Bobby Jones Nature Park fan: Fabulous, not devastated, and will improve with time

Bobby Jones Nature Park a fabulous resource

I read a letter Jan. 12 lamenting the lack of nature in the Bobby Jones Nature Park, which opened recently (“Nature Park at Bobby Jones a ‘sick joke’”).

I wanted to provide a counterbalance based upon my experience there.  I live nearby and have walked the trails a dozen times or so.

I attended a briefing last winter by the architect of the layout and was impressed by the project's holistic approach.  A prime design goal was the restoration of the original, more meandering water flow, which would provide beneficial filtration as part of the Phillippi Creek watershed.

A second objective was the overall health of all the trees, which required that some be removed. Many folks expressed concern at this, but the arborist's input was that this was the best approach for the entire system.

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As for the wildlife, I can attest to seeing dozens of types of birds, including herons, ibis, ducks, a kestrel and even a bald eagle!

Clearly, a lot of the vegetation and cover was recently planted, but I have no doubt it will mature and fill in with time.

I think the Nature Park is a fabulous resource for our community and will only improve with time.

John Arno, Sarasota

Proposed measures would weaken education

I am, almost, without words. Who is OK with these education bills before our Florida Legislature?

We have one that seeks to eliminate the requirements for students to pass Algebra 1 and Grade 10 English Language Arts. There is another that will allow children 16 and 17 years old to work longer hours during the school week.

It’s almost as if the focus is on building an uneducated workforce.

Oops, I guess the cat is out of the bag – and we know exactly who is OK with this.

Kristina Skepton, former teacher, Bradenton

Idling at stoplights worsens pollution

Recently, I was stopped by traffic lights on Bahia Vista Street to allow a mature lady wearing a blue dress and riding a motor-assisted three-wheeled bike to cross.

It was around 3:30 p.m. (when anyone with an automobile living in or near Sarasota has to drive somewhere for some reason).

Approximately 25 cars in each direction were also stopped (total maybe 50). When all clear was signaled, I proceeded to Beneva Road and turned north after waiting for the light to change.

I approached the Legacy Trail crossing and, lo and behold, lights signaled me to stop again.

The same lady was waiting to bike across.

This time I estimated at least 30 cars heading north and 40 cars heading south were halted (total 70; grand total 120 estimated).

Just wondering if the city of Sarasota has estimated the carbon footprint of approximately 120 cars idling for eight or nine minutes.

Can’t imagine what the carbon footprint would be on jammed Clark Road. This is worth noting because construction has begun on trail overpasses at Bee Ridge and Clark roads.

Alan Hopkins, Sarasota

Women give birth, not ‘people’

I am amused by agenda-driven reporters who despoil the printed page with ridiculous propaganda. Such was the case in Lindsey Leake’s piece about vaccines Jan. 15 in the Herald-Tribune (“Fla. ranks among lowest for flu, shingles, HPV shots”).

She reported the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had advised “pregnant people” to get a Tdap shot early in the third trimester.

Who are these “pregnant people?” Had I been Leake’s editor, I would have shot back, “Forget shots article, interview pregnant people, get pictures.”

I googled the CDC advice on tetanus shots and it refers to pregnant “women,” not “people.”

In the millions of years of human evolution, there is no evidence of any human other than a female giving birth. This kind of fad-of-the-minute terminology gratuitously denigrates Mitochondrial Eve and all of those who have followed her.

John H. Leeper, Englewood

Media gives Trump free advertising

Putting former President Donald Trump on the front page of the paper (Jan. 12) does a disservice to Sarasota, the state and the country (“Trump holds town hall as competitors slug it out”).

This narcissistic whiner does not deserve the free publicity he is getting from the media. “News” programs are saturated with so-called experts detailing every aspect of Trump's legal battles.

He loves the publicity, and it only seems to bolster his followers, but that exposure does not benefit the general public.

Trump should be ignored by the media. If he wants to be in the public eye, let him pay for ads like every other candidate.

Ruth E. Skole, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Is Nature Park devastated or a fabulous resource?