To the editor: Indigo Girls great for community
6/9/2018
The Grammy winning Indigo Girls.
The recent concert of the Indigo Girls with the Toledo Symphony directed by Sarah Jobin was a fervent, truly community-engaged event for the books.
As a long time Indigo Girls fan, I was very excited that their symphony tour brought them to Toledo. I had no idea that Sarah Jobin would contribute so mightily to the pure fun and enjoyment of what I knew would be a high-energy and interactive engagement. It was clear that she not only was familiar with their music but enjoys it as well. By the end of the show, the die-hard fans, enthusiastic subscribers, and everyone in between were every bit as thrilled with Sarah’s performance as with Amy’s and Emily’s. Sarah certainly put the Toledo Symphony front and center and made them part of the show.
The Indigo Girls and Sarah blended so well together, you would be forgiven if you thought they had been performing this show together for years. Sarah will be missed here in Toledo.
BERNADETTE DELGADO
Willard
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Build safer schools
Gun control is not the answer. The Second Amendment has been debated forever. Our government spends billions on national security and the NRA spends billions on trying to maintain their image. This year, school shooting still continue, without any clear answers.
Our schools need to have metal detectors on their entrances, with double-door foyers that lock down when metal is detected. It’s too late when someone passes through and gets to our children.
Why not spend the billions that the government spends on safety and the NRA spends on advertising to save our children. We are not a developing country, yet our police force is unable to be in the right place at the right time.
Government buildings and airports are setup to stop disaster from happening. We can’t stop everything, but we must work smarter.
TED SUMMERS
Sylvania
Kaptur’s priorities
I recently read in The Blade that Marcy Kaptur and other politicians want to save St. Anthony’s from being demolished by the Diocese of Toledo, who owns the property. (June 2, “Area leaders plan to protest demolition of St. Anthony Catholic Church”).
Yes, it may be a historic building, but here is the irony: Ms. Kaptur has voted almost 100 percent with, what she claims, is a woman’s right to legally abort an unborn child. Yet, she leads a move to take away the bishop’s right to destroy a building he owns.
So Miss Kaptur, by her actions, shows she is more passionate about a building than she is an unborn child. Shouldn’t it be the other way around?
STEVE CHERRY
Oregon
Go to the library and save some money
After reading The Blade’s June 3 article “Looking for the perfect book? Here are nine subscription boxes that can help,” I couldn’t help but think:
Why should anyone take on yet another monthly expense of $15 to $150 or more, when all they really need is their free Toledo Lucas County Public Library card.
With your library card, you can get personalized what-to-read-next recommendations; book group kits; new release newsletters tailored to your taste; outreach and homebound delivery; streaming TV, movies, and music; eBooks and eAudiobooks; and so much more.
Why outsource when you can go local and get a better, individualized product — all for free. Just call or visit the Toledo Lucas County Public Library online. We’re here to help.
JASON KUCSMA
Central City
Editor’s note: Jason Kucsma is the deputy director of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
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ODA needs to step up
As a charter captain who has been collecting Lake Erie water samples for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency since 2010, I’m utterly disappointed that the Ohio Department of Agriculture feels so little responsibility to address pollution in Lake Erie.
April rains were a concern with the phosphorus load. I’m afraid this will be the tipping point for another large harmful algal bloom this year.
Early in Gov. John Kasich’s administration, he stated that the directors of the Ohio EPA, Ohio Department of Natural resources, and Ohio Department of Agriculture would take a three-prong approach to the algal blooms. I was quite confident, with department cooperation and the Governor’s support, the problem could be eliminated.
Though the EPA and DNR have shown support for the issue, I see no backing or leadership from the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s director, David Daniels. Mr. Daniels should be providing the state’s leadership on behalf of the governor to ensure a 40 percent reduction of phosphorus entering Lake Erie. The governor also stated at that meeting that teamwork will solve this issue, but unfortunately this hasn’t happened. If Mr. Kasich truly wanted to solve this problem, he would instruct the ODA to make it happen.
I am also greatly disheartened to find out that not one Republican Ohio legislator is willing to sponsor legislation to include commercial fertilizer in the definition of “agricultural pollution.” Up to 80 percent of the nutrients used in the Western Lake Erie Basin are from commercial fertilizer. To believe it is not the single largest source of nutrient pollution into the lake is naive and irresponsible.
I am a second generation loyal Republican, but I don’t find any pride admitting that anymore.
I’m not trying to destroy the farm economy. My wife’s family has been part of the farming community for over 100 years. I understand the importance of farming to the economy, but farmers with poor land management practices must be brought to task for contributing to the harm of a Great Lake and the drinking water of 500,000 men, women and children.
Kudos to Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz for stating Toledo has spent $1 billion upgrading the sewage treatment plant and infrastructure to curtail the city’s contribution of phosphorus to the Maumee River and Lake Erie and for pointing a finger at the true major contributor of phosphorus into Lake Erie: agriculture.
PAUL PACHOLSKI
Erie, Pa.
Editor’s note: Mr. Pacholski is President of the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association