JoCo Sheriff Hayden might have uncovered election fraud — just not where he claims | Opinion

Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden

Hayden’s goal?

If Sheriff Calvin Hayden is truly convinced of election fraud in Johnson County, (March 23, 2A, “JoCo sheriff faults Kansas secretary of state over elections”) there is one obvious action he should take: He should resign, effective immediately.

By his logic, it is evident that his ascent to the office was gained fraudulently, compounded by the actual fraud he has exposed, which is that he did not run for the job he apparently actually covets: Johnson County election commissioner.

- Corwin Simmonds, Roeland Park

Why KU wins

Sam McDowell’s recent column argues that KU has won so many close games over the years because Bill Self is such a good coach. (March 20, 1B, “What the Jayhawks were missing in NCAA upset loss”) I agree that Self is a good coach, but I think he is an even better recruiter.

I believe there are two main reasons the Jayhawks win those games:

  • With few exceptions, they have better players than their opponents.

  • Lesser teams regularly choke down the stretch when they are about to upset a traditional powerhouse.

- Dave Mullins, Kansas City

Books are for all

The headline “Johnson County district pulls books after one mom complains” on Friday’s front page caught my attention immediately. A book is one of our prime opportunities for choice: You can choose to pick it up or put it down. You can read it cover to cover or decide it doesn’t interest you. A banned book is a loss of opinion, entertainment, knowledge and history.

If you don’t want your child reading a book, ban it at your home, not at the library.

I am disappointed in the Gardner Edgerton school district for caving to this one mom.

- Ken Henderson, Kansas City

Trash hazards

I’m concerned about how much trash is on our highways, especially on the entrance and exit ramps. Discarded water bottles and fast food wrappers are unsightly, but chunks of metal, wood and tire tread are dangerous. Running over these types of items can blow a tire or ruin a wheel, at the least. At most, they can cause a lethal wreck.

What can be done?

- Janette C. Borst, Overland Park

USPS woes

For the past few months, my mail delivery has become very unpredictable. Recently, mail delivery has totally stopped on Friday and Saturday.

I now have not had mail delivered in five days, so I went to the post office to ask what the issue is. I was told I would be getting mail only twice a week in the future because of a staff shortage.

I did not receive a water bill last month or a medical report that was important. So, not only is the mail delivered infrequently, but often it is not delivered at all.

I do not understand the inefficiency of the U.S. Postal Service having carriers walk miles and miles delivering mail to residents individually when installing a central mailbox for 20 or more residents near one another could improve service. I realize this is the trend in newer neighborhoods, but why not install them in existing locations?

And with each stamp I buy, the price goes up.

- Jeanette A. Cleary, Prairie Village

KCI honors

I recently read The Star’s editorial about its reader poll on names for the new Kansas City International Airport. (March 20, 9A, “Vote: KCI needs a name as grand as its new terminal”) The board offered names relating to our city’s jazz history, such as Charlie “Bird” Parker.

I would like to suggest options that aren’t among the choices in the poll.

What about naming the airport after golfer Tom Watson, who was born and grew up in Kansas City and still lives here? He is in the World Golf Hall of Fame and hosted an annual tournament that raised millions of dollars for Children’s Mercy Hospital over the years.

Other possible names could be Len Dawson and George Brett, who both played their careers in Kansas City and chose to remain here after retiring and both are also in their sports’ halls of fame. They also both supported charities in the area.

- Steve Eisman, Kansas City

Editor’s note: Vote in the unscientific poll here and we’ll summarize the results in a few weeks.

School realities

The politicians who make up the majority of the Kansas Legislature are amazing. They want to limit how you vote and where you vote. They also want to take millions of taxpayer dollars and put them in the coffers of private schools.

Private schools can discriminate, not only against individual children, but against their parents as well. Most private schools don’t have special education programs. If they do, it’s for “mild” cases.

The legislators know this. They don’t want you to deposit your ballots, so they are putting up different deposit signs at Kansas’ public schools: Deposit your child with autism here. Deposit your child with mental disabilities here. Deposit your LGBT child here. Deposit your bedridden child with learning disabilities here. Deposit your child with severe ADD/ADHD here.

Ironically, most of these private schools and members of the Kansas Legislature want to make sure you vote “pro-life.” They just don’t seem to be able to handle life’s actual outcomes.

- Joe Hodnik, Olathe