Letters, 10/6: Finish MoPac trail
I realize there are bigger issues facing Nebraska residents these days, but our failure to finish the MoPac East Trail deserves further attention. The Journal Star (Sept. 24) reported on the issue and the general opposition to it among the landowners between Wabash and the Platte River. As an avid trail user, I urge fellow bicyclists to help the greater Lincoln-Omaha community understand the true value of this link.
The end of the trail in Wabash is a definite anti-climax. Just a few miles further and cyclists could be connected to a number of the state’s top recreational attractions including Platte River State Park, Mahoney State Park, Louisville Lakes State Recreation Area, Schramm Park, Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Camp Kitaki, and a number of private recreational lakes, not to mention hundreds of miles of trails in Omaha. Even the most casual rider would be surprised at how quickly and easily this smooth, flat trail pedals. But currently, one must endure a rough and muddy 334th Street and/or segments of highways with no shoulder (highways 1 and 66), or heavy truck traffic (highway 50).
And then there is the beautiful Lied Platte River Bridge, already built and paid for. But until we finish MoPac East and an equally small stretch of trail on the Omaha side, we can safely describe it as our very own “bridge to nowhere.”
The Lower Platte Natural Resource District and county commissioners involved should move to finish this trail, link Omaha and Lincoln to the parks on the Platte and provide hundreds of miles of free, healthy outdoor recreation. If the landowners can’t give up a few feet along an existing road, let’s do it without them!
Dave A. Peters, Lincoln
Clare understands research
I am excited to see the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is breaking its research funding records, earning more than $100 million this year. By comparison, the University of Michigan is a national leader in research funding, surpassing $800 million this year.
Nebraska can be competitive with schools like Michigan, but it will take strong leadership. NU regent candidate Earl Scudder argues that embryonic stem cell research at NU will help bring in more research money.
What Scudder doesn’t say is that the state of Michigan has restrictions on embryonic stem cell research that are at least as restrictive, if not more so, than Nebraska’s, yet they rake in hundreds of millions more than Nebraska in research funding.
It is because adult stem cell research, which regent candidate Tim Clare supports, is more effective in providing possible cures for life-threatening disease and therefore is more financially viable. Research dollars to support research that works; that’s why the University of Michigan and other universities that do adult stem cell research will continue to bring in research dollars.
I support Tim Clare for regent because he will grow our university by supporting effective research.
Ashley Rappana, Lincoln
No Spring Creek roads
To make no mistake, yes, we are in favor of good roads! But great places don’t always need through-traffic roads.
Audubon’s Spring Creek Prairie south of Denton is one of these great places. Its beauty and serenity doesn’t need a road going through it. Other beautiful and quiet places around Lincoln, such as our parks and cemeteries, do not have such roads. The greater public good here is to preserve the environmental integrity of Spring Creek Prairie. I hope county commissioners permanently close the county road in question and divert traffic around this great natural wonder.
Bruce Kennedy, Malcolm
Interesting ‘pro-life’ stance
Paul Knopp (letter, Oct. 1) has an interesting approach to his “pro-life” stance. I would ask what other individuals in society we should consider bumping off in the interest of keeping taxes low by using his math?
Steven R. McManus, Lincoln
We need good judgment
John McCain’s experience is as a D.C. good ol’ boy; however, he tries to paint himself as a maverick.
He helped President Bush drop the ball in Afghanistan, leaving the job unfinished. Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida are still alive and regrouping. Instead McCain supported the war against Iraq, which had nothing to do with Sept. 11, 2001. Many were fooled by Bush’s “evidence” of WMDs, but Barack Obama saw through the lies and opposed the war.
McCain opposes planning an American withdrawal, equating that to losing the war. Obama, most Americans and even Iraqi officials want a timeline. Not immediate withdrawal but planned. It would force the Iraqis to settle their differences and provide their own security at their own expense.
McCain has almost constantly fought government regulation. Now we face the results of such failed philosophy in the credit crisis, home foreclosures and Wall Street meltdown. Obama has always supported reasonable regulation, “adult supervision.”
McCain’s choosing Sarah Palin as running mate best shows his poor judgment. He chose her to draw Clinton supporters and conservatives. But they didn’t want just any woman or social conservative. They wanted a competent one. Now many in both camps are calling for Palin to step down.
If elected she would be one heartbeat away from the presidency. And it’s a 72-year-old heart. Does she have the depth, as opposed to energy and self-confidence, to deal with the complexities of the economy, trade deficits, climate change, foreign policy and military decisions? Would you feel safe with the reins in her hands?
Forget experience. We need a president with fresh ideas who puts the good of working people over ideology and self-interest. Above all, a president with good judgment. Barack Obama.
J. Thornton Jaringe, Lincoln
Kleeb has leadership skills
The stock market is crashing. Gas prices are rising. Student loans are becoming nearly nonexistent because of the current state of the economy, and the country’s biggest concerns include Sarah Palin’s pregnant daughter, Joe Biden’s speaking skills and Barack Obama’s “pig and lipstick” comment. What’s the point? Where are the leaders who are willing to take a stand?
What this state, and even this country needs is a leader who realizes the country’s mishaps and wants to take a stand and fix the problems.
Scott Kleeb is a strong leader who wants to fix Nebraska’s problems and have Nebraska help fix some of the country’s problems.
As a college student, I appreciate Kleeb’s views on education. He has two young daughters and understands that you can’t put a price on education, like most colleges are more than willing to do. Kleeb has proposed several ideas for cushioning the price for college tuition by expanding access to student loans and grants for middle class families.
Kleeb is a middle class worker himself and realizes that the economy plays an important role in our lives. With the current economic crisis and stock market scare, Kleeb understands that we don’t just need to help Wall Street, but also Main Street.
Kleeb also understands that the rising gas prices are a big burden on hard-working Nebraskans. Kleeb has a plan to help alleviate high gas prices and tax breaks to big oil companies.
I truly believe Scott Kleeb has the kind of strong leadership we need.
Emily Giller, Lincoln
Keep quality of life in mind
In response to Patricia Pierson’s letter “Remember the women” (Sept. 29), I am also an American citizen and a woman. I, however, wonder how anyone feels it is their right to kill a child in the womb. Pierson said it is her body and she can do what she wants with it. What about the unborn baby’s body and choice?
Pierson also talked about keeping her quality of life as well as all women’s quality of life in mind when voting this November. Ironically, I would say this is a great pro-life statement. Don’t we want to keep everyone’s quality of life, even the unborn child’s, in mind as we look to vote this November?
Amy Baumert, Saronville
The end of the trail in Wabash is a definite anti-climax. Just a few miles further and cyclists could be connected to a number of the state’s top recreational attractions including Platte River State Park, Mahoney State Park, Louisville Lakes State Recreation Area, Schramm Park, Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Camp Kitaki, and a number of private recreational lakes, not to mention hundreds of miles of trails in Omaha. Even the most casual rider would be surprised at how quickly and easily this smooth, flat trail pedals. But currently, one must endure a rough and muddy 334th Street and/or segments of highways with no shoulder (highways 1 and 66), or heavy truck traffic (highway 50).
And then there is the beautiful Lied Platte River Bridge, already built and paid for. But until we finish MoPac East and an equally small stretch of trail on the Omaha side, we can safely describe it as our very own “bridge to nowhere.”
The Lower Platte Natural Resource District and county commissioners involved should move to finish this trail, link Omaha and Lincoln to the parks on the Platte and provide hundreds of miles of free, healthy outdoor recreation. If the landowners can’t give up a few feet along an existing road, let’s do it without them!
Dave A. Peters, Lincoln
Clare understands research
I am excited to see the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is breaking its research funding records, earning more than $100 million this year. By comparison, the University of Michigan is a national leader in research funding, surpassing $800 million this year.
Nebraska can be competitive with schools like Michigan, but it will take strong leadership. NU regent candidate Earl Scudder argues that embryonic stem cell research at NU will help bring in more research money.
What Scudder doesn’t say is that the state of Michigan has restrictions on embryonic stem cell research that are at least as restrictive, if not more so, than Nebraska’s, yet they rake in hundreds of millions more than Nebraska in research funding.
It is because adult stem cell research, which regent candidate Tim Clare supports, is more effective in providing possible cures for life-threatening disease and therefore is more financially viable. Research dollars to support research that works; that’s why the University of Michigan and other universities that do adult stem cell research will continue to bring in research dollars.
I support Tim Clare for regent because he will grow our university by supporting effective research.
Ashley Rappana, Lincoln
No Spring Creek roads
To make no mistake, yes, we are in favor of good roads! But great places don’t always need through-traffic roads.
Audubon’s Spring Creek Prairie south of Denton is one of these great places. Its beauty and serenity doesn’t need a road going through it. Other beautiful and quiet places around Lincoln, such as our parks and cemeteries, do not have such roads. The greater public good here is to preserve the environmental integrity of Spring Creek Prairie. I hope county commissioners permanently close the county road in question and divert traffic around this great natural wonder.
Bruce Kennedy, Malcolm
Interesting ‘pro-life’ stance
Paul Knopp (letter, Oct. 1) has an interesting approach to his “pro-life” stance. I would ask what other individuals in society we should consider bumping off in the interest of keeping taxes low by using his math?
Steven R. McManus, Lincoln
We need good judgment
John McCain’s experience is as a D.C. good ol’ boy; however, he tries to paint himself as a maverick.
He helped President Bush drop the ball in Afghanistan, leaving the job unfinished. Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida are still alive and regrouping. Instead McCain supported the war against Iraq, which had nothing to do with Sept. 11, 2001. Many were fooled by Bush’s “evidence” of WMDs, but Barack Obama saw through the lies and opposed the war.
McCain opposes planning an American withdrawal, equating that to losing the war. Obama, most Americans and even Iraqi officials want a timeline. Not immediate withdrawal but planned. It would force the Iraqis to settle their differences and provide their own security at their own expense.
McCain has almost constantly fought government regulation. Now we face the results of such failed philosophy in the credit crisis, home foreclosures and Wall Street meltdown. Obama has always supported reasonable regulation, “adult supervision.”
McCain’s choosing Sarah Palin as running mate best shows his poor judgment. He chose her to draw Clinton supporters and conservatives. But they didn’t want just any woman or social conservative. They wanted a competent one. Now many in both camps are calling for Palin to step down.
If elected she would be one heartbeat away from the presidency. And it’s a 72-year-old heart. Does she have the depth, as opposed to energy and self-confidence, to deal with the complexities of the economy, trade deficits, climate change, foreign policy and military decisions? Would you feel safe with the reins in her hands?
Forget experience. We need a president with fresh ideas who puts the good of working people over ideology and self-interest. Above all, a president with good judgment. Barack Obama.
J. Thornton Jaringe, Lincoln
Kleeb has leadership skills
The stock market is crashing. Gas prices are rising. Student loans are becoming nearly nonexistent because of the current state of the economy, and the country’s biggest concerns include Sarah Palin’s pregnant daughter, Joe Biden’s speaking skills and Barack Obama’s “pig and lipstick” comment. What’s the point? Where are the leaders who are willing to take a stand?
What this state, and even this country needs is a leader who realizes the country’s mishaps and wants to take a stand and fix the problems.
Scott Kleeb is a strong leader who wants to fix Nebraska’s problems and have Nebraska help fix some of the country’s problems.
As a college student, I appreciate Kleeb’s views on education. He has two young daughters and understands that you can’t put a price on education, like most colleges are more than willing to do. Kleeb has proposed several ideas for cushioning the price for college tuition by expanding access to student loans and grants for middle class families.
Kleeb is a middle class worker himself and realizes that the economy plays an important role in our lives. With the current economic crisis and stock market scare, Kleeb understands that we don’t just need to help Wall Street, but also Main Street.
Kleeb also understands that the rising gas prices are a big burden on hard-working Nebraskans. Kleeb has a plan to help alleviate high gas prices and tax breaks to big oil companies.
I truly believe Scott Kleeb has the kind of strong leadership we need.
Emily Giller, Lincoln
Keep quality of life in mind
In response to Patricia Pierson’s letter “Remember the women” (Sept. 29), I am also an American citizen and a woman. I, however, wonder how anyone feels it is their right to kill a child in the womb. Pierson said it is her body and she can do what she wants with it. What about the unborn baby’s body and choice?
Pierson also talked about keeping her quality of life as well as all women’s quality of life in mind when voting this November. Ironically, I would say this is a great pro-life statement. Don’t we want to keep everyone’s quality of life, even the unborn child’s, in mind as we look to vote this November?
Amy Baumert, Saronville
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