Inbox: Love Letter

Reasons to Love Portland

Please don't pooh-pooh efforts by Portlanders to try to protect our large old trees ["28 Reasons to Love Portland," WW, Feb. 10, 2016]. Your comment, "You can get pissed off about a developer cutting down some pine trees, or you can make plans to go see more pine trees than you can ever count on the newly reopened 40-mile trail looping around Mount Hood" is off the mark.

The trees in the city are a treasure, and their destruction should be prevented at all costs. They provide oxygen, beauty, shade and a home for birds and critters. We should have a moratorium on cutting down any trees in Portland and beyond until we get a handle on climate change.

For now, we're focused on changing the city's outdated tree code. Until that point, please support the work of your neighbors fighting to keep our city livable, beautiful and lovable.

—Albert Kaufman, Southeast Portland

Wait, $145 for a hangover cure? Seriously? For something that will go away with some scrambled eggs, a couple Excedrin, plenty of Gatorade and a nap?

Oh! This is one of those services for rich people who have nothing better to spend their money on, isn't it?

—"MagisterMundi"

I'm calling B.S. First off, I've worked at some very nice restaurants in the area, and no server is pulling down six figures. Secondly, if you want to make waiter money instead of cook money, get a job as a waiter.

Just because I feel like I work hard doesn't mean that I think I should be paid as much as the general manager. A living wage for all willing to work hard, absolutely, but equal pay for every job is just a pipe dream.

—"222"

Coach Hits Racial nerve

If the allegations are true, Pat Adelman should be fired ["Offensive Game Plan," WW, Feb. 10, 2015]. What he did is a disgrace to our society as a whole and morally disrespectful to our future (kids).

—"OneLove"

This is disgusting treatment of any student, black or white. I don't think Adelman can be fixed. Let him go.

—"Multnomah"

Raising the Minimum Wage

I just love how everyone looks at the short-term costs and ignores the long-term gains ["What Does a Higher Minimum Wage Cost?" WW, Feb. 10, 2016].

Yes, wage increases will cost more at first, but those higher wages mean a larger tax base to pay for things like K-12 education, colleges and universities, and local governments—all of which are paid for by taxes.

Not to mention the fact that people with higher wages have more disposable income for leisure activities that support local businesses.

—"fyberduck"

Corrections

In our Jan. 27 Shoe Issue, it was incorrectly reported that the Half Pint store at 3920 N Mississippi Ave. is a consignment shop. Half Pint is a retail store that specializes in used and vintage leather boots, bags and belts.

Because of an editor's error, we mistakenly published a Dr. Know column last week on the potential dangers of tower cranes that had previously run in WW. Dr. Know will have a new column on cranes in the Feb. 24 issue. WW regrets the errors.

Letters to the editor must include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words.

Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210.

Email: mzusman@wweek.com.

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