Loss of Tucson Citizen a loss of local tradition
As a native Tucsonan, I haven’t experienced life without the Citizen.
As a child, dinnertime started when my dad folded the Citizen and put it on the bottom shelf of the coffee table.
In high school, it meant placing second or third in a gymnastics meet still got my name in print.
As a parent, it meant never having to resort to picking up my daughter’s gossip magazines during those precious few minutes of relaxation time after work.
As a maturing adult, it has meant a choice. Another view to consider on an important local or state issue, whether or not I happen to agree with its perspective.
Losing the Citizen is not just one more consequence of our technologic and economic climate. It’s a loss of tradition, of one less influence that makes us a community, rather than a million individuals living in the same desert.
Robin Gwozdz
Music group grateful for years of coverage
Back in 1984, my husband Matt and I formed Sruti Music of India. In 1988 we formed Fine Stream Gamelan (Music of Indonesia).
Most U.S. cities of this size cannot boast either type of performing group, and Tucson has both.
Thanks in great part to excellent articles by Dan Buckley in the Citizen, the Tucson audience is educated about those and other world musics.
Both groups are going strong after more than 20 years.
The Gamelan will perform its 20th anniversary concert in May.
Thanks, Dan Buckley and the Citizen.
Holly and Matt Finstrom
Proposed Rosemont mine will waste water
The proposed Rosemont open-pit mine in an especially beautiful part of the Santa Rita Mountains would be a tragedy, destroying much-needed open space near rapidly growing population centers.
Mines use quantities of precious water and pollute the runoff. The falling water table here was discussed in the 1940s when I was a student at the University of Arizona.
The water shortage is much more serious now and should prevent further mines now.
The Japanese-backed Augusta company has never mined but makes promises.
I have hiked over both sides of these mountains and climbed the peaks where I have seen traces of copper on their tops.
Augusta has been working high on both sides of these peaks.
The huge, ever rising tailings and open pits that cover many miles of once valuable land west and north of Green Valley, that pollute our drinking water and create dust on windy days, demonstrate what mines do – ruin forever beautiful land.
Also consider the loss of wildlife habitat, the heavy mine traffic on winding, hilly Route 83, light pollution affecting world-class telescopes on Mount Hopkins, and the loss of a fine recreation area for hikers, birders and others, a scenic tourist attraction, and the future of this area.
A large area of national forest would be needed for tailings and perhaps structures. The Forest Service should outlaw this devastation and stop this atrocity now.
Look elsewhere for copper. Mexico has copper and needs industry and jobs. The obsolete 1872 Mining Law should have been repealed long ago.
Copper mining has been important in Arizona’s history, but the future presents a different situation, at least here, near Tucson.
Frances C. “Freddie” Carter
Green Valley
Illegal immigrants are definitely lawbreakers
All the bleeding-heart lovers of illegal immigrants continue to harp about Joe Arpaio’s efforts.
He is doing what every law enforcement officer in the nation has sworn an oath to do: Strictly enforce the laws of the land and apprehend any and all lawbreakers who show up within their jurisdiction.
Illegal immigrants are definitely lawbreakers and are in somebody’s jurisdiction all over this country.
To claim that our law officers don’t have the power to arrest them, as the four former finalists for Tucson police chief claimed, is hogwash.
They certainly have the authority to detain them until the Border Patrol can take them into custody. That does not mean call the Border Patrol, then release them before the officers can get there.
These are lawbreakers and should be treated as such.
RAY FISCHER