LETTERS

Improvements are needed

Economic development and transportation infrastructure are closely linked. An inefficient transportation system increases costs, while a well-operated and maintained system reduces them.

At a basic level, our roadways exist to move passengers, goods and services through our communities. At a higher level, we design and plan routes that optimize this movement by decreasing travel time and increasing the safety and reliability of the roadway.

For quite some time, I-30 has failed to meet our higher expectations. The Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department and Metroplan commissioned a study that found I-30 was in need of improvements that would accommodate increased vehicular capacity and improve safety. The I-30 Purpose and Need Report shows crash rates are much higher than the Arkansas average crash rate for six-plus-lane urban interstates. Inadequate shoulder widths, unsafe curves that do not meet design standards, inadequate ramp lengths, and dangerous spacing issues between entrance and exit ramps all contribute to unsafe driving conditions. The I-30 bridge exhibits all of these conditions, and poses a challenge to safe and efficient river navigation.

With the passage of Connecting Arkansas, we have the resources to make the necessary safety and design improvements that will make one of the most-traveled roads in our state safer. If we opt to do nothing, we miss the opportunity to make an investment in our transportation infrastructure that can reap dividends in the future. I support expanding I-30 and making the necessary improvements that will ensure passengers, goods and services move safely and efficiently throughout our region, and in the process spur economic development and encourage growth.

SCOTT COPAS

Little Rock

News of Possum Poot

The recovery from the terrible storm of Thursday some weeks back has progressed. When The Donald's 200-foot flagpole (he's so patriotic) came down on our double-wide town hall, it revealed a very dirty town secret. All would have been well, except Sassy Sue (migrated here from Saskatchewan for our godly ways) was there to witness our secret.

The original bathrooms were side by side in the middle of the hall. Tiny little spaces. When we remodeled, we made bigger ones on the ends of the building. Being practical, we turned the original "water closets" into voting booths. The "Men" and "Women" signs stayed on the doors and our godly, righteous citizens voted that way. In our endeavor to be economic (something Evil Obama knows nothing about), we merely built a ballot box where the toilets were. Difference? The men's side was a standard box; the women's side had no bottom--it emptied directly into the toilet.

Sassy Sue (she has risen to No. 2 in the church basement ladies organization, the most powerful group in town despite what their husbands say) saw this and has used it for leverage to insert herself into my next spy mission on Professor Phogbottom.

More details will follow, but do as we here in Possum Poot do: Vote the party of God (Republican), vote early, and vote often!

STEVE GIBSON

Little Rock

Aided state education

How quickly we forget! Education in our state was at a low ebb in the 1980s. Though I am now retired from teaching, I clearly remember the positive impact Hillary Clinton made on education in Arkansas.

She led a state commission that held town meetings in every county in the state and listened to citizens express their desires for improvement in our schools. I remember going to one in Conway County and hearing parents say they wanted better teaching with stronger requirements for their children.

As a result of these grass-roots expressions, the commissioners, led by Mrs. Clinton, used their influence to bring about more stringent requirements and better pay for teachers, and stronger curricula for students. Soon, Advanced Placement courses were introduced in schools, teachers were helped to learn new techniques, Governor's School was established for summer enrichment, the Math and Science School was built for specialization, and Arkansas was recognized for its improvement in education.

I firmly believe it was Mrs. Clinton's ear to local people's needs and her ability to get things done that led to school improvement. This same characteristic of observing problems, seeking expert advice, then putting solutions into action makes her so well-qualified.

Surely thinking people of Arkansas will remember how this Sunday School attender did all the good she could, in all the ways she could, for all the people she could. And she can do the same for all the people of the United States.

ANNE CROFOOT QUEEN

Morrilton

Mean-spirited letter

Re the recent letter from Ed Chess regarding "evil Hillary Clinton": Politics aside, I have never read anything more disgusting or mean-spirited in my life. I am trying to imagine how much hate one has to possess in order to write something like that.

I don't know Mr. Chess, but I will be praying for him. I know of no one currently who needs it more.

BEVERLY SUTTON

Little Rock

Pair would be thrilled

I read with great joy the recent article, "Rising from the ashes," about the restoration project on the Mills-Davis house. The article mentioned that Bill Davis was a well-known photographer, but didn't say much about his wife, Jody.

I was privileged to work with Jody, one of the first speech pathologists in Little Rock, while we were both employed by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. I cannot say too many kind things about Jody. Although she had no children of her own, she, like I, had thousands of children if one counts those children we helped while at the Child Study Center on the UAMS campus.

Everything Jody did she did to perfection. When she went on vacation, I would water her cacti--she had an office full of them--and feed the feral cats on the UAMS campus. She had a great love for nature, animals, etc. That's probably why they didn't get rid of the bats.

I think Bill and Jody would be thrilled that someone like Jennifer Carman would take on this project.

JEANETTE McGREW

Pine Bluff

Left bad impression

Since the weather was pleasant and we needed to get outside to enjoy it, we decided to go to the River Market to see the Clydesdales.

It was great to see the beautiful animals that we always see on TV at Christmas, but we were appalled by the dirty sidewalks and trash in the gutters of the River Market!

There seems to be so much concern about losing green space by our city officials. What good is more green space if it is bordered by dirt and litter?

I have traveled to other cities with similar attractions like our River Market area, but have never seen anything like what we saw on the sidewalks, etc., there.

It is not a good reflection on the city of Little Rock. I would like to see an effort to clean it up.

ELIZABETH M. HUDSON

Little Rock

Healing herb can help

Please vote for the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act (AMCA), Issue 7, on November's ballot. Contrary to what Big Pharma wants us to believe, marijuana (aka cannabis) is a medicinal herb. I saw its effectiveness during the 1970s when I worked with Vietnam veterans who used it to handle pain and what they called PVS--Post Vietnam Syndrome. PTSD had not yet been recognized. Marijuana also helped me emerge from that difficult decade a stronger and better woman.

The New England Journal of Medicine reported after an interactive poll being "surprised by the outcome of polling and comments, with 76 percent of all votes in favor of the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes." At least two of my doctors want to prescribe it for various ailments I suffer from. The American Legion, at its latest national convention, "resolved" to "urge the Drug Enforcement Agency ... to enable safe and efficient cannabis drug development research" and to "reclassify it."

A second medical marijuana proposal will also be on our ballots. I don't trust it. It's for an amendment to permit limited growth and distribution of medical marijuana under government control. With the AMCA, growth, availability, and study of medical marijuana will be supervised by the Department of Health.

Medical cannabis is available to patients in at least 23 states. Let's join them in what has become a flourishing national experiment. So please, vote for the Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act, Issue 7. This healing herb will benefit me and countless other Arkansans.

NANCY MILLER SAUNDERS

Durham

Foundation of nation

For too long now, the attacks and defenses have been exchanged between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump about who is least, or most, qualified to be the next president of the United States. The answer became evident to me Monday night during the debate, when neither promised to execute the duties of the office in accordance with the Constitution, which not only created the office of president, but also defines the authority and restrictions of the office to which the candidates aspire. Additionally, neither proclaimed allegiance to the Constitution or even acknowledged its existence.

And contributing to the avoidance and therefore disregard of the Constitution is the fact that some ignorant petty functionary chose the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution, to display behind each candidate. The Declaration of Independence is an integral part of our history and is one of the most profound statements of people's rights that was ever written. However, it is neither empowering nor binding on our government.

Simply stated, I believe neither candidate is qualified, and a vote for either is a vote against the Constitution, which is the foundation for our once great and could-be-great-again country.

TED HOOD JR.

Fairfield Bay

Feedback

Making promises

I've been watching presidential campaigns for over 50 years. I have never seen a candidate for president make so many promises that he can't keep. Where is Donald Trump's plan to balance the federal budget? Where is his plan to pay down the national debt?

Mexico said recently that it would not pay for Trump's wall along the border! He says he will hire 5,000 new border guards. This goes on and on. I think I do know how he will try to raise money. He wants to take money meant for Social Security and Medicare.

GENE PATERSON

Holiday Island

Of twin torpedoes

Re story about Kansas couple's multiple twin births: Congratulations! Five babies under 2. Good for you, Danesha and Jeffrey. Now would be a good time to get married, or maybe before all these babies made their appearance would have been better. Maybe A&E or Lifetime can make you famous.

I got left behind somewhere. I still just want to go the the women's restroom in public places.

LILLIAN FREEMAN

Sherwood

Editorial on 09/30/2016

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