THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 25, 1996 TAG: 9602230149
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 207 lines
I am one of seven homeowners in Grove Park that presented a formal petition to the City Council in October asking for help as a tractor-trailer rig was being parked in our neighborhood, right across the street from our home.
Tow trucks and one-ton commercial vehicles are not in the same class or category as 35-ton, 55-foot long over-the-highway diesel 18-wheelers. The common sense issue is 18-wheelers and 10-ton dump trucks, not emergency towing vehicles and plumbing trucks. These vehicles should not be restricted as long as they are not disturbing people's sleep at unreasonable hours.
My 65-year-old home has a concrete basement. When my neighbor starts his 55-foot-long rig at 2 or 3 a.m., letting it warm up for 15 or 20 minutes before he leaves, the giant diesel engine resonates through the 35 tons of metal turning it into a gigantic vibrator. The vibration shakes windows and dishes, wakes up the entire family and I am in the process of attempting to prove that structural damage is being done to the old brick and mortar in our home by this vibration.
Two homeowners have already sold and left Portsmouth because of the truck, two more are for sale. We decided to leave the neighborhood as well, but were told by a real estate agent that our chances of selling our home would be severely diminished due to the presence of the truck parked across the street and if we were fortunate enough to get an offer, it would most likely be 10 to 20 percent below the market value which is what happened to the two homes which were recently sold due to the truck.
The homeowners who signed the petition feel that this vehicle and its hours of operation merit immediate attention. This truck and its inconsiderate owner represent a flagrant attack on our home property values and our right to undisturbed sleep.
The truck's massive weight (35 tons or 70,000 pounds) and 18 wheels have pulverized a huge hole in the street which the city recently repaired with a big, ugly black asphalt patch to further diminish the appeal of our home and our ability to sell. The truck's vertical exhaust stacks tore the utility line from a telephone pole to one home on our street, and another neighbor just happened to be in his own back yard when the passing rig caused a sagging brick retaining wall in his back yard to collapse.
It was suggested at the City Council hearing that perhaps complaints about these big trucks could be solved under existing laws. We have already tried that and failed.
I took this trucker to criminal court, asking that he be ordered not to start his vehicle during normal quiet hours, producing a detailed log showing 2-4 a.m. departures 13 times in a 30-day period.
Although the judge was quite critical of the trucker's inconsiderate actions, the case was dismissed. I was then forced to move my school age son to his mother's home in another neighborhood, so that he could have uninterrupted sleep on school days.
Even after the trucker had previously been warned by letter from the city zoning department that only one such vehicle could be parked on his property, he ignored this and was taken to civil court by the zoning department. The judge dismissed the case.
With no enforcement of existing laws, getting a new one enacted now seems remote. Now the trucker is taking me to civil court to recover his lost wages for having to go on the nuisance violation the first time. This clearly demonstrates the inconsiderate mentality that the decent long-term residents of the neighborhood are dealing with. If something isn't done soon, we will leave Portsmouth. Being unable to sell our home, we will have to rent it out. I guess we can find another trucker to rent it and just let the neighborhood continue to decline until it becomes a neighborhood of truckers and their rigs.
I wonder how quickly action would be taken if this situation was occurring in Sterling Point, Glensheallah or across the street from several members of the council. Tractor-trailer drivers can't afford homes in the best neighborhoods.
Grove Park residents pay taxes just like folks in the better neighborhoods do and we want something done about this menace; yesterday! Why doesn't someone on the planning commission make a few phone calls and copy what more progressive councils have done about 35-ton trucks in their cities?
M.L. ``Bud'' Moore
Greenway Court West
Feb. 18, 1996 Driver grieves for dog
On Feb. 14, while driving home from work about 11:45 p.m., I hit a dog that ran in front of my car on Hampton Boulevard.
I will never forget the sound of impact and the cry from this very sweet dog. The dog got up and walked behind Robo carwash. I parked my car and went to find the dog, along with a young man who also pulled over.
Police and animal control were called.
I sat on the ground and this dog walked over, laid her head in my lap and looked up at me with beautiful, trusting eyes, as if to say: ``It's OK, it wasn't your fault and I'm still your friend.''
This beautiful, loving dog died that night. She was let down by two people - her owner who let her run loose and myself who hit her.
Animals trust and depend on owners. It is up to owners to not let animals run loose.
This will stay with me forever. I will hear the impact and the cry from pain and I will always see those big, brown eyes looking up at me letting me know she hurt.
I would like to thank the two police officers who stayed with me. I would also like to thank the young man who pulled over and stayed with me.
Thank you, sweet dog for being you.
Susan Boyd
Picadilly Lane
Feb. 15, 1996 Accentuate the positive
Concerning the story in the Sports section, ``Records likely to fall at district meet,'' of Feb. 4, I'll get to the point: enough already about Churchland distance runner Robbie Williams winning the 3200-meter event at last year's district meet, but being disqualified for running out of his lane!
It seems that the last few articles that have mentioned Robbie's name, this event is also noted every time, but nothing is ever said of his more notable accomplishments in running just 2 1/2 years. Let me mention a few.
In 1994, he placed 10th in the cross country event and sixth place in the two-mile outdoor district meet having been running for only three months. In 1995, he was the cross country MVP, the two-mile district champion for indoor track, placed third in the outdoor mile and fifth in the district and 12th in the region, and placed 40th at the state cross country event, pushing him to third in the district and fifth in the region. In the state event, no one at Churchland High School had done as well since 1965, when the school had a state winner. He holds the indoor track record for the two-mile at Churchland.
As far as disqualification goes, anyone who was at the meet that day knows that it was a very controversial call. Robbie had the full support of other participants, coaches and observers as well. Throughout the call and the ensuing discussion, Robbie conducted himself in a mature, dignified manner, not once displaying anything less than respect for his team, his school and himself.
A girls' relay team from another school was also disqualified for running out of lane in the same meet. Other runners also ran out of lane, but none were disqualified. At the regional and state meets, runners ran out of lane left and right, but none were disqualified. In my opinion, if one is going to ``go by the book'' at the lower level of events, then there must be consistency and follow through at the higher levels with all school and all participants.
What I question more than anything, though, is why print a person's picture with a negative caption under it and then quote the same caption in the article? If the writer is going to take the time to go to the school, take pictures, and put together an interesting and informative story for his readers, then the least he can do is print the positives (along with the negatives, if needed) and make the article worthwhile for the subjects and something that they don't mind the public reading. In today's time, people need all the support and positive feedback they can get!
Linda Johnson
Summerset Drive
Feb. 7, 1996
The Hampton Roads area has lost a great friend and volunteer. Shirley Jiral devoted her life to her family and to community services. She was proud of her supportive husband and her three children and their families.
I worked with Shirley in the early 1980s on the Portsmouth Area Council of Garden Clubs and was on her executive board when she was president. She gave so much time and energy to the council I was very surprised to learn she was also president of Child and Family Services of Portsmouth, president of the Poplar Hills Civic League and chair of the Battle of Great Bridge Advisory Committee - all at the same time.
She agreed to serve on the Flower Guild at the Courthouse museum and not only did she help with flower arrangements for exhibit openings. She also volunteered as a docent and as a gift shop worker.
She loved to be involved with flower shows. She helped write the show schedules. She did the art work for shows and she also entered flower arrangements.
She loved to give her original programs to garden clubs. She often shared her many travel experiences.
She loved gardening. She enjoyed everything in its natural state, her wildflower garden and observing the birds at their feeders in her back yard.
She had planned so many activities for this coming year. All that energy and enthusiasm she generated will be greatly missed.
Shirley had so much to give and she loved giving of herself.
Wanda Russo
Park Manor
Feb. 20, 1996 Two wonderful cats
This letter is written with recent adverse publicity of the Portsmouth Humane Society in mind. I have known the director, Louis Tefft, many years and he is entirely capable and does a most competent job with the funds which are available to him. The stance which the society and Mr. Tefft take on the matter of the time between taking in strays and having to dispose of them, I concur with.
Since marrying Polly quite a few years ago, I have grown to know and understand cats - something unthinkable for me before that. We've had OJ, a big, handsome, male cat for 10 years which is just six weeks shy of his life span. He gives us affection, obeys all the house rules and without so much as a word gets everything he wants.
Polly recently learned of a six-to-eight-month-old female kitten living in the repair garage at her employment. The kitten was dirty, uncared for, and entirely independent - had to be just to survive. Polly decided to adopt Nikki and after she was given a bath and a clean bill of health by our veterinarian, she was brought home and introduced to OJ. The first two months were understandably difficult for both Nikki and OJ - difficult is an understatement. It is a tribute to both of them that in early December, they kissed and made up.
Since that December day our lives have been enhanced - and I mean just that. Watching them romp and play is a constant joy - free entertainment and much better than TV. Quite frankly, I don't know how we got along without Nikki or what I'd do if suddenly she or OJ weren't here.
Come to think of it, I do know the course I'd take - I'd march right down to 2704 Frederick Blvd. and pick out two kittens of the same age and adopt them. I urge anyone to adopt two such kittens - have one spayed, one neutered. You'll make Louis Tefft's job a lot easier and have two inexpensive, clean, lovable pets and add life to your years.
Richard Slepin
Riveredge Drive
Feb. 17, 1995 by CNB