UA coach Brent Brennan, right, with former Boise State and Washington coach Chris Petersen.
Excellence in education and sports
The observations of Richard Janik regarding the focus of the University of Arizona might be viewed along with that in the sports page regarding an autistic high school football player doing extremely well as a lineman.
As the Board of Regents and University Administration seek excellence in serving all citizens of this state, appreciation of pathways to excellence for every individual deserves fresh attention.
The University of Arizona has a very fine record in recognizing special needs and special talents in both the undergraduate and graduate pathways.
There can be a better balance between sports, artistic talent, drive to learn, and attitudes of social responsibility measured and provided to the public without disrupting academic pathways. Along with this, expectations of performance for coaches can adjust to one-year contracts with performance criteria greater than win-and-lose.
The public still remain the ultimate source of support.
John Hughes
Northeast side
Red-light cameras
Dear Mayor and Council members, how many must die before you act? Last week’s headlines were about the five who died in a red light running accident. Must this be the new reality? Just read that Phoenix will reinstate such cameras. Why them and not us? I understand manpower shortages; but red-light cameras extend police coverage. As Phoenix has recognized and as the headlines underscore, this epidemic must be addressed. Please, put your collective worries about what folks will think of you away and do what is right, what our community needs. Advance the safety of our drivers and pedestrians and reinstate red-light cameras.
Norman Patten
Midtown
Kudos to TPD officers
I would like to express my thanks to the Tucson Police officers who came to our house last Saturday at 2 a.m. to rescue a young girl who was lost, confused and crying. They handled the situation with calm and compassionate efficiency and were able to reunite her with her mother. Kudos for a job well done.
Holly McCarter
Midtown
Affordable housing
Being a general contractor for 48 years, all the cost of the components that are required to construct a house that is affordable, are best realized by having a manufactured house delivered to a lot.
Manufactured homes these days are resilient and durable with proper maintenance, as all houses require maintenance. Any home that is built under the Federal Housing CBDG grants is very expensive for the public that pays for the subsidy. Nothing is free. Bureaucracy is expensive, especially federal bureaucracy.
KB Homes or Lennar Homes build a house where every stick of lumber, every door, every shingle, every door bumper, every foot of water line, and all the administrative costs add up to the cost of a home. Production lets these homebuilders spread the administrative costs over many homes. A single affordable, subsidized house has to bear all the costs in one project.
To declare that we will build affordable houses out of thin air is exactly what it says, except thin air is hot air.
Ed LeGendre
East side
Hamas-Israel War
Your Oct. 30 front-page article, “Israeli strikes kills dozens,” citing 1,200 Israelis killed compared to 43,000 Palestinians, reminds me of the Old Testament proverb, “an eye for an eye” and “a tooth for a tooth.” Enough already!!
Richard Pierson
Southwest side
Improvements in access
As a disabled Pima County voter, I want to thank Cázares-Kelly and Chubon for the numerous changes they, and their team, have brought to the Pima County Recorders Office to actually make early voting accessible. They have made the website and the public information shared on the website screen-reader accessible, something most city and county departments (and even the Star) have yet to choose to do. I wasn’t able to even find information about early voting four years ago, let alone receive text messages about ballot status. Thanks for caring about my right to vote, listening to the disability community, and acting on access concerns.
Naomi Ortiz
Midtown
Thank you, poll and election workers
As I sit in a library typing this, there’s a small line of people waiting to vote. Other voters are coming in to drop off their ballots.
I’d like to thank the hard-working poll workers and election workers who made this possible.
Matt Somers
Midtown
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