Stadium needs more than aesthetics
The Jacksonville Jaguars, in partnership with the city of Jacksonville, promise to build “the stadium of the future.”
The artist renderings of a mammoth metallic teardrop cowling, seemingly suspended over the new stadium, sure looks futuristic. Yet building a true beacon for the future will require more than aesthetics.
Simply put, the future is green. When it comes to designing sports stadiums these days, sustainability is routinely being built in — solar power, electric battery storage, rainwater reuse, native plantings, serving locally grown food, improved mass transit options and other ideas are being adopted across the country.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle — to name just three — have been built to emphasize green operations. In England, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium runs on 100% renewable energy
“When you do things right, you save money and you help the environment,” said Mary Tappouni, president of Breaking Ground Contracting, a pioneering Jacksonville company in the field of sustainable construction. “It’s a win-win and easy to come to consensus.”
One way for the city and the Jaguars to maximize efforts to build and operate a sustainable stadium, Tappouni said, is to form partnerships with JEA, which provides electric and water service, and the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, which runs buses and the upcoming autonomous shuttle service.
Jacksonville’s sustainability manager, Ashantae Green, and her team have begun studying ways to build a green stadium in Jacksonville which would find support in the administration of Mayor Donna Deegan.
So far, there has been no interest from the public to build a sustainable stadium, even in the series of public hearings the team and the city held recently. Interest from the public would help the effort, according to Green.
John Burr is the editor of the Jacksonville Climate Coalition newsletter. This opinion piece was distributed by The Invading Sea, a website that posts news and commentary on climate change and other environmental issues affecting Florida.
Fetus not capable of independent life
In his June 16 letter, Peter K. True, M.D., incorrectly suggests that there is a scientific consensus on the beginning of complete human life with its attendant rights and responsibilities. No such consensus exists.
Those who believe in such a consensus are not talking with the rest of us who disagree. Nor will such a consensus ever develop from scientific study, because the actual question has little to do with science.
It is true that a fertilized zygote — or any stage of embryonic or fetal life beyond — has the capacity to become a human capable of independent life. However, it has no early capacity for independent life or existence. There is currently no argument to suggest otherwise.
Much of the argument, when it is analyzed and carefully considered, is about the line between “potential” and “actual” or “legal” human life. Furthermore, how does society determine the balance between the legal and moral rights of an “actual” and “legal” human (the mother) and a “potential” human (the fetus)?
I believe those are complex and profound questions without simple answers.
Personally, I remain disappointed by those who try to reduce complex issues to simplistic or inadequate questions and solutions. It is fine for Dr. True and others to have their beliefs, however accurate or inaccurate their analyses may be. It is not fine for them to try to impose their beliefs on others.
Paul A. Pitel, M.D., Jacksonville
Wrong to end civilian oversight
Once again, Gov. Ron DeSantis has struck down something useful — the police oversight boards that have been appointed in several communities.
The police can appoint their own but do not have to include regular citizens. Even our national military has effective civilian oversight in Congress and our civilian commander-in-chief. This is the only way sexual abuse of women in the military came to light and had some corrective measures established.
Previously, women who were raped had to report the incident to their superior officers — often the very same ones who had committed the crime. Now all reports go to a civilian authority that can investigate, take corrective action and prevent reprisals against those who report.
Without that external balance system, any large operating unit can become incestuous, guided only by its power to protect itself. We do have an option, which should be taken immediately. The City Council, or similar elected governing board, is the employer of every police force, which is financed by its budget.
There should be a standing law enforcement committee composed of elected officials who can take on the role of civilian oversight (but avoid labeling it as such). Through that committee, citizens could bring issues of possible police misconduct, including failure to share relevant reports in a timely manner.
So, there already exists a delegated power that can be brought to correct police matters. It must be used.
Sharon Scholl, Atlantic Beach
Moms for Liberty candidates a danger
A June 17 Florida Times-Union report showcased school board candidates, some of whom are associated with Moms for Liberty.
The Southern Poverty Law Center labeled Moms for Liberty an “anti-government extremist group” that promotes itself as a defender of “parental rights.” The Law Center cites intimidation and disruptive incidents at school board meetings, as well as the group’s political alliances, with ties to Christian nationalists and groups like the Proud Boys.
These far-right activists circulate lists of books they find objectionable on social media, spurring others to petition local school boards and libraries to ultimately ban books. Book banning is a divisive form of censorship historically used as a means of control. In the 1930s, the Nazis banned books on race and sexuality.
Today, many challenged books are also about race, LGBTQ+ identity and sex education.
Moms for Liberty are also foot soldiers in support of Project 2025, the extreme conservative manifesto created to dismantle and privatize our public education system, funneling resources to private, mostly Christian-based schools. The plan calls for eliminating the Department of Education, teachers’ unions and federal funding for free school lunch programs and Head Start, while also gutting programs that support equity and inclusion.
This year we have the opportunity to elect candidates who support and believe in neighborhood public schools. Affiliation with Moms for Liberty should be a red flag.
Karen Adler, Jacksonville
FDR was against public sector unions
I read many criticisms of charter schools, but no one seems to raisethe obvious question: Why docharter schools exist? I suggest it is because public schools are generally failing to teach effectively.
I was born inNew York City in 1929. In the 1930sand ‘40s,we had public and private schools; I got a fine education in both and no one had ever heard of charters. Today, the city has thousands of relatively poor families lining up to try and get their children into charters.
I do not know exactly when or why public schools started going downhill, but I suspectthe unionization of teachers (starting in the 1960s, I believe) may have had a lot to do with it. Certainly, the actions of teachers' unions during the recent pandemic and the effect they are having in California, for example, support the idea that unionization was a mistake.
I believe teachers, police officers and firefighters are vital to our communities. They should be well paid, well educated, well supplied and — if they perform well — should be given every possible benefit and good retirement compensation. They should not be unionized.
Even Franklin D. Roosevelt, a great supporter of the unionmovement in private industry, was dead set against public unions. So was George Meany, the first head of the AFL-CIO.
Loren Seeley, Jacksonville
Birth control, not free food
Hats off to June 16 guest columnist Robert Lee, who persuasively urged us to commit to "ending hunger in the United States once and for all."
It won't be easy to significantly reduce the number of American families experiencing food insecurity. For starters, we must understand that providing ready access to free food often amounts to a short-term solution to a long-term problem. We need to reduce the demand for free food by reducing the need for free food.
We must strive to place that old saying (courtesy of F. Scott Fitzgerald), "The rich get richer and the poor get — children," in the wastebasket of American history. Those on thin financial ice might start by engaging in birth control. It is amazing how much a couple can save and fund the family food bank if both are able to work, be it full time or part-time.
Sam Heffner, Ponte Vedra Beach
Sun-Ray closing makes no sense
It appears that the Sun-Ray Cinema will close to make way for a possible entertainment venue. It does not make sense to me that Sun-Ray must close to make way for this facility.
The property is quite large. It would seem to me that Sun-Ray’s main theater could stay open, while the rest of the property is used for an entertainment venue. That would be a good way for the new owners to generate some goodwill as they join our Jacksonville community.
Otherwise, I am afraid that many of our residents will never even visit their new venue. It will be hard to forget that they kicked out a very popular local theater.
Terry D. Bork, Jacksonville
