Dear Editor,

A few years ago, my cousin and I were riding a scooter in our neighborhood when a vicious pack of dogs started chasing us. They were strays that do nothing but roam around causing trouble.

Also, every night around 2 a.m., I am on my way home from work. I have to drive below the speed limit and with my bright lights on to avoid the many stray cats and dogs in and around my neighborhood.

It has gotten to the point that when I let my dog out at night, I have to stand on my porch and watch him to ensure he isn&8217;t attacked from stray dogs.

Also, my grandfather, who lives in my neighborhood too, has found more than 20 black cats living underneath his house. This is strange considering he&8217;s never owned a cat.

The two of us have lived in Montevallo nearly all our lives, so I guess by now we could be considered experts in spotting and getting rid of strays.

These animals do not deserve to die, but something must be done.

As a rapidly expanding city, there must be a way to appropriate funds for animal control. This problem can do nothing but worsen without city, county, state or even federal intervention.

I work on Main Street in Montevallo and nearly every day I see someone walking a dog with no leash. On the city of Montevallo homepage, it says, &8220;An unleashed dog shall be arrested.&8221; Yet, I have not seen one dog in handcuffs.

Unleashed dogs and strays are similar, but still two totally different subjects, but for animal control there must be a starting point.

If a dog is truly &8220;man&8217;s best friend,&8221; should we not try to make the lives of all dogs as pleasant as possible? In Montevallo, I hope we can eventually figure out a way to make our streets safe for both animals and humans alike.

Queshawn Young

Montevallo

Smoke-free workplace law should be passed

Dear Editor,

As the 2008 legislature gets underway, I would like to ask elected officials to support a statewide smoke-free law for Alabama.

As an advocate for tobacco prevention, education and legislation, I have had countless opportunities to speak to schools, churches and communities about the importance of having our state becoming smoke-free.

Secondhand smoke is the third most preventable cause of death in the United States. In Alabama alone, the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids estimates that secondhand smoke is the cause of between 970 and 1720 deaths.

There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand smoke, while even brief exposure can cause immediate harm. Secondhand smoke is more than a nuisance it&8217;s a killer, taking thousands of lives each year.

I hope Rep. Mary McClurkin and Sen. J.T. Waggoner will support a smoke-free workplace law. Saving lives is not a political issue, it is a public health issue and our government has a responsibility to create a healthy, level playing field where employees are protected from secondhand smoke.

Katie Boyd

Pelham

Construction a major problem along 119

Dear Editor,

There are a vast number of citizens who travel the stretch of Highway 119 and Highway 31 from Alabaster to Main Street in Montevallo. On this stretch of road, construction of new homes and businesses is causing severe traffic problems.

For citizens that live and travel along this stretch of road, it is becoming what some call, a traffic nightmare.

Trucks entering and leaving the roadway, going into and out from construction sites are backing up traffic. Traffic is also often getting cut down to one lane to meet the needs of construction, while sacrificing the needs of common travelers.

Personally, the best way I see to fix this problem is to do construction during the off-peak hours of traffic. Doing the work during the midday and at night is an easy and compromising way to keep traffic flowing and to get the job done.

Matt Denaburg

Alabaster