Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 08.20.15

UNC athletic scandal was self-inflicted

This is not about the larger picture of what should be done with collegiate athletics.

This is about a single school with a lack of institutional control that for decades had a school-orchestrated scheme to keep ineligible athletes on the field/court in many sports, along with a litany of other questionable “perks.”

All while piously telling the rest of the world how they did it the “right way” – formerly known as the “Carolina Way.”

Sorry, “everyone else” is not doing it.

Invest, rather than redistribute in N.C.

Promising opportunities exist for N.C. leaders to provide real help to rural Carolinians. They all involve investment, rather than redistribution.

Strongly support renewable energy which would allow more corporate solar farms to capitalize on the state’s ample sunshine and affordable land.

Tap into the growing popularity of local foods. Farm-to-market programs and other links between rural farmers and metro-area locavores could be strengthened with minimal funding.

Expand Medicaid to realize its especially helpful impact on the state’s rural hospitals – often the largest local employers – and their communities.

By all means, Raleigh, let’s help rural Tar Heels! But provide the fishing pole, not just a string of fish.

Officer Kerrick being railroaded by CMPD

It is obvious that this officer has been railroaded into a charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Hopefully, this jury will see through all this stuff and nonsense that has gotten us to this point.

Woe be unto us when all the honorable men and women no longer wish to serve as officers because they may have to go to prison for doing their job.

Thank you again, Keith Larson, for “telling it like it is.”

Drinking moms? That’s no way to cope

To read that moms were gathering at Baxter Village’s Grapevine Wine Bar to drink at 8 a.m. Monday was a shocker.

Each mom gets a lanyard with six little pictures of mimosas, each drink $5 bucks a pop. The article said “By 9 (a.m.), dozens of bottles have already clinked their way into the recycling bin.”

The article also implied that some of the moms would be drinking most of the day. Seriously?

Is this an acceptable way of coping with sending your child off to school? I’m sure the owners of the wine bar loved it. Cha-ching.

Tougher traffic law enforcement needed

This article left out two critical elements to the increased traffic deaths.

More and more people are driving in excess of 15 miles over the speed limit.

Also, police are not enforcing the laws.

Extending solar tax credits a win-win

In the last two years solar energy has generated 1,000 megawatts of electricity paid for by solar owners, not utility ratepayers.

Furthermore, in 2014 for every dollar spent on solar tax credits the state received $1.93 on its investment. This is a win-win for solar owners, ratepayers and the state.

Pittenger did right thing on budget vote

Forum writer Jim Cherry completely misinterprets Congressman Robert Pittenger’s vote.

That was a budget vote. Had it failed, it would have shut down the government and played right into the hands of President Obama and Sen. Harry Reid.

That would have cost the Republicans the 2014 election. The Republicans in this district overwhelming re-elected Congressman Pittenger in 2014.

Sometimes it is better to be smart than stubborn.

This story was originally published August 19, 2015 at 5:35 PM with the headline "Observer Forum: Letters to the editor 08.20.15."