‘Doonesbury’ subs praised ...
Re: “What’s going on with Sunday comic strip?” by Stephen Buckley, Wednesday Opinion.
I just wanted to thank Mr. Buckley for printing this column concerning your substituting the Sunday Doonesbury offering for an older reprint. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known to search for it online.
After reading what we missed here, I can clearly see why that submission was swapped. However, I believe it is a must-read worthy of searching for.
It probably would have been a better fit for the Opinion section, but then you would have needed to provide a rebuttal from those offended by it. Good call.
Leslie David McDonald, Heath
... And criticized
You were wrong to censor the Doonesbury strips. I do not know if you were acting out of fear or favor, but I am very disappointed by your action. Now I will, more than ever, wonder what else you are avoiding in your pages.
Marvin Lee, Rowlett
Here’s why ban isn’t working
Re: “Short-term rental ban isn’t working — Because of a loud minority, the Dallas City Council OK’d a measure that wasn’t supported by data,” by Lisa Sievers, Wednesday Opinion.
This op-ed is, in a word, laughable. Sievers claims the Dallas short-term rental ordinances aren’t working and should be revisited. The ordinances are not working because of the Dallas Short-Term Rental Alliance. Sievers was a board member at the time and I heard she got a Dallas trial court to block any enforcement.
Dallas has appealed the ruling and hopefully the short-term rental ordinances will be allowed to work and provide relief for Dallas residents who sought these protections for residential neighborhoods.
If Sievers is really looking for reasons as to why the short-term rental ordinances aren’t yet working, she should look in the mirror.
Dolores Serroka, Old East Dallas
Happy for enforcement
While the short-term rental policy adopted by the Dallas City Council works its way through the courts, citizens are glad to have had the policy in place. Those opposed to short-term rentals existing in residentially zoned neighborhoods are opposed to a hotel business being operated in areas not zoned for commercial use.
Although short-term rentals operate in homes, they are still businesses. The policy adopted by the city allows for short-term rental businesses in areas zoned for mixed use, where commercial use is allowed.
The city is enforcing zoning already in place, which is worth defending from businesses speaking to overturn the residential designation.
Hopefully, residents in residentially zoned neighborhoods will prevail, and in the meantime, I for one am glad the city is spending money on enforcement and on defending residential zoning from commercial use.
Betsy Kleinman, Dallas
Can we support this growth?
Re: “$300M Project in the works — Campus in Red Oak plans to add 3 more data center facilities,” Wednesday Metro & Business story.
Congratulations to the folks in Ellis County for securing more income from the growth of the data center industry, several million square feet over the next 2 to 3 years, I believe.
Question: Are we giving away electricity for the sake of this growth? Data center developers have been commanding huge rate discounts as incentives. Do we have enough water to support all this power and cooling need? Growth of population is already constraining supplies.
I have lived in Texas since 1996 and saw massive growth with infrastructure needs being an afterthought. Our roads system is a prime example. Let’s not get greedy — show us a plan to handle this new capacity. My electric rates are high enough!
Marc William Morisseau, Heath
Guitar stunt was bad example
Re: “Man goes viral for guitar stunt,” Wednesday Metro & Business story.
I couldn’t help but see the irony in a grown man smashing a guitar he’d purchased for $4,000 — not to mention other adults cheering him on — at an auction benefiting children. What does this teach our children?
The story says it was ”not meant to be mean or malicious.” Give me a break! That’s exactly what it was meant to be. And as for “showing disapproval of people in the entertainment industry trying to influence politics,” when did people in entertainment lose their right to voice their support for their political candidate choices? They have just as much right as any other profession to do so.
Grow up, people!
Sara Miskimins Dallas/Lake Highlands
Monday is the deadline
As a community organizer focused on empowering young voters in Texas, I want to highlight an important deadline: the voter registration deadline. The last day to register to vote for the general election is Monday. This is our moment to ensure we are all registered and ready to make a difference.
This election will see millennials and Gen Z form the largest and most diverse voting bloc in history, representing nearly one-fifth of the electorate. With over 40 million Gen Z voters, including 8 million newly eligible since 2022, that collective power is immense.
Our generation faces significant challenges: a climate crisis, threats to reproductive rights and an economic system that often feels stacked against us. We hold the power to drive change.
By registering to vote, we can influence decisions that impact our lives. Check your voter registration status and encourage friends and family to do the same.
Let’s not miss this opportunity. How we act now will shape Texas’ future.
Matthew Baiza, San Antonio
Texas state director, NextGenAmerica
We welcome your thoughts in a letter to the editor. See the guidelines and submit your letter here. If you have problems with the form, you can submit via email at letters@dallasnews.com