Brightline hazmat mix; strange traffic signs concern; school board threats; Trump | Letters

Strange signs spark call to attend traffic planning meetings

I couldn't agree more with the recent letter from George Quinlan of Stuart. 

I would appreciate knowing what the justification is to warrant the three-way stop sign on St. Lucie Boulevard at the Sailfish Sands golf course. As a former executive director of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (of which there is one in Martin County), I would like to see the justification to support this traffic control.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways stipulates the standards that dictate appropriate traffic control in all situations. Some of those standards include average daily vehicular traffic flow, number of accidents, fatalities, speed study, delay time, cost to motorists in additional fuel consumption and impact on the air quality,

The Martin County MPO is responsible for developing transportation plans according to the requirements of the Federal Highway Administration. A long range transportation plan for the next 25 years is available to the public.

As residents, either snowbirds or year-round residents, I would encourage you to become aware of what changes may be programmed in your community. There are MPO monthly public meetings and a website that provides extensive information for local, state and federal transportation projects.

Safe travels to all.

Rose Zigenfus, Jensen Beach

Brightline, FEC hazardous materials trains threatening mix

Let’s talk facts about Brightline: Nowhere in the United States do speed trains share tracks with hazardous material freight.

High-speed rail in this country operates on completely fenced corridors with no grade crossings; Brightline goes 79 mph and will go 110; like Florida East Coast Railway, Brightline is already the country’s deadliest system; Brightline averages two deaths a month; 94 people have died on the tracks; a route hazard analysis wasn’t done; stopped trains blocking power plant evacuation routes could be problematic.

On day one, Brightline touted beating air travel by getting from Miami to Orlando in three hours; it can’t stop more often. It projected profits and continues to run at a deficit. Most important: It is not the taxpayers’ job to make this private operation safe. Brightline knew speed meant more crossing equipment, pedestrian gates, bridges and fencing. This is on Brightline's tab.

Everyone knew the single-track bridges were a problem. We shouldn't pay any part of $200 million-plus to benefit two corporations: a Mexican conglomerate and Japanese hedge fund. It’s all why two professional studies recommended speed trains be built west of our coastal towns.

The East Palestine, Ohio, derailment reminds us that a hazardous material breach near the Indian River Lagoon could be devastating to all aquatic life and human life. East Palestine is still experiencing fish kills after 40,000 dead fish. It’s no wonder Congressman Bill Posey wrote a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration asking them to study the situation and prepare a mitigation plan.

From the start, the number of grade crossings and population density were known problems. The Alliance for Safe Trains understands these death trains will not be stopped. What we’ve asked is to save lives: Slow them down and move hazardous materials to tracks up the center of Florida. Is that so wrong?

Susan Mehiel, Vero Beach, is coordinator of the Alliance for Safe Trains.

Right for school board to boot books; wrong to threaten members

Moms for Liberty — Indian River, Florida would like to thank the Indian River County School Board for unanimously voting 5-0 at the Aug. 28 business meeting to remove the 34 books containing graphic pornography and sexually explicit content that were read during public comment.

We are particularly overjoyed and thankful for board members, Brian Barefoot, Teri Barenborg and chair Peggy Jones for reversing their original vote on Feb. 28, 2022, in favor of these pornographic library materials. Their reversal is an acknowledgment of the law and that curated literature containing pornography and sexually explicit content doesn’t belong in public schools.

We also are thankful for the continued consistent advancement of protecting children in accordance with the law as consistently demonstrated by board members Jacqueline Rosario and Dr. Gene Posca.

If any school board members have received acknowledged legitimate threats concerning this matter, we hope the sheriff quickly finds the perpetrators. We understand that many people are angry over the removal of these books.

We do not condone threats or violence of any kind to anyone, including elected officials.

We organize, educate and empower parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government. That is exactly what we did at the board meeting and expect that same decorum outside of the school board building as well, once the meeting is concluded.

Jennifer Pippin, Sebastian, heads Moms for Liberty — Indian River, Florida chapter.

Why would local chair use White House interpretation of standards?

Moms for Liberty — Indian River, Florida's executive board sent an email to the Indian River County School Board expressing thanks for its unanimous 5-0 vote during the business meeting Aug. 28. The action caused the removal of 34 titles from school libraries containing illegal pornographic content.

Furthermore, a Moms for Liberty executive board member spoke to the issue the NAACP brought forth, noting the NAACP endorsed the same language in the College Board curriculum the DeSantis administration rejected.

Secondly, he noted Vice President Kamala Harris deliberately misstated the AA history standards put forth by the Department of Education. He asked the question why board chair Peggy Jones is using the interpretation of the White House to govern a local school system.

Thomas Kenny, Vero Beach, who ran for school board in 2022, is a chapter leader and president of the Republican Club of Indian River County.

Trump's 2015 prognostication ingrained in supporters' psyches

It is remarkable how Donald Trump, saying since 2015 that the only way he could lose an election was that it would be rigged, and how that statement has been ingrained in so many Republican minds that it is impossible for them to believe he lost his election.

Spike Vrusho, Vero Beach

Hard to understand Trump supporters' motives

Why are so many supporters of Donald Trump ignoring the law that we all live by to defend a potential felon?

Trump is being brought up on charges in four jurisdictions. If any average person was accused of even half of what Trump is accused of, he likely would have been in jail already.

Why are so many people giving money for Trump's defense? Don't they believe he's as rich as he professes?

If Joe Biden did even half of what Trump is accused of, he wouldn't go to jail; he would be hung.

Don't members of Congress and the president take an oath to defend the Constitution? Haven't millions died defending our country?

Rita Wolper, Stuart

Defend the Constitution, not someone like Trump

It never ceases to amaze me how people take the time to write to a newspaper and make statements that are false.

Some Donald Trump supporters act like the majority just woke up from a from a coma the past six years. The entire country watched as Trump tried to steal the votes of 81 million people.

We watched on election night how Trump declared himself the winner before the count was over. We all watched as Trump lost court case after court case. We all watched Trump attempt to destroy the election system in this country because he lost. We all heard the tape with the Georgia election official.

We watched how Trump seemingly attempted a coup on Jan. 6. We saw with our own eyes what Trump and the crowd did. We see now what Trump is doing is tearing this country apart.

The 81 million Biden voters do not need the media, the “communists” or the liberals or whatever other names the Trump supporters want to call us. We saw and heard Trump's deeds. Trying to tell us differently is a waste of time.

Trump will get his trial. Trump will be judged. There is not a thing the minority can do about it.

Whether you choose to accept the facts will not change the reality on the ground. I took an oath to the Constitution, an oath to defend the Constitution against enemies, both foreign and domestic. I will honor that oath.

Don Whisman, Stuart

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Brightline danger; traffic woes; school board threats; Trump | Letters