Speeding motorcyclists on U.S. 1 headed for trouble
Am I the only one who repeatedly observes “early organ donors” (EODs) on motorcycles recklessly speeding like a blur on U.S. 1 between the Roosevelt Bridge and Fort Pierce?
Makes one wonder where is the law-enforcement entity responsible for ensuring the 45 mph speed limit on this section of U.S. 1 is adhered to. Is it local police departments in the cities of Port St Lucie, Fort Pierce and Stuart? The county sheriffs or the Florida Highway Patrol?
Whoever is responsible may want to rethink the present strategy and perhaps consider a new approach to curbing this increasing lawlessness.
No grand illumination or study is necessary to recognize the horrible jeopardy these high-speed EODs place upon the driving public due to the EODs’ total disregard for speed limits on this congested, heavily travelled section of U.S. 1.
Imagine a collision involving a high-speed motorcycle operated by an EOD and a large yellow school bus full of innocent children. The resulting mayhem following the deaths and injuries to the children would be horrible, but can be avoided.
One might ask, how? One possible answer would be the law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring the speed limit being asked to make the solution to this problem a high priority for its officers.
One thought may be the use of unmarked vehicles dedicated to arresting these high-speed EODs operating speeding motorcycles or vehicles, and the courts responding quickly by revoking the violators’ drivers licenses and imposing large fines ineligible for plea bargains. This would be a potent deterrent.
This is but one commonsense solution and there are others. Regardless, something must be done now that’s effective before the children on the bus are either killed or severely injured by these recklessly speeding EODs. Simply parking a marked police vehicle on a field in plain sight is not working. Ridding the general public of these dangerous, speeding EODs is the only answer.
Jack Jennings, Port St Lucie
Breeze flights in Vero Beach have drawbacks
Remember when Vero Beach was a quaint, small town with quaint, small problems? Remember when the Dodgers called Vero their winter home?
Well, guess what, all that’s changed. Today, we have a quaint, private airport that seems to be wanting to act like a large, successful commercial airport.
Where we once promoted the occasional commercial flight out of town, we’re now considering 6 to 10 daily commercial flights to take place, thanks to the generosity of Breeze Airways.
This “kind gesture” from Breeze has its drawbacks — like increased noise pollution, possible air pollution and a reduction in the quality of life for many residents who have called Vero their home for decades.
There was a time when we embraced the small, sputtering Piper planes that flew overhead, knowing we were providing educational opportunities for others. However, today, we face an onslaught of noise distractions from both Breeze and Brightline alike.
And some of us aren’t very happy about that. I think it’s time our city officials have an open, transparent conversation about this pending problem. Breeze Airways has slithered its way into our lives like the much anticipated python explosion we’ve all heard about.
Our local newspapers keep pushing for more flights (mo money!), yet no one wants to address the issue of noise and/or pollution from the commercial airline expansion taking place in our own backyard. You’d think our local band of “no growth” supporters would have issues over this. But no, they, too, are silent over the matter.
So, what gives? Does anyone care about this, outside of those folks living under the airports flight path? I suppose not. And that’s a sad reality to face. Contact your local city officials and let them know how you feel, before it’s too late.
John Ryan, Vero Beach
Passengers arrive at Vero Beach Regional Airport on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, from Hartford, Connecticut, on the first Breeze Airways flight to Vero Beach.
Newspaper publishes important population numbers, in wrong spot
Your newspaper had a great article on the growth of the U.S. population that was full of important facts and numbers.
I really enjoyed reading these facts, which would be hard to dispute. My big question: Why was it on the back page and not the front page?
James Knape, Jensen Beach
‘New blood’ in Fort Pierce city manager search
We need “new blood” and to hire a city manager who is not already employed by the city (or related to someone that is). The city of Fort Pierce has a habit of regurgitating unqualified employees (moving them from position to position) to help ensure the city’s “dirty laundry” isn’t aired, which also allows city officials to continue to “control the narrative” instead of recruiting qualified employees.
Typically, when a company’s president is removed due to misconduct, it’s common practice to hire someone from outside the company to “clean house” as the new person is not entangled in existing relationships or potential cover-ups within the organization, allowing for a more objective and thorough evaluation of issues and implementation of necessary changes.
The city of Fort Pierce should do the same thing. We need a “fixer” with fresh eyes; someone who doesn’t know where all the “bodies are buried” and won’t allow the coverups to continue and truly has the best interest of the residents, no matter what is discovered.
Time to rip the Band-Aid off. We deserve better! How many more failed projects will it take?
Kris Einstein, Fort Pierce
Not enough amenities to support new development
With all the talk of and implementation of thousands of homes in Indian River County, I do not read anything about industry or infrastructure development that will absorb the people that will occupy these homes, with the exception of health care. This makes me believe that most of the newcomers to the area will be retired people that love different forms of recreation.
This would include walking, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, golf, tennis, pickle ball, museums and the list goes on. Not all people can or want to do all of these activities that I mentioned, but I thought I would mention some of them.
Excluding considering the cost and upkeep that comes with a power boat or sailboat, with all the boat shows selling more boats, no one is creating more storage places both in and out of the water. People who travel from the north to Florida in the winter by boat are having to keep full-time docks up north and in Florida to secure slips.
Another issue I have is there are only 4 public golf courses in this area, as opposed to 11 private golf clubs. If a person has in the neighborhood of $75,000 to $250,000 to join a private club and $25,000 to $100,000 a year for dues, then golf is not a problem. I think more public golf courses need to be in the thought process.
I think the so-called developers and the ones approving the developments in this area need to think about infrastructure to be more than homes and shopping malls. Recreation and scenic beauty are part of the greatness of this area, and I hate to see them slowly disappear.
Moving forward is one thing, driving over the cliff is another.
Tom Campbell, Vero Beach
Fort Pierce parking fees a form of taxation
Parking fees are just another form of taxation. They will hurt downtown businesses because people who feel like stopping downtown for breakfast or lunch, or just drinks, will think twice if being ripped off at $3 an hour or more based on time spent downtown.
It’s bad enough food and drink prices are up, thanks to present administration. Do we have to increase more costs on the people? What about Fort Pierce residents?
Why should we have to pay more to enjoy what we already pay taxes for in this city? Do we have to emulate northern states now with outrageous parking fees and higher taxes? Parking fees will hurt downtown small businesses.
I think the city can figure out better ways to raise $300,000 to $400,000 a year, based on what they say they would raise from fees.
James Pace Jr., Fort Pierce
Listen to the public on Three Corners plans
I just finished reading Larry Reisman’s recent column on the Three Corners here in Vero Beach. I live across from the site and have followed the exciting news to develop this prime piece of property. I’ve toured the inside of the power plant and I have attended many city meetings to stay abreast of this project.
Reisman’s column is the second one I’ve read in the past week or so that isn’t reflecting what I’ve witnessed the community or expressed in the meetings I have attended.
I’m a property manager now, but previously I had the opportunity to travel to many different cities that spent millions of dollars revitalizing primary downtowns or waterfronts that fell flat.
Some of the areas I experienced were beautiful, but lacking the lure to draw regular interest, so they were lifeless.
A beautiful place can be built, but that requires the know-how to bring life, and it takes the right experience and a certain passion to make that happen.
Clearpath and SuDa both have beautiful plans, but if you attended the meetings, it was overwhelmingly felt by the community with many who stood up after the presentations were made by each developer that one developer could bring that needed desire here.
If Reisman were writing about what happened as his opinion, versus experiencing what happened in those meetings, the truth wasn’t revealed.
In my opinion, one developer became upset because the other developer created so much excitement.
Vero Beach doesn’t need just another pretty site or place to observe, a place that once you’ve seen it, there’s no reason to go back. Vero Beach has expressed the desire for a place to draw the community in, time and time again, with life and actions to bring family and friends together.
I guess we will find out soon enough how this plays out, but it was frustrating to read these last two articles that I think were missing what the Vero Beach community actually overwhelmingly expressed.
Susan Robinson, Vero Beach
The old Vero Beach power plant at 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard is seen looking east in a rendering done Jan. 28, 2020, by DPZ, city planning consultants. One proposal for the three corners the city owns there is to turn the plant into a conference center and adjacent hotel with rooftop dining, perhaps under awnings attached to the smokestacks. Parking is depicted, lower left.
Serious steps needed to erase federal debt
The Baby Boomer era of presidents, which began with Bill Clinton, is likely ending with Donald Trump. Over this time, the U.S. debt-to-gross domestic product ratio has surged from 46% to 123%. The current $36.14 trillion debt requires a payment of $22.73 trillion to restore solvency to the level the Boomers inherited.
Cutting programs alone won’t solve the issue. Even eliminating Social Security and Medicare would create only a $400 billion surplus and take 57 years to clear the debt. Time the Boomers don’t have. A direct tax on wealth appears necessary, with each of the 77 million Boomers owing $298,000 to settle the debt.
Unfortunately not every boomer can pay their $298,000 share of the debt. Boomers currently have $35.2 trillion in pensions and stocks. If two-thirds of their retirement wealth was confiscated by the government, that would pay the bill that is due.
Now, with the long-term debt out of the way, Boomers who still make up the majority of the U.S. House of Representatives and a supermajority of the U.S. Senate would only need to cut all of government spending, including the military, Social Security and Medicare benefits by half to erase the annual deficit and return the country to how they received it.
There is a very real risk that the massive debt incurred by the Boomers will be passed on, stagnating future generations for decades to come. Deep, meaningful cuts need to be undertaken now to avert this disaster.
John Maloney, Palm City
Trump’s presidency represents better days ahead
I was extremely offended and disappointed by a recent letter writer’s comments about President-elect Donald Trump. He referred to him as Hitler. Is that all he had in his repertoire of words?
I guess he would prefer the idiotic lunacy and lying of the past four years. Joe Biden is not running the country. Due to the weakness of this presidency, we lost too many service members in Afghanistan. Oct. 7 was initiated by Iran, who Barack Obama and Biden chose to enrich with billions of dollars. People in North Carolina suffered terrible losses, but this president chose to funnel monies to sustain millions of illegals, allowing our citizens to be murdered.
Let’s not forget Kamala Harris’ campaign is still in debt after raising billions, but still losing. Did she think that was Monopoly money? I’m proud to have posted “Vote Trump-Vance like your life depends on it, because it does.”
Judy Weidenholz, Port St. Lucie
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vero Beach Three Corners, Breeze; U.S. 1 woes; Fort Pierce | Letters