THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601260230
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 175 lines
As a former coach, I am concerned about the student athletes in this city whose Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are not high enough to qualify them for Division I schools.
It is a tragedy that so many of them are not getting the opportunity to receive a scholarship. In the 1994-'95 school year, no athlete in this area had a score on the SAT high enough to be awarded a scholarship to a Division I college.
The Virginia High School League and Chesapeake Public Schools say a student may participate in athletics with a ``D'' average. I think this rule is ridiculous and unrealistic. How many coaches graduated from college with a ``D'' average?
It is very disturbing to me that some of the coaches also serve as guidance counselors, advising students on their college plans. This is a common practice.
The school administrators and the School Board should require student athletes to maintain a ``C`'' average to participate in sports.
Having played and coached, I know the influences a good, responsible coach can have on players. I am constantly disappointed by reading in the newspapers about athletes in the area who have Division I playing ability, but not Division I grades.
Jerry Windley
Westborough Drive Campaign tops goal
The 1995 United Way campaign has come to a close, and the caring citizens who live and work in Chesapeake have demonstrated the true meaning of community spirit. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of enthusiastic volunteers and generous donors, the Chesapeake campaign once again soared over the $1 million mark, raising $1,158,400 - 100.1 percent of goal.
As chairman of the 1995 Chesapeake United Way campaign, I was proud to serve with volunteers across South Hampton Roads who were indeed ``Angels Among Us,'' raising a grand total of $15.4 million for health and human service agencies serving local people.
Thanks to the dedication, compassion and generosity of volunteers, CEOs and those who live and work in Chesapeake, the recipients of vital health and human services provided by the 69 certified United Way agencies will have renewed hope for the future. The citizens of Chesapeake can take pride in the fact that their generous contributions during this year's United Way campaign will benefit those they care about most - their family, friends and neighbors. Our community is made better by those who share in the commitment to taking care of our own - the United Way.
Nancy Welch
Volunteer campaign chairman A warm feeling
Last Sunday's Clipper (Jan. 21) brought a sunny warmth to the otherwise rainy, cold day. Several articles were noteworthy:
1. The School Board's plan to adopt a new grading policy: At long last it appears that students will not receive a ``zero grade'' for their non-academic performance. As an educator, it was my perception that students quickly learned to skip school if they didn't have their homework. Why accumulate zeroes and fail when you can be absent and pass? In the job market, wouldn't this be like successfully completing a difficult task but not getting paid because you violated the company's dress code?
2. Street Nonsense: The problem of confusing street names could be easily solved by assigning a digit instead of a ``Circle,'' ``Court'' or ``Lane'' to each duplicated name. For example, Pine Grove 1, Pine Grove 2, Pine Grove 3. Of course, that doesn't lend itself to one's image of what once was a birch, pine, oak or elm grove. Does the city really need a task force to combat confusion concerning concrete construction? OK, if you must, start with the names of endangered species.
3. The ``samurai mayor:'' This piece showed Mayor William E. Ward's quick wit, which is certainly a prerequisite for his position. After he received a beautifully framed miniature Japanese samurai war helmet, the mayor said it would be perfect on Tuesday nights. Did his statement mean ``to protect him from other council members'' or ``to protect him from City Council attendees?'' By the way, samurai warriors followed a code of unquestioning obedience and loyalty, prizing honor above wealth or life. They atoned dishonor by committing hara-kiri, or ceremonial suicide. Personally, I'm thankful the gifts weren't swords.
Thanks to The Clipper staff for keeping the home fires burning.
Betsy Patterson
Benefit Road Key word is safety
Recent letters to the editor have prompted us to write to express another view about the ``S'' curve on Centerville Turnpike, south of Land of Promise Road. The citizens along Centerville have been accused of making statements they can't back up. We say the accusers are not reporting the whole story, only the part that serves their own interests. The letters opposed to Alternates 1 and 2 failed to mention several facts.
The referendum voted on by Chesapeake citizens set aside $1.5 million for improvements to this road. Mention of this leaves the reader thinking that the money has not been appropriated.
Alternate 8 will affect at least eight homes on Centerville Turnpike.
If the plans were changed and the road were moved farther to the east, as has been suggested, homes in Centerville Farms would be affected, trees will be uprooted and another farm would be split down the middle. This same farmer already has had farm land in another part of the city split by road improvements. Deer and other wild animals live in those woods. Enough animals have been displaced by growth.
The city engineer remarked at a City Council meeting in November that Alternate 8 is not the best solution.
One letter stated that if Alternate 1 were approved, ``it would also displace many homes along both Centerville and Woodmont Drive. . . '' Only two homes would be displaced.
The above subject matter is supported by more than our personal preferences.
The question was raised about why flashing lights and rumble strips were not installed long before now. Twenty-five years ago or even 10 years ago, before Chesapeake started growing, this might have been a good solution. New neighborhoods are springing up everywhere and drivers will be looking for more alternate routes to take to avoid traffic. The traffic this road carries today requires a more permanent solution. Alternate 8 would be a Band-Aid fix. We have the money to fix the road properly. Let's do it!
The key word for this project is safety. The new high school in Hickory will be opening soon. Traffic will increase even more and the safety of our children will be compromised. Safety for everyone who travels this road and safety for the schoolchildren who must get on and off buses along the curve. It doesn't matter whether or not any of the accidents on this road were alcohol, drug or speed-related. The fact is that people are dying. If they don't kill themselves, they could kill you. We have wondered how much a life is worth and from the opposed letters have learned it is $550,000.
More than 50 people living along Centerville and in Centerville Farms are for Alternates 1 or 2. We are sorry the four families on Woodmont Drive have pulled away from the rest of the neighborhood instead of trying to work for what is best for all the citizens of the community - safety.
Jo Ann C. Wall
George Wall
Centerville Turnpike South School bus danger
On Nov. 8, 1994, registered voters in Chesapeake voted yes for the road bond referendum. Information to the voters in reference to street improvements was distributed in a brochure called ``The Facts'' by the Department of Public Works. The information in this brochure was implemented by the Department of Public Works and addresses the most pressing local street safety-related projects.
Centerville Turnpike and Land of Promise Road intersection is one of the most pressing streets with its reversed ``S'' curve and is extremely dangerous and has been the cause of many accidents - some fatal. It is a heavily traveled road, and every citizen who uses it knows that. There are two facts of great importance in improving this road according to the Department of Public Works: motorist safety and accident history.
My children and others catch the school bus in front of their homes in the ``S'' curve. When a driver is heading north on Centerville Turnpike, it is a blind curve. The driver does not see the bus stopped to pick up children. There have been many close calls involving stopped school buses and vehicles stopped when the bus is loading or unloading children.
City engineers prepared several alternates to improve the intersection at Centerville and Land of Promise. Alternate 8 , which is currently at best only a Band-Aid and does not provide any safety to citizens who travel this road daily. A city engineer who attended the City Council meeting in November stated that this was only a compromise. I feel strongly that the citizens of Chesapeake need to be aware of the fact that there are two alternates that will, without a doubt, improve the safety and accident history for all citizens traveling on this dangerous curve.
Alternate 1 will take two homes, one of which is on Woodmont Road and the other on Centerville Turnpike. The family on Centerville has no objection to the plan. Neighboring property will be taken also with no objection from their homeowners on Centerville Turnpike to improve driver safety. Alternate 2 will take one home which is my neighbor's property without objection and neighboring property owners, including a big portion of our back yard, without objection.
All people traveling this road need to be aware that Chesapeake citizens voted on this road improvement. In accordance with the 1994 road bond referendum brochure entitled ``The Facts,'' safety for all is of the utmost importance.
Sandy Hoag
Centerville Turnpike South by CNB