Refreshing perspective

Ms. Sturm’s opinion piece (June 7 Post Independent) was a refreshingly honest look at the term equity. We believe all are created equal but none identical. All are unique, and our outcomes are shaped by genetics and environment. The latter, our home upbringing, is the most important, as that’s where values and moral tenets are learned.

Unfortunately, today’s economic/social structure has altered the family dynamic. Now, both parents must work, often multiple jobs, while single parents face twice the challenge. The sad result is parenting responsibility has been unfairly foisted upon teachers. If learning isn’t stressed in the home, how can it be taught in school?

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Can we achieve equal opportunity if inner city schools “graduate” students who can’t do the three Rs of education? If Johnny can’t read, will he find a job or join a gang?

Critical Race Theory, the 1619 project and like woke witlessness indoctrinate our children to a culture of victimhood. It teaches that our race limits or improves our life’s potential. This is untrue and un-American.

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Racist generalizations only divide us; teaching truth will heal us.

Good luck, teachers.

Bruno Kirchenwitz

Rifle

Support Take a Minute

I support the Take A Minute campaign in Glenwood Springs. While driving in Glenwood on Grand Avenue I noticed how fast cars were going in a 25-mph zone, and I was getting caught up with the speeding traffic.

I tried an experiment and turned on my cruise control set to 25 mph. I was blown away with how really fast cars were going in a pedestrian and tourist area.

Won’t you consider supporting this important effort to slow down traffic and take an extra minute while you drive through downtown Glenwood?

Laura Hanssen

Carbondale

Hubbard cleanup thanks

I want to express my sincere gratitude to all who volunteered and supported our annual cleanup of BLM-managed public lands on Hubbard Mesa. Over 40 volunteers graciously gave their time and hard work to remove over 60 cubic yards of garbage and over 25 cubic yards of metal to be recycled from public lands, just north of Rifle.

I want to personally thank the White River Trail Runners, High Country 4-Wheelers, Rifle Area Mountain Bike Organization, the city of Rifle, Garfield County, Rifle Rendezvous, and the many individual volunteers from our local community that came out to help. Your hard work and dedication continue to make a tremendous difference in your public lands.

I would also like to recognize Green Zone Recycling and Native Waste Solutions for their valuable sponsorship, providing dumpsters and disposal costs.

In addition to this effort, I would like to thank the 93 students and staff from the Rifle High School Athletics Department who helped with a cleanup near Fravert Reservoir this spring.

Finally, I want to thank the entire community of recreationists that use and enjoy this area. Your voice and efforts in keeping your public lands in Rifle’s backyard clean, as well as your responsible recreation, keeps these lands and resources enjoyable for current and future generations. The effort and cooperation from everyone go a long way in the success of your public lands.

Larry Sandoval

field manager,

BLM Colorado River Valley Field Office

Silt

Wildfire mitigation thanks

On behalf of Swiss Village subdivision near Redstone, we extend heartfelt gratitude for the collaborative efforts of Pitkin County Emergency Manager Valerie Macdonald, Carbondale Fire Department Chief Goodwin and USFS manager Kevin Warner on a recent wildfire mitigation project near us.

Despite our best efforts at mitigating within our neighborhood, the reality is we are surrounded by forested public land. USFS land to our north (the project) was densely packed with aging and dead scrub oak, and contained a huge amount of standing fuel. If it burned, our neighborhood would burn.

Our neighborhood used to be mostly summer cabins. Now, homes are selling in the $600,000-plus range, and most are occupied year-round, many with small children. The property damage and potential loss of life in a wildfire is now much greater than in decades past.

It is a privilege to live surrounded by so much natural beauty, and we recognize the biggest threat we face to our homes and lives is wildfire. We greatly appreciate these three entities (Pitkin County, CFD and USFS) working together to help protect us if/when wildfire strikes.

Now that fire season has arrived, it’s a relief to know that the forest next to us is much less of a hazard. The more mitigation projects that can be done near neighborhoods like ours, the better prepared we all are for the inevitable.

Thank you for being on the cutting edge of collaborative effort, climate responsibility and forest management.

Diane Madigan, SVHOA secretary

Jon Amdur, SVHOA president

Redstone

City should practice same watering rules

Please practice what you suggest others to do. The citizens of Glenwood Springs were recently advised by the city of Glenwood Springs to take measures and suggestions for water conservation. This information was recently mailed out. Our water bills starting June 1 went up by 30% to offset costs from the Grizzly Creek Fire.

I am not excited about the rate increase, but I do understand this probably needs to happen, and I am all on board with more water conservation on everyone’s part, including the city.

One of the suggestions is to water early in the morning around 6-8 a.m., which I always do and believe is the most effective and efficient way to water. As I was driving down Midland Avenue passing the Community Center, the sprinklers were running. It was 4:30 in the afternoon.

Now, I’m not a landscaper or a horticulturist, but I’m guessing it is still pretty darn hot to be watering anything at that time. This is not the first time I have seen city properties watering in the hot temperatures of the afternoons.

The suggestions you make are really good ones, and the city especially needs to lead by example, so please do so.

Patty Grace

Glenwood Springs