THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, August 3, 1995 TAG: 9508010063
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
An inspirational senior
With a great deal of pleasure, I read the amusing and exceedingly accurate story about our great tennis player from Norfolk, Powell Harrison Taylor, better known as ``Boots.'' I applaud the fact that this well-written article clearly demonstrates to the thousands of seniors in the Tidewater area that one can still be a champion at that age.
Boots Taylor has always been a first-class tennis player with a national ranking in the boys junior tournament, and later was captain of the tennis team at VMI, and he also played an outstanding game while stationed in Japan, Germany and other places during World War II with the military.
The remarkable part of the story is at 78, Boots continues to play with the same grace and joy as he demonstrated when he was half that age, and this just goes to show all of us seniors can take heart because there is life in the ``Old Boys Yet.'' To become world champion in the doubles in his category of over age 70 is truly remarkable.
I also want to say that as a lifetime resident of Norfolk that the first article every morning I always read is written by Guy Friddell, who helps make The Virginian-Pilot the great newspaper it is. We are so glad that he is a columnist for the newspaper and contributes so much to making it great.
W. Barton Baldwin
W. Barton Baldwin & Associates South Norfolk ignored
About two months ago I read that the city of Norfolk ordered a study to be made regarding what effect the removal of public housing in the downtown area would have on the community.
I hope that this study will include the little hamlet of South Norfolk located just outside of Norfolk. Being centrally located, South Norfolk has been receiving the fallout of everyone's redevelopment.
We are a medium income community with a great deal of elderly people. We would all like to stay here and hope our way of life could be preserved. But, to tell the truth, it seems to be changing every day. And no one seems to care.
I hope Chesapeake City Council will look into this study.
Gloria E. Haskett
Virginia Avenue
Chesapeake A plea for an apology
This is something that has been bothering me for a long time. The U.S. government needs to formally apologize to Japan for the dropping of the atomic bomb during World War II. As far as I know this has not been done. An apology should be made to China, too.
To do so would notch up the United States' accountability, and maturity, to the level the country should be at for the 21st century. In deciding whether or not to make such an apology, no appeal to logic need be made; the very horror of the events warrants an apology.
Bob Kernell
West 49th Street Exercising voting rights
The National Voter Registration Act enacted by Congress requires states to provide registration forms in various offices or public places such as the Department of Motor Vehicles, social service agencies and permits registration by telephone.
Gov. Allen is suing the federal government because he is of the opinion that this law is unconstitutional.
Locally, it is difficult to rationalize the need for such legislation. There are some 28 facilities where one can obtain forms and register to vote. Most of these locations are open during normal working hours, and some are open at night and during weekends.
The right to vote is denied to many in other countries but is available to all who are eligible to register in the United States. Any citizens who are too lazy or indifferent to register and vote are depriving themselves of their most precious right and are deliberately disregarding their right to have a voice in their government.
Myron O. Wilcox
Lucian Court by CNB