THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996 TAG: 9602090196
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 108 lines
A number of people bought 1996 membership cards to play golf at Bide-A-Wee Golf Club.
Since the first of the year, the course has been unplayable due to tree removal and the work will not be completed for awhile yet.
We think the city should extend our cards for a month to six weeks.
Curtis Daughtry
Bobby Jones Drive
Jan. 28, 1996 Crime Summit positive
On behalf of the Portsmouth Police Department and the Crime Summit Planning Committee, we would like to extend our thanks to those people who attended Portsmouth's first summit on crime. Through their involvement and participation, ideas were generated that brought about a positive change for the city of Portsmouth as well as a renewed spirit celebrated by its citizens.
As a group, we represented several neighborhoods, various age groups and diverse social and racial backgrounds. Together we found common ground in our commitment and desire to enhance the quality of life in Portsmouth. Many of the suggestions for strengthening the Police Department's community policing efforts are being considered for future implementation, while others will be implemented immediately. The Portsmouth Police Department is also striving to enhance its communication with the citizens of Portsmouth and to create a trusting partnership in our fight against crime.
The summit was just the beginning. Many committed to continue working with us on our community policing efforts, and we will be contacting them soon with more information. In the meantime, we hope the energy and camaraderie generated by the summit on crime will serve as a catalyst for continued support and commitment to a higher quality of life in our great city!
Dennis A. Mook
Chief of Police
Anne Green
Portsmouth Crime Prevention Steering Committee Get rid of the lead
Lead contamination is no joke. It is a very serious and life-threatening matter, something that our city seems not to realize. We refuse to believe that our city is ignorant of its dangers or to the neglect and damage that they have imposed on the residents of Washington Park. This entire lead ordeal has not only deteriorated our health but has also complicated our entire lives. Our city has for years survived keeping such a devastating matter on the down-low, but as we all are aware, no joke, one reaps what one sows. With all respect and undoubtedly speaking from the heart a change is on the horizon, a change for the embitterment for our people here in Washington Park.
How long to you think we innocent people can suffer on? Indefinitely, I assume our city's response would conclude. As we listen tentatively to those responses from our city's officials about their ever so far-fetched skimp to combat this lead problem here in our community. Their response has forced us to believe that this entire lead situation is an issue that deserves no matter of concern. Also, that it be quickly discussed and over at the City Council meetings. It appears to us that we have a City Council with the exception of a few that can't stand up to their responsibilities. I feel that our situation should be a priority in the schedule of events prior to those proposed in the Vision 2005 plan. Hopefully, that may already be the case.
Stereotypically speaking from the outside looking in, society has perceived us as a minority of people in public housing, paying cheap rent and struggling to survive. For some, it might apply, but for others, it is indeed a lie. There are residents out here paying anywhere from $50 to $506 monthly. We contribute to our city's income more than some homeowners pay monthly. On the contrary, we are also contributing to our deteriorating status by even parting with one brown cent to event live in such inhumane living conditions.
People say move. Easier said than done. Where can one get a deposit for another when rent here undoubtedly is too high - not to mention the numerous doctors and medical bills we are faced with due to our lead contamination. Not everyone out here has medical insurance and indeed this entire lead situation has financially burdened us as a result.
In response to a statement that our own Mayor Gloria Webb stated at a previous City Council meeting, ``We need this housing.'' If you need this housing for their income contributions, why not take them, evacuate us residents and build condominiums here as were built on the other side of the railroad tracks? Surely, that would prove a pretty penny that would be a bit more feasible to our city's much needed income status.
In regard to those that declare Washington Park as safe, it is no doubt slander and libelous. We have living contaminated individuals to justify the above statement. Washington Park is no doubt contaminated. So why keep playing games with our lives? We are human just like each and everyone of you.
A statement for thought. . . the imposition, the exaggeration and the contamination of the entire lead situation is no joke. No one should have to live like this. As for our kids, our pride and joy. The future generation of tomorrow we would love to know even though we continuously seek medical help for our sickly kids due to their exposure to lead contamination. The continence of being out here is not any help at all. And, with the aggravated continence due to our city's neglect, instead of closing the park down, our kids are no doubt maturing from sickly babies into sickly kids into sickly and destructive teens. Yet, all our city has to offer our kids to them for compensation is incarceration. A situation that we people here have begged our city to free us of. Think about it. Lead is no joke.
Cheryl D. Artis
Portsmouth
Feb. 7, 1996
Editor's Note: The Environmental Protection Agency has declared the area discussed as safe for human habitation. by CNB