In regard to Allen Phipps’ recent letter about getting towed (CHN, July 11), I understand how he feels. Would it be better to put a $50 ticket on his car and not have to go through the inconvenience of retrieving his car? It is a shame to be that mean spirited.

Helen Jooss

Chapel Hill

Little cooperation

It’s the business owners in Chapel Hill who have arrangements with the towing companies. These same business owners then turn around and complain that the downtown isn’t as vibrant as other downtown areas and blame it on their tax rates.

Without a spirit of cooperation between the owners of parking lots and a concerted effort to work together to attract customers, fewer and fewer people will be willing to spend money downtown.

Jenny Cook

Via newsobserver.com

Price fixing wrong

Price fixing was a popular tool of Wilson, Mussolini and the National Socialist German Workers’ Party.

It’s interesting that Chapel Hill chose to utilize this method regarding towing companies.

If everyone would simply park where they are supposed to it would drive ol’ George out of business – or certainly impair it – with out resorting to fascist “unconstitutional” (key word) tactics.

Chris Weaver

Via newsobserver.com

Editor’s note: The writer is a Republican candidate for District 2 on the Orange County Board of Commissioners.

Rural firefighters

There is no greater symbol of community than rural volunteer fire departments.

I recently visited the opening of the new Orange Grove Substation. The substation was built to cut the response time for those living in the eastern part of this rural Orange Fire District. This is important, not only to save lives and structures, but also to lower the insurance rates to homes in the service area.

Eight volunteers, who live close by, will serve the station. Volunteer firefighters give a great deal, because they are required to take extensive and continuing training in addition to being on call and staffing the stations on their own time.

Volunteer fire departments are supported by some state funds, a fire district tax, and the traditional fish fries, the signs for which dot our landscape. This substation is even more emblematic of community because the land is leased at a nominal cost from our super-citizens, Chris and Bob Nutter and a local contractor, Allen Knight, donated his services.

Sen. Ellie Kinnaird

Chapel Hill