Traverse City Record-Eagle

Opinion

February 3, 2012

Letters to the Editor: 02/03/2012

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Some control necessary

On Dec. 31, I attended, along with several thousand of our community and guests, the CherryT Ball Drop in downtown Traverse City in celebration of New Year's Eve. This was my third year.

I wish to compliment the many folks involved in organizing this event. Compared with the first year, when the ball was made up of balloons in a net, this year's ball was gorgeous with tiny, little red lights and green lights for the cherry stem. The sound system was improved and the digital clock was great.

Capt. Morgan of the Traverse City Police reported in a Record-Eagle article that they had several officers on duty at the event. I was at the intersection of Front and Cass, and I did not see one policeman in the time I was downtown.

While it is considered New Year's Eve parties will be merry, something needs to be done to control public drunkenness.

When it came time to exit the street we were nearly pushed to the ground by the unruly crowd. Not having the beer tent might help.

This is a great event, but some control must be exercised before someone is hurt.

Beverly J. Cuthbert

Traverse City

Demand other options

I love our postal system. Compared to postal systems in other countries, ours is pristine in service, reliability and expense. Why must the government/corporations screw up things that service the greater good?

Why does the post office have to pay $500 billion from its profits to Congress? We need a breakdown of what Congress does with the entire sum.

Congress put restrictions on the postal service that do not allow it to operate as a competitive business. Guess how happy UPS/FedEx will be when our U.S. postal services are reduced.

Look how much is being taken away from the average citizen: jobs, pensions, homes, salary freezes and the lack of health benefits. Now, their choices to stay connected to others are being taken away.

Congress must make revisions to allow our postal system to compete with the private companies. That is the answer, not the slow choke hold.

Write our representatives and demand other options be put before the public. If no one does anything then we will become financially indentured servants and will have deserved the position.

J.L. Morrison

Traverse City

Make change good

A CVS pharmacy in downtown Traverse City?

No, no, no, no.

Have the town planners gone mad?

If you can't come up with plans that include aesthetics and integrity for those of us who live here, then please leave the space alone and save it for the next generation to come up with a better idea.

Once the eyesores (chain stores, hotels, etc.) are built they are there forever. Clean up the space at Front and Division; plant some flowers, add a fountain and some park benches and call it good. (Don't we have any local philanthropists left?)

Make change good for a change.

Rachel Kiser

Traverse City

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