THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 21, 1996 TAG: 9603200174
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
SOURCE: John Pruitt
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
They've got to be kidding! Here the city sets up a hotline so customers can register complaints about Falcon Cable TV, and the company sends the same people a letter announcing a rate hike.
It should be lost on no one that the new rates, which Falcon says are needed ``to continue bringing you quality service and entertainment,'' take effect April 1 - April Fools' Day. Unfortunately, the joke's on Suffolk consumers who, if they are to receive municipal programming, must continue to deal with Falcon.
In addition to being unable or unwilling to provide reasonable, reliable service, the company has mastered poor timing. Even if its corporate offices are across the country, in California, surely somebody has gotten the message that Suffolk customers are not happy viewers.
The subscribers know that they're paying much more for basic service than their Hampton Roads neighbors, that their service is erratic and that it's difficult to get a response to everything from outages to improperly installed cables.
The City Council surely knows. Individual council members have gotten so many calls that they decided it was time to document them - and the response to them - as ammunition to (1) pressure Falcon to improve its service or (2) make a case to get out of the franchise agreement.
That's why the city opened its Citizen Contact and Response Line to complaints about Falcon. The calls came slowly at first. But as citizens have become aware of it, they've increased.
With the announcement of new rates, the line should be buzzing. It's the ideal time for every subscriber to say: ``No! We won't pay a penny more for the same, unpredictable service.''
It may not seem so at times, but subscribers are the ones in charge. They're the ones with the checkbooks. There are about 7,300 of us, and that's enough to get the attention of even a distant corporate office.
The head office has to get the message that Falcon will improve and come up with a resonable rate plan or be tuned out.
To have your say, just call 934-3413. The line is answered by city staff from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. workdays and by voice mail at other times.
The city is offering us an opportunity to help it act in our behalf, and we shouldn't miss it.
By the way, an enclosure with Falcon's letter to subscribers listed an incorrect number for the City of Suffolk. Use the hot line number instead.
The basketball teams from Suffolk's two public high schools did themselves - and their hometown - proud last weekend.
No one from the Virginia High School League could recall a city's having two schools in the final four. Suffolk had teams from each of its high schools in the state semifinals, then one in the finals.
Wouldn't it have been exciting if both the Lakeland Cavaliers and the Nansemond River Warriors had won their semifinal games and have battled for the championship?
The outstanding performances by both teams leave little room for pining, though. It's a real honor that Nansemond River made it as far as the semifinals and that Lakeland advanced for a chance at the top slot.
One thing the Lakeland game certainly underscores: Basketball competition isn't over until the buzzer sounds. Despite falling behind, the Cavaliers played so hard that their opponents couldn't claim victory until only three seconds remained.
Next year, both schools will be in different, even more challenging, groups. Bet there isn't a coach remaining in the AA who doesn't believe Lakeland's and Nansemond River's departure doesn't put victory more within their reach.
Both Nansemond River and Lakeland played with class. Congratulations! by CNB