Unfettered Letters

Center’s faulty data

It is amusing to see the term “research” used in the same sentence with “Violence Policy Center” in The Star’s Jan. 27 editorial, “Focus on reducing black homicides.”

The Violence Policy Center is notorious for its sloppy work. Where facts are not invented, they are the epitome of junk science.

The editorial’s subject is that the Violence Policy Center “correctly” notes that reducing the murder rate among African Americans must focus on reducing access to firearms. The notorious zip codes of Kansas City contain fewer guns than ZIP codes in the suburbs.

A glance through listings in the yellow pages show all the large gun shops are in the suburbs. Poor education, job prospects and health care are more directly linked.

Kevin L. Jamison
Gladstone

Streetcar waste in KC

We need a downtown streetcar project like we need more holes in our heads.

Kansas City Mayor Sly James was in Washington, D.C., lobbying for $25 million to start a downtown streetcar project? That’s a drop in the bucket compared to the $100 million for the starter project.

This is at a time when the city of Kansas City is pouring millions of dollars into an underperforming tax increment financing project, better known as the Power & Light District.

City officials cannot fully fund the city’s pension system. They want to dump money into tearing down Kemper Arena and rebuilding something new in its place.

And we have a crumbling infrastructure that led to a record number of geysers from broken pipes spouting up out of our streets during 2011?

Sounds to me like Yael Abouhalkah needs to find a different entity within city government to direct his ire rather than emergency services and a retired union leader.

Brian Acker
Kansas City

Red-light dilemma

I am one of the nearly 200,000 drivers who have received a red-light camera ticket. Mine was for the intersection at 55th Street and U.S. 71.

When the light turned yellow, I had to make a split-second decision.

The car behind me was following very close and at a significant speed. Should I hit my brakes and probably be rear-ended? Or should I scoot on through the intersection?

My ticket provided the city with revenue. But had I been in the probable rear-end collision, I wonder: How much would the traffic investigation have cost the city? And how many insurance dollars and medical bills?

I considered contesting my red-light camera ticket. But I would probably have been told that I should have stopped for the light, and that the car behind me would have been at fault in any accident.

Let’s see, if I had made the choice to hit my brakes, no ticket for me, a ticket for the driver behind me but considerable damage to my car, and I would have suffered whiplash at the very least.

Golly, folks. If I’m again faced with that decision at a red light, what should I do?

Patricia Hill
Kansas City

Giving better pet care

Kansas City residents now have an even better reason for doing the right thing by licensing their pets. Now that the non-profit Kansas City Pet Project is working hard to move Kansas City’s animal shelter (formerly operated by animal control) toward a no-kill goal, 100 percent of pet license fees go directly toward funding the Kansas City Pet Project and the animal shelter. Visit the Animal Health and Public Safety Division’s site at www.kcmo.org for licensing information.

Included with the license is the new “Free Ride Home” program, in which animal control officers return licensed pets to their home at no charge the first time if the animals are lost or loose. One hopes pet owners who had hesitated to license their dogs and cats because the money didn’t go toward helping homeless animals will now reconsider.

Licensing dogs and cats in Kansas City ensures not only that lost pet will be returned to owners, but also that Kansas City Pet Project receives the funding it needs to successfully make Kansas City’s animal shelter a more welcoming and humane place for pets and people.

Deb Hipp
Kansas City

KC’s Restaurant Week

During 2012 Restaurant Week Jan. 20-29, I had dinner at one well-known Plaza venue, and it was scrumptious. I will return to that spot another time and tell others how good it was.

I also had a Restaurant Week lunch at another Plaza institution. It was awful: an iceberg lettuce salad topped with crumbled bacon and hard-boiled egg and a pasta dish doused with a too-salty brown sauce, a few pieces of beef and some canned mushrooms. I won’t be returning to that locale, and I will probably tell a few people how disappointing my lunch was.

Hooray for Restaurant Week, when local food operations show their true colors. May the best ones win lots of new customers.

Why restaurants participate that offer unimaginative, out-of-date menus and pad their meat entrees with lots of cheap pasta is beyond my understanding.

They should sit out this opportunity for publicity and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Laura Lloyd
Kansas City

Osterheldt column

Thanks to your wonderful Jan. 25 report, Jeneé Osterheldt, about Paula Deen, “Don’t blame Paula Deen.”

We don’t need a scapegoat for obesity and diabetes. It sure isn’t Paula’s fault.

People should leave Paula alone. Let’s work on the drug dealers.

Sue Reich
Kansas City, Kan.

Abouhalkah blog bit

I noticed that Yael Abouhalkah characterized Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer as “somewhat odd” in his Jan. 27 blog bit. What, pray tell, is the reader to conclude in the definition of “somewhat odd?” Does this apply to her manner of governance, how she dresses or her choice of friends?

Would any of the readers think of Mr. Abouhalkah as “somewhat odd” or, for that matter, any of us? What does this mean?

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama appears to be given a pass for his admonition of Ms. Brewer’s opinion. He might follow Harry Truman’s thought: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Edward O’Dower
Overland Park

Supporting KC schools

I have read that University of Missouri-Kansas City has a school of urban education. If its purpose is the professional development of our teachers and administrators, why can they not envelop the Kansas City Public Schools administration?

Let us have all UMKC students be required to tutor one or more children. Some may discover that they want to become teachers or appreciate what’s needed to support the school system.

With Google, Skype or whatever new technologies, I’d prefer a top-notch, well-spoken educator present coursework by computer rather than some ill-prepared or ineffective teacher in person. Rather than the cost of busing or snow days, school could still be in session.

Let’s use our empty school buildings for the thousands of homeless area children. A “boarding school” with veterans to oversee the operation would eliminate the hunger and stigma that become obstacles to learning and self-esteem.

Could businesses underwrite some education programs? Geography from Trader Joe’s, physical education by our sports teams, and art and music instruction from the college students rather than dropping those programs altogether. Our banks could sponsor mathematics.

Beth Ciperson
Kansas City, Kan.

Making U.S. taxes fair

During last week’s State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama continued his attack on the rich for not paying their fair share of taxes. Not one word was mentioned about the 47 percent of the population that pays zero federal income taxes.

The last time I checked, 15 percent of $20 million — $3 million — is considerably higher than 28 percent of $60,000 — $16,800.

True fairness would be for every citizen to have some skin in the game.

Rick Johnson
Kansas City

Comfort Keepers’ thanks

We want to extend our heartfelt appreciation for the community’s kindness to our seniors through their donations to Comfort Keepers’ 2011 STOP Senior Hunger food drive.

Thanks to the generous gifts of so many, we were able to collect 10,000 meals, which we donated to Harvester’s Community Food Network. They will use these meals for hungry seniors in the metropolitan area

Hunger is a serious problem for America’s growing 65 and older population. In fact, one in nine seniors is at risk for hunger, according to Meals on Wheels Association of America.

Seniors in our community do not have to go hungry. They deserve great nutrition to help preserve their independence longer and manage the issues associated with aging.

Stop Senior Hunger is a national Comfort Keepers Home Care initiative. This was the first year our local office participated, and the response was tremendous.

We are already planning the 2012 campaign and we hope the community will continue to share our concern and help us make a difference in the lives of seniors.

Stephen Bright
Comfort Keepers Home Care of Kansas City
Overland Park