State of Denial

Dear Editor:

(In response to "For Your Amusement" in the June 10-16 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

Bell's please come back!!! I miss you and still mourn the loss. I will never go back to the Tulsa State Fair and have not driven down 21st between Harvard and Yale since your departure. I sat in the parking lot with my camera and kleenex watching as my beloved Zingo was dismantled.

One of my proudest moments as a parent was the day my three children and I rode the front two seats of Zingo together! What a thrill to share my love for coasters with them, on the first coaster I rode and loved. Such a shame the clickety-clack of the chain, the flash of white lights as you round the first turn at the top and the laughter and squeals of pure delight are gone. Hopefully not for good. Please hurry Bell's. Tulsa needs you.

-Coaster Rider

Dear Editor:

It was almost criminal when the glorious County Board shut down Bell's. The same yahoos shut down the car races in the late 1980s, supposedly to make more money from the horse people. Average attendance at car races 10,000-12,000 per weekend, horse races, when held, average 2,500-3,000 per weekend.

Their claim the neighbors complained of the noise, so what? Who was there first? I'm tired of all the whining about noise -- fairgrounds, airport, highway, I moved here over 40 years ago and found these things before I bought a home. The county board should be investigated by a grand jury to figure why and how they think and react.

-Marsh J.

Remodel Smart

Dear Editor:

(In response to "Green, Silver and Gold" in the June 10-16 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

Good stuff! Thanks for the nice article. I just wanted to reiterate to your readers that home remodeling can be expensive, whether it's "green" remodeling or not. Sometimes it can be demoralizing to hear that certain green homes are so expensive. I chose higher-quality, more expensive products but those on a tight budget don't have to spend zillions on dollars if they stay within their budget. Windows, roofing, insulation and many other items can be very efficient and affordable (green) if you mind your budget.

We spoke to a home mortgage company last week and $250,000 actually turns out to be not as unreasonable as we originally expected, considering it's a brand new house with so many premiums and extras.

So worst case scenario: We'll have a healthy, sustainable home to live in! Hope to see your readers on site over the next five to six weeks for tours of all the fine products from many local manufactures and services providers who helped make this dream a reality. It's been a wonderful ride. This is truly a landmark for Tulsa!

-Chad Burden

We Can't Afford It

Dear Editor:

(In response to "News Updates" in the June 3-9 issue of Urban Tulsa Weekly)

Bartlett is moving to a socialistic society when he proposes a $5 a month utility fee for fire and medical and by saying those who opt out will be charged for it on their insurance. Good Luck!

As if the insurance commission is going to allow a mayor to impose those fees when he has nothing to do with it on that level. I say start collecting the local taxes and fees from the dead-beat citizens of this city and instead of tearing up every street in the city, (that doesn't need to be fixed) put that money toward the people who work to protect us.

Oh, and if our so-called city officials would quit misappropriating funds, building ball parks that we can't win a game in, "space domes" aka BOK Center, that were to create revenue to help our city (hey, what happened to that, if it's doing so well?) taking funds to move the mayor's office because the new building has more "stature" and living on our money, maybe we could! God! Do I need to go on?

While our officials drive expensive cars, live in expensive houses, attend fancy benefit dinners and eat fine meals regularly, they leave us, the people who can't qualify for help because our $30,000 jobs making us too much money and make too little to pay our bills, to pick up the slack! We keep paying for the poor or the incompetent and lining the bureaucrats pockets ... When does it end?!

-Lorinda Bailey