Is Panther Island a boondoggle?; and other letters

Is Panther Island a boondoggle?

The business of the Water Board is two-fold: Flood control and water supply. Not economic development. Yet they are asking the voters to approve a $250 million bond to salvage Panther Island, heretofore known as Trinity Uptown. When I started writing letters to the editor 15 years ago about this uprooting, heartless eminent domain economic development boondoggle, we were promised that Fort Worth’s total obligation would be $26 million — no more.

Consider this: In 1990 the city asked the voters to approve a $20 million bond to replace Will Rogers Auditorium with a state-of-the-art Music Hall. The voters said "no" loud and and clear! Now we are asked bald-faced by the Water Board for more than 10 times that amount to salvage the mother of all shameless, nepotistic boondoggles, Panther Island.

Panther Island! Seemingly a more appropriate name would be the Beached Whale.

Don Woodard, Fort Worth

More trees lost in east Fort Worth

I would urge the Urban Design Commission members to keep the large fine against D. R. Horton for virtually clear-cutting the trees in the Trinity Oaks project. As a far Eastside Fort Worth resident since 1969, we know how important it is to keep the trees in our area. This was not an error by a contractor. They cannot say they didn’t see the huge old trees and think they were disposable.

The canopy cannot be replaced in our lifetimes. Please hold D.R. Horton responsible. This dollar amount to their huge company is insignificant. The loss of the trees will last for more than a lifetime.

Susan Kennemer, Fort Worth

We can't let fear of shootings rule us

We take our children to school, hug them and tell them “I love you” as we drop them off. We refuse to let fear rule, but in the back of our minds we know this is what each parent whose child was killed at school also did. This is part of our children’s “normal” — school shootings and lockdown drills.

What will it take to do whatever it takes to protect our children, our schools? This is not a simplistic solution, and there are many elements to consider. This is what makes America the United States of America — we unite, we come together, we do whatever it takes to keep our children, and all those who work to educate and care for our children, safe at school.

“All it takes for evil to prosper is good men to do nothing.”

Katie Bonner, Mansfield

He's keeping his NRA application

I do not use NRA discounts, but in no way do I approve of any boycott efforts for this fine American organization. I will not offer to boycott any of those firms that have announced severance with NRA, as they would put me on the same level as them. However, I am sending my membership application to NRA as a show of support. It will cost only $30, and I sincerely believe the value is there as support of the Second Amendment.

Fred Keller, Fort Worth

Trump's fantasy

I couldn't believe that I heard President Trump say on national TV that he probably would have run into Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida "with or without" a gun to confront the shooter. Could this be the same "hero" who was a Vietnam era draft dodger?

James Nichols, CDR USN (Ret.)

Grapevine

This story was originally published March 2, 2018 at 2:36 PM with the headline "Is Panther Island a boondoggle?; and other letters."