THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996 TAG: 9604190166
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 267 lines
How can we determine which of the many candidates in the upcoming election are more concerned with self-promotion than the good of the city? Easy!
Just take note of the abundance of tacky signs that candidate-polluters have allowed to trash our roadsides. Let's write their names down and take the list to the polls. Then let's vote against every one of them.
They can't control what their workers do? That's a small responsibility and an indication of their inability to take on the larger job.
Beverley Burke McGhee
Slate Street Campaign litter
I know it is campaign season when the streets are littered with political signs. Why is it that so many candidates will put signs wherever they please?
Isn't there a law on where you can put signs up? I have seen Mike Woods' and Jim Wheaton's signs in places that they should not be. Since both of these individuals are lawyers, they should understand campaign law?
I can't wait until May, when the streets of Chesapeake will be clean again!
Jim Deal
Angus Road Vote to silence
A front-page article in the April 14 Virginian-Pilot discussed growth as the primary issue in the upcoming regional elections. On July 12, 1995, The Virginian-Pilot reported the following:
``Ignoring impassioned pleas from dozens of civic leaders and other citizens citywide, the Chesapeake City Council on Tuesday spoke out against laws designed to curb the city's rampant growth rate. In a narrow 5-4 vote, council members denied citizens the chance to vote in a special November referendum that would have asked the General Assembly for authority to institute adequate public facilities legislation. Such legislation would halt all new residential development until schools roads and other services were in place to meet the demand of new homes.''
As Chesapeake voters go to the polls, they should remember how three of the current candidates voted on last year's proposed growth referendum. Robert T. Nance Jr. and Dalton S. Edge voted for the referendum. Mayor William E. Ward voted against it.
The referendum in itself would have implemented no new growth controls. It would simply have given the people of Chesapeake a vehicle for their collective voice to be heard on the growth issue. By voting as he did, Mayor Ward effectively voted to silence the voice of the people on an issue of vital interest to them.
I sincerely hope that come election day the people of Chesapeake will remind Mayor Ward that this is still America, and one way or another, the voice of the people will be heard.
Mike Host
Andrea Lynne Court A pair of gentlemen
Last fall Councilman Dalton S. Edge lost his seat to Dwight M. Parker in a close three-way race. In addition to Mr. Parker, Dalton also was challenged by the maverick candidacy of Bill Pierce.
After his loss, Dalton graciously resigned his seat so that Mr. Parker could immediately assume the position and participate in council voting without awaiting technical swearing in and seat transfer. I recall an editorial cartoon depicting a voter stating in response to this resignation, ``If I had known Dalton Edge was such a gentleman, I would have voted for him.''
Well, Dalton Edge is a gentleman, and the citizens of Chesapeake are fortunate to get another chance to cast their vote for him. Indeed, former supporters of Bill Pierce can vote both for Mr. Edge and Mr. Pierce, who are now running together for two of the three open seats. It is a rare embarrassment of riches for the voters of Chesapeake to have so many fine choices this election cycle. I pray that they will avail themselves of the opportunity.
Jean Infantino
Blair Court How much more
Enough is enough! Three hundred fifty portable classrooms, roads you cannot get on, much less drive on, water we can't drink. How much more do we put up with?
Open your eyes, Chesapeake. Give us an able and dedicated individual on the City Council. Vote for Dalton S. Edge on May 7.
Herb Poindexter
Cedar Road
As a person who has been involved in our community for decades, it has been my pleasure or grief to have watched politicians come and go for years. That's why I believe we need Dalton S. Edge on the City Council. We need intelligence, integrity and common sense to lead us.
George N. Hathaway
S. Battlefield Boulevard Reviewing record
A recent argument with my Democrat colleagues ended with the admonition, ``Remember his record'' as a response to my stated intent to vote for Robert T. Nance Jr. for Chesapeake City Council on May 7. While intended as a derisive cheap shot at the vice mayor, I did, nonetheless, make the effort to review his record.
It was Robert Nance who assembled a 5-4 majority to hold off a Democrat proposed seven-cent increase in the personal property tax in 1992. It was Robert Nance who then led the new Republican council in cutting the personal property tax rate by 2 1/2 cents. It was Robert Nance who first stood up to stop the commercial rezoning of our city - the Democrat council's preferred mode of raising revenue. It was also Robert Nance who first proposed a new water treatment plant back in 1992, before the salty summer of 1995. Finally, it was Robert Nance who heeded the citizen calls to preserve the Great Bridge ``Green Spot'' by offering a motion to purchase the plot for a park, an effort that proved futile with Dalton S. Edge's vote in favor of preservation being replaced in the November elections with Dwight Parker's vote for development.
I have looked at his record, and I like what I see. Robert Nance has my vote on May 7.
Heather A. Fowkes
Las Gaviotas Boulevard Comminication is key
Michael Woods is the only person running for School Board that has a true vision for Chesapeake Schools. His vision includes safety for our children, a curriculum that teaches the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics and better communication.
As a former police officer of 14 years, Mike has the authority to talk about safety in our schools. He knows firsthand how to deal with issues of safety and crime and how to deal with these problems. Mike realizes that students cannot learn effectively in an environment of fear and intimidation, and that teachers cannot effectively teach in that same environment. We need stricter enforcement of laws concerning guns, drugs and criminals within our schools. This will enable us to remove those students who are disruptive and dangerous and enable our teachers to better do the job that they are paid to do - teach.
Mike also knows the importance of implementing higher academic standards that measure our students' knowledge of the material they are being taught. This will enable our teachers to see if their methods of instruction are working and, if they are not, to alter them. Reading, writing and mathematics are skills that our students must know if they are to survive in college or in the job market, and we need to make sure that they know and understand these basic skills.
Communication is the key to a good education. Mike knows this and wants to get parents more involved with their children's education. He wants to get the parents involved with the decision making within the schools and wants to hear all of their ideas. After all, the choices made by the School Board will directly affect their children. That is why Mike will suggest that the School Board meetings be moved throughout the city so that more people can actively participate and discuss their ideas concerning school issues.
Mike Woods in an excellent candidate for Chesapeake School Board. I hope that you will consider him to represent your family on your School Board as you vote on May 7.
Matt Mansfield
Bay View Drive Proven leadership
As the mother of two children in the Chesapeake School system, I would like to encourage everyone to vote for Harry A. Murphy.
He is active in the church, the community and the schools. He has proven leadership from his background as a Navy officer, and he has an education degree. Since his children are in the public schools, he knows the concerns and needs of the school system. What more qualifications does a candidate need?
Harry A. Murphy is definitely the kind of person Chesapeake needs on the School Board.
Aline C. Showalter
Hurdle Drive High Qualifications
Bachelor of science, U.S. Naval Academy. Bachelor of arts, William and Mary School of Education. Bachelor of science in secondary education, Old Dominion University. Master's degree candidate, Virginia Commonwealth University. Juris Doctor degree, William and Mary School of Law.
Curriculum vitae of the faculty of Harvard University? No. Just some of the qualifications of the Republican-backed candidates for the Chesapeake School Board - Harry Murphy, Jim Thomson and Patti Willis. Please give them your consideration.
Jennifer Jarman
Angus Road Free the Fish
I am deeply disturbed with the report recently on activists and their fish problems. Too many people don't care enough about the important issues of this area - like children being caught in the cross-fire, the homeless, our hungry and better schools for the future of our communities. Instead, people want to protest the fishing in our most populated fishing areas.
These same people should fight for the good things that indeed need our attention.
What about the pet stores, which have poor fish locked up for good? Let's free the fish! Give me a break. Do something more constructive to help our communities as a whole, or seek psychiatric help.
Debra L. Moore
Volvo Parkway When life begins
Why are all these people fussing over ``partial birth abortions?'' After all, haven't we already conclusively proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that these body parts are not alive? Well, haven't we? So what if these body parts are warm and kicking before we crack open their skulls and suck out their brains? They can't feel it, right? After all we know that these are just tissue parts without any life, held together by lungs, hearts and skin. Who are we to intrude on the God-given right - oops - government-given right of women to choose what happens to their bodies?
In fact, why restrict women to partial birth abortions in choosing when to abort a child? Let's give them unlimited choice! I propose a two-week grace period after birth for all women to choose if they really want this baby or not. If not a simple maneuver called a post-birth abortion, or non-partial birth abortion, or some other politically correct flowery phrase to hide the true meaning of this procedure so we the public are not too offended. The same rationale for all other abortions could be used for these abortions: ``It's my body and my life, so I get to choose what happens to it. When I choose is of no significance to anyone but me. After all, who can truly say when life begins?
Responsible parents recognize that a woman and a man (it takes two) should choose whether to have a baby or not. The saddest portion of this statement is that this choice should be made responsibly at a time prior to conception, not after as a correction for poor judgment. Extreme situations, such as rape and incest, which all pro-choice advocates rush to proclaim due to their emotional impact, are in the minority of the overall abortions performed, and should be ruled upon separately.
If we had a time machine, and could transport into the not-so-distant future, I can't help but wonder how history would judge a society, that without all the facts to determine just when life begins, would choose to murder its young.
Lou F. DeToma
Wild Duck Crossing Grateful family
We recently laid to rest two very special people in our lives, Charles and Doris Strohecker. They had both been very sick with lung cancer and suffered greatly before our eyes. God called Dad home on Monday, March 25, and Mom followed 32 hours later on March 26. We had several relatives from various states who attended the funeral. We have heard horror stories about funeral processions.
Officer William Shifflett and Officer Perry Bossout, two very fine and professional Chesapeake police officers, worked our funeral procession, and we cannot thank and commend them enough.
These officers kept all of the cars together and managed to prevent rude drivers from disrupting us as the procession approached the cemetery. Everyone witnessed the officers standing straight and forward saluting as every vehicle passed, paying tribute to these two special people in our lives. These men put their lives on the line for us every day and never do they hear, ``Thank you.''
Therefore, on behalf of the entire Strohecker family, we wish to extend our thanks and appreciation to Chief Ian M. Shipley Jr. and the Chesapeake Police Department for an outstanding job in making this sorrowful time in our lives very memorable.
Donn and Lori Strohecker
Rutherford Drive Justice for Victims
In our population there is a need for justice for victims of crime and comprehensive, meaningful victims' rights and services. The cry for victim justice will be heard louder than ever during National Crime Victims' Rights Week 1996 because criminal justice in America can never be complete without justice for victims of crime.
Victim justice means that victims and survivors of crime want to be treated as well as alleged and convicted offenders. Victims and survivors should be treated with dignity, compassion and respect, not only by our justice system but by all individuals with whom they have contact in the aftermath of a crime.
Melodie L. Brown
Founder and chairman
Parents of Murdered Children
Chesapeake Chapter
Hillwell Road by CNB