Letters are posted as we receive them during the week, and before they are printed in the paper, so check back frequently to see new letters. If you'd like to send a letter to the editor, use this postmarks submission form, or email your letter directly to [email protected]. Thanks for your patience.

Raoul,
    I appreciate the wonderful review of my new record, Fallen Angel. I have been influenced by those great singers you compared me to, but more than having just listened to them, I have lived those experiences. I won't tell you about my crazy childhood growing up on an airbase in SC, but I will tell you about being turned on to Jimi Hendrix at 13 after having explored tons of records my older sister had gotten from her college DJ boyfriend. That turned me on to the Band and the Allman Brothers, just because of the beautiful album covers that intrigued me.
    That summer, my mom let me and my sister go to the First Atlanta Pop Festival on our way to visit Grandma in Alabama. Life changing! As we pulled away in the '66 baby blue Mustang, I asked Mom to change the radio from George Jones to the rock station, and landed on Steppenwolf "Born to Be WIld" as we passed a cute young hitchhiker. I knew my life had changed. I started hitchhiking everywhere. Across the country 3 times+! Even made it to the first Rainbow Gathering. At the second Atlanta Pop Festival, I was accidentally dosed and missed my favorite band, the Allman Brothers, as I started  hallucinating too much to see. I blacked out, I guess. I missed Janis Joplin that day, and everything, until I woke up at the front of the stage to Hendrix playing the "Star Spangled Banner.” I went to a progressive "Free" school, marched on Washington against the war in Vietnam, got arrested for being a peaceful protester, came back to regular high school and started an underground newspaper, dropped out of high school to live on an island, went to college after taking the GED, refused a music scholarship, sang and worked my way through college singing in a house band. I stayed in SC playing in a band until I moved to Nashville after a broken marriage to a sax player. Nashville was a great adventure, but the best part was going to LA to record at Brian Ahern's studio with Fred Tacket, Albert Lee, and David Lindley - still unreleased. Those tapes even got stuck in Willie's studio during the IRS shutdown. I came to Austin on a road trip, stopping at Antone's for Albert Collins. I met my son's dad that night. I went back to Nashville and sublet my apartment to Walter Hyatt and came back to Austin for the music, the water, the salsa, and the radio! When I met you while we were both working at the Chronicle, I must have seemed like a very conservative young girl. I was a single mom who had moved here in a van with a 6 week old baby. So the van life is not new to me when I read last week's article [“#VanLife Isn’t Just a Trend Anymore. It’s a Tether to Home,” Features, Aug 21]. I skipped my SC years where I recorded the Spirituals of the lower South Carolina islands and sang in a Black church choir. My years in Austin have been very good to me. Thank you for listening to me and for such a great review. Yes, I have definitely listened and loved those great singers you mentioned me channelling, but you didn't nail the one I actually studied, Bonnie Raitt. But truthfully, I just try to dig deep into my soul and sing from there. My soulful singing comes from that place where heart break, hard times and lots of hope live; deep inside of me. It's my voice you are hearing, and my heart that is writing the songs. Thank you to the Chronicle and for all you do for Austin.

   Music Editor Raoul Hernandez replies: Dangit, I had Bonnie Raitt written down too!

Dear Editor,
    In his article, "ARIC Trainings Teach Cops and Informants Junk Science [this is the kicker, not the headline] Police are learning lessons in fear," [News, Aug. 28] Mr.Bingamon completely failed to conduct even the most basic research on The Reid Technique ... his article completely misrepresents what we teach in our training courses.
    Even the most basic research would have discovered our YouTube channel - The Reid Technique Tips - on which we have posted over 20 video presentations on topics such as:
    False Confessions - The Issues to be Considered
    A Description of the Reid Technique
    How the Courts View the Reid technique
    There is no behavior unique to lying
    Questioning Juvenile Offenders
    Core Principles
    Best Practices
    What is the Non-confrontational Approach
    After you (or Mr. Bingamon) review these brief presentations please call me if you have any questions.

Dear Editor,
    I am not a law enforcement officer, but I would very much appreciate hearing the opinions of those who are regarding a subject with (literally) life or death consequences.
    Would anyone charged with enforcing public safety feel comfortable during a public protest when a number of the participants in such a legal protest are carrying loaded, automatic weapons? Police officers watching crowds of angry, frustrated individuals - sometimes shouting back and forth at each other - while paying particular attention to those with their AK-47s or some other weapon designed to kill as many people as quickly and efficiently as possible.
    So, to any and all police officers, sheriffs, D.P.S., etc. of the great state of Texas: What is your opinion on "Open Carry"? Is it a good idea to allow agitated individuals with differing opinions to face off against each other with each "side" armed to the teeth? Or, would you feel safer and feel more confident about maintaining order if there were no weapons visible on either side of the street?
    Politicians who can change laws all swear to love the police. If the law enforcement community would insist "open carry" be revisited - maybe future loss-of-life can be avoided. No one wants your gun - no one is going to confiscate it. There is just no place for this type of weapon at a public gathering.
    Folks, the "wild west" is over. Continue to protest - whichever side you support - but, leave your guns at home.

Dear Editor,
    Barton Springs Pool is not a luxury. For me, Barton Springs Pool is an essential service. I swim year round even when it is below freezing. Barton Springs allows me to walk farther then the nearest chair. I have been desperately looking for an alternative even before the pandemic. Deep Eddy Pool is not cold enough and Jessica Hollis is too cold. Commons Ford is the same temperature as Barton Springs, but the walk from the scary parking area is not something that people in my situation can do. Commons Ford also has more people close together than Barton Springs Pool did during the brief time it was open in June.
    Why is Barton Springs Pool still closed? The science says outdoors is safer as long as you maintain distance. There are many outdoor places in Austin that have been open when our numbers were flattening that are similar to Barton Springs. There are indoor pools, which seem much less safe that have been open all summer. There are people crowding into outdoor dining and yet our COVID numbers are falling.
    There are more people than just me that use Barton Springs as the only form of exercise their bodies can handle. For us, it is an essential service!
    In Austin, we have all sorts of luxury services that are now open that are much less safe, yet Barton Springs Pool is still closed. Please re-open Barton Springs. I know I can get a doctor’s note to go swimming there.