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My belated thanks to Rohan Preston for his review of Theater Latté Da's "Next to Normal" ("Theater Latté Da's 'Normal' is anything but," June 13). As soon as I found out that Latté Da was doing this show, I knew I wanted to see it again. It has been nine years since I first saw it, and while I had forgotten some major plot twists, I remembered how the opening number made me feel. I could feel it in my body (like "What just happened to me?"), and I wanted to share that experience with my young adult daughters.

Latté Da's production did not disappoint. It reminded me just how important shared collective experiences like live theater are. When the first major plot twist of the show is revealed, you could hear the collective gasp of the audience. And while it was a painful shock, it also felt good. It reminded me of the central character: Sometimes it is better to feel pain than to feel nothing at all.

Theater is a safe space to feel that pain. Because the story is being told by actors, it is safe to go to some deep, dark places and imagine what it might be like to walk in someone else's shoes. It builds empathy.

I think we could all use some more empathy these days, and live theater is a great way to cultivate that. We've spent a few years in our protective bubbles, streaming shows in our basements. While that approach got us through the worst of the pandemic, it's time to venture out and start connecting with our fellow human beings. Latté Da has specific performances where masks are required (Sunday afternoons, for one), so that is an option if it makes you feel more comfortable.

I once heard that art simultaneously opens and heals wounds, and I believe this is true. If you can still get tickets to this show before it closes, you should go.

The Golden Valley described by Jim Mortenson in his July 10 opinion piece is not the Golden Valley that I know and live in ("Golden Valley needs more police officers, not fewer"). Even with an understaffed police department, feeling unsafe in the community is something I have never experienced, and I've never heard any of my friends or neighbors comment on it. There is no question Golden Valley needs more police officers. The question is how many are truly needed and in what capacity. What Mortenson ignores are the facts that led up to the current situation. The voters of Golden Valley have made it very clear they wanted the city to implement police reforms. City officials did what constituents demanded. Unfortunately, the rank-and-file officers and the police federation chose to fight change rather than embrace it.

It was clear from the beginning that this was going to be a difficult transition. The transition was complicated by both the city's actions and the police officers and their supporters, who were resistant to the change. Unfortunately, to protect and serve, in the minds of many officers, meant doing it their way or the highway. Many officers chose to leave vs. abide by the wishes of the voters who paid their salary. It may take a while to staff up the police department, but with all of the departures, Golden Valley is positioned to rebuild the entire department without the baggage that comes with the good old boys' club.

Dean Kallenbach, Golden Valley

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Millions of dollars will be required to implement the Harvard plan to improve public safety in Minneapolis, as well as time — possibly years ("Mpls. leaders hail Harvard safety plan," July 12). In the meantime folks are threatened on a daily basis while driving metro-area roadways. The decision of city leaders to reduce traffic stops/citations has resulted in an increase of unchecked, sometimes deadly traffic violations often caused by drivers oblivious to traffic laws. It is a simple premise: If even the lowest level of traffic laws are broken without citation/repercussion, violation of higher-level traffic laws will follow. If a driver were pulled over and ticketed for a burned out headlight, perhaps that driver would think twice about speeding through an intersection at some later time, knowing traffic law enforcement is vigilant. I have no high degree from Harvard, nor am I a scholar. I have, however, something that cannot be taught — common sense. I hope that common sense was included in the costly Harvard plan along with the committees and advisory boards deemed necessary therein to determine, debate and argue how better to improve public safety in Minneapolis. Meanwhile, risky drivers will continue unchecked behind the wheel, endangering the lives of all.

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I was heartened to see that the city of Minneapolis is taking steps to create a long-term vision for public safety presented in the "Minneapolis Safe and Thriving Communities" report from Harvard. One comment in the article really stood out to me, that the actions would develop this long-term vision not only for law enforcement but "for the root causes of crime and how to heal from the trauma it brings." Trauma can be seen as the root of crime and the outcome of crime. When might we start to truly invest in addressing collective, historic and complex traumas with community-based, culturally grounded healing solutions? While we strive to bolster a clinical mental health system, we must also bring a continuum of care that includes true primary prevention rooted in culture and community.

Suzanne Koepplinger, Minneapolis

Regarding "For Trinity, justice" (July 12): This is just horrible for her family and should be heartbreaking to all. I read the judge's comments carefully and was bothered by the phrase regarding convicted D'Pree Robinson's conduct that it "was significantly more serious than an average shooting and does justify the additional time." Our society has arrived at a point where there is an "average shooting"? Perhaps all shootings should justify additional time (as should vehicular "murders"), and maybe there shouldn't be average shootings, like the average school shooting, average theater shooting, average workplace shooting, average robbery shooting, average domestic violence shooting, etc. My heart goes out to Trinity's family. Justice could also be served by treating all shootings as "significantly more" — and our legislators and society need to get to work.

Paul Thinesen, Ham Lake