Letters: Faze out leaded fuel; help reduce global temperature; support Logan's cafe; a proud moment for CU

Regarding the Boulder Municipal Airport (BDU), I have always been a supporter of general aviation. However, this publicly-owned airport is not aligned with the values of the Boulder community due to its allowance of leaded fuel and lack of support for the arts and bikeways.

Previous letters have addressed the use of leaded fuel at BDU, which inarguably results in neurotoxic lead being dispersed into our community’s atmosphere. The general aviation industry has offered vague aspirational statements but no hard timeline for the phase-out of leaded fuel. As a reminder, leaded automobile fuel was phased-out in the 1970s and even NASCAR stopped using leaded fuel in 2007.

Second, BDU blocked construction of a multi-use bike trail between 61st Street and the airport business park because the trail would have crossed an emergency landing zone. What are the odds that an aircraft makes an emergency landing onto a cyclist on a seldom-used trail? I’ve lived here for 28 years and cannot recall a single incident in this space. Contrast this position to that of any big city airport, like LAX or O’Hare, where large commercial aircraft routinely fly above crowded highways and neighborhoods.

Further, during the summer of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, the Boulder International Film Festival (BIFF) hosted Saturday night, family-friendly, drive-in movies in the vacant field between Airport Blvd and the hangers. This was an extremely successful and popular event, with all but two nights selling out. BIFF wanted to repeat the drive-in movies during the summer of 2021 but was shut down for no good reason.

Enabling air pollution while rejecting bikeways and family-friendly arts events are not Boulder values. I would like BDU to remain in operation while also committing to a phase-out of leaded fuel and support for the arts and bikeways.

Joe Lanzoni, Boulder

August 6 was the anniversary of the most lethal single human act, when the U.S. government dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. What better time for every one of us to take a small step to reduce our global temperature. Ride a bike to work. Walk to the store. Eat a plant-based alternative to meat. Share air conditioning over a card game with the neighbors (while they turn their AC off). Plant a tree. The list is endless.

Randall Weiner, Boulder

Logan’s Espresso Cafe in North Boulder is losing its lease after twenty-one years. Logan’s has been a community gathering place and the heart of the neighborhood. No clear reason for this has been given by the landlord, John Conis. Over 2,000 signatures on a petition to let the landlord know what Logan’s means to the customers, staff and Logan have been gathered. Please sign the petition on Logan’s door or contact the landlord to let him know how you feel.

Jan Beezley, Boulder

Yet another proud moment for CU. On August 1, Donald Trump was indicted for his role in the January 6 attempt to overturn the election. His defense team has already revealed its strategy: Donald Trump was not trying to commit any crime, he was simply following the advice of his legal advisor John Eastman, former professor of conservative thought at CU.

Michael Shea, Boulder

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