Permitting blatant retail theft decays city’s morality

I applaud the Gazette for drawing attention to the problem of retail theft (“Time to Crack Down on Retail Theft,” 12/14). My 15-year-old son and I were recently shopping at a big-box home-improvement store in the Springs when we witnessed a very disturbing incident.

An employee who was helping us pointed out a man carrying a huge bag, full of merchandise and several expensive power tool batteries in his hands. The employee said he was a repeat shoplifter but that employees were forbidden to stop him. We watched him wander through the store for more than 20 minutes before walking out with all the merchandise. Apparently, the police weren’t called and no one followed him as he walked through the parking lot to the street beyond.

As I understand it, these thieves often use a calculator to add up their haul to make sure it doesn’t exceed Colorado’s $2,000 felony threshold, which the article noted is almost double the national average. I was deeply disappointed that our society has devolved to the point that this kind of theft is commonplace and especially that my son had to witness this. I urge our legislature to restore the $1,000 threshold, which they raised to $2,000 in 2013. We’re all paying a painful price for this, not least of which is that of moral decay.

Brad Quicksall

Colorado Springs

Protect Pikes Peak from unneeded logging

How many times a day do you look up and see Pikes Peak? The next time you glance at “America’s Mountain,” you will see it a little differently. A massive logging project has been proposed in the Pike-San Isabel National Forest, threatening 194,567 acres of forestland in the Pikes Peak Ranger District.

The project proposes treatment (logging and burning) inside four roadless areas, forests protected under the Colorado Roadless Rule. This safeguard exists for a reason: it bans roadbuilding and other harmful activities like logging. This allows trees to grow old and massive, people to enjoy the backcountry and wildlife to live undisturbed.

The project threatens three endangered species: the Mexican spotted owl, Canadian Lynx and Preble’s jumping mouse. Finding shelter in the ponderosas and Douglas firs of Pikes, these species are supposed to be protected, not have their critical habitats logged. The current proposal includes no safeguards to ensure these endangered species aren’t harmed.

Once mature trees are cut, once roadless areas are opened, and once endangered species are harmed, there is no going back — at least not within our lifetimes. Is this really how we want America’s Mountain to be defined?
Pikes Peak deserves a community willing to stand up for the wild places that make our home extraordinary. The public comment period is open through Dec. 17, and there are only a few days left to be heard. Visit EnvironmentAmerica.org and search “Proposed Logging Threatens Pikes Peak” to add your voice. Let’s ensure Pikes Peak remains protected for wildlife, recreation, and future generations.

Kelli Miller

Colorado Springs

Reassess how we develop our own AI professionals

It was with great interest I read the lead headline article of Dec. 12, “$475 million investment coming to Colorado Springs, 170 local jobs.” I would guess most likely averaging $39 to $40 per hour.   

From what I have observed in the past few years four or five times, that number of people will be laid off by the end of the year. There were also an estimated additional 1,200 construction jobs which will be temporary during Construction and then they will be gone. 

I guess Journalism 101 came into play; no one is interested in reading about all the houses that did not burn down last night. However, it was with much greater interest I read the article of Dec. 10: Page B3, “Microsoft investing $17.5 billion in India for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and cloud infrastructure.” One sentence in the article stated, “When it comes to (AI) the world is optimistic about India.”

Think about that amount money if it could have been spent right here in our country if we had qualified people. In my opinion, it would be a great benefit to our country to start programs centered around AI and cloud infrastructure only as follows. At government expense, a student with no need for taking any core classes required for a degree, could enroll in a program centered on AI and CI only. Then if an individual desired to move up into management or other areas, that would be their choice. And that individual would be required to pay for any further training.

I know a young man who has AI ability who also does coding for Video Games and solves problems for others online and his work is truly amazing. However, he has neither the desire nor the money to get into a degree or certificate program. Plus, he has seen what student loans can do to an Individual’s Life. 

Nathaniel J. Gilmore III

Colorado Springs