Classical Treasure Coast Christmas bust; yellow dot saves lives; school gun woes | Letters

Classical station owes public a holiday explanation

What on earth has happened at publicly owned WQCP-FM?

Two days ago, our area's only source of classical music on the FM dial suddenly switched to a "R&B Christmas" format.

Did decision makers feel there wasn't enough Christmas music already on the radio? Were listeners clamoring for this change, perhaps picketing the station's office with signs saying: "No More Classical!" and "Roll Over, Beethoven?"

WQCP's classical music format was a welcome breath of fresh air; now it's just another spot on the dial playing the same old, same old. This public station owes its public an explanation.

Bob Hyde, Vero Beach

Get a yellow sticker to potentially save your own life

The General Federation of Women's Clubs Treasure Coast Women have been promoting a new Indian River County initiative, "The Yellow Dot Program," and it could very well save lives for those who participate.

We would like residents to be aware of this new project being sponsored by the sheriff's office, the fire department and the department of emergency services.

The program consists of participants filling out a form with emergency contact, medical and allergy information, etc. The form is placed in the glove box and you place the yellow sticker on your back windshield. If you happen to be in an accident and cannot communicate, the first responders will know by the yellow sticker that your important information is available to them in your glove box.

The forms and stickers are free and can be picked up at the sheriff's office, any fire station and at the emergency services office on 43rd Avenue.

Treasure Coast Women urge you to take advantage of this lifesaving program.

Bobbi Burdick, Vero Beach

Guns in schools? Give teens more responsibility, like old days

When many adults attended high school, there were no security guards, school resource officers or cops in their schools.

Statistics show only 20% have school resource officers.

Back then, most high schools had rifle teams, indoor ranges in the basement built out of concrete. The teams would compete with other high schools in the surrounding areas for medals, prizes, etc.

On Long Island, New York, many of my male teenage classmates would shoot a few ducks (in season), bicycle to school (no government buses) and walk down the hall with ducks and rifles. They'd ask the lunch ladies if they could refrigerate the ducks until 3 p.m. when school let out, then walk the hall to store their rifles in their lockers.

There was never an “incident,” as we say nowadays. These teens were taught safety, as well as how to load and empty ammunition, shoot with control, hit the target, etc.

Now in New York City, the mayor has announced no more school guards. He's asking parents to volunteer to protect their children in schools. I'm sure we all know where the money allotted for guards has gone.

Supposedly, these resource officers are expected to establish a relationship with any “bad apples” who are within the school population. How's that working?

We do not have any statistical data to claim improvement. In fact, arrests of high school students have increased. We still have the no-gun policy known as "gun free zones" (which Joe Biden supported as senator).

When mass shootings occur, what happens to these officers? We know what happened in Parkland and Uvalde.

The question is, what has happened to our society? When did society degenerate to this level? When students are treated as incompetent fools, that is the way they will behave.

What to do to restore civility? Have teens accept more (not less) responsibility as they grow older.

Audrey Taggart, Hobe Sound

Greens, Democrats best for future of Social Security, Medicare

I am skeptical of Republican presidential candidates' goals to alter the systems of Social Security and Medicare.

I don't understand why Gov. Ron DeSantis would try to dismantle these programs for those in their 30s and 40s. Would he try and allow those who are younger and older to collect Social Security, but not those in their 30s and 40s? That's a pretty mean thing to do.

The same goes for Republican candidate Nikki Haley's proposals for Social Security. What is defined as "poor" in her campaign? A good number of people who do need Social Security do earn within a poverty threshold, but what would happen to taxpayers who have paid into the system for scores of years?

And Donald Trump vows that he won't dismantle Social Security and Medicare should he win in 2024. Yet he already tried to in 2020. Maybe his trust fund income could pay.

I don't understand how each of the candidates could prosper off of the trust funds created by taxpayers' dollars. But they completely wreck incomes for disabled individuals.

I'm not sure they gather that entire systems of health and health care rely on insurance money from Medicare. Doctors' offices, pharmacies and therapists' offices rely on money from patrons' Medicare and other social insurance policies.

Democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris plan to increase the payroll tax to incomes above $400,000 per year, which would provide solvency for Social Security into the future. Biden-Harris' goals make much more sense in more ways than one. The Green Party shares similar values as the Democratic Party.

Anna Santacroce, Fort Pierce

Townsend, Nail wrong to disparage St. Lucie County Sheriff Pearson

I am writing today to express my disapproval of St. Lucie County Commissioner Cathy Townsend and GOP chair Kenny Nail disparaging Sheriff Keith Pearson.

First, investigative findings are not proven allegations. It is point blank wrong to say the sheriff has committed any wrongdoing without a judicial process taking place where he can answer to the findings and present opposing evidence.

They should know better than this. If a prosecutor does not file charges, they cannot say he did anything wrong.

I happen to know some members of this law enforcement family, having worked more than 10 years with Paul Pearson. This family has devoted more to law enforcement than any other family I know of. All of them deserve respect and honor for putting their lives on the line to keep you safe.

Next, it is apparent the Republican Party is self-destructing. It seems Republicans cannot get along with each other, much less govern the population they represent. I hope in 2024, America remembers things like this and votes them out. Making statements like they have against the governor and Sheriff Pearson is showing they do not have the character needed to hold the positions they have, in my opinion.

I am not happy at all with Townsend’s handling of the flooding and drainage issues in north St. Lucie County. I have contacted her office many times about trash not being collected, the area being littered with illegal business signs and other issues. I do not consider the responses satisfactory. I think she should concentrate on managing what she was elected to do and let the governor do what he was elected to do.

Sheriff Pearson, hold strong and don’t let malcontents distract you.

Russell Pieper, Fort Pierce

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Public R&B Christmas? Schools, guns OK; yellow dots help; GOP broken