ETC.: Hillary, smoking and more

• Hillary has earned second spot — on GOP on ticket

The way Sen. Hillary Clinton has run her campaign makes Karl Rove jealous and would make Lee Atwater jealous.

She is the logical and deserved choice for vice president. Of course, she would be the vice president for the John McCain ticket. She has earned it.

JOHN A. MINER

Columbia

• Ingram puts career on line for beliefs

Congratulations and gratitude to Frederick Ingram on his brave willingness to put his musical career on the line for his belief in the importance of a smoke-free environment (“The sound of clean air,” May 4).

In this age of the no-holds-barred race for success, it is heartening to hear of someone willing to make such a serious personal sacrifice for the sake of a better quality of life for himself and others.

As a life-long anti-smoke proponent, as well as a music lover, I applaud any effort to this end.

I will soon be leaving Columbia for Asheville, and this very issue was a part of my decision to move. Don’t lose heart, Frederick Ingram, and come on up to Asheville to play your music. The people there will love you!

NONA MARTIN STUCK

Columbia

• Give smokers liberty to smoke

Vicki Whitehead’s letter, “Ban smoking and protect our workers,” misses the mark completely.

As a former manager of Rockafella’s and a current part-time stagehand, I choose to work in an environment populated heavily with smokers. I don’t need protection from them. What I need protection from is people who feel the need to have everything they don’t like restricted or outlawed.

Has Ms. Whitehead actually seen these musicians and employees? Many of them smoke themselves. Musicians and those of us who choose to work with them have a tendency to be individuals who sometimes take dangerous risks.

Instead of calling for new and unneeded legislation on May 14, mark Chris Conner’s birthday by helping a smoker you know take the first steps toward quitting.

Today, we’re going after smoking; what are we going to go after tomorrow? I stand for the smoker not because I believe it’s healthy; rather I stand for liberty and want someone to take arms when they come for my favorite bad habit.

ROBERT C. LEWIS

Columbia

• City ignores future plans, current concerns

We care about Columbia’s plans, but if plans are ignored, they are meaningless. The plan for Five Points extends development to Gervais, making the “center” of the district closer to College Street, not to Blossom Street. New shops will not be south of Blossom; they will be north of College. A parking garage on Blossom ignores the trajectory of future growth.

In addition, a six-story high-rise will provide no transition from the adjacent residential Architectural Conservation District and is inconsistent with plans for Five Points, with lower proposed heights along Blossom.

If parking options at the center of the district are disregarded due to safety, is the city accepting known problems near residences and businesses? Is the city giving up on safety in some areas, when all at-large and District 3 council candidates indicated that safety was their highest priority (over economic development)? Safety will always be an issue if we give up on an area.

Most nearby neighborhoods are opposed to the project, but there are alternatives that meet parking needs and have community support. With concerns from residents and retail patrons (as evidenced by a 500-plus signature petition and 150-plus people attending a public meeting), more discussion is required before we commit city resources.

Columbians such as I support thoughtful in-fill development over urban sprawl. However, when one specific proposed development is clearly opposed by so many in the community — due to concerns over its scale and height, environmental issues, public financing and even geographic placement in the context of future development — is the city listening?

TRACY SWARTOUT

Columbia

• Everybody wins with multi-use building

I am the past president of the University Hill Neighborhood Association and wholeheartedly endorse the Five Points South project with the city parking feature. Our neighborhood council has gone on record supporting this project as a win for all city residents and visitors to the area.

The parking is in the right location. It is safe and convenient. It is needed. On Friday at lunch, I rode around the block four times attempting to get a sandwich at Groucho’s.

How many others gave up and took their lunch or shopping business somewhere else due to the parking frustration? Who wants to park at Claussen’s and walk to the real village area? I wouldn’t want my mother, sister-in-law or nieces to make that jaunt for many reasons, safety and security concerns being two of them.

It’s just too darn far to have to walk from the outer part of the village to get to where the village really is. It doesn’t make any sense to have the parking anywhere except in the project.

The mixed use of the building is right for the area. We need a good mix of grown-ups living there, along with parking and sturdy retail. This project helps shift Five Points back to a mixed-use village, not just an underage drinking hole, which is what it has become lately.

The height is off the table, per the city zoning code: C-1 zoning allows for a 75-foot tall building on the site.

There has been proper vetting, research and discussion. Council needs to approve the project because it is a good, sound project.

JEFFRY C. CASWELL

Columbia