Opinion editor's note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.
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A number of temporary issues are currently hampering return of vitality in the Uptown area. These include road work and planned construction on Hennepin Avenue. However, there is one issue that will persist — namely, parking. On-street parking has been limited and worsened with removal of it on Hennepin south of Lake Street. There may be an option to deal with this that could resolve the problem and really help businesses in the area, especially the blocks north of Lake.
The YWCA adjacent to Mall Park has closed, its parking garage is empty, and the building is for sale. I think the garage could be enlarged to provide parking and and the building, or a part of it, could be made into a parking garage. A number of spaces could be set aside for lease at a modest amount to individuals who reside within a certain distance from the garage. This would ease the need for some on-street parking. The remainder could be divided into parking similar to Edina's garages near 50th and France. Spaces could be available for limited time periods, such as two-hour areas for shoppers up to six-hour intervals for those wishing to dine and attend a show or movie in the area. There would be no overnight parking except for those leasing a space. Violators would be towed. Alternatively, the garage could simply charge by the hour, excluding those leasing.
The design would be very important. Being set back from the sidewalk a distance would allow for some landscaping like trees and a lawn. Having levels below grade would decrease the height without losing the number of spaces available.
I know we are trying to reduce the number of cars in use in the city, and I agree. But I think we are a long way from people not wanting personal vehicles. I believe we will see more hybrids, electric vehicles and hopefully hydrogen-fueled cars. On-site charging stations could be included as well as places to park bicycles.
Theodore Nagel, Minneapolis
STRAW BUYERS
Already benefitting from new laws
Thank you to the Star Tribune Editorial Board for "Indictment message: Straw buyers beware."
An outstanding team of prosecutors and law enforcement deserves high marks for quickly identifying how a man prohibited from owning guns acquired them and then shot and killed three first responders and injured a fourth. Not to be lost in all the media coverage is the legislation that President Joe Biden signed into law on June 25, 2022, the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This was the first gun safety legislation that had been passed in nearly 30 years. One provision of this legislation was to remove barriers to enforcing straw-purchasing laws and to increase the possible penalties at the federal level. U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger referenced the BSCA during his news conference after straw purchaser Ashley Anne Dyrdahl was indicted on 11 federal charges.
Two years ago all of these charges might not have been possible. While indictments and convictions can't undo tragedies committed in the past, they can make a difference for reducing gun violence in the future.
Lisa Weisman, Minneapolis
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Over a year ago state Sen. Julia Coleman, R-Waconia, proposed a new bill to increase the penalty for straw purchases of firearms from a misdemeanor to a felony, with mandatory prison time. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support; however, it's been stalled in the DFL-controlled Finance Committee since last March. Then on Thursday senators tried to again get the bill out of committee for a future floor vote. This was again defeated mostly along party lines.
Rep. Kaela Berg, DFL-Burnsville, has since cloned Coleman's bill nearly word for word and introduced/proposed it for approval ("Straw purchase bill has bipartisan favor," March 22). The only reason Berg did this is for partisan politics so she and the DFL can control the narrative of the bill and claim public responsibility for initiating and getting it passed. This the most egregious example of partisan politics I've ever seen. The DFL majority blocks the Republican legislation and reintroduces it as its own to claim credit for it! I wonder why the DFL chose its Burnsville representative to clone and reintroduce the bill? If the proposed bill had been passed into law last year, could it have saved the lives of the three Burnsville first responders? You be the judge at the ballot box!
John Wiese, Lakeville
OFFSHORE WIND
Look to our own shores for energy
The era of offshore wind has come to the U.S.! ("United States' first large offshore wind farm opens," March 15.)
To save our climate and protect future generations we must develop safe, reliable and affordable sources for electricity — without burning fossil fuels. This requires complementary energy sources; solar panels are great, but it isn't always sunny. We are bordered on two sides by states that generate large amounts of electricity from wind power, and coastal states are now joining the club. Having sailed Lake Superior, I believe we have a large supply of untapped wind power right there.
There is no perfect source of energy, and concerns have been raised about bird collisions, intermittency, blade recycling, etc. These concerns are important but are not deal-breakers. We can pursue and improve this very good solution, without requiring it to be perfect prior to implementation. This winter shattered all heat records and serves as a serious warning that waiting for perfection is dangerous. Climate change itself poses a far greater risk to birds than windmill collisions.
And thankfully this will not break our pocketbook. According to a 2019 Department of Energy report, the cost of producing electricity from wind is well below natural gas, and that calculation does not include repairing all the damage done by the climate warming caused by burning fossil fuels.
Let's not fall behind other states by ignoring the bountiful resource that lies just off our northeast "shore." We can harness the wind and progress toward the goal of self-sufficiency in electrical energy for Minnesota.
Dave Homans, St. Louis Park
LAWSUIT AGAINST APPLE
Here, popularity means quality
I read that Attorney General Keith Ellison is joining the federal lawsuit against Apple for antitrust abuse ("Can't quit your iPhone? The feds blame Apple," March 22).
He said in a statement that "Apple's exclusionary conduct makes it hard or impossible for people to switch to lower-cost iPhone alternatives, and harder for app developers to innovate and compete."
I think the attorney general's actions could be better used against fork manufacturers. The fork has four tines, rather than my invention of two — being my index finger and thumb holding the food to my mouth. Perhaps Chinese people would also like action taken against fork manufacturers because the use of only two chopsticks is a cheaper, more compostable and environmentally friendly utensil for eating your food.
Never mind that the fork is liked by billions of users. After all, the fork manufacturers most assuredly violate antitrust laws because their product is so successful.
Mark D. Luther, Minnetonka
