Bring back the spring bear hunts
Re: “Nearly 300 bears euthanized as sightings spike,” Sept. 5 news story.
I know how to reduce bear encounters. Bring back the spring bear hunt that ended in 1992. Allow hunting with dogs and let hunters bait bears. This will accomplish a few things, like reducing the overall population of bears, making bears fearful of humans and pushing bears deep into the woods and away from heavily human-populated areas.
I know this is not a very popular approach, but the main objective is to reduce bear encounters. We will never end them altogether.
Rich Linnebur, Westminster
It is very upsetting to read numerous stories about hungry bears increasingly approaching human habitation in search of food. This current drought means that nuts, seeds and berries that bears usually eat are in extremely short supply. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has warned us not to feed the bears, which is wise. Feeding bears will only encourage them to come and stay near people.
However, my question is: Why doesn’t Colorado Parks and Wildlife set up bear feeding stations in the mountains — away from people? This way, the bears could get the food they need to sustain them for their long hibernation, and the bears would not have a need to move towards cities. A win/win situation.
Linnea Straubinger, Lakewood
DPS board is an embarrassment
Re: “Denver school board members call for independent investigation,” Sept. 12 news story.
For goodness’ sake, who have we elected to be overseers of children’s education? Sounds like, instead of professionals, we have a group of immature adults that operate with personal self-importance and ethnic agendas.
They hired a superintended that needed $ 107,000 dollars for executive coaching, and now they want to spend educational monies to investigate themselves.
The election is on the horizon; they want the taxpayers to give them more money, for what I ask?!
Elaine Little, Denver
Come back, Michael Bennet. I supported Michael Bennet for U.S. Senate, and I stand by my support. I would like Bennet to use his Senate seniority to help Colorado.
However, reading about the dysfunction of the Denver Board of Education in the Sept. 12 Denver Post, I couldn’t help but remember that when Bennet was head of the Denver Public Schools, the school system was functional, not dysfunctional.
If Michael Bennet wants to come back to Colorado, he is desperately needed. I know it seems that going from the U.S. Senate to the Denver Public Schools is a step down. However, Bennet could be replaced in the Senate by Rep. Jason Crow, or if you are more liberal, Joe Neguse, but there is no one I can think of on the planet better equipped than Michael Bennet to deal with the Denver Public Schools.
Michael Shea, Boulder
Vote no on Amendment 82
The upcoming November Colorado state ballot will have a dangerous and deceptive initiative on it, Amendment 82, “Right to Natural Gas”, which may seem harmless, but itap not. Itap a blatant attempt by the fossil fuel industry to put barriers into our state constitution to make it difficult, if not impossible, to prevent developers and utilities from installing methane gas supplies to new developments. Itap sparsely worded on purpose. A recent example of this is a development in Aurora with 25,000 homes, to which Xcel requested last year a natural gas supply line (five miles long, costing $23 million), which would have caused higher bills for all Xcel customers to cover the cost, while allowing 25,000 additional homes to spew yet more carbon with equipment that will be obsolete in the near future.
At this point, every pound of carbon emitted matters, and the sooner we get off methane gas and other fossil fuels, and construct only all-electric buildings powered with renewable energy, the better. However, Amendment 82 isn’t even about that. It’s about whether we should let monopoly utilities and corporate polluters write themselves into our constitution permanently. The reality is that renewables are less profitable than fossil fuels, not to us homeowners, but to traditional energy companies, which is why we can expect Xcel and big oil to fight this transition at every turn. No pollution in the constitution: Vote no on Amendment 82.
Julie Smith, Golden
Regulate these big data center’s use of natural resources
Re: “City embarks on data center rules, aiming to reduce water usage,” Sept. 14 news story.
Data centers require substantial resources to operate, including electricity and water cooling technology. Aurora is considering a way to reduce water consumption by moving away from evaporative cooling to closed-loop cooling systems that are a water-efficient alternative because they recirculate water rather than continually consuming water through evaporation.
It is an excellent idea for Aurora to prioritize technologies that minimize demands on local water resources, especially since our area is plagued with drought, wildfires and heat that increases year over year.
The electricity data centers require adds significantly to the demand on the electric grid. If that demand is met with fossil fuels, it will increase climate pollution. The Denver area is already suffering from high ground ozone pollution and particulates from wildfires. To reduce additional pollution as digital infrastructure expands, it would be best if enough clean energy with battery backup is built or transmitted from locations that produce more energy than they need to meet growing electricity demand, not just for data centers but for manufacturing, transportation and other power needs.
If we must accept these data centers that are not wanted in our own neighborhoods, letap hope they can be slowed down for the benefit and safety of all of us. May they be built responsibly, using water efficiently and making it possible to meet growing power needs with clean energy.
Lynn M. Fendt, Boulder
Much to celebrate in downtown Denver
Re: “Alterra signs 12-year lease with city,” Sept. 4, news story.
On behalf of the Denver Downtown Development Authority, and as its Chair, I thank you for your insightful editorial highlighting our significant work. Showcasing the Alterra deal, the University of Colorado Denver project, and the Denver Pavilions purchase underscores the tremendous positive impact of DDDA’s strategic catalytic public investments. In addition, the Civic Center Park rebuild and ongoing office-to-residential building conversions that DDDA has funded deserve celebration.
Mayor Mike Johnston exhibited great foresight when he urged the DDDA — which succeeded so well with the Denver Union Station restoration that we had effectively “paid ourselves out of a job” — to expand its footprint across the entire central business district. With the able assistance of Bill Mosher as the Mayor’s representative, and the hard work of our dedicated City staff, great momentum is building in Downtown Denver. This includes enhancing both the perception and the reality of safety and security through increased cooperation with the Denver Police Department.
These investments are designed to bring people back downtown to live, work, visit, play, and thrive. As your editorial properly noted, “the list of positive advances … is longer than the list of setbacks.” The DDDA Board remains pledged to be a faithful steward of taxpayer dollars, guided by a vision of a vibrant Downtown Denver of which we can all be proud and which we can all enjoy. Itap nice to have that recognized. Thank you!
Doug Tisdale, Cherry Hills Village
To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.
