Go where the parking is plentiful
There has been a lot of talk about building new government building downtown. How many of you have had trouble parking downtown? Do you think adding to this problem is a smart idea?
Look at all the empty parking spaces there are at the old mall.
Why should we throw good money after bad simply because some busybodies think we need to please the city? Working with buildings that only need repairs to bring them up to code is a lot cheaper than paying someone to tear them down, haul them off and build new ones.
Look at all the 100-plus houses downtown that you are so proud of. How many people do you think wanted to tear them down and start over? You wouldn’t stand for that. I’m sure the special work they needed was expensive. Was it worth it? Stop and think.
— Vicki Sanders
Salisbury

Protect Earth
I live on Corriher Gravel Road in China Grove. Six weeks ago, someone dumped two large bags of household garbage on the bank of the creek that crosses the road. The Department of Transportation and the town of China Grove were notified two different times. No one has collected these bags. In the meantime, another two bags were dumped into the creek itself. Again the DOT and the town of China Grove have been notified two different times. These four bags were still there as of Monday.
Daily, my neighbor and I walk for our own pleasure and we collect garbage thrown from vehicles by careless citizens and irresponsible people. The planet Earth is God’s creation and God’s ultimate temple. Why does anyone want to defile its beauty with garbage when there are ways to dispose of it without harming others? Now the garbage in the creek not only defiles the beauty of a waterway but can cause harm to water life and others.
I understand that both departments contacted have many responsibilities, but surely there is time to collect four bags of garbage at some point in a day.
— Betty Corriher
China Grove

Spouting rhetoric?
Regarding candidate Lawrence Helms’ recent article in the Salisbury Post presenting the “four issues” he is running on during his quest for a seat on the Board of Education:
1. Mr. Helms is correct when he says that “The school system must stay out of the social issues debate and focus on education.” However, his quest to overturn policy 6-8 does just the opposite by putting the Board of Education in the midst of the social issue and would begin another year or so of expensive litigation, spending valuable BOE time and money fighting an unnecessary and likely unwinnable law suit.
2. As for taking “1 cent out of every dollar” from the school system, will the reverend choose the teachers that will lose their jobs or volunteer for school maintenance ventures that are constantly on the horizon?
3. His utopian desire for the district to be an “English Only District” would render children whom the law says we must educate, uneducable.
4. I share the reverend’s passion for Rachel’s Challenge, but if he did his homework he would learn that this initiative is already underway in our school system.
The gentleman needs to be consistent and responsible when he speaks rather than spout rhetoric just to get votes.
— Chuck Hughes
Salisbury
The writer is a member of the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education.