Why must everything in Baltimore have a direct or immediate (versus indirect) monetary result? My wife and I recently spent several days in Manhattan. In addition to Broadway shows, we had a wonderful time visiting Central Park, a significant New York City attraction available free of charge. This attracts visitors who support local businesses. Imagine the value of this property located in the midst of skyscrapers. Baltimore would love to develop this! Why must we have additional office space. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m under the impression current office space is underutilized. Not only that, but I’m sure downtown hotels would enjoy the increase in traffic. I recently read a significant hotel near Camden Yards is losing money.

Why not make the entire region, including the Inner Harbor, Baltimore’s Central Park? Imagine dining in Little Italy or other local restaurants, walking across the pedestrian bridge for a concert, then a visit to the aquarium, a walk through Baltimore’s Inner Harbor park (without an obstructed view), culminating with a visit to the Maryland Science Center. By now we’re hungry again and looking for a restaurant near Federal Hill. After a hotel stay, a visit to Fort McHenry is ideal for day two.

This is the golden opportunity Baltimore would waste simply for the sake of a direct and immediate monetary result. A gorgeous park-like setting with multiple attractions would put Baltimore back on the map long-term while bolstering local business. If developed as proposed, would I want to visit and spend my money? No.

— Richard Piniecki, Perry Hall

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In 2020, Harris supported a ban on plastic straws. She now says if you like your plastic straws, you can keep them! I am so overwhelmed with joy.

— Michael Ernest, Catonsville

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Raising land-based salmon using Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) has proven to be far less predictable and profitable than initially projected. Atlantic Sapphire, the largest such operation in the world, lost $56 for every pound of salmon (sold at less than $5 a pound) they produced on their main farm in Florida in 2020. System failures and operational errors resulted in multiple and complete die-offs of its salmon in 2021 and 2022. RAS are highly complex and costly to maintain, requiring constant monitoring of water filtration, oxygenation, and many other factors needed to raise fish on land. When a company experiences pressures on its financial performance, it starts cutting corners on sustainability initiatives.

I am also concerned about how AquaCon will dispose of its waste product beyond selling it as ingredients in nutritional supplements and pet foods, according to its website. The amount of waste that results from salmon farms is considerable.

For example, Chile, which has a population of more than 19 million people, must resolve the daily amount of nitrogen released by its salmon farms, an amount akin to the waste of 9 million people.

I reject the corporate-controlled, industrial model of salmon land farms for these reasons. It prioritizes profit over the ecological health of people and wildlife. AquaCon will be no different.

— Sue Mi Ko, Gaithersburg

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She is not trying to bring people together; instead, she seeks to further divide. She appears to be short on experience and policies to help our state and long on party loyalty. Her focus on driving fear is not an attractive future for Maryland

— J. Matthew McGlone, Towson

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Maybe you could get one of the Baltimore-based law schools to develop a matrix to evaluate candidates. Then voters could decide on the best candidates. Seems to me that this is an action a responsible newspaper would undertake.

— John Berwind, Baltimore

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He is wrong simply because this diminishes political participation for a Black community in Baltimore that had for far too long been denied — and then organized to utilize — their rights. When you take something away from people, as has recently been done to women on reproductive rights, you diminish basic freedoms promised by our democracy. That divides and not unites us.

I hope Patterson and his sponsor David Smith, The Baltimore Sun’s principal owner, recalibrate their civic advocacy to advance and not restrict the rights of all Baltimoreans.

— Stan Heuisler, Baltimore

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When nothing was done to change America’s gun laws after 20 children, just 6 and 7 years old, and six adults were murdered at Sandy Hook in 2012, it was crystal clear that America has chosen guns over their children. So stop with the vigils and the praying and the hand wringing. The hypocrisy is astonishing if you aren’t also working to get military weapons out of civilian hands.

— N.L. Bruggman, Jarrettsville

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Offshore wind is an energy source, but it is not a reliable capacity source; its production drops to zero for hundreds of hours per year. The inevitable consequence of Maryland policy is long-term electricity shortages that will extend well beyond the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region, eventually leading to a national electric power emergency.

The damage is already done. As evidenced by Brandon Shores, reversing it will be both difficult and costly. The most effective solution we see is for the U.S. military to take charge and rapidly build numerous nuclear plants as quickly as possible on federal land.

— Alex Pavlak, Severna Park

The writer, an engineer, is chair of the Future of Energy Initiative which advocates for the development of sustainable, clean energy systems.

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The Maryland Department of the Environment should also be acknowledged for prioritizing child health and taking prompt action to address this issue in school drinking water years ahead of the 2027 requirement in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s April regulations. Unfortunately, bottled water is not currently covered by these regulations. As your editorial stated, 36 of 101 brands had per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances detected in a 2021 Johns Hopkins study and a safe supply of bottled water will be needed until affected drinking water sources have been remediated.

Fortunately, technologies exist that can remove PFAS from drinking water through reverse osmosis filters, granular activated carbon and ion exchange systems. President Joe Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure law dedicated $9 billion specifically for PFAS pollution and another $12 billion for general drinking water improvements, funds that will go a long way toward the cost of assuring safe water supplies.

One PFAS source not mentioned in your editorial is the use of pesticides on crops and for mosquito control. Over 1,000 of the 14,000 pesticides approved in Maryland contain an active ingredient included on EPA’s list of PFAS chemicals. These pesticides add to the PFAS burden that may already be present from contaminated biosolid fertilizer or irrigation water. Maryland’s legislature will have the opportunity to ban these pesticides in the 2025 legislative session and eliminate additional PFAS contamination.

It is crucial to continue this work begun by EPA and MDE for our health and our children’s health. This November, we have the opportunity to be part of the solution by electing candidates who are committed to clean water and rejecting those who promise to do away with environmental regulations. We can’t afford to retreat from efforts to eliminate PFAS contamination in our food and drinking water.

— Michael Ichniowski, M.D., Timonium

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The flap over whether Gov. Wes Moore was awarded the Bronze Star seems like political opportunism, at best. In Vietnam, I and, to my knowledge, almost every officer who performed his duties satisfactorily was awarded the Bronze Star. If this policy changed, I was never aware of the change.

Moore’s explanation strikes me as entirely probable. Administrative screwups are as prevalent in the military as anywhere else, perhaps more so. The paperwork frequently does not catch up with the intentions of an individual or command.

Let’s give Moore a break on this one and continue to monitor his actual performance in office.

— Thomas K. Farley, Lutherville

Fair to question Moore’s honesty

I have not heard anyone questioning Gov. Wes Moore’s military service. What many are questioning is his honesty.

Let’s look back at a few things. Moore said in his book that he grew up in Baltimore, which was not true. (He was born in Takoma Park.) Then, a few weeks ago, he said that he met with President Joe Biden, and he was vibrant and was supporting him in the upcoming election. Now, it’s about the Bronze Star. Do you see a pattern?

I wonder if this same praise would be coming from the editorial board if Moore’s name was JD Vance. I bet not.

Moore is nothing more than a media hound, and he will cost the taxpayers of this state along with the Democrats in Annapolis. It has already happened with the so-called user fees.

— Martin Sadowski, Fallston

Moore lied, but he didn’t hide from combat

Ronald Wirsing of Havre De Grace in his recent letter called for Gov. Wes Moore to resign for embellishing his military service record with the lie that he was awarded the Bronze Star. I would agree with him if he had brought balance to that letter by also asking Donald Trump to resign from his candidacy for spouting countless lies to harm and impugn people — many of whom do not even know him — or for escaping the draft during the Vietnam War by giving a morally bankrupt excuse that he has bone spurs in his feet.

Sadly, it was not enough that Moore served. He self-aggrandized because he thought it would be more impressive if he claimed he was awarded the Bronze Star for his service and if he stayed silent when the award came up in interviews and conversations.

But let’s face it: Trump avoided service when he was required to serve, during the draft. He was not a conscientious objector against the war in Vietnam and in my opinion, he was an unconscionable liar about his bone spurs.

Let us not diminish the valor of those who serve, even as we chastise them for their stories of stolen valor. Being exposed as a liar is enough punishment and we should refrain from recommending them for further punitive damage.

— Usha Nellore, Bel Air

Moore explained away his misconduct

Dovey Kahn is one of the most prolific contributors to the Sun’s letters column. Full disclosure — she is also my cousin. Her recent comment on Gov. Wes Moore’s false claim to have received the Bronze Star is remarkably incisive, even by Dovey’s high standards. She brought all of her eloquence to bear on Mr. Moore’s tortured attempts to explain away his unwillingness to acknowledge his misconduct. Try to imagine how awful the governor’s lack of remorse was for the widow of Billy Kahn — a World War II and Korean War veteran and a bona fide Bronze Star recipient. Thank you, Dovey. Keep your light shining brightly!

— Benjamin Rosenberg, Baltimore

Media should’ve exposed Moore sooner

Gov. Wes Moore reporting that he had received the Bronze Star when he had never actually been notified of it or received it is just one more failure of the media.

Instead of driving the candidates to be candid and truthful, the media actually helps the candidates distort their backgrounds and records. Then they rationalize it, as the whole truth doesn’t seem to matter anymore.

The public should be able to depend on reporters and the media to report facts and the truth.  Instead, they just help our elected officials withhold, distort and misinform the public.

— Craig R. Baader, New Bern, North Carolina

Moore flap exposes GOP hypocrisy

It’s a sad case for those Trump believers who have supported his constant lies. Yes, the Maryland Gov. Wes Moore did falsely claim a Bronze Star for his military service. But those who focus on Moore and Tim Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential running mate, who served for 24 years while overlooking Donald Trump’s lies are hypocrites.

— Art Shefrin, Pikesville