Letters: Readers discuss jail overcrowding, RideKC campaigns and nurse staffing
Jail overcrowding
Your editorial about jail overcrowding was on target. (July 5, 12A, “Jackson County needs to bear down on jail overcrowding”
Political leadership in the Missouri legislature, the governor’s office and those elected to offices in Jackson County ought to pay more attention.
Missouri remains one of the few states without mandatory state jail inspection and mandated training for jail officers. Shame on the governor and the Missouri legislature for their inability to get these items enacted into law.
Jackson County politicians appear to give the jail low priority. Part of this stems from an uneducated public that refuses to confront the jail issue.
The editorial ends with a call for broader use of house arrest, work-release and pretrial supervision programs. I would also stress the need to work on diverting many of the mentally ill into community-based programs instead of locking them up at an exorbitant cost to Jackson County taxpayers.
Ken Kerle
Topeka
RideKC campaign
The RideKC organization continues its misinformation campaign in an effort to justify cost-cutting measures disguised as service improvements. (July 3, 2A, “Main Street MAX considers move to Grand Boulevard”)
The most recent article regarding the Main Street MAX changes states “service on Wyandotte between 16th and 12th streets would be eliminated” and also states that “there are few to no daily boardings currently occurring near the Kansas City Convention Center on Wyandotte.”
Although the Main Street MAX is my backup route, I have never been on a morning northbound route when there weren’t a good number of riders disembarking at the Convention Center stop at 12th and Wyandotte. And on the southbound route, there are always others waiting to board no matter what time I get there.
The only other route that services the west side of downtown Kansas City — the 51 Express — is being eliminated under the new plan. Eliminating the Wyandotte route on the MAX effectively eliminates all west-side bus service from the south side of the city.
There are four new, large apartment buildings on the west side. I guess nobody thinks the residents will have any interest in bus service to the south. Oh, wait, there’s the streetcar to Union Station.
Mary Lou Kaufmann
Leawood
Speed limits
Very large dump trucks, 18-wheelers and tour buses use city streets at the fully allowable speed limits or, it seems, somewhat in excess. If they are within legal limits or not, their size and weight make them lethal weapons.
I do not think it unreasonable for these vehicles, which must have a significant stopping distance, to be restricted to at least 10 mph under the posted speed limit for passenger cars and delivery trucks.
I am very anxious when one of these behemoths races by on 35 mph residential streets.
In spite of fervent opposition from the operators, public safety must be the primary concern.
Steve Sherry
Kansas City
Nurse staffing
I am writing with concern about the staffing of nurses in Kansas City area hospitals.
According to the American Nurses Association, two of five nurses say their hospital units are understaffed. About three-quarters of nurses work 12-hour shifts, and a reported 43 percent are working overtime.
With understaffing consistently occurring, nurses are not receiving breaks and therefore are potentially putting patients at risk of not receiving the best quality of care and leading to increased nurse burn out.
I routinely see myself and fellow nurse colleagues fill out missed lunches on our time logs and not even receive a 30-minute break in a 12-hour shift.
As a nurse practitioner student, I consider the future health of our community’s hospitals and their patrons of great importance. I hope that Kansas City can come together as a community and shine light on an important situation in our community’s hospitals.
Taylor Joseph,
R.N.-BSN
Kansas City
Health care
They need to come up with a bill to protect all Americans, not give tax cuts to the rich.
Larry Paul
Kansas City, Kan.
Fireworks vs. guns
Can someone tell me why it’s illegal in some cities in Missouri to shoot fireworks, but in the entire state it is now legal for anyone to carry a concealed firearm? I just don’t understand it.
Fireworks bring families together while guns tear families apart.
Toni Ealy-Jones
Kansas City
This story was originally published July 9, 2017 at 3:00 PM with the headline "Letters: Readers discuss jail overcrowding, RideKC campaigns and nurse staffing."