Are you a COVID lover?

White House warns on COVID variants, pushes boosters | July 13

Variants need hosts. And we are welcoming, with open arms and wide-open doors, the most contagious variant of COVID-19 — 29 months after we all said we were in this together. Yet masks and other prevention in the Tampa Bay area are missing in action. If you are sick of this — as I am — and yet you are walking around in closed spaces with no mask, you are a potential host for the next variant. You could very well be prolonging this for another 29 months, maybe more. You could be the host for the next variant. You, without a mask, are what I call a COVID lover — even if you say you are sick of this pandemic and the necessary public health restrictions.

Brad Rosenheim, St. Petersburg

We’ll win in court

Tarpon Springs commission puts Anclote apartment project on hold | June 30

The Concerned Citizens of Tarpon Springs continues to battle what we believe is the Morgan Group’s folly of a project to put a 400-plus apartment complex on this precious land along the Anclote River. This land is home to eagles, gopher tortoises, wading and migratory birds as well as being the ancestral home of Native Americans. This land is located in a Coastal High Hazard Area, where state and local rules highly discourage the placement of residential units. In addition to these reasons for not building here and putting residents in harm’s way, the traffic nightmare this project will create is enormous.

We believe we have solid grounds for our case to succeed in our court battle. Once we have won there, we are anticipating that this project will be remanded back to the Tarpon Springs City Commission for a new review of the project revised based on the court’s recommendations.

Peter Dalacos, Tarpon Springs

The writer is president of Concerned Citizens of Tarpon Springs, also known as Friends of the Anclote River.

Counting to 2

Driver: Fetus counts in carpool lane | July 10

A pregnant person drives in the HOV lane, which requires at least two passengers. The cop sees just one, but the person claims two based on the fetus in her body. Okay. So when attending a movie or Bucs game, how many tickets should this pregnant person buy? One adult and one child? What about booking a cruise ship cabin? Yes, only one bed but eating for two at the buffet. How many life jackets? Oh, what if occupancy is limited in an establishment?

Tony Leisner, Tarpon Springs