Rickety Port Jefferson bridge must be closed, Santos district, wind farms, low interest rates

Rickety bridge must be closed and fixed

As a registered professional engineer of nearly five decades, I’m horrified over the condition of Sheep Pasture Road Bridge in Port Jefferson [“Bridge a ‘ticking time bomb,’  ” News, March  9].

Brookhaven Town and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority must close this bridge and immediately repair or remove it to avert a tragedy.

The bridge is ripe for a collapse that could include death, catastrophic injury and derailment on the Long Island Rail Road track below — the only access to the Port Jefferson station.

Though the MTA and Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine have stated the bridge is dangerously deteriorated, it remains open.

Reducing weight limits to less than a loaded family vehicle accomplishes little.

The town has received legal notice of the problem. Seeking funds to replace the bridge doesn’t mitigate the inevitable impact of this hazard.

Officials’ reason for not closing the bridge — it’s a “heavily traveled road in a mostly residential neighborhood” — is precisely why it must be closed. Families don’t deserve to be sacrificed at the altar of indecision.

Failure to act responsibly could result in more than astronomical financial consequences. It could rise to the level of criminal negligence.

Our community must hold the town and MTA accountable — before it’s too late. 

— Jordan Ruzz, Patchogue

We should have a proper rep in CD3

As former Rep. Steve Israel pointed out, Rep. George Santos (R-Queens/ Nassau) cannot properly serve his constituents [“With Santos in seat, CD3 lacks representation,” Opinion, March 17].

From a voter’s point of view, Israel is correct. I do not feel I have congressional representation, nor do I see any in the near future.

The longer this charade goes on, the angrier I, and I’m certain others in Congressional District 3, will become. If Santos has any humility, he should, in good conscience, resign. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Santos has a conscience.

 — Michael Zisner, Bethpage

Shocking concept is enraging in itself

I was sickened by the article “All the rage” [exploreLI, Feb.  28], which explains how people are encouraged to take out their stress, anger and frustrations by using large tools or pieces of athletic equipment to smash household items with extreme physical violence in a commercial room.

That Newsday provided a free promotion for this concerns me deeply. Our society appears to be getting more dystopian by the day. Now, people are being encouraged to take out their stress by behaving with extreme physical violence. In what world is that helpful or productive — in any way?

And the company’s projected, propaganda-style messages via large TV screens at the site include this horrifying proclamation: “Rage can be a source of empowerment and inspiration.” When has it ever been that? Never.

It is the polar opposite. Rage is an id emotion — a primitive, violent, chemical-dump reaction to stressors and difficult to control. Hence, it’s responsible over the centuries for countless bad decisions, poor judgments and physical violence, right up to murder.

I find this pro-violence article wrong on many levels, disheartening and worrisome.

— Edyth Dunne, Melville

Concerns about wind farms are groundless

Town councils and neighborhood groups along the South Shore have cried out against offshore wind farm projects set to rise off our shores.

Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II are to be built south of Long Beach, and Beacon Wind I is to be built 60 miles east of Montauk Point and 20 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts [“New opportunities in the wind,” LI Business, March  14]. The fears run the gamut from radiation to lowered real estate values, but none is grounded in reality.

Aside from being a huge step toward New York meeting its climate goals, the real story of offshore wind is how it’s bringing us a new economic powerhouse. This new industry needs an entire web of suppliers to sustain it. And Equinor, the wind-farm developer, and its contractors’ employees eat pizza, too.

— Star Anthony, Port Washington

Lower interest rate to help students’ debt

With all the talk about student debt relief, why can’t the rate of interest be lowered on these debts?

If done, it probably would make payments easier for students [“Accept reality of student debt relief,” Letters, March 14]. It seems some student loans have higher interest rates than mortgages. Why?

A student should pay back a certain amount of the debt owed as a sense of responsibility. It may be difficult, but it certainly teaches a valuable lesson.

— Camille Morselli, Islip Terrace