Readers Write (Aug. 8): Twin Cities traffic congestion, gender roles, immigration, elections, U Athletes Village, Robbinsdale's Terrace Theatre

As I read about the expected rise in traffic congestion ("Traffic jams will only get worse," Aug. 4), I couldn't help noticing the "woe is me/we can't do anything about it" attitude of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. I submit that MnDOT must quit planning for last century. For example: It plans to shut down Hwy. 169 in Edina this fall to reconstruct the Nine Mile Creek bridge. After a year of pain and frustration, Hwy. 169 will reopen just as it is now, as a four-lane highway! A better idea regarding such a major project: Build two new bridges wide enough for two lanes each, then reroute traffic while the existing bridges are replaced, then reopen as a six-lane highway with decent shoulders. Eventually 169 will need to be widened to six lanes anyway. Why not get ahead of the curve? If there is more traffic, there should be more revenue from gas taxes and tab fees to pay for highway upgrades. Stop the "woe is me" and find solutions.

Rachel Blount's July 31 feature on amazing triathlete Gwen Jorgensen ("Tri she will") was inspiring, informative and uplifting.

And, as I digested the piece, I also found it slightly disturbing.

Upon reflection, I wondered: Did Jorgensen's husband, Patrick Lemieux, receive somewhat more than his due? There's no question he's an incredibly savvy and supportive mate to Jorgensen, but if a male athlete — say, Jordan Spieth — is profiled, would the writer devote a series of paragraphs to marveling at how his wife coordinates his travel schedule, cooks his food, manages his laundry and assists with keeping his golf clubs in order? Or, when a male CEO is the subject, would a writer dwell on how his wife serves as his "emotional anchor," keeps the household organized, collects his shirts and suits from the dry cleaners and attends to other details so he can focus on his work?

I think not — or at least not very often.

Here we are, about to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the 19th Amendment on Aug. 18 — and we're still taking for granted that women are supporting their men selflessly in the background, but if a man regularly cooks a meal or changes a bicycle tire for his wife he receives high praise for his sacrifice — and gets a title, "operations manager," to boot?

Hmmm. I sure hope Jorgensen emerges from the Rio Olympics with a much-deserved gold medal around her strong yet humble neck, but no matter how much help she gets behind the scenes from her "operations manager," she's still the one who will have pedaled, swam and run her way to the top.

His story and that of Bell Labs, however, is a cautionary tale for today's election cycle. Trump and his Republican Party propose to ban people like Saremi from entering the U.S. Saremi is from Iran (a state sponsor of terrorism).

If Trump gets his way, immigrants like Saremi would not be welcome in Minneapolis, but they would be welcome in many other places, like Toronto or Singapore. Our local economy would lose 125 jobs and a cash flow stream of $35 million per year just by excluding Saremi.

This "America First" business just means our country will get screwed first by fear-driven foolishness. The Mo Saremis of the world will still exist. They just won't ever be Americans or contribute to our success.

With the usual circus surrounding the 2016 presidential election, it is easy to become distracted from the many other levels of our democracy. Contrary to what we see in the media, I would argue that the importance of our elected officials starts from the bottom, with our local elected officials holding the top jobs. Our mayors, City Council members, school board members, county officials, judges, etc., are actual members of our communities and in most cases really care deeply about their jobs in public service. They also make big decisions on a "micropolitical" level that affect our communities much more directly than any decision the president would make on a "macropolitical" level. Consider these things as the election season heats up and the rhetoric of the national political candidates heats up with it.

I read with great interest the Aug. 2 article describing the progress on the University of Minnesota's Athletes Village ("Progress is turning heads at athletic department gem").

However, I wonder when the U athletic department will release information describing when and where a new outdoor track-and-field facility will be built. The Gopher men's and women's outdoor track-and-field team members travel to Hamline University to practice. Since the old outdoor track at the University of Minnesota was removed three years ago to provide space for the Athletes Village, the Gophers have no place on campus to train or to host meets. The U track-and-field programs have more 145 athletes representing the school and the state. It is sad that (1) the old track was removed without plans for a new facility and (2) three years later, there still is no plan.

I was devastated to learn from my brothers that the Robbinsdale City Council has voted to demolish a childhood treasure ("After Hy-Vee vote, clock ticking on Terrace Theatre," Aug. 3). I'm an actress/writer no longer living in Robbinsdale, but I've already booked a flight back to my hometown to visit the Terrace and bid a tearful goodbye before the theater is destroyed at the end of September. The sleek, very modern Terrace, with its pale stone and plate glass facade, was a space-age novelty in our little farming community when it opened in 1951. The old-fashioned Robin movie theater, a small brick structure with a fancy marquis where my father took me to see "The Boy With the Green Hair" when I was 6, had become a dry cleaner by the time the Terrace was built. I remember the fireplace in the spacious lobby, the gigantic screen, and plush seats where I spent so much of my girlhood "dreaming in the dark," imagining that one day I might be in a movie that played at the swanky Terrace Theatre — and, long after I left for New York, the dream came true. How I wish our good people of Robbinsdale could still find a way to preserve some vestige of this stunning midcentury structure and all the dreams it inspired.

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Normally, I would agree about losing a landmark, but the Terrace Theatre sits empty, and has for years. I live in the Camden area of north Minneapolis and have to travel to New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Crystal or Fridley to buy groceries. Hy-Vee wants to build on the Terrace site, and that would be wonderful for us.

I grew up in Robbinsdale and saw many movies at the Terrace, but now I go to the Heights Theater, which has been restored (and uses real butter on its popcorn). If that could happen with the Terrace, that would be great. But it isn't.