Maricopa County closes shooting range for 'public safety,' leaving gun safety in the dust

I was upset to learn that Maricopa County Parks and Recreation made the decision to close the Joe Foss Shooting Range in the Buckeye Hills Regional Park to the public and transition the complex to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for their exclusive use.

They claim that this decision “prioritizes public safety and is fiscally responsible,” with no rationale for what was meant by those terms.

This appears to be another bureaucratic decision made without any input from their customer stakeholder: the county gun owner and recreational user.

This decision was made to make it easier (but not essential) for MCSO’s training needs — which, in my opinion, is not sufficient reason to transition the range.

Gun safety and skills training are just as important for county gun owners as for law enforcement.

The parks department should not transition the Joe Foss Shooting Range to the MSCO and keep it open for public use.

Edward Jemiola, Buckeye

Diana Taurasi is a national treasure

The WNBA is well on its way to developing the fan base and the enthusiasm that goes with a great sport, and Diana Taurasi has been a significant force in making that happen.

Unfortunately, petty hostilities and jealousies, both on and off the court, toward Caitlin Clark have gotten enough media attention to risk undermining the gains made by the WNBA and players like Diana.

That is why it was so good to see her reach out and show mutual respect and regard for Caitlin, reminding us that the game is not about hostility, it is about skill and competition.

Her actions and words before and after the game with the Indiana Fever was a breath of fresh air and more evidence of how much Diana’s athleticism, competitiveness and integrity means to the sport.

Once again, she has shown how important she is in keeping the sport at a high level.

Warren Kotzmann, Gilbert

What exactly are 'Black jobs?'

I did not know there was such a thing as “Black jobs” as noted by Donald Trump in the (alleged) CNN debate on June 27.

I am looking forward to a column by Phil Boas and or Jon Gabriel (or anyone else willing) to explain what this term — Black jobs — means.

Are these jobs only Black people can do, and if so, what are they? What would be the qualifications? Would white or Latino peoples be ineligible or disqualified from applying for them because of their color?

This is a question, a term, that demands an answer by anyone (are you listening, Marco Rubio and others?) supporting the Mayor of Mar-A-Lago in his quest to become our next president.

President Biden may have had a bad night at the CNN circus trying to rationally respond to the boo-shee continually being spread across the pasture by the mayor, but if you paid attention, you realized Trump had nothing to offer our country, just the same old litany of lies and fantasies about his time in office and how great he was and is in his own mind.

Take a hard look at Trump’s performance at this so-called debate and you know he is not fit for any elected office, let alone the presidency.

Who's running the country? It's surely not Joe Biden

He has no plans for and consideration of what to do regarding the benefit of us and our country, except enriching himself and the other very well-to-do.

This is what should be considered as you look at the candidates and who will do best for we the people.

Don Mayeski, Scottsdale

There's a reason for minimum wage

State budgetary deficits, high unemployment in the 16- to 24-year-old age group, drastically increasing fast food costs, taxpayers paying for political cronyism?

Wait, are we talking about California or Arizona?

Yes, Arizona income taxes are low (though not sales or property taxes).

I don’t have my Econ 101 book handy, but Mr. Gabriel seems to argue that the free market should rule (“Arizona, beware: This is how government kills jobs and makes food cost more”). Or perhaps he simply pines for 18th century France with Frederic Bastiat, when the average life expectancy was 25?

“If jumping from $16 to $20 is good policy, why not set it at $100?” Indeed, why not set it at $5? There surely will be those in a free market willing (or forced by necessity) to work for $5 an hour.

Arizona is the beneficiary of thousands of new, high-paying jobs that don’t require a college education, due in part to billions of dollars going to the semiconductor industry from government, i.e., the taxpayers.

Sometimes government must act to benefit us all, even with unintended consequences.

Do you suppose AI could write op-ed columns? That could have unintended consequences.

David Kirby, Scottsdale

Real intelligence comes before AI

With artificial intelligence (AI) taking center stage these days, it is important not to forget about real intelligence.

That is what is primarily formed in a child’s first three to five years by all input — both academically and emotionally. We are all a product of our experiences, and that is why we want them to keep being as good as possible.

Parents and grandparents, you are the major providers of this early start. Given that, here are a few key ideas to guide you during this first and most important formative time — hands-on interaction, high quality and quantity language, and self-esteem building.

No screen or tech equipment can do this.

Hands-on-interactive means engaging with people. High quality and quantity language refers to lots of meaningful and caring talk, full of love attached to it. Competence, the foundation for confidence, turns into self-esteem.

People who have real intelligence are the creators of AI. They also guide and steer the process.

Therefore, building a generation with real intelligence is our real societal must. Overlooking that would be a terrible mistake.

Let’s make sure we do not do that.

Sally Goldberg, Ph.D., Fountain Hills

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Maricopa County must keep Joe Foss shooting range open to the public