Sunday's letters: Workforce housing, Fried a role model, struggling Cubans

Turn hospital into workforce housing

Despite the reputation of the former Venice hospital, my husband had great service there when he had open heart surgery in 2015. He was also a volunteer escort for 10 years before recently passing away from lung cancer.

I always found it to be more of a comfort to patients than not. I am sad to see it go (“ShorePoint Venice to close,” Aug. 24).

But this is not why I write. I would like to suggest turning the hospital into workforce housing units for all levels of servicepeople, including teachers, police officers, restaurant workers and salesclerks.

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Two rooms could easily be turned into efficiency apartments, perhaps even small one-bedroom apartments. It already has a parking garage for the occupants.

Sarasota County is growing whether we want it to or not. If we do not create a place for workforce housing for the new growth, businesses will be forced to move where affordable housing can be found.

I’ve always lived on Venice island and rarely go elsewhere for services I need. I’m aging, too, and it won’t be long before I can’t drive. Should services I need move away, what am I and others to do?

Janine Joyner, Venice

Fried shows how to lose with grace

Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried lost her primary bid for governor to Charlie Crist.

The evening the election was over Fried stood before a crowd of supporters and said, “I just got off the phone with Charlie and congratulated him.”

She went on to say that she would be “out there every single day fighting for this ticket,” adding that “we will come together to make sure Ron DeSantis is a one-term governor and a zero-term president.” That last line seemed to draw the most raucous applause.

Fried spoke about the little girls she met on the campaign trail and how she knew her campaign to be the first-ever female governor of Florida would have a lasting impact.

Compare this classy behavior to that of the past president and many of his Republican followers, who continue to claim the 2020 presidential election was “rigged,” something that has been disproved in more than 60 court cases.

Fried represents the kind of respectful, intelligent, caring people we want in leadership – which is why I am voting for Crist and the other Democrats on the November ballot.

Ginny Diehm, Punta Gorda

More at stake in this midterm election

According to conventional wisdom, midterm elections generally favor the party not in office. This November’s election is decidedly different.

While typical voter concerns such as the economy and gas prices often drive candidate choices, that is not the case this time around.

This is, of course, not to say that those things are trivial. But what’s at stake this Nov. 8 is the very heart of our democracy.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is up for reelection in November, acts more like a dictator every day.

He is waging war against teachers, school boards, medical experts and anyone else who does not share his views. He restricts the discussion of factual American history and diversity (HB7).

DeSantis repeatedly hints that he plans to do even more to restrict a woman’s right to choose. He has overseen the banning of books and censoring what can be said and taught in our schools.

These are not the acts of a person who believes in democracy.

This November, we must elect a leader who truly believes that “we the people” should decide what’s in our best interests. That person is Charlie Crist.

Dan Klein, Port Charlotte

In Cuba, a constant struggle to survive

My heart goes out to my friends in Cuba who are suffering like never before. The Aug. 31 article, “Desperate Cubans flee struggling economy,” told stories of courageous Cubans leaving the country but gave little detail about the reasons why.

As an American scientist who worked in Cuba for nearly 20 years, I saw my colleagues struggle valiantly to conduct their research despite the lack of resources. Friends who swore they would never leave have now given up and immigrated – legally – into the U.S.

Why did they abandon their homeland? Up to 18 hours per day of power blackouts. A dozen eggs or a pound of powdered milk costing the equivalent of $20 – if they can be found. A pound of fish costing $17. Monthly electric bills of $90 for a small apartment.

All on a salary of around $250 per month. And that’s for a medical doctor. Regular workers earn far less. As one of my colleagues said, “You do the math.”

After 60-plus years of the Cuban revolution, young Cubans see no hope for the future. They no longer buy their government’s explanation that the U.S. embargo is to blame.

And all of this is happening 90 miles from our shores.

Robert E. Hueter, Sarasota

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Turn hospital into affordable housing, Fried graciously concedes