Vero Beach downtown lighting; threat of e-bikes, scooters, wheelchairs; Trump | Letters
- Another resident proposes enhancing the lighting on Main Street to improve safety and visibility for pedestrians and drivers.
Electric vehicles: Vero Beach, Indian River County must keep folks safe
Although I agree with columnist Laurence Reisman about golf cart rules and their enforcement, I think a bigger problem for those of us who don't live near a golf course is the increasing use of electric vehicles. They are becoming very popular, especially among young riders.
E-bikes, scooters and even motorized wheelchairs have no place to drive safely and legally. I think the City of Vero Beach as well as Indian River County should address this issue before it becomes a bigger problem.
I don't know what the solution is, but a plan should be made to keep E-riders and pedestrians safe.
Joan Clark, Vero Beach
Lighting in downtown Vero Beach can enhance safety, beauty
I was recently asked to evaluate illumination enhancements for Main Street (14th Avenue), Vero Beach, to see what pedestrians and vehicle traffic visually see.
I first walked and photographed the street assets in daytime, then walked and drove through at night. This included driving through the Twin Pairs intersections and side streets to evaluate how someone at roadway speed could possibly recognize anything was different about Main Street. It's not.
I engaged with pedestrians at night and asked if they felt that the lighting was adequate and safe. All responded that lighting was definitely inadequate, with most saying side streets seemed unsafe.
We then mapped and inventoried the streets' landscape assets of palms and other trees. Landscaping is dismally lacking. However, the number and quality of distinct palms and trees is not just sufficient for illumination; it presents an opportunity to excel in creating dramatic lighting effects to make Main Street visible from vehicles crossing intersections, and viewed down the street from distance.
Perception is vital, and creating a highly visible night scene will capture attention.
Effective illumination is more than adding lights; it achieves goals. Making Main Street highly visible at night, from a distance, should be the priority.
This can be achieved by mounting fixtures high on palms to target the top foliage, and adding down lighting, where needed, for pedestrians. Palm tree ring mounts are secured without damage to palm trees, withstand common windstorms, and place the fixtures away from vandalism.
Oak trees are suited for up lighting, which creates visual direction, and classic “moon lighting,” which casts tree limb shadows onto the ground over a large area. This technique supplements street lighting and enhances security.
Gone are the days of "billboard" lighting for buildings, too. LED lights offer precise control to create dynamic effects.
Gary Doyle, Wabasso.
Trump acts more like takeover king than president
President Donald Trump's executive actions and appointments in reference to immigration, defense, health, education, including DOGE, read like books written by authors such as Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham, Ken Follett, James Patterson and others.
The characters surrounding this president would make for an intriguing work of fiction. Only in a book would I expect a president (and past presidential candidate) to refuse to divulge his tax forms to the electorate, only to want to let the Department of Government Efficiency have access to IRS tax records of individuals and corporations.
At times, truth can be stranger than fiction.
And, even if you are not a federal employee, every citizen should send to the White House web address the five things they accomplished this week. I have submitted mine.
I reported having lunch with my brother, working part time four days, etc.
And be sure to write: "To the attention of Elon Musk."
To me, Trump, Musk and their team are not governing. They are taking business actions that resemble a "hostile takeover" of a corporation. To wit: this self-appointed "king" of the United States and the Americas renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.
Trump is attendant to monied interests and their desire for more. For example: Seeking Ukraine's mineral wealth and a partnership with Vladimir Putin's Russia.
As Marco Rubio, secretary of state, has been quoted: "Incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians, geopolitically on issues of common interest and, frankly economically," are there for gain as evident by Putin's hostile action in the Ukraine.
Two things Edward R. Murrow would tell us today: "No man can terrorize a whole nation unless we are all his accomplices." Also, "We must not confuse dissent with disloyalty."
Ronald D. Roberts, Sebastian
Trump comments on not voting again rhetoric?
On July 26, 2024, Donald Trump told the Turning Point Action's Believers Summit in West Palm Beach:
"Christians, get out and vote! Just this time. You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It ‘ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”
It was dismissed then as typical Trump rhetoric.
At 1:58 p.m Feb. 19, Trump posted in Truth Social that his administration had stopped traffic congestion pricing in Manhattan.
"LONG LIVE THE KING!" he wrote.
Given everything else that has happened since Jan. 20, do you still think what Trump said about not having to vote anymore was just rhetoric?
Thomas Knippel, Port St. Lucie
Waste, perhaps, but some programs important
There’s an old saying: "They know the cost of everything, but the value of nothing.”
This certainly applies to the Trump regime, which somehow thinks it can cut government agencies with no consequences. This is because it thinks it's “conservative” and views any actions by government as superfluous.
After all, when you don’t need something, say Medicaid or Medicare, it’s easy to cut them. A prime example of this is elimination of the U.S. Agency for International Development, which provides funds to feed people around the globe. Is there “waste” in this program? I’m sure there is. But to eliminate the entire program is, well, stupid.
Will children in Africa and other places starve? Yes. But who cares? The whole thing is just an excuse to set up tax cuts for the wealthy and the corporations. Starving children vs. Elon Musk. Who do you think makes out?
This is because today’s “conservatives” are very much like the Bolsheviks of the Russian Revolution. Different basic philosophy, of course, but, more importantly, a huge disregard for the welfare of the people by forcing an unproven economic philosophy on the country.
Something to think about: No “conservative” program has ever performed well when implemented. Think I’m wrong? Prove it.
Generally, I’m against radical anything because history has shown that whenever radicals (of any sort) obtain power, the result is usually a disaster for large groups of people.
And I think it’s telling there’s no talk of raising taxes. No one likes taxes, but it really comes to this: Everything costs something. If you don’t spend tax dollars, it can, at some point, cost you.
Finally, I find it appalling an immigrant billionaire gets to decide what programs he likes. I hope those who voted for Trump regret it.
Joseph Desmond, Vero Beach
Trump & Co. part of Fifth Column?
Those of us who have been around awhile, or studied history, can remember the term “fifth column.” Its definition: A group of people who undermine a larger group or nation from within, usually in favor of an enemy or another nation.
See where I’m going?
Within our nation, we have a president, his henchman and our vice president speaking lies with the power of the bully pulpit or social media (X and Truth Social) to undermine our relationship with our allies by telling lies in favor of Russia and Germany’s far right and accusing our democratic ally, Ukraine, of causing the war Vladimir Putin started.
We have a president who wants to make one of his deals: We get your minerals for our past help, and in return, what?
Trump’s deals in business were to make an agreement and when the work was done, refuse to pay the agreed amount, forcing a lower payment. OK, Ukraine, you can have peace if you give up another 20% of your land, because friend Putin says that should do it … for now?
Future security guarantees for Ukraine? Not from us. It has to be from other countries who haven’t been allowed at Trump's "negotiating" table. There was a brief hope when Marco Rubio was nominated to be secretary of state that he would speak truth to power, but nope. See the look on his face when Vance was at the negotiating table?
Which is worse? The president or Republican Congress, who meekly goes along in fear Trump and his henchman will call them names or primary them in the next election?
Please write or call your representatives to remind them of our voting power.
Anne Brakman, Vero Beach
Beware where Trump is taking us
President Donald Trump and his sidekick, Elon Musk, are making so many changes so quickly heads are spinning. Their intent to distract us from their true goals is succeeding.
Aside from Trump being a liar, womanizer, convicted of a felony and a vindictive autocrat, my biggest concern is the direction he’s taking to turn our democratic country into a dictatorship.
He’s taking revenge for his loss in 2020 by hurting all Americans. Even those sycophants who voted for him will suffer with inflation and unemployment. He campaigned to fix the economy, lower inflation, fix health insurance, stop the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and fix the immigration problem.
On Day One, he started following pieces of Project 2025. A new governing plan that he professed to know nothing about.
We should be concerned with the comparisons of life in Germany in the 1930s. Attempts to control the media, every aspect of the government and appointing unqualified people to positions of power just because they bow to the king are not a democratic nation.
Now Trump's siding with Russia, North Korea, Iran, and 14 other Russian-friendly nations and alienating our allies. Look up the definition of fascism. It’s only a matter of time under the rule of Trump and his plutocrats.
We can’t stop this takeover if our other two branches of government twist our Constitution to allow it to continue. How much of our democracy must we lose before Americans understand where we’re headed?
Carol Grube, Stuart
Time for Trump to show respect
How ironic for President Donald Trump calling anyone disrespectful, especially the leader of a country battered by war for three years.
From labeling Crooked Hillary, Lyin' Ted, Little Marco, Sleepy Joe, Pocahantas, Kamaahla and Loser John McCain, has our tactless president ever shown any respect to anything or anyone besides power or money?
The sovereignty of Canada, Greenland, Panama or Mexico? Thousands of public servants in the state and defense departments who have spent a lifetime caring for the United States?
What about respect for the Ten Commandments, 6 through 10, especially, or the Constitution of the United States, including the separation of powers and the system of checks and balances?
And how about showing respect for the intelligence of you and me, the people of the greatest nation in the world? Suckers?
Walter Fulton, Fort Pierce