Sheboygan letter-writers on political 'hypocrisy' & Evergreen Park plan
Here are this week's letters to the editor of the Sheboygan Press. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views.
(Editor's note: This letter is in response to the April 26 letter to the editor 'It's time to admit we all shelter in the same country,' by Art DeJong.)
When Scott Walker and the Republicans took over the Wisconsin Supreme Court and got rid of all the 'laws' made by Democrats, I didn't hear one peep out of you or your fellow Republicans. I didn't hear anyone saying the 'law is the law' when Republicans on the Supreme Court took those very rights you state in your letter away from the citizens of this state.
Here is where you are wrong. People of this state used to have all those rights. Until Scott Walker and your fellow Republicans took them away. You don't want a woman to make her own choices. People should not be allowed to negotiate for a better work environment and better wages. All schools must be for-profit schools paid for by the taxpayer. Private for- profit schools don't have to follow state regulations. Is this a good use of the taxpayer money? I think we have given enough taxpayer money to the wealthy. Not to mention rigged elections as a result of redistricting. Fair and honest elections? Give me a break.
As for buying the Wisconsin State Supreme Court, I guess you forgot about the millions of dollars Elon Musk and other Republicans poured into the election. Not to mention that your party wants to imprison any judge who does not agree with them and gives the U.S. Supreme Court the finger when it rules against them. Can you see the hypocrisy?
Robert R. Ries
Sheboygan
I appreciate the Sheboygan County Cycling club's commitment to support bike-riding activities, but the scope of the proposed changes to Evergreen Park are concerning.
Widespread development throughout the park with the sole focus of attracting a large influx of bikers is a major change in usage.
Safety should be a high priority. All proposed trails are 'multi-use trails,' 4 to 5 feet wide. This is barely enough room for a couple walking side-by-side, without a child or pets, and is absolutely not wide enough for bikers and pedestrians to safely share. For shared-use paths, safety guidelines require a minimum 10-foot width.
A minimum 'line of sight' distance of 30 feet is recommended so bikers and pedestrians can safely see what's coming and adjust. Considering the winding nature of all of Evergreen's trails, large numbers of trees will need to be cut next to existing trails, with complete removal of swaths of trees and shrubs between the curves and switchbacks — contrary to the SCC claims that few healthy trees will be removed. Ignoring these standards means accepting bicycle-bicycle and bicycle-pedestrian crashes as a common hazard, and open the city up to lawsuits.
Most of the proposed features — the Pump Track, two separate Skill Zones, Kids' Bicycle Playground, Training Zone, Advanced Features Zone — do not need trees, hills or trails. Are there any alternative locations where large numbers of trees would not need to be removed and the character of a wooded park would not be forever changed?
This proposal has many shortcomings.
Steve Griffith
Sheboygan
Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to news@sheboyganpress.com and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@gannett.com. Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel.
This article originally appeared on Sheboygan Press: Sheboygan letters to the editor on Evergreen Park, political hypocrisy
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