THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 3, 1996 TAG: 9603040173
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 203 lines
The 1995 United Way of South Hampton Roads campaign has come to a successful close, thanks, in part, to the caring citizens who live and work in Portsmouth. The hard work and dedication of thousands of individuals and volunteers helped the Portsmouth campaign reach more than 100 percent of its goal, raising a total of $646,197.
As chair of our 1995 campaign, I was proud to serve with the many volunteers across our city who personified this year's theme, ``Angels Among Us.'' This communitywide effort helped raise a regional total of more than $15.4 million to support local programs provided by United Way and other community agencies.
The citizens of Portsmouth can take pride in the fact that their generous contributions will benefit those they care about most - their family, friends and neighbors. Our community is made better because of those who share in the commitment to taking care of our own - the United Way.
Marilee A. Hawkins
Volunteer Campaign Chair
1995 Portsmouth United Way Campaign
Feb. 6, 1996 Why lock cemetery ?
OK, City Hall, put up your dukes.
I'm a West Park Viewer and now you've gone too far.
It wasn't bad enough that you closed, then razed, the Leckie Street bridge; apparently because you don't want joggers like me using the sidewalks and streets in Shea Terrace, which the public paid for.
But, now you've padlocked the Oak Grove Cemetery, my last sanctuary for exercising away from exhaust fumes and other problems. It's so serene and isolated in the cemetery. I know every blade of grass over there - including a lot of my departed friends and family.
Do you folks seriously think that locking the cemetery will reduce the incidence of whatever illegal activities are occurring there?
And in your infinite wisdom, you left one gate wide open, wide enough to admit autos.
True, most vehicles will be kept out but I have a hunch that hoodlums and drug dealers will be clever enough to park outside, then easily find access on foot - I did.
Locking the gates won't wipe out crime. If it did, you could wall up sidewalks and streets and lock them, too. A lot of crime takes place in streets and on sidewalks.
Of course, that's absurd - but so is locking me out of my cemetery. Can't you keep the gates open until sunset? I'm not stupid enough to exercise in the dark.
Locking out law-abiding residents won't end the vandalism and other troubles. Why not try locking up the troublemakers?
Russell Borjes
Bain Street
Feb. 1, 1996 Phone service lacking
The first words I hear from the Bell Atlantic Telephone ``machine'' when I call is, press this button, then if I want something else, press that button, and then I hear: ``Your call is very important to us, if you will hold the line we will be right with you.'' Obviously, their words speak louder than their deeds!
How would you feel if Bell Atlantic Phone Co. had promised to install a phone line to your home on not just one, but two different occasions and never showed up either time and did not have the common business courtesy to call and say they could not make it.
That's right, on two different occasions, they told me they would show up between 4 and 7 p.m. to install a phone line to my computer and they have neither showed up nor called to say they could not make it. On two different occasions, I have left work early and sat for three hours waiting and no call, no nothing.
I have elderly parents whom I have to go by and look in on every day after work. This makes the second time I have not been able to stop and see them because Bell-Atlantic did not keep its word.
I have one question to ask - is this a breech of contract? I had a verbal contract with Bell Atlantic to do a job and not just once, but twice they have broken that contract . . . . And, by the way, a free hook-up (when they get around to it) will not even the score!
In the meantime, I still do not have a phone line to my computer and nobody from Bell Atlantic cares and you know what? When and how are they going to call me to set up the next appointment?
John Wiseman
Clover Hill Drive
Feb. 20, 1996 Pick up limbs, please
Since our snow and ice storm, news stories report Portsmouth regulations limit pick-up of tree limbs to eight feet long.
Advertising by Portsmouth's Waste Management Division specifies four-foot lengths.
While we intend to be patient during this catastrophic mess and give our general services crews time to get around to our neighborhoods, we must also ask that they leave their tape measures at home and cart away all tree limbs, no matter how large!
If Portsmouth is asking senior citizens, the handicapped, and little old ladies to sharpen their pruning tools and power saws to have a go at it, our local emergency rooms are destined to an overflow of sore muscles and broken bones.
Come on, Portsmouth, you are getting well paid by homeowners and owe us some super service!
Howard Stanley
Bridges Avenue
Feb. 26, 1996 Cut truckers some slack
I'd like to comment on the truck that vibrates the windows and dishes.
I live in a fairly old house and my husband drives a truck. He brings his tractor home late at night and the noise does not wake me up. I believe the letter writer went a little too far about the dishes. If so, they must be hanging on a straight pin. If the structure is damaged I am sure it didn't come from that one truck. If that's the reason, then a lot of buildings and office trailers stand no chance after 20 to 100 trucks leave their dispatchers or their destinations.
If the letter writer works, I am sure some trucks have to bring supplies to his place. You want to put truckers out of business. They travel for your benefit just as much as they do for themselves. They bring food to stores, clothing, furniture and so on for you and others.
I am not sure what the writer was complaining about - the noise or the looks.
If the trucker tore down utility lines, he was responsible for that damage. If there was a sagging brick on his neighbor's wall, I am sure that truck did not cause the wall to collapse. It was poor upkeep. The house shouldn't lose its value because of this truck.
How can anyone suggest that this truck leave at hours not convenient for him. By law, he's required to take eight hours. When he leaves these early hours, it's because of the time it takes him to get to his destination and the time the government law tells him it's time to rest.
If this trucker parked his tractor somewhere else, would someone be willing to take him to and from his tractor? No, because they would still be awakened at 2-3 a.m.
A city councilman said there was a trucker in his neighborhood and he did not know when the man came or went unless he was already up.
I am sure that when the letter writer moves he will have to make some arrangements to be transported. Hope he will not use a moving company - they have big trucks.
These truckers pay taxes. It seems to me that people have really been out to get this trucker. We have no problems here. Like I said, my husband leaves midnight through 5 a.m. He starts his truck before leaving. The only time I wake up is when he gets out of bed.
Give the truckers some respect. If you only knew what it's like out on that road. . . .
L.B. Johnson
Robinson Road
Feb. 27, 1996 Streets should be open to all
When I sent a letter to your newspaper and copies to each of the Portsmouth City Council members in November, it was my understanding that the traffic engineer had ordered temporary restrictions to the traffic pattern in Waterview.
It has been well over the 60 days and the unsightly barriers remain in place. The ``no turn'' signs remain in place as well.
I, and many other people, have been inconvenienced because of the barriers. However, it has been noted that a few motorists have disregarded the no turn signs to travel in their intended direction.
As I stated previously, I, and other motorists who travel through Waterview, do not wish to endanger any of the residents of Waterview. We just want access to public streets that were paid for and are maintained with public funds. We ask only to be able to use what is rightfully ours - to be able to use the causeways, bridges and streets that serve to connect us to the opposite side of our city.
The reason for the traffic problem in Waterview is not the fact that cars use the public streets. The real problem is speeding, which should be dealt with the same way as we deal with speeding on any other Portsmouth street.
As long as barriers and signs prevent motorists from driving through Waterview, you will be dealing with numbers of unhappy people. Many have expressed their dissatisfaction to me. Some have also voiced their feelings in this newspaper - and to city officials.
I say, take down the signs and the barriers and in their place put in speed bumps and/or use some police officers to enforce the speed limit. Too many of our tax dollars have been wasted paying for signs and barriers. It is time to carefully look at how to spend our money to correct the problem.
I have read all of the letters that have been printed in reference to Waterview. I found it hard to see some of their reasoning. A resident on High Street was among those who wants the streets in Waterview kept safe so as to allow her children to be able to ride their bikes on them. She has the privilege of using an alley at the rear of her home. Since when are children supposed to be allowed to ride in the streets! Are we selfish to deny these children that privilege?
Wake up, Mom! Get real!
The Sunday, Feb. 4 Currents printed a letter written by a resident on Peninsula Avenue in which she complained of traffic on her street and she likened it to the Waterview situation.
In her case, the concern was the effect of buses using her street and causing vibrations to her home, her china and her crystal.
Would it be fair to allow her to drive her vehicle down Peninsula Avenue while restricting those people who must depend on public buses to go to work?
Her problem appears to be that of improperly constructed streets - not built to handle the heavy vehicle traffic.
The only comparison I see in the two cases is that the real problem needs to be dealt with. All of our streets were built with funds gotten from our tax dollars and are continuing to be maintained/repaired by the same funding.
These streets certainly ought to be available for the use of all of our citizens.
Ella H. Summerlyn
Mohawk Drive
Feb. 5, 1996 by CNB