Re Joan Fleischman's July 13 Talk of The Town item Crime report: A Miami-Dade County police officer says that someone broke into his unmarked police truck while parked at Denny's.
Re the July 10 story Coconut Grove plan may burn TV show: I don't get it -- unless Coconut Grove plans to charge admission to the proposed park, why raze the Coconut Grove Convention Center when it's productive by creating and sustaining jobs and generating income?
It is a sad time for the people of Israel and for Jews around the world. The dramatic images of two coffins carrying the remains of young Israel Defense Forces reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev being returned by Hezbollah is a harsh reminder of Israel's daily struggle with terrorism.
The war in Iraq seems to be so important to John McCain and Barack Obama. But they're running to be president of the United States, right? Then what about the wars on foreclosures and on high gas and food prices?
There is no doubt that we need a new stadium if the Florida Marlins are to be viable for the next 20 years. But it's ridiculous to put the stadium in Little Havana. There is no direct public transportation to the area other than a few buses.
In his July 15 letter, Megaplan deal, Frank Rollason correctly notes that affordable housing is an integral element of Midtown Miami. However, he fails to note that the concessions to which he refers were tied to use of a $20.6 million HUD-108 county loan and were not a condition of the interlocal agreement, which was the subject of last month's action by the Midtown Miami Community Redevelopment Agency and the City Commission. It is awaiting approval by the Miami-Dade County Commission.
Progress is what builds great cities. It's moving forward, not backward. Miami's megaplan will be a boost to our community. It's not about what a wealthy man, Norman Braman, wants. It's what the city needs to continue to grow.
Early Friday morning, I drove north on I-95 before rush hour. I was surprised to see that there is no provision for drivers who have to exit at 62nd, 79th, 95th, 103rd, 119th, 125th, 135th or 151st streets from the toll lanes.
In the past two weeks, the United Teachers of Dade (UTD) has mounted a campaign of misinformation about contract negotiations with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. At public meetings and in the media, union officials and their attorneys have suggested that the district has violated the union's contract, cut salaries and not acted in good faith. None of this is true.
letters Re the July 14 story Midtown Miami developers eye tax dollars: Yes, the deal makes sense. But it should not come as a free pass to Midtown's developers. As part of the original negotiations that established a Midtown community-redevelopment agency to garner tax dollars for the parking, the developers once promised to refurbish or rebuild 80 to 100 homes in the adjoining Buena Vista neighborhood.
At the recent summit in Japan, President Bush had to remind the G8 nations to follow up on pledges made at the 2005 summit to fight disease and extreme poverty in Africa. So far, these countries have delivered on less than 15 percent of their promises.
Dwight K. Bartlett's July 5 Other Views article on healthcare, Lower costs, more care, was astute. Given his background and credentials, he is qualified to educate us. His is the first column I have seen that mentions high healthcare costs in the same article with the medical-malpractice liability problem: ``Open-ended malpractice tort liability leads providers to practice defensive medicine extensively.''
Re Greg Cote's July 9 column, Braman lawsuit threatens more than Marlins stadium: I am not opposed to a stadium. But since public dollars are being utilized, voters have the right to make this decision, not politicians. State law requires it.
Iran has missiles -- so what? We have them. Several European and Asian nations have them. So does Israel. Who's to say who's more levelheaded or responsible?
I am probably not going to vote for John McCain, but I admire the way he so thoroughly distanced himself from Phil Gramm after Gramm called us a bunch of whiners.
Re the July 10 story Wife fires gun at Fort Lauderdale police chief: America's two-tiered system of criminal justice, one for the rich and well connected and one for the poor, has reared its ugly head once again, this time in the case of Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley's wife. Any indigent defendant or one without connections in the same situation would be charged with attempted murder and held with no bond.
In the July 2 story U.S. Navy: Iran won't be allowed to close Hormuz, the Navy chief warns that any attempt by Iran to seal off the Strait of Hormuz would be viewed as an act of war. I wonder what he thinks an attack on Iran would be.
Since 1985, the National Recreation and Park Association has designated July Recreation and Parks Month. With the launch of the new Family. Friends. Fun. campaign this month, Florida state parks are encouraging people to get out and experience the nature-based recreational opportunities in their communities.
It is interesting that attorney David Aelion, who represents the Santeria Church of Lukumi Babalu Aye in a lawsuit against the Coral Gables, has the nerve to say that the goats and fowl had their throats cut in a humane fashion.
The National Parks Conservation Association agrees that the Everglades snail kite is a critical endangered species that should be recovered through Everglades restoration (A rare bird all but vanishes from Everglades, July 5).
The June 8 story Solar still a tough sell about Florida Power & Light's petition to the Public Service Commission to build three solar-power generation projects in Florida says that the projects represent a ''downsized'' version of the commitments FPL Group announced at the 2007 Clinton Global Initiative Forum. This mischaracterizes our actions.
News reports say that it might not be the tomatoes we import from Mexico that has led us into the salmonella frenzy. Now it might be peppers, onions or cilantro we import from Mexico.
The auto industry should learn from the music industry that significant changes can be made -- just as LPs and 45s were jettisoned for compact discs. Just as disc players replaced turntables, gas-powered cars can be sold for parts or to buyers in other nations.
After 37 ½ years of teaching school and now retired, I have pondered what could have been the most important concept I passed on to my students -- self-reliance, positive thinking, kindness. However, one sticks out in my mind: Beware of friendships with conditions. Nothing is more abhorrent than the statement, ``I'll be your friend if you do this for me.''
An orchid article as front-page news (Strange flowers blooming among us, July 5)? Thank you. The Miami Herald recognizes that most of its readers care about the Earth, want to learn more about their immediate surroundings and find environmental news to be ground-breaking.
