Readers Write: CenturyLink outages, fires in LA, Elon Musk

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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Thank you for your front-page story about CenturyLink and the troubles their poor performance in problem resolution and worse performance in customer service are causing for potentially hundreds of consumers (“CenturyLink blames phone outages on copper thieves,” front page, Jan. 11).

I have been without phone service for three weeks, have had numerous “repair ticket” fails and heard countless promises (lies) about service restoration from CenturyLink representatives.

It has been crazy-making.

Thanks to your article I now have a better understanding of what is going on at a macro level, something CenturyLink should be explaining unprompted, in granular detail, to its customers.

As a member of the hearing-impaired community, I rely on my close-captioned phone, which is connected through my malfunctioning CenturyLink landline. Loss of access to this service has been very frustrating.

CenturyLink does not appear to me to be displaying a sincere “sense of urgency” regarding resolution of this widespread problem. Hopefully your story provides the company with a much-needed and much-deserved kick in the hindquarters to get this issue fixed.

Daniel Swalm, Minneapolis

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I have a solution for the landline outages incurred by CenturyLink due to copper wire theft: Switch to fiber optics. The cost of fiber cable is minimal. Installation is the majority of the cost. Since they will be sending out installation crews to return service, why not take this opportunity? It would be a win for the company in avoiding future costs and a win for the customers in the form of faster, more reliable service.

Mark Hodapp, Belle Plaine

The writer is a retired telecom engineer.

I feel despair, because it’s just been reported that Earth recorded the hottest year ever in 2024 (“2024 was the hottest year on record: Get ready for more,” Jan. 11). And last week, due to unprecedented drought and extreme winds, the Los Angeles area erupted in flames, causing ongoing and untold damage, death and destruction beyond our comprehension.

I feel relief, because the mandatory second oil and gas lease sale in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has just been canceled due to no bids from oil and gas companies (”A setback for Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill,’ ” Jan. 9). Because of this cancellation, our irreplaceable Arctic Refuge and the animals and people who live there have been given a reprieve from the permanent destruction of fossil fuel extraction.

And I feel despair, because while I wish I could believe that the oil and gas companies and the incoming administration see now the direct link between the burning of fossil fuels and the ongoing climate crisis, I can have no such illusions.

With the climate crisis hitting home, we are at a moment of truth. We can and must continue to move away from fossil fuels and one way is to finally and permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from fossil fuel extraction.

Jeanne Norrgard, Bloomington

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Major storm damage and flooding in Texas, in Florida, in Tennessee, in the Carolinas, in New York. Fires that wipe out towns in California and Hawaii. Tornadoes in December. Heat-related deaths that have doubled in the last three decades. Depleted aquifers that won’t recharge for thousands of years. Drought, food insecurity, displacement and migration.

Climate change is here, happening right now in our country. It is part of our daily lives. And because major industrial nations, including the U.S., aren’t doing nearly enough to reverse its effects, things will be getting worse.

The president-elect has called climate change a hoax on multiple occasions. Throughout his campaign, he continued to misrepresent known facts about climate change. For example, on an Aug. 26, 2024, podcast episode he said that “the oceans in 500 years will raise a quarter of an inch.” In fact, sea level is now rising over 1/8 inch per year.

When I recently went to make a contribution to 350.org, a nonprofit dedicated to addressing the climate crisis, I discovered that organization provides the opportunity to make a donation in someone’s honor and to notify that person about the contribution. So I gave money and sent the following message to the president-elect:

“Dear Donald,

“As you seem unable to comprehend both the reality and the severity of the global climate change crisis, I am moved to donate to 350.org in your name. Thanks for the inspiration.”

Jeff Naylor, Minneapolis

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In a cynical and polarized world I take some solace in seeing how people come together after tragedies like the LA fires, devastating hurricanes, extreme storms, etc. It also worries me that we are beginning to respond to the increase in extreme weather events (which is directly related to our ongoing use of fossil fuels) much like we do with gun violence in our country: thoughts and prayers. We send our thoughts, our prayers, maybe even a donation and then in two weeks we move on. It’s just not good enough.

Weather disasters are increasing and will keep increasing due to our unwillingness to create a carbon-free world. If we really want to limit the pain of our neighbors around the world (and eventually ourselves) we must all take action now. Some ideas for action are:

We are on a scary and at times overwhelming path. If we are honest with ourselves, we will see that there is no denying that. We can either be overwhelmed, hide from it and be victims of it or we can act, fight for our future and demand action on the solutions we need. It’s up to us.

Tom Lucy, St. Paul

”Musk meddles, and that’s OK” (Other Views, Jan. 13) is a ridiculous attempt to reform the image of one of the worst people in America today. If you want to write about situations abroad, do that, but somehow representing Elon Musk as someone who cares for anything but his ego is disingenuous. And reprinting from another newspaper only makes it more disappointing.

This is the guy that is blaming the fires in California on DEI (”Musk uses wildfires to push conspiracy theories,” Jan. 13). I wouldn’t be surprised if they were actually started by a Cybertruck.

Matt Flory, St. Louis Park

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What a strange editorial to run on the same day as the article about Musk’s misinformation on the LA fires. Just weird! I think you should contact the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board to see if they still think, after his posts on the LA fires, that their editorial should be run. I’d be interested in their response. Do they really think his lies and misinformation are good for the world?

John Shockley, Minneapolis

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Exasperated with Musk’s ability to promote partisan outrage and conspiracy theories on X, as he has regarding the wildfires in Los Angeles? Don’t think you can do anything about it? Well, we can. Stop using X and stop buying Teslas. There are plenty of better ways to communicate and obtain accurate information, as well as other viable options for EVs. Personally, I have never used Twitter or any other social media. Somehow, I’ve survived quite well all these years and still have a wide network of friends and family.

Rex Holzemer, Arden Hills