Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to [email protected]. Thanks for your patience.

Dear Editor,
    I am a boy scout and I do many creek/trail cleanups along Shoal Creek and others, for not only service hours, but also to make Austin cleaner! I have observed that many of the pieces of trash are dog related items including tennis balls, dog toys and many others. But what I see much, much more of is dog poop, in bags and not.
    I am disgusted by this not only because it is nasty but also because the people that do this clearly know that it is not at all sanitary or quickly biodegradable and they still don't pick it up. My scoutmaster is a park ranger and he has caught plenty of people red handed letting their dog poop in a park and not pick it up in the middle of the path. He hears excuses like "I'll pick it up later." and "It is biodegradable." although they are both false.
    It is not the dogs fault that this is happening; it is the owners responsibility for them to pick up after their dog and throw away the poop. Maybe even publish a very short article on how to properly pick up dog poop without the nasty smell of dog poop lingering in the air. Like maybe double bag the poop for more protection against the bag bursting and the smell exploding from the bag. I am asking for one thing: that you inform people of their civic duty (picking up dog poop) to not make the city smell and look bad without having to take away dogs.

Dear Editor,
    Each year, right after spring break, the Underage Drinking Prevention Program (UDPP) begins work on the Safe and Sober Prom/Graduation Campaign. While the safety messages are geared toward students, the frontline folks best positioned to kick start a safe celebration are the adults: the parents and guardians of high school seniors who hold the key for a memorable alcohol and drug free celebration.
    Prom/graduation season is approaching with its accompanying perils of underage drinking and driving. As we move back to the larger, in-person celebrations we are most familiar with, it’s time to upgrade our party traditions, and make sure they do not include alcohol. Parents need honest communication with their teens regarding the legal and social consequences of underage drinking, as well as knowing who their teens are with and what their plans are. This encourages a safe time for all. These are positive steps in reducing underage alcohol use in our community.
    Teens attending private parties often serve as a breeding ground for alcohol-related injuries and car crashes, especially with new drivers. Studies show 60% of parents think their teens would get alcohol from a friend or peer on special occasions such as prom/graduation.
    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports 1 in 3 alcohol related teen traffic fatalities occur during the April-June prom/graduation season.
    Please take the time to talk to your teens about the legal and social consequences of underage drinking. With your help, we can create a community consensus that underage drinking is illegal, unhealthy, and unacceptable.

To Jasmine Lane,
    Thank you so very much for the wonderful article you kindly wrote about my 25th anniversary with the Austin Symphony Orchestra. [“An Ode to 25 Years of Joy With Peter Bay,” Daily Arts, March 31] It has been an honor to be able to work with the extraordinary musicians, staff, and board of the ASO all this time, and to have had an evening such as we had to support the organization was exhilarating and very meaningful.
    I will always appreciate and remember your kind words.

Dear Red,
    I read your article with joy. [“Heavy Lifting: The Hammond Organ Has a Special Place in Austin … I Should Know,” Music, April 1] But I have to take exception with the statement that no other instrument has all extremities involved at the same time. The pedal steel guitar has all extremities involved at same time. By the way the pedal steel community has debates over footwear as well as finger picks and steel bars; what do you wear on your feet?

Dear Editor,
    As a regular reader of The Austin Chronicle, I have had the pleasure of reading the opinion article titled “We Have Faith. Now We Need Clean Air.” [Feb 11] Faith has the ability to unite people for a cause or belief, but this power means little when little is done for change. The need for action is stronger now than ever before, as information collected in our very own state has revealed to us. Methane is the unglamorous climate killer. Compared to CO2, methane gets much less coverage in the media, leading to ignorance of its danger. This may be because it is a primary byproduct of fossil fuel use in powering homes and fueling cars. But as the article notes, methane is much more harmful than CO2 in its short lifespan in the atmosphere and causes serious health defects, including Alzheimer's and diabetes, to those who live near sites of its emission. The amount of natural gas wasted in the Permian Basin through common oil industry practices like flaring and venting surprised me when I read about it. The gas wasted is enough to power 2 million homes. That is more than enough to provide energy to twice the population of Austin. What the climate needs is change. Though what is necessary to preserve life throughout the Earth seems like a lot, sustainability begins with efficient usage of what we have already. If oil companies are not willing to facilitate a transition to cleaner energy, they should at least be held to a higher standard of efficiency. New ideas and old, we all share this planet.

Dear Editor,
    I would like to see an honest and in-depth article on how Austin’s skyrocketing property values during COVID (thus rent and taxes) has affected people this city. How many were laid off during COVID, how many got jobs back (and at what level), how many have/will be evicted from housing or had to sell and move because they can no longer afford to live here. Has the homeless population increased due to all of this? How many pets have been surrendered to shelters in the last year? How many small local businesses have closed? How many acres of Hill Country have been paved over for new development? Related, what is the percentage of investors buying up single family home inventory in Austin in the last couple of years?
    Yes, Austin is growing by leaps and bounds but at what cost?