Save the trees

I have lived in Wilmington for a decade and make my home in the Princess Place neighborhood, which was established in the 1940s. I left for work this morning and returned to see two 75-year-old trees cut down with no warning from the city, and no immediate explanation for their removal.

The same thing has happened on Rhodes Avenue, Chestnut Street and 18th Street, and these are just locations I have noticed on my daily jog through the neighborhood.

Cutting down healthy, old-growth trees cannot be in anyone’s best interest. Our city’s charm depends largely on its old-growth tree aesthetic. Returning from work to discover your neighborhood’s beauty and your own property value has been decreased with no explanation from the government is a misuse of city funds and a failure of local government transparency.

The city has provided the residents of our neighborhood with a flier announcing plans to destroy a 100-year-old live oak in Kennedy Park, citing decay in the trunk. That is despite the fact that the tree has remained unchanged for the 70 years, including the decay in the trunk the city cites as its reason. It would be an absolute crime to remove this old and majestic tree.

It appears that the cutting down of the live oak in front of the Sonic Drive-In on Market Street, and the removal of multiple trees on Kerr Avenue to make way for condos is a disease that has spread to our smaller neighborhoods.

Be careful, Wilmington residents -- the same thing may happen to your neighborhood with no warning the next time you leave for work in the morning.

Mary Long, Wilmington

Police support for McCrory

With the media well into Hillary Clinton and Roy Cooper’s camps, it’s no surprise they don’t want to recognize that all three major law enforcement organizations in North Carolina are backing Gov. Pat McCrory -- the only candidate in the governor race that stands up for them.

Why are those groups not supporting North Carolina’s chief law enforcement officer, Attorney General Cooper?

Look no further than the recent repudiation of Cooper’s lack of action for what happened in Mocksville in 2011. Three police officers turned in their chief for corruption, and in retaliation, were fired shortly after Christmas in 2011. These police officers reached out to Gov. Bev Perdue and Cooper (both Democrats), who, in turn, did little to nothing. These three officers stepped forward to rid the public of a corrupt police chief, and Cooper left the honest police officers hanging out to dry. But back then, Democrats owned the state of North Carolina, and law enforcement was not high on their agenda.

Gov. McCrory has righted many of the past wrongs done to our law-enforcement professionals, although there is still work to be done. Would Roy Cooper support these vital men and women? I think these endorsements give a resounding answer: no!

Dave Miller, Southport

Vote Libertarian

Why I’m voting for Gary Johnson and Bill Weld:

To Donald Trump supporters: I understand that you want a candidate who doesn’t promise everything to everyone worldwide, at the expense of the American taxpayer. I understand that you want a candidate who supports America first, and I understand that you want to stop the likes of Hillary Clinton from getting elected. But Trump is not the right person to lead this fight. An unprecedented number of senior Republican leaders are publicly denouncing that party’s presidential candidate this year. You should too.

To Hillary Clinton supporters: I understand the sentiment that personal welfare should be defended against corporate welfare. Hillary Clinton is not the right champion for that fight. She may want to do good things for the little people, but her focus is on defending her power base. Look at Cattlegate, Travelgate and Filegate to see her pattern of unethical conduct. Her support from big business indicate that nothing has changed.

Voters owe it to our nation to research all candidates thoroughly. If you haven’t yet, look into Johnson/Weld.

C. W. Smith, Wilmington