THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605170264
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
We would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation for the kindness shown to our father, Floyd Wilkins, by Officer Slezak, Badge No. 943, on April 5.
Due to our father's sudden illness, he was involved in a traffic accident. Officer Slezak, who was the investigating officer, took our father home and called his son to come help his father.
When our family arrived, our father was in a confused state and in need of medical attention. He was very concerned about the fact that he did not know the whereabouts of his wallet, which contained a large amount of money. We phoned Officer Slezak, who searched his police vehicle, but could not locate the wallet. We convinced our father that we would find it later, but he needed medical attention immediately.
Officer Slezak, on his own accord, returned to the scene of the accident at Dominion Boulevard and West Road at approximately 10:30 p.m. and searched the area. He recovered the wallet from the ditch on the side of the road and returned it to our family, which lifted a burden from our father.
It is wonderful to know that Chesapeake has officers like Mr. Slezak, whose dedication goes above and beyond the call of duty. There are not words to describe how much we appreciate what he has done to help us.
Floyd L. Wilkins and family
Cornland Road A disgrace
This is a comment on the recent arrest of Chesapeake's Republican state representative, Mr. Robert Nelms, for indecent exposure in a public park in Richmond during the legislative session. This is a disgrace.
Mr. Nelms and his party have been flaying the very devil out of those individuals who have chosen an alternative lifestyle. Perhaps Mr. Nelms would like to rethink his position on what dictates an alternative lifestyle.
I don't think that walking in a park and stopping to relieve oneself in an area where you have been mugged years earlier shows the least bit of good sense. Add to that, this is a known hangout for individuals who express a desire to participate in those alternative lifestyles that the religious right and the Republican Party have been so preaching against.
To make matters worse (Can we even do that?) Mr. Nelms has invoked a long lost, little used ``legislative privilege'' statute on Virginia's books that says he shouldn't be prosecuted because he was in Richmond on state business. Since our state does provide facilities for the legislators to take care of private business, I don't think the state had any business in the park.
How Mr. Nelms chooses his companions is a matter between himself, his God and his family. The State House is not involved.
The citizens of the 76th District have been poorly served. Mr. Nelms should resign his position.
M.P. Goldston
Cedar Road Watch your butts
While on Military Highway waiting to turn left onto the I-464 entrance ramp heading to Norfolk, a Chesapeake motorist flicked his cigarette butt out his driver's side window. I should have had the courage to get out of my car and extinguish the still-burning cigarette, so I am as guilty as he is of littering.
I noticed his ``Proud Parent of an Honor Roll Student'' bumper sticker, and I started to wonder if he was teaching his honor roll student to smoke and litter. I suppose he would tell me that is none of my business.
What is my business is the fact that my loved one, a firefighter in Chesapeake, will be called on to risk injury and hazardous smoke to put out the field which is on fire as the result of actions such as his. Will he be watching the news or reading the newspaper in the morning while smoking, wondering how that field caught on fire? The citizens and families of Chesapeake have already paid too high a price for such everyday occurrences.
By the time he was on I-464, he was already sucking in the smoke of his next cigarette.
Where did he toss that burning butt?
Nancy Grant
Battery Park Road Disregards safety
Why waste taxpayers' money and pay the fire chief of Chesapeake more than $80,000 a year if the City Council members have to do his job?
How does a man, whose first concern should be the safety of his people, keep his job when he so completely disregards their safety? It is backwards, to say the least, when City Council must suggest to the fire chief that he needs to hire more personnel.
Maybe the City Council should consider looking for a new fire chief.
Charlotte Guilbert
Livingston Avenue by CNB