Letter To The Editor: Destruction of Amarillo's trees a disgrace

Posted: Monday, November 25, 2002

Sometimes I think I'm the only one in Amarillo who cares about the old trees in our downtown area, although Amarillo city Planner Laurie Thomas and Assistant City Manager Allen Taylor did save the 100-year-old Arizona cypress which is the crowning glory of the new fire station.

I thought it was about the worst possible thing that could happen when the Salvation Army, in building its "pink palace," cut down the only honey locust tree left on West Fifth Avenue.

Just recently, I almost fell out of my car when I saw that a long straight line of huge trees had been cut down on the 500 block of South Harrison Street. I spoke with a workman who laughed and said, "What good are they?" To me, it was not a laughing matter. He said I was a silly old woman.

I still do not understand why the trees were cut down. They had been there for more than 50 years. The trees were located between two vacant lots; one is now a parking lot.

Also, the city sprayed Roundup on West Fifth Avenue, killing all the wildflowers. There are no weeds on West Fifth - it was like spraying Polk Street.

Though we have very few people downtown, it seems to me that it is still our city and we should care a little about old trees and wildflowers. Cutting down this line of old and very large trees is a disgrace.

Regina McMullan


USPS workers deserve better treatment

I have heard rumors about how bad things are getting to be for employees at the U.S. Postal Service, about how poor management has squeezed people to the point of "going postal."

I had heard others complain about mail being delivered at ungodly hours. I paid it no mind until one evening recently, when I realized someone was actually delivering my mail at 8 p.m. I met the unfortunate employee at my door. He had been delivering mail since 7:30 that morning. The poor fellow was using a flashlight to read the address.

This is insane! Why are USPS employees being abused this way? What has happened to our postal service? Are those at the top so greedy for profit that they are going to get away with abusing employees this way?

It seems that it would be more cost-efficient and humane to hire more employees instead of working the ones they have to death. I have always been for USPS until now. I disagree with the way management is handling things; it's not right. What's going to happen during the upcoming Christmas rush?

Take heed, postal officials. Do something good for your employees before the American public is forced to turn against you.

Employees are not to blame for what is going on with poor service; those at the top are. They are the ones making the bad decisions. I am going to start writing letters to my legislators demanding that they be held responsible.

Stacy L. Weills