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Regarding your editorial of July 12, “One step: Zoning change could bring many benefits to the Valley,” I feel that you did not address the concerns of the residents. Zoho is welcomed, but they should select another site that will not negatively impact the community. The site selected includes 97 acres. Zoho construction will only utilize 8 acres. The disk golf course has been a park since the city established it as a 9-hole golf course in the 1960s. It is not only used as a disk golf course but is a hotspot for bird watching and other recreational activities. The McAllen Parks and Recreation Department lists it as a park in the Park Master Plan and directory.
During the town-hall meeting where Zoho made a presentation, Michelle Rivera, assistant city manager, made the statement that the disk golf course was not a park. State law states: “Land owned, held, or claimed as a public square or park may not be sold unless the issue of the sale is submitted to the qualified voters of the municipality at an election and is approved by a majority of the votes received.” (Local Government Code Title 8, Chapter 253. Sec. 253.001, Sale of ParkLand). By denying the Lake Concepcion/disk golf course is a park the city does not have to bring the gifting or the sale of the park to Zoho to the attention of the voters.
The rezoning of any park is a citywide issue because people from throughout the city use the park. Flooding is a serious concern for residents living south of the park. This park is located in the FEMA flood zone. There is a high volume of commercial traffic on Ware Road from the businesses on Military Drive.
Green Jay Park/disk golf course has been public land since the 1960s. It has value for the entire city and surrounding communities. The city should improve the park by refilling the lake, adding a restroom and providing better maintenance. It is the only park with a natural resaca that prevents flooding. It is a hotspot for a wide variety of birds not seen anywhere else in McAllen. It attracts people from throughout the Valley and Texas to play disk golf, which is an up-and-coming sport for people of all ages.
The city of McAllen should not sell this valuable public space.
Raquel Oliva
McAllen
Destroying our republic
Donald Trump is almost singlehandedly laying waste to the American republic. There is no quit in his self-conscious maliciousness, his commitment to hate, dishonesty, greed, misogyny, hypocrisy, racism, brutality, outlawry and narcissism. He is the very definition of political evil in America.
But, truth be told, Mr. Trump could not be so successful at doing what he has been doing if high-school graduates were not so ignorant, businesspeople and bankers were not so greedy, politicians were not so selfish, educators were not so partisan, pundits were not so lacking in legal and historical knowledge, pastors and priests were not so out of touch with religious history, and the list goes on.
America has become Donald Trump, addicted to excess, notoriety, shamelessness and malevolence. We can’t stop him because we can’t stop our own violent and self-destructive ways.
Kimball Shinkoskey
Woods Cross, Utah
LETTERS — Limit letters to 300 words; all letters are subject to editing. Mail: P.O. Box 3267, McAllen, TX78502-3267; Email: [email protected]
