TCPalm readers sound off on Brightline, Three Corners, Lake O water, Barefoot replacement

Keep Three Corners as undeveloped park land

I totally agree with Jonathan Rose's letter to keep the Three Corners a park for all to enjoy. Please, no more hotels, restaurants and all the traffic that they will bring to an already overly congested area. That is, unless there is an additional plan for another bridge and expanded roadways.

Do we really want to eliminate more green space which once developed can never be undone? So many farms and citrus groves have become cookie-cutter developments that Vero doesn't look like Vero anymore.

When my family moved to beautiful Vero in 1990, the mantra that was spoken by all was: "We don't want to be another Fort Lauderdale." When did that attitude change?

Just possibly, since there is deep water access there and a huge building already in place, we could choose to not expand the boat storage facility in a beachside residential community, which has had much opposition and use that area for a marina. So many boat owners live on the mainland and have to transport boats and trailers on the bridges each time they want to use their boats.

Lets do the democratic thing and let the residents vote on what they would like done with their land.

Betty Sammartino, Vero Beach

Bistro salad recipe wasn't really all that healthy

Bistro salad? A better more accurate headline for the recipe from an April 3 article should read "bistro dessert" due to the amount of sugar(s) it contains.

It is articles such as this one that add to our national obesity and diabetes problem by leading people to eat these "salads," which have as much added sugar in them as many desserts, believing them to be healthy.

Between the cup of brown sugar, beer and honey, you're taking more sugar/carbs than you are healthy fruits and vegetables. Then, of course, there are the nitrates in the bacon and the cranberries soaked in brandy.

All you need to really put this completely over the top would be to add some bread from Subway.

Thanks, but no thanks.

Jan Belwood, Palm City

Florida Republicans have misplaced spending priorities

So you vote Republican because Republicans are “pro-life”? As polluted water yet again is dumped into nature’s nursery, the St. Lucie River?

Republicans have completely controlled Florida for 12 years, and the governor’s brother was president for eight years, but they can’t “get ‘er done”?

We’ve paid for huge stormwater treatment areas that are supposed to hold Lake Okeechobee water, and let it filter gradually into the Everglades. Instead, sugar farmers get first dibs on storing water for their convenience. Isn’t it children who are most affected by toxic algae and red tides?

Then 140 disabled Florida children are still in nursing homes? The feds found 200, 12 years ago, when they started fighting for Florida parents, who wanted to care for their children at home.

Florida Republicans have increased funding for a state guard, from $10 million to $107.6 million, and how much are we paying to send 2,400 law enforcement officers to Texas? Yet there are still more than 22,500 families on the waiting list for services from the Florida Department of Children and Family Services?

A judge has investigated and ruled the state of Florida must come up with the money to provide home care to disabled children. Didn’t Gov. Ron DeSantis say parents should be in charge of their children?

So how can he allow the lawyers and bureaucrats he controls to appeal the judge’s decision, which means evermore paperwork for parents, paying for more lawyers, etc.?

DeSantis is chairman of the board of Space Florida, which gets $30 million from our taxes? Visit Florida gets $80 million. Are Florida elected officials in charge of those enterprises, too? Why aren’t private businesses doing those jobs themselves? While government takes care of the children and our health, and environment? What happened to Florida Forever?

Helen Frigo, Jensen Beach

Gov. DeSantis made good call on Barefoot replacement

Background: Brian Barefoot knew for months he was moving out of his school district, or so he thought. He told people he “didn’t want to run again” and interviewed possible candidates. In the meantime, he picked his replacement, a like-minded individual, apparently so he could maintain influence.

The candidate’s campaign manager called folks early to say he was getting $50,000 from David Dyer and Dyer would donate his board salary back to the district. Money talks? His announcement was timed just right: Dyer announced, and a week later, Barefoot announced he was moving and wouldn’t run again.

It appeared to some the two announcements were timed in such a way they could pressure the governor to appoint a replacement immediately. But before that could happen, another candidate entered the race, Kevin McDonald.

Now people/media think the governor should have waited and let the voters decide. Would they have felt the same if Gov. Ron DeSantis had appointed Dyer before anyone else joined the race?

My guess is the people have decided they don’t want Barefoot back, nor his chosen one. They didn’t elect the candidate he picked to run in 2022 against Jackie Rosario. And many people are not happy with the votes he made and the number of meetings he missed or Zoomed into.

There will still be an August primary for the seat, which might require a November runoff. Eight months is too long to operate with only four board members. Meantime, one might suggest a strong majority of Indian River County voters elected DeSantis and they support his principles and decisions. They’ve spoken.

Congratulations to McDonald, whose business and education management experience and strong belief in a quality education for all students make him an excellent board member. He wants to bring back civility and respect to meetings. We hope he’s successful.

Susan Mehiel, Vero Beach

Becoming a cop used to be (and should be) a difficult process

I became a police officer in Indiana just after my 21st birthday. The application process was arduous, with an elimination process at each stage.

You sat for an aptitude test that required a passing score of 85%. The next step was a physical fitness test consisting of pushups, situps, pullups, swimming performance, a long-distance timed run and an obstacle course, which was also timed.

From there, you were scheduled for a polygraph exam. As other candidates were eliminated from the process, you were sent for a psychological evaluation. If you were successful, you were sent for a complete physical examination.

If you successfully completed these objectives, you were to report for an oral board consisting of police personnel conducting a panel interview. If you were lucky, you would be placed on an eligibility list for potential hire.

When I was hired in 1979, you were sworn in as a police officer (trainee) and sent to the police academy as an employee.

Today, there is a shortage of qualified applicants based on the above standards. Some agencies have diminished the standards to accomplish quick hires, oftentimes causing the badge to become tarnished.

Today, applicants may apply to police academy locally as non-hired college students. I would encourage the local media to enroll personnel to get an inside look. You might find a journalist making a sudden career change.

Martin Jacobson, Port St. Lucie

Sensible suggestions to make Brightline safer

There has been at least 111 people killed by the Brightline high-speed trains to date. I have three suggestions that I think will make it safer for all of us in Florida.

First, install 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week, real-time video cameras, like those on Interstate 95 and the Florida Turnpike, along the whole route. These live videos to be seen by the train engineer.

Second, install 5-foot and 10-foot chain-link fencing along the whole route. Use 5-foot fence in urban areas like St. Lucie Village and 10-foot fencing in areas where there is wildlife between Cocoa Beach and Orlando, where Florida panthers may be in the area.

Third, install an auditable/visual alarm system at every grade crossing that will go off after 5 seconds if any car, truck or trailer is across the tracks and send the signal to the train engineer, the local 911 center and/or the dispatch center for the police department.

I feel this will help reduce future deaths along the whole route. Also, the police can dispatch tow trucks, if needed to clear the tracks. Brightline high-speed trains may be able to apply for grants to improve the safety.

I hope some of these safety features can be added as soon as possiable.

Thomas Ladomirak, Fort Pierce

Turn power plant project over to private developers

It seems that the power plant project has hit Microsoft news. That, and a previously published letter to the editor, has prompted me to do a little additional thinking on this matter. The letter mentioned a bond being procured by the city which, of course, the residents will ultimately be responsible for repaying.

My question is this: Why not have the city sell all or parts of the properties to the developer or developers at market prices? The city is in the business of government, not a major construction project such as this.

Let the developer(s) deal with the banks, letter agencies, change orders, cost overruns (which typically would be approximately 30%) and bonding from their subcontractors, as well as any other problems that would arise.

The city would realize a windfall, and put the property on the tax rolls. Of course, the sale would be contingent upon approval of a full set of sealed plans after approval by the authorities having jurisdiction.

David Krulewitz, Vero Beach

Squatters shouldn't have rights on private property

It's hard to imagine (I'm only kidding; it's really not) that no politician reads the newspapers or knows how unfair these "squatters' rights" laws are.

My home is my castle. If I choose not to live there for any reason, that's my business. I shouldn't have to worry about some grifter looking to confiscate it.

Our politicians, instead of worrying about cows farting too much, this is something that can be legislated out of existence and get rid of this insane 18th Century notion of "squatters' rights." This is the 21st Century.

Make it easy to say: No more. Get out. The squatter train left. Or is the squatters' lobby so big the politicians are afraid to buck it? Lose donations? Or their seats?

I imagine if if I were discovered squatting on an extremely small hunk, say 10 acres, of the enormous 269,000-acre "ranch" owned by Bill Gates, the laws would change quickly in his favor.

Jim Grant, Jensen Beach

Does anyone see historical patterns here?

Are schools no longer teaching history in high school? One of my high school history classes (OK, in the 1950s) included having us read books about World War II by authors who were there, i.e. those who witnessed or endured the atrocities and torturing.

This was because one country wanted back what they had lost in World War I, and then went on to want more. The party in power used a class of people as scapegoats, saying they were the cause of society's economic problems and were taking advantage of the “good people.” The result: We had a war like no other ... so far.

Alsace-Lorraine, Germany wanted it back. Ukraine, Russia wants it back. And then Germany wanted Belgium, Netherlands and France. Vladimir Putin wants Poland, Georgia, etc.

Jews poisoning German blood ... immigrants poisoning our blood. Adolf Hitler’s “Enabling Act” overriding German’s constitution ... Donald Trump ignoring our constitution.

Hitler used intimidation on government representatives ... Trump uses intimidation of GOP representatives. Hitler claimed to be Christian; Trump also sells Bibles.

Hitler promised protection of Catholic Church; Trump makes promises to evangelicals.

Anne Brakman, Vero Beach

Biden, not Trump, is the real threat to democracy

A recent letter to the editor blew me away. It was as if this person was living in an alternate universe or in the throes of Trump Derangement Syndrome.  The writer said that a Donald Trump presidency would “plunge our nation into turmoil and weaken its standing on the global stage” and would “ignite conflicts and destabilize regions,” “eroding trust in American leadership."

Look around you. We’re already there. MSNBC and other mainstream outlets would have you believe that this puppet president is the best we’ve ever had. A previous letter writer even called him a “workhorse.” Good heavens.

Starting with his disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, which encouraged Russia to invade Ukraine, he has done nothing but pander to the far left. In retaliation for the loss of 13 of our brave servicemen and women, he ordered a strike that killed 10 civilians, 7 of them children.

As far as Trump and Vladimir Putin, there is truth in the saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” and Trump, being a businessman, knows this. I remember being appalled when I read that Joe Biden said he was not going to call Putin after the attack.

The loss of property and life in Ukraine is stunning and there’s no end in sight. Combine this ineptitude with the lawlessness of his open border policy, student loan forgiveness, easy-on-crime district attorneys causing stores to close in areas that desperately need them, weaponizing the Department of Justice and the FBI to go after his political opponents, making us less energy independent.

But it’s Trump these people see as a threat to democracy. I do agree with this writer about one thing ― that it is indeed imperative that people make informed decisions, but based on what is seen, not on what is perceived or fed to them by the media.

Patricia A. Perrone, Stuart

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: TCPalm readers sound off on Brightline, Three Corners, Lake O water