Vero Beach homeless; drag shows & Ocean Drive; Costco; ORCA, Stuart & bad water; EV woes

ORCA should seek better solutions if ...

I just received another beautifully presented and expensive fundraising flyer from Ocean Research Conservation Association Inc., or ORCA.

The group is asking for funding for further research and to try to reduce pollution in the Indian River Lagoon. It wants reductions of heavy metals, polyfluoroalkyl substances, microplastics, biotoxins, pharmaceuticals, controlled substances and glyphosate. These are noble goals, for sure.

But while we should continue to work on these products, ORCA is ignoring the elephant in the lagoon. Brian Lapointe, of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce, has long maintained that the No. 1 cause of the loss of wildlife in the lagoon is sewage. It causes the death of the seagrass, which is the nursery for the the animal food chain, including manatees and dolphins.

The Indian River Lagoon is approximately 150 miles long, and its shores are lined with 375,000 houses with septic tanks. Septic fields leach sewage. If we don’t convert these to sewers, we will not restore the lagoon.

Our state is run by right-wing politicians who only want to cut taxes for the rich and let them dump their waste on their waterfront lots. If the politicians won’t do their jobs and make the landowners install sewers, we should vote them out.

ORCA should use their money and influence to help.

John D.H. Smith, Vero Beach

No way Stuart a 'best coastal town'

One of your recent articles is irresponsible. Whoever promoted Stuart as one of the "best coastal small towns" conveniently left out the fact that the city of Stuart is completely surrounded by a poison river we are frequently warned not to have contact with.

Instead of promoting it, the city should post a billboard at all city limits warning people not to move here: Anywhere else in Florida would be better for their health. 

I have lived here since 1956, when it was a good town, but the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has dumped poison in our river for 100 years, and it is not and will not be one of the best coastal towns. 

USA TODAY should apologize.

Mac Stuckey, Stuart

Editor's note: Stuart was selected among the Top 10 best coastal towns, according to USA TODAY readers.

Let Costco move to another part of town

Again I am referencing Jan Belwood's response to me in the April 12 newspaper.

Her last paragraph says it all: Our piece of paradise is rapidly growing and changing. I guess we need to grin and bear it or get out. I add, or we can take a stand and make our convictions be known. Fight for what you believe in.

To try and make my point more clear: Kanner Highway is not the right location for a Costco with its dozen or so gas pumps along with an apartment complex and other add-ons.

Again: I am not a "Costco foe." I believe it just needs to be in another part of town.

Vera Cavallo, Stuart

Vero Beach homeless need safe places at night

My wife and I live in Vero full time and are renting temporarily in old downtown Vero.

I have walked this neighborhood for the past few weeks and had some interesting conversations with a few of the homeless people in our town. One poor gentleman told me the streets of Vero are the worst he has ever seen it. He gets robbed nightly and was somewhat afraid to speak with me from the fear of someone seeing us chatting — and they would search him down later that night, believing he has some money they could take.

A very sad story this gentleman told, indeed.

I was just wondering what is Florida doing as a whole for these unfortunate street dwellers? Our governor seems to be focused on his run for the White House and taking away the rights of everyone who doesn’t look and act like him.

These people deserve to have access to somewhere at least safe at night.

Adrian Byrne, Vero Beach

Vero Beach priorities askew when it comes to boat ramps

We relocated from Pennsylvania 14 years ago.

Pennsylvania seemed to discourage boating. The Delaware River was our main place to boat. One of the ramps we used had access for smaller boats, maybe 20 feet or less. Eventually they roped off the ramp, forcing all to use the big ramp they coincidentally started charging for.

It was so nice to see the beautiful and abundant boat ramps here! We avoid boating on weekends because of the crowds. When we saw damage at the Riverside Park ramp in Vero Beach, we assumed it would be fixed in a couple of weeks. At the same time, a large ramp in Fort Pierce was blocked off.

I’ve also heard another ramp in Fort Pierce would be closed soon. I can’t imagine what ramps look like on the weekends now. I already know of someone in a fight at the Stan Blum ramp in Fort Pierce.

Just wait until Memorial Day.

To say the Vero ramp is open is misleading. I can drop my boat in and swim out to it? Maybe I get a friend to back us in and then come back to back the trailer in to get us out. Either way, it doesn’t make sense for us. It does, however, allow the many marine service shops to drop boats in for testing so it will alleviate some congestion at other ramps.

While it’s good to see at least some will benefit from the removal of the barricades, it doesn’t warrant a pat on the back.

There seems to be plenty of money for what most see as wasteful spending, like the Twin Pairs study, and the new unnecessary sidewalk on the east side of State Road A1A.

I’ll guess the people making these decisions have their boats at a marina or on a lift in their backyards.

David Habel, Vero Beach

Woman right to appeal Stuart Costco decision

I find it so odd a woman from Palm City keeps writing in support of the Costco project in Stuart.

She suggests the matter is black and white with no shades of gray. She states (several times in several letters) that communities such as Willoughby, and I’m assuming her own, would not be here if people already here wanted to save the integrity of their sleepy little towns.

That is downright ludicrous. Building a community on a nice piece of open land has nothing whatsoever to do with building a huge store (Costco) along with an 18-pump gas station and 378 apartments on an already busy road. The traffic on Kanner Highway will become unbearable, but as long as people from Palm City and other areas can escape over the the bridge to get away from it all, they will continue to chastise Stuart people who speak up.

For the life of me, I don’t see any scenario in which this is a good thing for Stuart. I’d like to publicly thank Robin Cartwright for filing a notice of appeal with the Fourth District Court of Appeal in yet another attempt to stop this thoughtless destruction of our community.

Patricia Perrone, Stuart

Drag shows dangerous? Ever walked down Ocean Drive?

Just one question: Have all the legislators and individuals who supported Florida Senate Bill 1438, "protecting" children from seeing drag shows and "adult live performances" displaying what they believe to be indecent behavior, been to the beach lately? Or a swimming pool?

As an adult, I've seen more indecent exposure that I can't "unsee" at the beach and resorts; in fact, even walking down Ocean Dive in Vero Beach than I've ever seen at a drag show or any parade.

Children know what "dress-up" is and play it all the time. It's called using their imagination, and they understand this. Children and adults get into costume for Halloween and birthday parties, but they had better watch out. The morality police will be the next quasi-military unit our governor throws away our hard-earned money on. The Taliban would be proud.

Julie Eisdorfer, Vero Beach

Tallahassee tale of Michelangelo sends dark signal

“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free,” Michelangelo reportedly said.

This could be considered an analogy for human growth because we must create our authentic selves from the blank slate we are at birth. What tools do you use to sculpt your character?

Throughout human history, the lessons of antiquity have given mankind a foundational knowledge on which to construct sound character. Classical art, history, music and literature offer indispensable examples of lives lived well and poorly, from the most common members of a culture to the most exalted. Human history is a series of repetitive cycles, and those who fail to learn the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat or support them.

Recently, three parents of sixth-grade students attending a Tallahassee Christian charter school complained about an art lesson featuring Michelangelo’s “David,” which led to the forced resignation of the principal and the reassignment of the art teacher. At least one of the parents considers “David” pornographic.

I wonder if this is the direction mature, sensible conservatives want to take education: an environment where public school teachers and university professors are frozen in fear because some thoughtless, hysterical parent finds certain works of art “pornographic,” “inappropriate” or the tool of an “indoctrinator.” (Good God, Michelangelo’s paintings adorn the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, one of the world’s most remarkable works of art.)

Our culture has become less civil because it’s become less humane. The humanities imbue us with timeless lessons about how to behave humanely — with humility, compassion, kindness, temperance, patience, honesty and, above all, love. They form the foundation of good character and integrity.

However, Ron DeSantis has opened Dante’s Gates of Hell, behind which burns unenlightened parental rage full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

Cray Little, Vero Beach

Americans concerned about electronic vehicles for good reason

I just finished reading an article about the hesitance of Americans purchasing electronic vehicles and noticed a glaring omission of a couple of reasons cited for not doing so: Electric grids must be expanded to produce more power for the millions of EVs expected to be on the road.

Where is all this additional electricity supposed to come from to power these vehicles? The industry and the government can build all the charging stations they want, but the power has to come from somewhere, and we can't simply pull it out of a hat.

At the present time, we have brownouts annually when electric use is at peaks, such as during hot weather and cold. The whole grid must be expanded for the additional drain on supply before it can support the additional usage due to EVs.

Another reason for not doing so (purchasing an EV) is this unknown factor: What will be the ultimate cost for all this additional power for the user of the vehicle? I'll tell you: It is unknown!

Donna J. Clasen, Palm City

Religiously run government not what Founders intended

The evangelical Christian Taliban is working hard to make this state and the entire country a theocracy led by the Ayatollah Ron.

I, for one, do not want to live in an American Iran/Afghanistan, and the Founding Fathers intentionally sought to avoid this possibility. Having lived through the horrors of reformation and inquisitions, they tried to establish a system of government outside of religious interference, one that would respect the human rights of all citizens and be able to form alliances with all friendly nations.

It was to be a nation of laws with the simple guideline: “What is hateful to you, do not do unto others;” that all are created equal and endowed with the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Gov. Ron DeSantis, with the support of his toadies in the Republican supermajority, are working with religious fervor to fashion a new legal structure with pure religious intent, regardless of the impact on children, women, teachers, doctors or anybody that does not fit their vision of Christian morality.

One has already suggested lynching as a form of punishment. Soon we could see public shaming, whipping, caning and even execution. Expect the “Blue Laws” to make a comeback along with Jim Crow and the sanctioned exclusion of “others.” Next could come the box cars and the camps.

We must organize now and take action to stop these fanatics before it is too late. Support the people and organizations fighting these backward changes. And vote! ― like your life depends on it.

Alan Madison, Vero Beach

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vero Beach homeless; drag shows, Ocean Drive; Costco; Stuart water bad