Bravo to Baltimore’s young Nutcracker performers

I would like to spread the word about a wonderful collaboration between The Baltimore School for the Arts and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Recently, my daughter and I attended a performance of “The Nutcracker: A Magical Tale in Mount Vernon” at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The Nutcracker was danced by extremely talented students who attend BSA.

It was a delight to see the concert hall fill up with young elementary students from Baltimore City and other school systems in Maryland. What a pleasure to have the young audience exposed to talented students who, perhaps, once like them, were able to attend such a performance. While the news on the TV and radio is so often disheartening and Baltimore often finds itself the object of bad publicity, I would like to remind your readers that there is much to be proud of in our city.

Baltimore City Public Schools is to be congratulated on supporting such an amazing institution as the BSA, which not only trains dancers but nourishes all the arts on a first-class level. To be able to have their students dance to the accompaniment of our world-famous orchestra in front of a hall full of young eager elementary students was an enriching experience and a big plus to the city, its school system and its orchestra.

— Joan S. Feldman, Baltimore

City succeeds with speed cameras while state failed with light rail

It was encouraging to have my eyeballs confirmed with the recent report that speed cameras on the Jones Falls Expressway have apprehended enough reckless drivers to the point that citation revenue is down while cutting by nearly half the number of crashes. And that more speed cameras are planned (“Baltimore approves renewal of contract for I-83 speed cameras following decrease in crashes,” Dec. 20). I salute Mayor Brandon Scott for making this investment and am perplexed why revenue-rich Baltimore County does nothing about its similarly deadly Interstate 695-Baltimore Beltway where all drivers are effectively held hostage by thrill seekers 24/7.

This comes on the heels of a letter cajoling Mayor Scott into addressing Baltimore’s myriad difficulties including “transportation.” The mayor can do precious little in the transportation department as he and the city’s residents are beholden to the Maryland Mass Transit Administration and the State Highway Administration.

A perfect illustration of that is the light rail shutdown, which was 100% the fault of the state of Maryland. But what little Mayor Scott’s administration could do to halt the carnage and thrill seekers on Interstate 83 they have done adroitly — and in contrast to Baltimore County.

In a meritocratic world, Baltimore should run and maintain the light rail. Of this I’m sure: They could not do worse than the state of Maryland.

— Paul R. Schlitz Jr., Baltimore

Nothing wrong with small-town pedestrian safety

Recently, The Baltimore Sun published an editorial, “Some Bel Air residents fear their town could turn into Towson. That raises some questions” (Dec. 18). In that editorial questioning opposition to a proposed apartment complex, you make stout arguments to support Towson. Funny and ironic, on the same day you published a letter to the editor from Aerie Treska of Towson, “In Towson, pedestrians are left in grave danger.”

Treska writes about continued dangers to pedestrians from aggressive and careless drivers along York Road and its arteries in Towson. This is a very crowded corridor with schools and nearby college campuses.

Right there is one more reason why Bel Air doesn’t want to be Towson despite you bamboozling Bel Air residents into believing they are wrong in their desire not to become Towson. We want the crowded corridors that plague Towson’s pedestrians to stay out of Bel Air for as long as possible.

— Usha Nellore, Bel Air

Pope takes a small, but welcome, step toward inclusiveness

I read with rapt attention the article, “Priests can bless same-sex couples, Pope says” (Dec. 19). While this decree is very wishy-washy and actually insulting to same-sex couples because they still can’t marry in the Catholic Church, it may be progress.

As an excommunicated priest with the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests, I look at the blessing as a hopeful step and I’m waiting to see what comes next. Will our brother Pope Francis eventually make a bold statement for women’s equality by affirming the ordination of women priests?

Of course, I and many others support marriage for same-sex couples just as much as I want equality for women in the church. My faith tells me that a loving church encompasses inclusiveness in all its facets.

— Janice Sevre-Duszynska, Towson