THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 13, 1995 TAG: 9504120104
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 146 lines
The letter in the March 23 Compass mentioning the disrepair of the Ocean View Golf Course made me start thinking about my current property tax.
I moved to Norfolk about three months ago, moving into a home that appraises for about the same as my previous home in Virginia Beach. However, my property tax is about $600 a year higher, and I've been trying to figure out why.
It obviously can't be because of our numerous well-kept golf courses, and it can't be our beautiful recreation centers or our great libraries. It can't be because the streets in Norfolk are better kept up than Virginia Beach streets or that Norfolk schools are so much better than Virginia Beach schools.
What could it be? I think I finally got the answer. It's because every employee of the City of Norfolk is handed a set of car keys when they show up at work and told to go drive around all day. I've seen more city cars in my three months in Norfolk than I saw in the whole five years I lived in Virginia Beach.
C. Venuto
Bay Oaks Place In support of Rerras
I would like to voice my early support for Dimitrios Rerras for the State Senate in Norfolk.
Rerras has some positive ideas that could move Virginia into the 21st century. School-Choice is one of the ideas that Rerras will help develop into a reality for everyone in Norfolk. Lower taxes is another important idea to the Rerras campaign. We the citizens of Norfolk should consider this important since our property taxes are among the highest in Hampton Roads.
Rerras will also reduce government waste like on a state yacht and on public broadcasting. I hope everyone will remember the name Dimitrios Rerras for the State Senate in November.
Fred Kelly
Hampton Boulevard Rude, offensive parents
I am writing in regard to the YMCA Indian Guides story that appeared in the March 30 Compass.
I would like to praise the YMCA and most certainly the families participating in any program that brings families together. This idea benefits the family, the community and society as a whole, producing productive citizens for the future.
However, this seemingly harmless fun is subtly teaching racism to these children. And in fact, in 1975, the Executive Committee of the Congress of American Indians passed a resolution condemning this activity, ``Indian Guides of the YMCA,'' and asked that such activities deemed offensive by Indian people be stopped.
Wearing headdresses, sitting cross-legged and beating a drum can be a lot of fun for a child. Do the adults participating realize, however, that such play is demeaning to Indians? Do they realize that there are actual surviving members of Pamunkey Indians?
Many Indians believe such play is a form of mockery and even sacrilegious! To many, such play would be as though their children got together to play ``Christians.'' They would call themselves the Catholics, Protestants, Baptists, etc., and act out the ways these religious groups take communion!
Do the adults realize that the many indigenous peoples of the United States, including Hawaii, each have their separate languages, religious practices, forms of dress and even types of food? And that each has their own relationship with the U.S. government today?
Non-Indians look to the romantic notion that the ``Indian way of life'' somehow holds the secret to the many troubles our nation faces today. Through popular culture - film, print and other media - the idea of the ``Great American West'' has often been distorted. In recent years there has been great effort to educate non-Indians about the history of the people and their struggle to raise their families today, all the while holding on to their traditional way of life.
So while I applaud these parents for their commitment to their children, I would suggest putting Judeo-Christian principles into practice through some other means that would no doubt be of greater benefit to their children.
Donald A. Gallegos Sr.
Brookwood Road Fighting jet-ski facility
I attended a PTA function at Little Creek Elementary School on March 29.
The occasion was a musical performance by the kindergarten classes. The performances were adorable, and the teachers and school staff were well-organized. The only behavior problem was, unfortunately, the parents in attendance. When the last class had performed a teacher had some announcements to make.
I was appalled when the majority of the audience began to noisily leave their seats before the last act had even departed the stage. The commotion they caused was disrespectful to the school staff and prevented the rest of the audience from hearing the announcements. In defense of these rude parents, at least they took the time to attend and support their child's participation. Unfortunately, the majority of students and parents were not in attendance.
Are these absent and rude parents the same ones who cry that the schools don't do enough for their kids? Are these the same parents who want to blame the schools and teachers for their children's rude behavior, inability to read and lack of respect? I think it's time we all started giving our teachers and schools the respect they deserve and the support our children need.
Loyd J. Marlow
Jerry Lee Drive Fighting jet-ski facility
I would like to address Mayor Fraim and City Council.
I spoke against the proposed zoning change that would allow Ron Boone Jr. to build a facility to rent jet skis in Ocean View at a recent City Council meeting. The basis of my opposition is the existing situation on the beach between the Sturgis Street access and south of the Capeview Street access.
As it stands now, when parents and other caretakers attempt to address the situation on an incident-by-incident basis of public endangerment, i.e., jet skiers coming into shore and just missing children in the surf, we have no way to get help. Attempts by myself and others to get help left us powerless. The Norfolk Police said they had no jurisdiction and said we should call the Coast Guard.
The Coast Guard said they had no jurisdiction at the surf line. I don't understand the limits of these jurisdictions. But I do know that you have no data on the past incidents of public endangerment because there was no place to keep track of these calls for help.
The existing situation is especially dangerous when jet skiers are partying on the beach, particularly on holiday weekends. The inability to contact anyone for help, forcing the citizens to deal with it themselves (usually packing up and taking the children home) that gross negligence exists on the part of the city.
Since the situation results in City Council not having any data on which to evaluate the existing risk, please prepare a decal to add to the existing signs that are posted at every beach access so we will know who to call when we witness these incidents.
In the meantime, please delay your voting on this issue until you study why other areas of the country have ordinances on the use of jet skis. Any action taken to approve this zoning change without a full knowledge of the existing situation due to private owners and their guest partiers on jet skies is gross negligence on the part of the city.
Further, since the only open space left to the city is the beach at Ocean View, I think the City Council as well as the local newspaper should make all the citizens of the city aware of the conditions at Ocean View beaches. The lack of additional open space to all the citizens of Norfolk means these issues are of importance to all citizens.
Historically, issues related to the beach front in Ocean View are treated by City Council and the press as if only the residents of Ocean View are affected. All the citizens of Norfolk should be informed that the only open space left to them is Ocean View.
Lisa Crevier
Willow Terrace by CNB