… Coming soon to Salisbury: Buffalo Wild Wings and Chipotle restaurants

I wish more of these new businesses would open on Jake Alexander Boulevard. East Innes Street is far too congested as it is. Spread these businesses around some.

— Kellie Martin

Chipotle! Happy to hear this. Often hear folks wishing for a Target; that would create revived interest in Jake Alexander. Salisbury has an impressive diversity in restaurants. I am hoping to see Indian on the horizon, akin to Aroma across from Concord Mills, please.

— Marilyn Harrison

Need more places to work that are not minimum wage jobs.

— Karen Allen Boger

Too many restaurants in one place. But I would love to see a Chili’s or Ruby Tuesday.

— Beverly Sloan

That would have been a prime location for Bonefish Grill or PF Changs. Why is Salisbury unable to get an upscale restaurant? Upscale businesses? Upscale shopping?

— Dianne McNeely

Salisbury definitely needs a Super Target, TGIF’S or Chili’s  and a new mall near Interstate 85.

— Barbara Dukes

Pretty sure Mattress Firm will find a way to open a store in the new complex to add to the four or five that are already here and are all within a 2-mile radius.

— Adam Hamilton

Wish a Firehouse Sub would come to Salisbury or Lexington

— Kathy Rowe Hand

… My Turn, Andria Cantrell: ‘Point Blank’ right for Salisbury’s moment

An especially timely and powerful production I wish every white person could’ve seen. There is so much we need to learn to talk about with openness to each other’s pain.

For me, the final dramatization with the children is the lasting image, and when I got home I watched the 1969 James Baldwin documentary and read about the rewriting of the 13th Amendment. There is always more we can do to grow in knowledge and understanding. Thank you, Craig Kolkebeck!

— Kathy Vestal

Craig Kolkebeck has given us all the gift of opportunity —  to open ourselves to the truth of another’s life, examine the unspoken and brushed-aside in our history, an opportunity to interrupt the trajectory of individual and social tragedy. To the city, through which the Human Relations Council works, I say yes, this was a positive step forward. Let’s support more such honest exploration. Let’s not lose the “Point Break” opportunity. Let’s stop the silence.

— Whitney Peckman

A lovely piece, up until the last paragraph. “White people are collectively to blame for what has led us to this place of death.” If the writer and more than a few others truly believe this, it represents a disappointing and discouraging setback in the quest for racial harmony. …

I live and work in Rowan County. I know white racism still exists, but bigotry, hatred, and distrust are not exclusive properties of whites, nor should they be discounted as less harmful when expressed by blacks or Latinos. I think very few whites are in complete and total denial about what is going on. If we are silent, in some cases we may feel we cannot speak frankly and candidly for fear of being called racists, Who, in his right mind, would want to make a target of himself with little hope of changing hearts and minds?

— Bruce LaRue

… Rockwell man to serve  2-3 years for 2015 murder  of Richfield man

This sentence is a crime, and whoever made the decision should go to jail. This man brutally murdered Mike and now the so-called justice system commits a crime.

One day the judge and/or jury who made this decision will stand before an Almighty God, who will render a just verdict upon all. The Bible clearly states that if a man sheds innocent blood, he must pay with blood.

I pray this criminal seeks forgiveness, and that the injustice of all will not go unpunished. God forgive our so-called justice system.

— Sherry Kocals

And this is justice how?

— Janice Hunter

… City Council to appoint advisory committee for Fibrant’s future

Folks need to realize this is a long term investment with a long term payback. The cable industry took 10-20 years to pay off their infrastructure builds and so shall it be here. Unfortunately, the cable industry also convinced city officials back in the day to give them a monopoly franchise to protect their business during the formative years. …

It’s unfortunate that people were given an impression Fibrant would pay for itself in short order. It won’t today but probably will in several years, which is good news for anyone that buys it. The key to a successful network these days is to concentrate on broadband and realize TV and phone services are going to be redundant with the advent of competitive online virtual cable services and phone services like Ooma.

— Phillip Dampier

… Phillip Bush dedicates album to Salisbury

We are so proud of you, Phillip. We are all beneficiaries of your dream. “Seek and you shall find.” There is a dream out there with your name on it.

— Betty Brayboy

We are so proud of the young man you have become, for the role model you are to our young people. May God bless you and your family. Congratulations

— Diane Taylor

… Editorial: Burr brings integrity to Russian investigation

Burr suffers fools gladly, which in many ways must help him when dealing with the likes of Chuckee Cheese Schumer and Nancy Pelosi.

— Stephen Owen

The crimes of Obama, Clinton, Podesta, on and on — this is what the committees should be spending our money on. … Please wake up, America. Do your homework.

— Mike Maley

Have you wondered why the liberal press has thrown a dozen kitchen sinks at House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes to shame and discredit what he is uncovering in the “Trump Russian” circus? It’s the exact same reason liberals won’t even mention “wiretapping and felonious leaks” any more.

When the bomb Nunes lit the fuse on explodes, it will accomplish two goals for Trump. It will pulverize the Washington swamp dam, and bring criminal indictments to some very high-ranking personnel of the Obama administration. I’ve already planned a party to celebrate. Sic ’em, Sessions!

— Randy Biggerstaff

… ‘Prisoner of hope’: Peace advocate from Bethlehem visits NC

Thank you, Mitre, for bringing the Palestinian story to the Bible Belt. Maybe they can stand and support peace and justice and feel the suffering and helplessness of God’s people in the Holy Land.

— Toni Zurzola

… Cokie and Steve Roberts: Can Republicans govern?

Yes! Compromise is essential at every level of government. Compromise ensures that all interests have a voice in policy making. The HB2 repeal was a perfect example of compromise, but both sides denied agreement and riled up their factions to decry it.

Progress can be slow and frustrating, and we won’t see any unless everyone is willing to move forward together rather than in spite of each other.

— Cathy Mahaffey

… ‘The Lomax way’: Community Care Clinic dedicates dental lobby to Dr. Bobby and Betty

Dr. Lomax has been a good friend and mentor for me in the 40 years that I practiced dentistry in Salisbury. He set a great example for the other dentists in the community. Great article about a great man and his wonderful wife.

— Dr. Wayne Wilson

Great story and an awesome tribute to an incredible couple. Salisbury and especially the Community Care Clinic are blessed to know and love them. A much deserved honor and tribute!

— Wanda Smith

… Huge crowd of mostly Vietnam vets attends ‘Welcome Home’ luncheon

It is merely my opinion that widows/widowers of these Vietnam veterans should be representatives of those who have passed away and be invited to these special services/celebrations. It is the wife who supports the husband and holds the family together at home while he fights for our freedom.

It is not an easy life, more so if you have children. The wife takes care of discipline, sickness, getting them to whatever they are involved in and all school and church programs. It really involves all the family, especially if you have four, as we did. We all served and are proud of our spouses and what they did for our country

— Margaret Brown

… North Carolina OKs rolling back ‘bathroom bill’

I believe this is a wise move for North Carolina. I have never heard of anyone ever being violated in any type bathroom. Plus, we have already lost billions of dollars this state really needs.

— Jennifer Doering

Really, when you boil down to it, the conservatives gave up the bathroom oversight. Liberals gave up the progressiveness of such protections in a turn-back-the-clock move. Both gave a little ground in establishing a power structure oversight of such things, with a sunset clause for the limit on local government power.

If both extreme ends of the right and left hate it, it must not be all bad. HB142 is a classic zero-sum game, and should probably end up being a case study of such in poli-sci courses for years to come. Double that when you boil it down to the fact it got passed in a veto-proof legislature controlled by the party in opposition to the governor. …

Compromise is what built the United States, and “my way or no way” is what threatens its existence.

— Eric Shock

The governor and his cowardly hacks think they have saved the state from losing $5 billion and the undying respect of Bruce Springsteen. I hope they explain that clearly to God when they see Him.

— David Williams

… My Turn: Dear Liberals, you’re on the wrong track

Why are you blaming “open-minded, liberal-leaning types” for the problems in Rowan County? The “open-minded, liberal-leaning types” haven’t run things here for decades. The conservative Republicans have held every office and completely run the show for a long, long time. Wouldn’t you want to hold them responsible?

Don’t you have your blame game a little backwards?

— Sam Post

Personal responsibility and accountability — it starts at home as a parent’s responsibility and is reinforced through education. We can all attest to the issues born of the failures of the family unit.

— Mike Jordan

Have you heard our new president speak — even once? I have never heard anything come out of his mouth that even resembled taking accountability.

— Korey Deese

This author provides a great definition of a mentor — “one responsible person willing to go the extra mile to make sure the child grows up with the desire to leave this old rock in better shape than they found it.” Contact the school nearest you or our local Communities In Schools office at 704-797-0210.

— The Rev. Georene Jones

… Republican power grab continues

The Republicans are so drunk on their own power that they forget we are watching. Alert: We are on to your motives.

— Deborah Krueger

Why should the election boards not reflect the make-up of the county that they represent? Just because a few big cities are controlled by liberals, why should counties that are by far Republican have to be run by Democrats? If you truly want to let the will of the people be heard, it should be this way. But we all know the only way a Democrat can win a statewide race in this state is to cheat, so they are fighting tooth and nail to hold on to their only way to do that.

— John Collins

Nay, Collins of Rockwell, the only thing Dems and independents are guilty of is not voting. When the numbers come back, Republicans will have a hard time selling the same old from-the-top-down policies. The GOP is in chaos, split three ways to Sunday. Progressive conservatives will roll out of there soon enough. We’ll be ready.

— Brian Pfaff

I always try and make it a point to understand the Republican point of view. It is becoming increasingly challenging with the NCGOP, as they are clearly grabbing for more power and doing whatever they can to retain that power. They have made several moves over the past several months that they would not have, had McCrory won reelection.

— Holden Sides

When I was Rowan County Democratic chair and we had a Democratic governor, I did not push for the replacement of all of the chief judges. I worked with the Board of Elections and, if the people were doing a good and fair job, I left them in place — regardless of political party.

— Veleria Levy

If Republicans felt so safe in their towers, there would be no need for the outrageous power grabs and gerrymandering. Would be better for Republicans to attempt some semblance of impartiality instead of defending the indefensible and resorting to name calling.

— Kate Fisher