Thanks, Tony

I would like to thank Tony Hershey for his service to the community on the City Council. 

As a West Glenwood resident I am in the county and cannot vote on city issues but feel very grateful for his help in the defeat of the proposal for the apartment complex on Donegan Road. 

It would have greatly impacted city traffic, caused fire danger and increased people and cars on our beautiful road to the fish hatchery. I hope that Erin will continue his good work. 

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Nancy Brooks, Glenwood Springs

Thanks, New Castle crew

I would like to give a positive shout out to the New Castle Utility crew! They take such good care of the common areas in our community such as keeping trees and bushes trimmed. 

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The street-cleaning vehicle took care of all the rock in the gutters and another crew took care of the sidewalks. 

We are fortunate to have people who care as much as they do! A big thank you as a resident who has noticed their hard work!

Patrice Flaune-Hamilton, New Castle 

Address housing federally

I would like to respond to “Guest column: Failure to solve the affordable housing crisis is not an acceptable option” (Gail Schwartz, 4/7 PI) and say how much I agree. 

We cannot sit back and not address this issue. As the article discusses, it is the backbone of our country that this housing shortage is affecting — people like nurses, teachers, EMS/EMT drivers and bus drivers. We desperately depend on these kinds of people to want to do their jobs — but they are not going into those fields or not going into them in places that rely on them if they can’t afford to pay for basic needs like housing and food.

It is about time that Congress addresses the housing issue on a big scale. One possible piece of legislation they could start with is a Renters Tax Credit. A renters’ tax credit would limit the rent and utilities costs that low-income families must pay, ensuring they can afford a secure place to live without sacrificing basic needs. Additionally, given that constructing affordable housing can be costly and take a lot of time, a renters’ tax credit may be a more cost-effective and time efficient alternative. I urge Congress to pass a renters’ tax credit in 2023.

Sarah McVoy Miller, University City, Missouri

What are they thinking?

After reading the Post Independent this past week I find myself wondering where our erstwhile county commissioners were when the good Lord was passing out brain cells. 

That they could even entertain the concept of the Unita Basin Railway transporting crude oil in the amount proposed along the Colorado River and through Glenwood Canyon is beyond me. One article in the Post points out that the proposed Unita Basin Railway, set to increase train traffic 26 times higher than the normal numbers through New Castle (and all along that corridor).

Apparently our commissioners were napping these last four to six weeks when multiple trains jumped the tracks in the United States, and in so doing made the national news. 

Just think how many people depend on the Colorado River for water, or how many people are drawn to the greater Glenwood Canyon area just to take in the natural beauty while also remembering that so called tourists are Glenwood’s bread and butter.

But, alas, all is not lost as our county commissioners have taken the bold move of writing a letter, requesting that the railroads slow down the speed of their trains.

Gloria V. Jourdan, Glenwood Springs/New Castle

Stupid endeavor

Once again our county commissioners have stuck their heads in the sand as they refuse to deal with the Uinta rail proposal!

The national news has stated that they are for this massive venture through our state! Can you imagine trains carrying 4.6 billion gallons of crude oil by rail, the trains are to be like 2 miles long, five per day. 

That is a huge amount. Should an accident happen in Colorado it most likely would go into our rivers and thus ruin the fishing, local water supplies, etc. 

I applaud Michael Bennet and his group for trying to defeat this proposal. Hoping we can band together to defeat this stupid endeavor! There certainly should be another route these trains can take!

C.D. Gilliam, Glenwood Springs

Where the fence ends

This past weekend was spent, I’m sure like many, I was ticking items off the to-do list, enjoying the spring weather and spending time with friends and family. 

Sunday evening was shaping up to be a perfect bow on this gift of a weekend after a lucky bump into friends on the way home from a family Easter dinner. That is until my husband and I turned on to Highway 82 from Cattle Creek to a gruesome scene. 

After merging onto the highway we moved left to avoid a parked RFTA bus with its emergency flashers on and with the question of what happened still on our lips we passed a doe with a shattered pelvis, legs splayed, desperately scrabbling at the asphalt to get off the highway. Needless to say this is not the way we envisioned our Easter wrapping up.

This winter we have watched as the deer and elk bodies have stacked up between Cattle Creek and Red Canyon Road. Red streaks across the lanes fade to black only to be renewed by another victim. 

For folks that may be new to the area, this is nothing new and has been going on for years. Local Facebook groups have only served to emphasize what we all see, with daily warnings of dozens, even hundreds of deer and elk trying not to starve to death on the fringes of a busy highway. 

What does it take for the wildlife fencing that lines the rest of 82 to be extended to Red Canyon or Glenwood city limits? The death of humans, a billion dollars in damages? Hundreds of deer, elk, raccoons and others certainly haven’t tipped the scales, so I ask what will?

I will say, I am thrilled to hear about the newly developed Roaring Fork Safe Passages organization and look forward to lending my support to create safe corridors that will protect these animals and decrease the number of accidents daily.

Lindsay Gurley, Glenwood Springs