Give Sykes Avenue roundabouts a chance to work

I think it might be more helpful if folks wait until the entire Sykes Mountain Avenue roundabout project is done before being critical; it is still in the working stage (“Sykes roundabouts are foolish things,” June 11).

I have been through there many times and have found the traffic flow to be working well, even with tons of orange cones, heavy equipment, workers and unpaved spots in the road. The only possible problem when completed may be the impact on the Interstate 91 south ramps at Route 5.

The project has been in development for at least 20 years, which is about the same period I started driving through that area on a frequent basis. There were a number of opportunities during that time for the public to provide input.

The project should address at least several of the issues I experienced on a regular basis — traffic backing up onto Route 5 from cars turning into the Mobile station from Sykes Mountain Avenue, tractor-trailers having to swing out into the left lane while turning onto Sykes from Route 5 north, and the significant backups that occur on Sykes at 5 p.m.

BARRY McCABE

West Hartford

We’re missing the humming of bees

As my husband and I sat dining and enjoying the gorgeous azaleas blooming on either side of our deck a few weeks ago, the usual humming of bees was missing.

I started to notice only one or two bees at a time feeding on each bush — and sometimes, when I looked, I couldn’t find any.

This disturbing observation was a stark contrast to what we witnessed last year when we would usually see about a dozen bees feeding on each azalea.

Our peach tree was flowering at the same time as the azaleas and was sadly lacking in bees, as well; I never saw more than two or three feeding at one time.

I continue to notice that not just bumblebees and honeybees are infrequent, but I am seeing few of the small, wild bees that have always been the most abundant type in our garden. I have since found out that these native bees do much of the “heavy lifting” when it comes to the work of pollination.

Turning to the internet, I tried to figure out why. While many factors like pesticide abuse, habitat loss, or severe drought are blamed, some recent studies point to rising temperatures from climate change as a key problem impacting bee health. A 2019 study on wild bee species in New Hampshire showed that while some can migrate to cooler climes and thrive, others cannot survive, causing an overall decline.

I also learned that bumblebees succumb during heat waves like the one we just had.

While there might be debate about the reason why, I consider my observation a wake-up call, one that demands a sense of urgency and action on my part. I resolve to continue landscaping my yard with pollinator-friendly plants that support a variety of bees.

At the same time, I will do all that I can, both personally and collectively, to reduce carbon emissions to curb increasing temperatures due to climate change.

I invite others to join me in similar endeavors. Perhaps together we can avoid a complete collapse of bee populations.

JUDITH SAUM

Rumney, N.H.

The writer is a University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension natural resource steward.

Here’s what the Republican Party now supports

The Republicans in the House have taken no action against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., as she continues to espouse Donald Trump’s “Big Lie” about the 2020 election and compares the mask mandate to protect against COVID-19 to the Holocaust.

But they removed Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., from her House leadership position after she spoke and reiterated the truth about that same election.

So now, in my view, the GOP supports both lying and treason.

MICHAEL WHITMAN

Lyme