Welcome to Texas, Californians

Re: “Pot laws on more ballots — Voting rights also among 120 proposals, amendments facing voters in 32 states,” Wednesday news story.

In case anyone is still wondering why California companies are leaving there in droves, did you notice this article that mentions California had a tax proposal on its ballot for guess what — higher taxes on California businesses. Welcome to Texas. And, remember why you came here when you next vote.

Jane Aitchison, Richardson

Let counties protect residents

Re: “Paxton sues to cancel virus order — AG says county judge ran afoul of Abbott with shutdown edict,” Saturday news story.

This move by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to oppose El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego’s order is a blatant attempt to appease the far-right extremists who conflate selfishness, recklessness and arrogance with freedom. And make no mistake, Gov. Greg Abbott’s order is the root cause and he is ultimately responsible.

My heart goes out to the people of El Paso County and their health care workers who are now under the siege of this virus. Of course, a simple check of infection and hospitalization rates across the state will tell you that many Texans could soon face the same predicament.

I urge all residents of El Paso to follow their county judge’s orders. Keep to essential activities. Bring the infection rate down. The rest of us should be doing the same, to avoid the same result.

Abbott should at least allow the counties to make their own orders to protect their own residents. That won’t help those of us in “freedom-loving” counties like Collin, but it would be a start.

Abbott and Paxton are not on the ballot this year, but 2022 will come and the people of Texas will not forget the poor judgment and lack of concern they have shown throughout this crisis.

John Quinn, Prosper

Construction sites are safe

Re: “Construction workers hit hard by virus — UT study builds a case for why COVID-19 strikes sites excessively,” Saturday Metro & Business story.

Reporter Dom DiFurio’s article gives readers a mistaken impression of the key findings of a new study by the University of Texas. The fact some construction workers in Austin are more likely to test positive for the coronavirus than other workers has little to do with workplace safety procedures and a great deal to do with factors outside of the job site.

The University of Texas researchers were careful to note that most construction workers in Austin are Hispanic and many live in close quarters with one another, making virus spread easy during non-work hours. Living conditions among Austin’s construction community were the main reason that the interim director of the Austin-Travis County Health Authority reported in August growing evidence that the majority of construction workers who tested positive contracted the virus from social activities, and not while at work.

Had the reporter paid closer attention to the study itself, instead of one special interest group’s interpretation of it, he would have correctly reported that the construction industry is doing its part to protect workers from the spread of the coronavirus while it performs essential economic activities.

Brian Turmail, Washington, D.C.

Vice president,

Associated General Contractors of America

Physician’s AIDS work inspiring

Re: “Physician put spotlight on emerging AIDS crisis,” Monday obituary.

Thank you for sharing the story of Dr. Joyce Wallace. She was a true hero treating prostitutes and gay men with AIDS in the early 1980s when many physicians were afraid to treat possible cases. Her calling to help others is truly inspiring.

In 1996, retroviral drugs were approved for use in this country and people were no longer dying of AIDS. Yet it took seven more years before the world decided to help those suffering in low-income countries. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was founded in 2002 to raise, manage and invest the world’s money to respond to three of the deadliest infectious diseases the world has ever known. The Global Fund has saved 38 million lives.

We cannot let the COVID-19 crisis follow this same historical pattern. Treatments and vaccines need to be shared across the globe. Before the year is over Congress must pass another relief bill, and it must include $20 billion in foreign aid for health and humanitarian efforts. It must include money for the Global Fund; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; and for global hunger and nutrition programs. Urge Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz to pass a Senate bill now.

Margaret Smith, Dallas/Turtle Creek

Play ball, not analytics

Re: “Tampa Bay skipper gets crunched by numbers — Cash creates analytics horror story by pulling Snell in sixth inning,” by Kevin Sherrington, Oct. 29 SportsDay column.

As an old-school baseball fan (with the emphasis on old), I say enough with analytics. I’m sick of hearing about launch angle and exit velocity, and seeing starting pitchers removed from games they are winning while pitching their hearts out, simply because the numbers say they shouldn’t face the opposing lineup more than twice. I would like to see a complete game pitched occasionally and a 20-game winner. Instead of every batter either striking out or hitting a home run because they’re swinging for the fences, I would like to see more balls put in play. And I’m not a big fan of the constant shifting of infielders and outfielders based on spray charts and past performance data. Unlike the analytic proponents, I still think it’s an accomplishment to hit .300.

It seems to me that a mindless adherence to analytics can take the heart, emotion and enjoyment out of the game, and turn managers into nothing more than chess players.

Charles Binford, Plano