With summer coming we’ll all be spending time at more third places — places where we hang out and socialize other than home or work. But between our trips to the ice cream parlor, the neighborhood pool and the park, the classic third place — the neighborhood coffee shop — won’t be forgotten.   

Lockland police officer Brandon Gehring shouldn’t be in the hospital right now. He was simply trying to do his job. Unfortunately, thanks to elected officials so damn proud of their ability not to spend money, Gehring wasn’t equipped with a two-way radio that would allow communication with officers in another department a few miles away.  

I really enjoyed Larry Gross’ last Living Out Loud column about the suits (“Greed, Suits and Bailouts,” issue of March 11). I think he nailed it when he said not to expect the suits to have any kind of common sense or not know that it’s not business as usual.   

The story centers on an evil international agency trying to privatize and control the water supply in Bolivia. Not gold, not oil, not diamonds, not plutonium - just plain old water. How'd they ever come up with that bizarre, seemingly fantastical plot line? After all, we all know water belongs to the people, just like air.  

Most people believe that government shouldn't control how you use your property, including water that runs under or through land you own. And most would agree the only role government ought to have is making sure one property owner doesn't use, pollute or damage those resources in a way that limits the rights of other property owners to them too.