Tucson Speaks Out: Dec. 19

Puerto Peñasco Monarch butterflies

The Monarch butterfly migration from the Midwest in fall to overwinter in the mountains of southern Mexico and return in spring is a captivating natural history phenomenon. They also migrate from Oregon south to overwinter in California and Baja California. Our 2022 study of Monarch observations in Sonora concluded that regional migration from southeastern Arizona to northern Sonora and resident populations in tropical southern Sonora and Sinaloa were not part of the great mid-continent migration. Jerry Helm’s letter reporting a stream of Monarchs flying northward at Puerto Peñasco is an interesting spring observation. Where did they come from? Central Baja California is 250 kilometers to the south across the Sea of Cortez while the Michoacán overwintering area is 1,735 kilometers southeast across the Sierra Madre Occidental. Helm’s observation likely represents an occasional eastern spring loop of the western Monarch migration.

Tom Van Dvender

North side

Re: Dec. 15. article

The Community Corridor Tool is a major change to city zoning, not a “tool,” which eliminates the ability of the residents/taxpayers/neighborhoods to weigh in on housing development, allows buildings to “produce” their own shade instead of trees, removes reasonable parking requirements, and much more. This will create ill will not only towards the builder/investor, but the people who will live in these residences. Packing a city with more people where the infrastructure has literally crumbled, lacks sufficient police resources, has speeders killing pedestrians, buses and stops overtaken by drug abusers, vagrants and graffiti, and has a lack of recreation, sidewalks, and other amenities, is irresponsible. It demonstrates the M&C are not thinking of their constituents, our quality of life or safety, but simply about the builders and their need for a high return on investment. Say no to CCT and send M&C back to the drawing board for a better plan and one not based on Minneapolis that has no relation to Tucson.

Lois Pawlak

Midtown

Affordable housing takes a hit

Re: Concerns over the City’s proposed Corridor Redevelopment Tools

The city just added mobile home park zoning to the Corridor Redevelopment proposal. So, the city wants to replace the one form of housing that is affordable to lower-income, often older, citizens; it offers no affordable replacement alternatives; it refuses to support what little affordable housing we do have; and next March, it wants the voters to pass a regressive sales tax, further injuring those it just displaced with the Corridor Redevelopment “tools.”

With friends like this Mayor and Council, who needs enemies?

Colette Altaffer

Midtown

Ads and DEI

See, Loran, the difference between you and me is that I appreciate DEI advertising. You might want to delve into multiculturalism to discover the reality of the world today. Come downtown or even south of River to get a view of Tucson beyond the “Northwest side.” There’s a whole world down here. Try Tucson Meet Yourself. Or, oh my, Mexican restaurants on South 4th, 6th or 12th.

We have never been an all-white world. True, advertising does not “represent the majority of buyers”, “I no longer see myself”, “the betterment of my life”, “by not selling to me”, Your words.

Sounds like you have an oversized view of your place in the world. Think outside yourself. There’s a lot to see with an open mind.

Margaret Gordon Magruder

Downtown

Good riddance, Kyrsten

Kyrsten Sinema, outgoing Arizona senator, showed her lack of concern for her state and voters as she recently skipped voting and other public events. The AZ Daily Star article, “Sinema skips votes as term nears end,” details she missed “a third of the 202 roll call votes” taken in the Senate since April. Also, she spent $216,000 for travel and $152,000 for security-related expenses. Surely, Arizona will benefit from Ruben Gallego’s victory replacing Sinema and prevent Kari Lake from a senatorial term. Finally, I can say good riddance, Kyrsten.

Roger Shanley

East side

Bargain panels — high treason

Whew! Glad to see our loyal right-wing ranter is back, after being MIA for three days running. He must have been busy listening to right-wing AM radio, or Truth Social, filling his head with stuff like Biden selling border wall panels dirt cheap. According to Mr. Johnson, this panel sell-off (if true) is “an abrogation of duties, shameful, and treasonous.” Actually, Donald Trump is much more deserving of such accusations. What could be a bigger dereliction of duties or more treasonous than events on Jan. 6, 2021? Trump will probably make that date a national holiday! Since Mr. Johnson thinks Texas is such a great “common-sense” state, it might be the perfect place for him to spend his golden years. Then he can treat those Texans who still read newspapers to his frequent nonsense. I’m sure he can find a Lone Star paper to give him press three to four days a week (like the Star) or perhaps even daily!

Deb Klumpp

Oro Valley

Let’s try a little perspective here

NBC News recently showed a clip of President-Elect Trump saying about vaccines, “I don’t like mandates.”

So, Mr. Trump, you don’t like the mandate for children to attend school? Or the mandate for citizens to pay taxes?

You don’t like the mandate at your golf courses and hotels for folks to get up and go to work in the morning if they want a paycheck?

Our armed forces, excluding the Navy, require high school graduation for entry. Without mandatory education, we would have no Army or Air Force, Mr. Commander-in-Chief.

Did you hear about the pandemic in 1346-52, where a third of the people of Europe perished in the Bubonic Plague?

In 1350, you didn’t hear any politicians whining, “I hate mandates.”

Kimball Shinkoskey

Downtown

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AI’s real threat

You may worry about how Artificial Intelligence will blur reality from fabrication and, clearly, legislation is needed to identify media created by AI. However, the biggest impact of AI-based automation will be on the significant reduction of jobs for both the working and middle classes. Jobs are important not just for income but also for self-esteem. What will be needed is a modern WPA (Work Projects Administration) where the government will provide jobs to repair and improve America’s aging infrastructure. Otherwise, the future will see significant increases in unemployment and increased stress on governmental relief programs. Provide jobs — not welfare.

Dennis Winsten

Northeast side

Wise idea, lasers for July 4

Mike Chihak’s proposal of a laser show to replace fireworks is wise and wonderful. The show would create spectacular images moving across the Tucson sky. Just Google “laser drone show” and you’ll agree — and no fire danger. It’s an idea we should adopt, especially with the U of Arizona one of the world’s top laser science and optics centers. Go for it.

Ford Burkhart

Downtown

The next order of business

I just want to let you know that I and I believe many others are happy you have brought the Jumble back. Thank you! Now your next order of business should be getting rid of the obsolete comic page you shocked us with a few months ago. The wuzzle puzzle can go to make more room, it is as lame as the old comics you’re printing.

Andrew Wahl

West side

To have or have not

Do you consider yourself to either “have” or “have not”?

People who “have,” are they from one side of the political spectrum, while the “have nots,” are from the other side? Do people who think they “have,” realize what they “don’t have,” while people who think they “don’t have,” realize what they “have”?

Does your employment involve “entrepreneurial risk”? If it does, you are likely to “have less” than “more”. More businesses fail than succeed. Maybe you have more freedom? Is it worth the risk?

If your employment depends on someone else’s risk, you may think you have “less,” all the while “having more.” Unions, governmental agencies, school districts, large corporations provide safety that the entrepreneur doesn’t “have.”

If you have not had to “Master Charge payroll” to make sure everyone is paid, while you forgo your paycheck, you don’t know “risk and reward.” Failure after failure is one failure closer to success. It takes entrepreneurial fortitude.

You either win or lose, or a tie, maybe?

Ed LeGendre

East side

Comments by former Syrian leader

The Star reports that Bashar Al Assad, the overthrown former President of Syria, had no idea of leaving the country and wanted to stay and presumably fight his enemies. By then, his enemies had already invaded the Russian base, had taken Damascus and were knocking at Assad’s door with hand grenades probably. But the Russians made him leave the country. The Russians made me do it, he says. Sure, we believe you, Al. The Russians made you do it. Right, Al. We understand.

Manuel Hernandez Garcia

Midtown

A Dictator to rule the USA

The next want-to-be dictator already has started to create mayhem. He calls the Prime Minister of Canada “governor” because the soon-to-be No. 47 calls Canada the 51st state in the North. Bragging he is ordering to imprison all who tried to do the same to him except he had trials by his fellow citizens. All the bozos he selected for Cabinet positions will all say yes of course!! Release the traitors of January 6! By February 2025 prices of food, cars, etc., will skyrocket. I hope cult followers will be happy. To the good Americans who didn’t vote for him, be prepared.

David E. Leon

Vail

Humane rescue lacking support for adoptions

I commend the Humane Society of Southern Arizona and other organizations on the recent rescue effort involving 40 dogs from one owner in Marana.

I adopted a dog from this pack. Despite severe trauma, he has a beautiful temperament. But he has severe physical issues not reported in his adoption record,

Much stress and two vet appointments later (still no prognosis), I’ve spent nearly $1,000. The Humane Society gave me only one option: to surrender him back to the shelter, a very cruel thing to do to an already-traumatized dog.

I’m retired due to disability. Today, I had to resort to establishing a GoFundMe account.

Adoption is a risk. Still, I believe the Humane Society has an ethical obligation to ensure animals are in good condition, as stated in the article.

I advise others to be very careful in their adoption choice. I appeal to the Humane Society to do the right thing.

Nan Coursey

Foothills