Possible source of revenue

Our embarrassingly crumbling roads seem to be of great concern to many. I believe I have the solution that won’t cost taxpayers a dime more!

My frequent first hand observance at the highway entrance ramps with traffic lights installed is that at least 50% of drivers totally ignore the red light and simply speed on through. Suggested solution is this – install traffic cameras at every lighted ramp and ticket offenders. The current fine for running a red light is $75; considering the frequency of offense, collecting said fines should generate quite a windfall for road repairs – and just maybe encourage folks to follow the law.

Since the cameras were installed several years ago, l have never observed enforcement, even once. This solution would not require busy law enforcement to hang out by entrance ramps, yet offenders would finally be held accountable.

City officials, let’s make it happen!

Leslie Ornelas

Colorado Springs

Breath of fresh air

I am a regular reader of the Gazette and the majority of the time recent letters to the editor seem to be complaints. Yes, many of the complaints are legitimate, but it truly was a breath of fresh air when I read Erik Lessing’s “An extraordinary nation” printed on Feb. 4. He wrote about Irving Berlin and his journey from Russia to the United States as well as one of his patriotic songs, “God bless America” and how we should feel blessed.

I was raised in Calcutta, India where poverty was rampant, hunger could be seen on the masses of emaciated human beings, people sleeping on the streets right by our apartment and I could go on. I came to the United States with only $8.00 and God enabled me and my husband to achieve the American dream by applying ourselves to studying; finding teaching jobs and through His miraculous workings we were able to gain our American citizenship. We have traveled overseas quite a bit, but each time we are so happy to be back in this land of plenty and where freedom rings.

As we approach another national holiday on February 16 let us reflect on Irving Berlin’s words:

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer,
God bless America, land that I love…

Sarah Liu

Colorado Springs

Continuation of joy

Thank you for the article, “Olympic siblings get love letters from their literary-giant grandpa.” I loved the Milan–Cortina Olympic opening ceremony last night, and your piece felt like a perfect continuation of the joy.

Andrea Bocelli is my 94-year-old mother’s favorite singer, and Nessun Dorma is a beloved aria in our family, so that moment was especially moving. I was also thrilled to see Cecilia Bartoli sing—she was a favorite of mine when she first became popular as a young opera star in the late 1980s.

The circle felt complete when I opened my Saturday Gazette and read your article about the Irving siblings. John Irving was a professor at Mount Holyoke College when I was a student there in the late 1970s. It was always a great day on campus if we spotted him walking across it—this was before he was famous, and then suddenly he was, after The World According to Garp.

Thank you for capturing such a meaningful intersection of family, literature, and sport. Your article added an unexpected and deeply personal note to an already memorable Olympic weekend.

Paula Wegert

Colorado Springs

Elections must be secure

Requiring voter identification and basic election safeguards should not be controversial. They are supported by the overwhelming majority of Americans: about 95% of Republicans, 71% of Democrats, and roughly 85% of Black and Latino voters favor photo ID for voting. In a polarized era, few policies command that level of agreement.

The reasoning is simple. Elections must be secure to be legitimate. Even limited fraud — or credible doubt about the process — erodes public confidence. A system that cannot prove its own integrity invites suspicion, litigation, and instability.

That concern extends beyond voter ID to the mechanics of voting itself. Electronic, software-driven voting systems are inherently vulnerable, especially when machines allow external connections, removable media, or thumb drives. Any system governed by code is subject to bugs, misconfiguration, insider access, or cyber intrusion. This is not speculation; it is a basic principle of cybersecurity.

Many advanced democracies have drawn the obvious conclusion. Across much of Europe, elections are conducted with in-person, same-day voting using hand-marked paper ballots. These systems favor transparency over convenience. Paper ballots are traceable, recountable, and auditable, providing a physical record that software cannot replace.

The conservative reform agenda is modest and clear: proof of citizenship, photo ID, Election Day voting with limited exceptions, paper ballots with routine audits, and an end to mass ballot harvesting that breaks chain of custody. These measures do not restrict lawful voters. They restrict unlawful ballots.

Critics often dismiss these safeguards as solutions in search of a problem. But the problem is evident. Any system that cannot reliably detect and deter cheating will eventually invite it.

Ron Robins

Monument