Lebanon’s parking situation is getting grim

What is Lebanon thinking in planning events in town? They want lots of events, but they keep taking away more and more places for people to park to go to these events.

They blocked a main road by Three Tomatoes for their outdoor dining, which was OK during COVID, but that’s over with. We rarely see anyone using that tent, because that restaurant already had an outdoor seating area. How much do they need?

They have taken away about 10 spaces for Salt hill Pub’s dining tent, then three or four spaces for each of the now three food trucks. The latest one is right at a busy intersection: really dangerous. These trucks could park in the big lot down by the river and still be accessible.

The parking lot on the Village Pizza side lost several parking places with that worthless dome they but in over the tunnel. The parking lot behind Mascoma Bank has four handicap spaces that really aren’t very useful to get anywhere from back there for anyone who’s handicapped.

Now that the farmers market has started up, oh no, where to park? You’re lucky to find a place if you want to go to the Chinese buffet, since their parking is used by people going other places.

Lebanon needs more parking!

Robert C. DePetrillo

Lebanon

Trail sees few cyclists

We are writing to correct an error in a recent article about Tunbridge’s legal trails (“State’s top court to hear trail arguments”; May 28). The story refers to Orchard Trail as “favored by bicyclists” and again as a “popular cycling thoroughfare.” We have lived on Orchard Road for 60 years and have hardly ever seen a bicycle come down the road; in most years, not a single one, in others perhaps a handful. So clearly it has not been a cycling thoroughfare.

Of course, Orchard Road, which runs about three quarters of a mile from the paved Strafford Road to the Dodge farm is a public road and can be used by cars, bicycles, horseback riders and walkers. In fact, it has been used almost exclusively by walkers and riders. Hardly a day goes by without seeing walkers and often horseback riders come down the road. Perhaps if the trail beyond the Dodge farm were cleared of fallen trees, it would be used by many cyclists after it has dried out sufficiently, but that would be regrettable, since fast-moving bikes would be a hazard for joggers and walkers meandering down the road, enjoying the peace, the views and the occasional sighting of a fox or mink.

Herbert and Mel Goertz

Tunbridge

Time for a cease-fire

I read the daily Valley News reports about the war in Gaza. “Tragic mishaps” keep occurring, with the World Central Kitchen workers in their labeled trucks, the civilians desperate for food aid fired upon, the Rafah assault leading to daily hits on women and children who are in areas not ordered by the Israeli military to be evacuated. On and on it goes, with pleas for restraint being made by all of Israel’s allies that fall on deaf ears. There is no plan for an aftermath, just ongoing genocide while we all witness in disbelief.

The daily reports lose their sting as our hearts grow cold and daily life picks up. An estimated 36,000 people killed, the majority women and children. The West Bank in chaos, lawless settler violence against Palestinian civilians, and massive arrests of Palestinian civilians.

It feels wrong to get used to the horrors of war. But how to respond to the ongoing nightmare? How can human beings continue to be so cruel to one another? If we spent half of the energy that we spend on war on being peaceful and working on restorative justice, we could make this world a thriving, safe, and prosperous garden for all. It is time for those responsible for this madness to seek another way, starting with a cease-fire.

Richard Morse

Plainfield