Thanks for cleaning up the homeless encampments. Next time spare our parking | Opinion

Don’t cramp parking

I wish to register my objection to installing “No Parking” signs on streets where there is definitely room for parking.

I certainly understand the need to prevent people experiencing homelessness from camping on our streets, but there must be a better solution that does not penalize hard-working, tax-paying businesses and citizens — preventing them from parking in legitimate parking spaces.

As president of Dightman’s Bible Book Center, we have been greatly appreciative of clean-up days when campers, tents and litter are removed. We also appreciate the efforts of the police to keep it clean.

However, the ‘No Parking’ signs that were erected banned everyone from parking on the street.

It just seems like there should be a way for legitimate parking to still be allowed.

Wouldn’t a sign that said “No Overnight Parking Allowed” work to solve the problem?

We have now received parking tickets and threats to have our cars towed for parking behind our business where we have parked for 21 years. It seems like common sense has been ignored.

Please continue to work on the homeless and drug problem without destroying the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Donna Baker, Tacoma

Human composting: More than one business

Some clarification is in order regarding Matt Driscoll’s column in The News Tribune on Feb. 21, 2024.

Human composting is indeed a welcome alternative to traditional burial and cremation, and promoting Tacoma for an international conference is laudable, but the article seemed to highlight the expansion of a private business while blurring the facts of the innovations on which it stands.

For example, the legal term for human composting in Washington, researched and agreed on by legislators and advocates, is Natural Organic Reduction (NOR). Terramation is a brand name coined and used by Return Home.

The scientific and legislative work that made Washington State the first to allow this natural burial was done by Katrina Spade, founder of Recompose, the first NOR facility. The seven states that have legalized NOR have done so with support from Recompose and Spade.

I welcome all publicity and education on the subject of human composting while I expect careful research in reporting.

Kristi Ceder, Milton

Expel UPS protesters to protect free speech

If college administrators like University of Puget Sound President Isaiah Crawford really believe in free speech, they need to expel students who disrupt classes, lectures or speeches.

Beth Woodbury Hart, Puyallup

Driscoll’s editorial arrogance

In his column concerning Pugnetti Park in Tacoma, The News Tribune’s Opinion Editor Matt Driscoll called Jerry Pugnetti a wretch.

“During the same interview, the second-generation ink-stained wretch turned local author described Tacoma and its residents as ‘the real losers in this,’” Driscoll wrote.

What’s wretched is Driscoll’s unsubstantiated, obviously biased character assassination of Pugnetti.

Driscoll’s arrogance and abuse of the title “Opinion Editor” has been demonstrated once again.

When Don Pugnetti was running The News Tribune, such arrogance and malfeasance would never have been permitted.

Tom Wie, Steilacoom

This story was originally published February 29, 2024 at 1:00 PM.