Portsmouth needs to put quality of life for residents ahead of more development: Letters
Portsmouth needs to put quality of life for residents ahead of more development
July 31 − To the Editor:
We need more condos , hotels and office buildings in town! We don’t have enough! Don’t stop building them! keep them coming!
All kidding aside, our community must stop more development, we don’t have unlimited resources (water, electricity, open space, schools, roads, police, fire, etc. to keep all this development being approved!
Our quality of life is threatened. How does the city plan to keep our locals here, our workers, and our seniors Where's the affordable housing?
Are our city boards and commissions responsible to protect our natural resources, uphold our building ordinances , recommend updating ordinances when necessary? Let’s always make our quality of life better for our citizens first (who pay taxes and live here, then businesses second and tourists third. .
When our children graduate from school can they afford to stay here? Can our senior population retire here? Can our workers afford to live, commute and park here? What’s the plan to preserve /protect our wildlife? Are the developers, people moving here , and tourists taking over the city from us?
New office buildings, new million dollar condos, hotels; we really don’t need any more. There are already too many . If we approve any new development let’s make sure they pay a surcharge to invest in and support our infrastructure!Always keep in the forefront the need for affordable housing, open space , clean water, a water supply that meets our future needs.
Prioritize insuring a healthy environment. Let’s put ordinances in place that limit growth. Our water treatment plants need to be of highest quality to protect our drinking water, rivers, wildlife and our land resources. We need less tar and brick and more trees and foliage.
Let’s support our city employees that do so much . Public works, education, fire and police. Let’s not overburden them. Put the brakes on growth .
Let’s make sure the city residents have the power to voice their opinions before important decisions are made .Let’s make sure our city council does not assume they have the right to make the call on issues before hearing public input.
Happy 400th!
Richard A.Smith (Cuzin Richard)
Portsmouth
Solar electricity represents a beacon of hope
July 31 − To the Editor:
In an era where the environmental impact of energy sources is under intense scrutiny, solar electricity has emerged as a promising solution to our pressing energy needs. Solar electricity, also known as photovoltaic (PV) electricity, is a renewable and sustainable energy form that utilizes sunlight to generate electricity. This essay aims to provide an overview of what solar electricity is, how it works, and its potential benefits for the environment and humanity.
At the core of solar electricity lies the concept of photovoltaics. Photovoltaic cells, commonly known as solar cells, are semiconductor devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity through the photovoltaic effect. When sunlight, which comprises tiny packets of energy called photons, strikes the solar cells, electrons within the semiconductor material are excited, causing them to flow and create an electrical current. The electrical energy generated can be used to power a vast array of applications, from small electronic devices to large-scale power plants.
Solar electricity represents a beacon of hope in our quest for sustainable and eco-friendly energy solutions. Harnessing the power of the sun to generate electricity not only reduces our carbon footprint but also provides numerous environmental and economic benefits. As technology advances and solar energy becomes more accessible, its widespread adoption can pave the way toward a greener and more sustainable future for our planet and its inhabitants. However, to fully unlock its potential, governments, businesses, and individuals must continue investing in solar infrastructure, research, and development. Embracing solar electricity today is a step towards a brighter and cleaner tomorrow.
Evangeline Alexander
Dover
Thank You, Ginnie Lupi, for you leadership on NH State Council on the Arts
Aug. 1 -- To the Editor:
On Friday, August 4, Virginia (Ginnie) Lupi will end her tenure as Director of the NH State Council on the Arts. Most of you don’t know her, and now, won’t encounter her through the Arts Council, and that’s unfortunate. I’m writing to acknowledge the significant impact she has had on non-profit arts organizations like Pro Portsmouth, Inc.
It feels strange to say that something good happened as a result of COVID-19 closing us down, and sending us to Zoom, but as is often the case, we found a new way of doing things that changed our approach. Locally, regionally, as well as at the State level, groups formed and held Zoom meetings to discuss policy – masking, social distancing, how we could open safely and continue to operate.
At Pro Portsmouth, we faced not only the difficulties associated with suspending operations, but also the challenge of finding our place in this new world of specialized groups forming to support their operations. No doubt, Pro Portsmouth is difficult to categorize: we produce events, but we do so in the public square, not ticketed venues. We focus on and feature local and regional musicians, craftspeople, and businesses, but people think we’re the City, and not an independent nonprofit. Various support groups that formed during COVID thanked us for our interest, but moved on without us.
Until one group, one leader, made the difference for us: the NH State Council on the Arts and Ginnie Lupi. With Ginnie’s support, we joined an online group that introduced us to amazing arts nonprofit leaders all over New Hampshire. This support was incredibly important not only for developing and navigating new operating practices in the world of COVID, but it was also a priceless connection for me.
These meetings continue, but they will do so without Ginnie at the helm, and she will be sorely missed. Ginnie kept us connected and engaged, and as a result of these meetings, arts nonprofits across the state have formed an invaluable community of support. I, for one, now have contacts all over the state with whom I can both collaborate and commiserate.
Ginnie, thank you for everything you have done to create a strong foundation for the arts in New Hampshire. It is my sincere hope that we remain colleagues and friends as you move on to your next venture.
Barbara Massar
Executive Director Pro Portsmouth
Debates are important to democratic process
Aug. 6 -- To the Editor:
As a lifelong Independent-Democrat, I have always been proud of what the Democratic Party stood for.
However, after seeing how the Democratic National Committee has handled the last three Presidential election cycles, I now have concerns. I cannot begin to express my outrage that the DNC has unilaterally decided to appoint Joe Biden as the nominee, thereby bypassing the right of voters to choose our candidate through the primary process.
I am also outraged at the very clear and intentional exclusion of media coverage for the other Democratic candidates. The voters have a right to learn about and hear from all of the candidates, both through the media and via debates.
There is a Change.org petition with over 26,000 signatures on it. The “big ask” is this: Uphold Democracy. Insist the DNC holds 2024 Democratic Primary Debates.
It will be very difficult for me to support the party moving forward if such blatant disregard for voters continues.
As a civically-engaged constituent, I am asking that “we the people” take our power back. I urge the people to protect the democratic process and to urge the powers that be to hold a debate.
I voted for Biden last election cycle. I will happily vote him in again—if he is willing to demonstrate the confidence a leader of the free world should demonstrate and agree to a Primary Debate.
Mr. President, I am pleading with you to change my mind. If not, I will continue donating, volunteering and voting for Marianne Williamson. She is for the people.
Suzanne Barton
Rye
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth needs to put quality of life ahead of development: Letters
