THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120141
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 206 lines
I wish to address my concerns on the termination of Lauren Gehman, city horticulturist.
As a garden club member and Portsmouth resident, I have had the opportunity to get to know her and to listen to her many excellent programs she has given to clubs, free of charge. I have toured Friendship Garden with her and listened to and witnessed what she has done there and what she is planning. Anytime we have asked for her help or advice, she has been cooperative. All you need to do is look around this city in the spring, summer and fall and you can witness the impact she had had.
I have never witnessed her behaving in an unprofessional manner nor has she ever spoken a derogatory word about this city or its employees in my presence. She is always enthusiastic and certainly a promoter of ``Vision 2005.''
I do not assume to know all of the details of her termination, but based on her track record, if this termination is final, then the City of Portsmouth will be the loser, again.
Shirley Frenia
Windymille Drive
Jan. 8 Desecration old storu
In reference to your front page article of Dec. 29, concerning the gift stolen from a child's grave in Portsmouth, it is only part of the story of cemetery desecration in Portsmouth. For several years, vandalism of Portsmouth cemeteries has been a serious problem and has been called to the attention of city officials with no apparent effort made to curtail the increasing destruction of Portsmouth cemeteries.
It is ironic that while Portsmouth struggles to improve the city's image and increase attractions for tourists, it permits continuing destruction of historic landmarks that are an important part of the city's heritage. In particular, the increased damage in the two oldest cemeteries, Oak Grove and Cedar Grove, is deplorable. A recent visit to Cedar Grove, the oldest city cemetery, indicated a massive increase in vandalism, from just six months ago. In January 1994, the situation was bad enough to warrant correspondence with Portsmouth city officials but there is no indication that anything has been done to improve the situation. On the contrary, things have gotten worse.
For those who may not be familiar with Cedar Grove cemetery, it predates the Revolutionary War and contains statuettes, monuments and ironwork that is not replaceable. Correspondence with the city in January 1994 related to the deliberate destruction of a beautiful carved stone angel and cross and recently a decorative ironwork gate, dated circa 1860, was stolen. Last month over 40 tombstones were observed to have been pushed or thrown to the ground.
I would implore anyone who may have family interred in any Portsmouth cemetery, particularly Oak Grove or Cedar Grove, to visit and observe the increased destruction. I realize the city of Portsmouth has budget problems but discussions with the Sheriff's office to form a work party for several days would help to relocate toppled stones and markers. The broken grave markers and increased vandalism are another problem.
Charles O. Stainback
Virginia Beach
Jan. 9 Wish already granted
In the Dec. 22 Currents sports section, the editor, Bill Leffler, printed a list of Christmas wishes, one of which read, ``. . . for Santa to bring a Major Little League state championship for the city for the first time ever.''
Well, that wish was fulfilled by the Olive Branch Little League Major Leagues Girls Softball All Star Team on July 31 in Bristol, when they won the first time ever for this city the Little Leagues Major League Virginia State Championship. Remember, Mr. Leffler?
Mr. Leffler was the sports writer who interviewed me about our first time ever for this city Little Leagues Major League Virginia State Championship. He also set up the photography appointment to take the picture of three of the girls on the team. He also showed up at that appointment to make sure everything went well. Remember, Mr. Leffler?
The story appeared in the Aug. 16, 1992, edition of the Currents. Remember, Mr. Leffler?
The team was also invited to appear at the Portsmouth City Council meeting of Aug. 25 where they were recognized and congratulated for the accomplishment of being the first time ever from this city Little Leagues Major League Team to win the Virginia State Championship. Each player received a letter from the city acknowledging this irrefutable fact!
For Mr. Leffler to demean and dismiss their accomplishment by absolutely forgetting that they won the first time ever for this city tells me and everybody else that since they were a team of girls, the feat did not mean a thing to him because he's still wishing for that championship.
I'll bet he would have remembered if they were a team of boys.
I think an apology to those girls in the sports section of the Currents is in order.
Ollie Osborne
Charlotte Drive
Jan. 6 Another apology sought
I have received calls from the members of the Citizens Coalition on Voter Participation/Operation Big Vote regarding the editorial written by Ida Kay Jordan on Dec. 29. The Citizens Coalition on Voter Participation is an organization with a steering committee of community leaders which represent members throughout the community.
She stated that she followed Mayor Gloria Webb to a meeting of the Interdenominational Minister's Forum, held Dec. 20 at Twine Memorial Church, where she was asked to discuss the City Council's plan to elect the School Board at large and Ms. Jordan said, as she had stated before, that she believes election by districts will be disastrous.
In the recent column, she says, ``Webb told the group that she had received phone calls from black voters who said they favor the at-large plan but who also told her they are afraid to go to City Council and make a statement that disagrees with the NAACP or the ministers' forum.''
In reviewing the article, I am appalled that Ms. Jordan would write a one-sided editorial, where she did not share the fact that the Rev. Joe B. Fleming, president of the Portsmouth Branch NAACP, spoke up for election of school boards by districts, as did many others, expressing the position of the coalition and others who have continuously spoken up for district elections of school board members.
Nor did she share the statement that I made, once again, rebutting the statement that Mayor Webb made regarding black leaders being afraid to speak out.
Once again, I express to you, as I have to Mayor Webb, my concern that she is continuing to make a statement that is unfounded, for we have those in our midst who agree and disagree, but we are united in our efforts.
I expressed my concern that you are stereotyping black leaders and black people, causing those who read your editorials to have a negative image of black leaders.
On Dec. 20, I stood before the ministers and expressed my concern to Mayor Webb for a second time in public, regarding that negative statement that she continues to make.
On Saturday, Dec. 30, the Portsmouth Branch NAACP membership unanimously approved a motion to write the mayor asking her to retract that statement and make an apology to the black community. I was also directed to write a letter to the editor regarding the editorial. This position was also supported by the Church Community in Action on Jan. 4.
Such statements by Mayor Gloria Webb and by you tend to stereotype black leaders who dare to become politically involved and to unite as a coalition to be a communication link between the community and the leaders. Your projection that individuals appear to speak for the groups is misinformation and misleading. For your information, it does not just appear that I am speaking for the groups, I am the spokesperson for the groups, as was affirmed at the ministers' meeting.
We believe the statement by you is another example of the reason why it is so important for the district method to be used to elect members of the school board. We believe that election by districts is in the best interest of the citizens and that it allows for diversity of representation of the total community. We will continue in our efforts to make this a reality.
We urge you to retract your statement and extend an apology to the black leaders and to the community as a whole.
Shirley F. Hines
Executive secretary
Jan. 9 Donations appreciated
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many agencies for the wonderful donations made to the Portsmouth Health Department's Resource Mothers Program.
On Dec. 21 the Resource Mothers held a Christmas party for approximately 25 teen girls. We were able to make the party a very special event due to the generosity and donations of many agencies.
In addition to partying, the teens received information on breast and cervical cancer detection, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS education.
The Resource Mothers Program is a program of lay home visitors from the community who provide education, counseling and support to first-time pregnant and parenting teens. The goal is to reach teens in the first trimester of pregnancy in an effort to reduce infant mortality and morbidity.
The Resource Mothers provide education on prenatal and infant care including immunizations. Teens, 14 and younger, receive an additional year of follow-up as a component of the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, a grant funded program established by the 1993 General Assembly.
Thanks to the generosity of the agencies and the hard work of the Resource Mothers, the Christmas Party was fun and educational for our teens.
Sylvia G. Ryder
Coordinator for Resource
Mothers Program
Portsmouth Health Department
Jan. 9 Rent cheaters decried
Now that all the legislators who pronounced themselves pro-business have been re-elected and are returning to Richmond, we business people need help and we need it quickly.
There are a growing number of people who believe that they can steal rent from the community because they have no credit and another civil suit to collect rent is of no consequence.
This is not about families that have fallen on hard times and cannot, because of a lost job or long illness, pay their rent. These people know that if they are hungry or need clothing, to take them would land them in jail or at least get them in trouble with the law. It should be the same for taking rent with no intent to meet the terms of the rental agreement.
It is high time that these thieves be held accountable. The Olde Towne Rental Association advocates that if any person who has an unlawful detainer confirmed on them by a General District Court and already has a prior unsatisfied judgment for an unlawful detainer on their record, that this be deemed prima facie evidence of an attempt to defraud the owner of the property and a criminal charge of fraud be pursued against the offender. The first offense should carry a sentence of 10 days in jail and the next, a sentence of a year.
When the uncollected rents are reduced, then those paying rent will not have to bear the expense and ill will of those hoping to cheat their way through life.
Harry Wilson
President
Olde Towne Rental Association
Jan. 1 by CNB