Readers write

David Scott: A rare public servant who focused on solutions

It was my privilege to serve as a colleague with Congressman David Scott for six years in the Georgia State Senate and 12-plus years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was a wonderfully gracious person and I shall miss him in our body politic.

David was always kind and open to working together on solving big problems, particularly the challenges of Grady Hospital when we were both in the Senate. He had a special warm sense of humor and a constant twinkle in his eye that disarmed all.

Congressman Scott’s faith was truly an integral part of his being. His dog-eared Bible was never far from hand and I shall fondly remember him poring over Scripture in various settings, including when I happened to see him recently at the airport.

His focus on solutions helped make him one of those now-rare public servants who knew that bipartisanship and compromise were not dirty words or forbidden. He and Alfredia were devoted to each other and their mission and were a powerful force for positive action. I shall miss him.

Rest in peace, dear friend.

TOM PRICE M.D., FORMER GEORGIA STATE SENATOR, U.S. CONGRESSMAN

Country music concert disrupts UGA exam week

Re: “At the University of Georgia, Sanford Stadium is getting a big side hustle,” AJC.

Georgia taxpayers should know that a commercial concert scheduled for Sanford Stadium on Saturday disrupted exam week at the University of Georgia.

For a whole day, students and faculty would not be able to park in the parking spaces they had paid for, students who live in dorms would have to move their cars to the edge of the campus and others couldn’t park at all.

This is the weekend before final exams, and, unlike football games, the restrictions for this concert weren’t announced until just this past week. Students are finishing projects and papers. Scientists are running experiments. But a country music concert is apparently so important that it can stop all that for a whole day.

What is the hidden cost? What message does this send about our university’s priorities?

MICHAEL A. COVINGTON, ATHENS

UGA SENIOR RESEARCH SCIENTIST EMERITUS, INSTITUTE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Love the Earth. Go native with plants and pets.

This year, with Earth Day and Arbor Day back-to-back in the same week, more folks may consider planting a tree or another plant in honor of both days. But if so, consider only native trees and plants.

Planting non-native trees, plants and shrubs all too often introduces diseases that live within the tissues of the tree or plant, which can then spread far and wide to our native vegetation. Instead, make a point of only planting native trees and plants. Besides this, because they are adapted to this area, native trees and plants also handle drought years better than non-native ones do.

When it comes to pets, the same plan holds. It is much better not to buy exotic animals, which can carry diseases that can then spread to our native animal populations. Also, if such exotic animal pets were to escape or be set loose, they, like their invasive plant counterparts such as kudzu, could take over native habitats or even become disease pests for animals or plants.

So, go native in your plantings (and pettings) this year and from now on.