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PLEASE PRINT PUZZLES I wish to peacefully protest (on paper) the proposed banishment of puzzles from the back page of your weekly edition. Working crosswords on a screen is not something I would choose to do even if I had a computer at home, which I don’t. Like a good, fair and open-minded citizen, I read the entire Jeanne Ives article in order to be responsible and fully informed as a voter. After all that, I needed a little recreation and the puzzle page provided just that. Seems to me (and lots of other grumpy old farts, I’m sure) that you owe it to your faithful, hard copy print readers to keep the puzzles where they are and allow us the guilty pleasure of sitting in a quiet corner, writing implement of choice in hand, cogitating over crafty clues and triumphantly filling in the little squares with our own proudly non-digital manual marks. A Reader Springfield

MENTAL HEALTH, ECONOMICS This is regarding the March 8 Illinois Times article by Megan Swett titled “Prison mental health on trial,” which focused on the limitations of professional mental health services within the prison system.

I suggest we are looking at symptoms as if they are the causes of our problem. After all, what is crime but some form of bad behavior? Bad behavior itself is a symptom of stress or frustration, which comes from uncontrollable situations due to economic strife, neglect, abuse or some form of developmental disability.

Unfortunately, people don’t have the patience to wait for the long-term results that come with a more proactive approach to early bad behavior and its causes, and we live in a capitalist system where the most money is made by treating only the symptoms instead of curing the disease. Fred Slocombe Springfield

JANUS VS AFSCME COUNCIL 31 Concerning Mark Janus versus AFSCME (“Local landmark,” by Scott Reeder, Feb. 8): Is Mr. Janus using his own compensatory time on his jaunts to the Supreme Court hearings in Washington, D.C., – the time he benefits from only because unions fought for employee rights to have such time?

Will he pay for his own travel expenses, hotel room fees and dining? If anyone other than himself is paying, it should be disclosed to the public.

It seems a shame that a mere and probable 40-some dollars per month is worth jeopardizing many workers’ ability to be represented in the way of collective bargaining for workplace safety, pay increases, health benefits and more. Robert Dunn Springfield

FOOD WEEK FUN I wanted to extend a huge thanks to Illinois Times, participating restaurants and sponsors for the best #217FoodWeek ever! My friends and family enjoyed sampling all the tasty and creative creations at numerous restaurants. There was definitely something for everyone. And a big thanks to Marx Fireplaces & Lighting and Turasky Meats who provided the awesome Epic Grill Package that I won! Jeff Guy Chatham