including pollution control, that help make our city a cleaner, greener place to live and work. With more of these urban gardens, Chattanooga would benefit above and beyond.
Emily Jernigan
TFP iPad is great but 'funnies' inconsistent
A few years ago I was told that my beloved Times Free Press would no longer be delivered to my house. To a lifetime newspaper "junkie," this was devastating news. My only alternative was to drive to the library at The University of the South where they received the paper daily.
Not long after that my wife bought an iPad for me and trained me to operate it so that I could receive my TFP conveniently, easily, and without fail due to snowfalls. It has been a delight to read the news this way.
I am grateful that your publisher, Walter E. Hussman, is making it possible to extend the importance of "the fourth estate," which is so critical in maintaining a democracy.
However, all is not well. On Sundays I'd like to be able to read "the funnies." Sometimes they're there and sometimes not. Would you please ask Mr. Hussman if he could please fix the problem?
Joe Porter
Sewanee, Tenn.
Parking ticket offers shopper lump of coal
Thank Republic Parking for the lump of coal.
Went to town Saturday to support small businesses. Meters on streets were turned off. I guess the parking lot wasn't. Got a $31 ticket. I'll be returning most of my purchases to offset the ticket.
Thanks for supporting small business day, Republic Parking.
John "JJ" Jerman
Ooltewah
Like working sewers, clean water? Give thanks!
The sanitary sewer, stormwater and water quality issues and challenges currently being discussed and considered by our elected leaders and environmental regulators should make us all pause for a minute and think.
We tend to give thanks when we stop and sit down for a meal.
Water quality, sanitation and adequate infrastructure are the most essential of human needs.
Consider giving thanks also when you push the handle to flush!
Michael Mallen