Spend $14M or more at RDU to keep my hair dry? Just say no. | Opinion

RDU canopy

Regarding “RDU to consider new canopy over drop-off zone,” (Jan. 22):

The airport authority is considering building a new sidewalk canopy at Raleigh-Durham International Airport that could cost between $14 million and $90 million. The purpose: to ensure that people flying out of RDU don’t have to deal with a few raindrops and to enable their drivers to give travelers a hug goodbye without fear of unwanted precipitation.

Never in my over 40 years of often weekly flights from RDU did I get out of a car or taxi and think “it would be a great use of $90 million for RDU to build a canopy to keep my hair dry.”

Wake County received $26.9 million in funding requests to build affordable housing in 2023. That seems a little more justifiable.

I sincerely hope that the airport authority will give serious thought to the value of this canopy before they commit.

Roger McCall, Raleigh

Abortion access

The writer is a fourth year student at UNC School of Medicine.

North Carolina used to be a safe haven in the South for pregnant people requiring abortions. I remember seeing patients who traveled far from Florida, Georgia and other states in our Chapel Hill clinic getting the abortion care they deserved.

Now, due to the more stringent restrictions, they must travel further north for the same healthcare.

Restricting abortions to 12 weeks is inhumane to our patients, who often have to take this heart-breaking journey alone and make the decision alone. We want to take care of them. I urge N.C. lawmakers to please expand abortion access again.

Let North Carolina be a refuge again.

Sahana Raghunathan, Chapel Hill

UNC, step up

I read with interest the Jan. 21 article about the coal ash under the Chapel Hill Police Department building, believed to have been buried there by the site’s previous owner, UNC-Chapel Hill. The story said the university has not offered to help pay for a cleanup.

It should.

Laura Toler, Durham

NC rate hikes

We in central North Carolina generally think we are insulated from the worst of climate change, but reading the Jan. 16 article “Owning a home in NC could get pricier with proposed 42.2% rate hike. What to know.” reminded me that my wallet isn’t safe.

It said: “Climate change and the increased risk for ‘catastrophic losses’ it causes in coastal areas is largely to blame (for the rate increases).”

The insurance companies get that there is a problem. Nationwide (and Kemper) don’t think the rate increases are enough. They are pulling out.

Tell N.C. members of Congress that national legislation that works to reduce our carbon emissions is needed now. Later is too late.

Daniel Oldman, Chapel Hill

Democracy in NC?

North Carolina is no longer a functioning democracy. Republicans gerrymander their way to power and a new Republican-led Supreme Court gives them the thumbs up to do whatever they choose. To add insult to injury, N.C. legislators are now exempt from the state’s public records law. This means they have no accountability to us, the citizens of North Carolina. This is not democracy.

Jack Unruh, Raleigh

The border

North Carolinians and other Americans are demanding Congress fix the southern border. The Senate is trying to do that. Even N.C. Sen. Thom Tillis is urging Republican colleagues in the House to do the right thing.

Sadly, the House Freedom Caucus, which includes Republicans from North Carolina, has declared it will not support the border bill. We can only assume they’d rather just complain about the border and blame Democrats. Here’s hoping they understand this is a critical opportunity supported by Senate Republicans.

Laura Stillman, Raleigh

US and Israel

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has flatly rejected a U.S. call for a Palestinian state. This lays bare the real objective of Israel. It is not primarily eliminating Hamas, rather it’s clearly an ethnic cleansing with Israel’s intention to occupy Gaza in perpetuity. It is time for President Biden and Secretary Blinken to reassess the special relationship between Israel and the U.S.

Joe Burton, Raleigh