LETTERS
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WOE IS MAIL Plaudits to Mr. Hightower! His article, (“Don’t close our post offices,” March 6), is an accurate and concise summation of the current postal system woes. The Board of Governors has been making changes regarding transportation, processing and deliveries with no regard to the effects these decisions have on the one thing the USPS stands for … service.
One of the most moronic changes occurred last fall when someone decided priority mail in central Illinois was to be processed in Champaign. This means all priority mail going from 625, 626, 627 zip codes is trucked to Champaign, processed there into a St. Louis container, trucked to St. Louis, where it is processed again into 625, 626 and 627 zip codes, and trucked back to Springfield for distribution. This seems like a waste of time, money and fuel. This also means customers paying prime rates for priority handling and speed are being swindled because their mail will take three to six days to get across town.
How can we fire the board and put some folks in who have actually worked in the post office? Patricia A. Tait-Hendrickson, mail handler Springfield
VOTE MARCH 18 Tuesday, March 18, Illinois voters will have a chance to cast their ballot in the primary election for national, state and local offices.
Sadly, voters often overlook candidates running for retention or election as judges. This is unfortunate. Judges make critical decisions that directly affect our daily lives. Learning about the qualifications of judicial candidates, and voting for those who are most qualified will help ensure that we have a quality judiciary. Bar association evaluations and newspaper endorsements are a reliable, independent and relevant source of information about the candidates’ qualifications.
As a way to help inform and educate voters outside of Cook County, the Illinois State Bar Association conducts an advisory poll in the circuit or district from which a candidate seeks retention or election. The poll reflects the opinion of those lawyers who choose to respond. Ratings are available at isba.org/ YouBeTheJudge. We encourage voters to download these poll ratings and take them into the voting booth. Hon. Thomas L. Brownfield, chair ISBA Judicial Advisory Polls Committee
HUNTER LAKE VITAL OK, Mr. Krohe, I am responding to your article (“Demanding answers: Does water conservation add up for Springfield?” Feb. 27). Who thinks Springfield won’t need substantially more water in 50 years? If we had a severe drought today, we would need the extra water from Hunter Lake. I don’t care how much water a few people think we could save from conservation, it wouldn’t be enough.
You talk about the deindustrialization of Springfield. How do you know that an abundant supply of water might not lure some industry back to Springfield in the next 50 years? Would you not like for Springfield to have that option? Do you know what a scarce commodity water is getting to be in the U.S.? If not, Google “water shortages in the U.S.” and see how many thousands of links come up.
You advocate raising water rates. OK, I agree, but only if we build Hunter Lake. You want to charge people more for nothing in return; we would still run out of water, just like in California.
Decatur just voted to spend $90 million to dredge Lake Decatur. I guess Decatur didn’t think that water conservation would get the job done for them either. At last estimate, Hunter Lake would cost $80 million and give Springfield seven times more water than Decatur is getting for their $90 million.
If Hunter Lake is built, in 50 years Springfield will always have enough water. If not, water conservation measures won’t be nearly enough to get us by, not even close. Reg Smith Springfield
