THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 26, 1996 TAG: 9604250180
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Long : 261 lines
My letter is concerning the now-vacant Navy Carper housing. At the beginning of the year, all residents were gone and the housing was to be torn down, making ready for new ones. One entire course was used to train our emergency personnel, which was a fantastic idea. One whole day was spent destroying the building and hiding ``fake'' victims so that our emergency people could practice rescue in case of a crisis or disaster. The training was a success according to the paper and they had reached the goal intended.
Since then, that part of Carper has not been touched. The court is a pile of rubble and even the yellow emergency tape has since fallen down. I travel through this area two times a day if not more and the scene is very disturbing and ugly. It's truly an eye sore for the neighborhood in which I live.
Debris has blown in the street and has to be dodged by traffic. It's either that or damage the tires of your car. On some of the very windy days we've had, debris blows everywhere. With warmer weather around the corner, I see a lot of problems arising. Many of the units have garage doors wide open for anyone to enter. I see this as a place for crime gatherings.
Whoever is responsible for cleaning up should be ashamed for not doing so sooner than this. I sure wish it could be done soon.
Diane Marple
March 24 City should build stadium
I am a student at Landstown Elementary School. I read your article about the Lake Ridge property, and it says a task force has held two public meetings to solicit citizens ideas for the site, which will house the amphitheater, and possibly a soccer stadium, several golf courses, an equestrian center and some business development.
These ideas are awesome, but I suggest that they should put a basketball stadium that can also be turned into a hockey stadium. We also need a professional basketball team and a professional hockey team. A lot of people want a hockey and a basketball stadium.
Renato Garcia
March 23 Board had an alternative on replacing school site
A wise man once said, ``You can fool all the people some of the time, but you can't fool all of the people all of the time.' However, former Virginia Beach School Superintendent Sidney Faucette seemed to have the ability to fool all of the people all of the time.
The recent article by Tom Holden concerning the School Board acquisition of the Potter/Johnson property on First Colonial Road, carries a paragraph which states that the herein undersigned representing the Hillhaven Corporation, ironically on the day after the City reached an agreement with the Potter Family, offered an alternative purchase possibility to the School Board. This is blatantly not the fact. The School Board, through its representatives and city real estate agent, had the property offered to them on Feb. 14, 1994, and as late as Dec. 22, 1994, The Virginian-Pilot carried an article stating that the city had increased its offer for Mrs. Johnson's six acres from $260,000 to $1,000,000, and likewise had increased the offer to the Potter Family from $800,000 to $2,700,000.
I attempted to communicate with Dr. Faucette on numerous occasions, both by letter and by telephone and it was only after he received a letter from attorney Andrew Ege, representing the Hillhaven Corporation, dated Jan. 26, 1995, did he respond (Feb. 8, 1995) with what is probably one of the feeblest excuses imaginable, and I shall quote from his letter, in its entirety paragraph 2, which states as follows:
``While I appreciate your clients position, the School Board has acted, based on the unanimous recommendation of the School Site Selection Committee, to acquire the Potter/Johnson properties. The Site Selection Committee process determined the Potter and Johnson properties to be, among other things more geographically desirable than other properties available, including that of your client.'' (sic) it will interest the readers to know that Hillhaven property and the Potter/Johnson property are only 2,700 feet apart.
It is still beyond my comprehension, that if the School Board's Site Selection Committee has made one mistake in buying a property which is in the direct path between the Expressway and the Emergency Room of the Virginia Beach General Hospital, how they could even conceive of compounding that mistake by building the school when an alternate - a cheaper alternate - is nearby, and still available, in the Hillhaven property. I suppose building the school on this site will prove the old adage that two wrongs do make a right, and I would anxiously urge the new School Superintendent, Dr. Jenney and the new School Board members to re-evaluate this decision, which was obviously pushed through by a man who was hell bent to have his way in spite of whether it made good sense or not.
Samuel W. Scott Jr.
March 27 Vote NO on referendum and good luck to you on all the rest
Rumor has it that Lady Luck, that comely lass that appears in state Lotto advertisements, is the most sought after consultant by candidates in the upcoming City Council and School Board elections. With 45 people running for seats on the board alone and our unique (strange, peculiar) at-large system where everyone voting can vote for any and all who are running no matter which borough the voter or the candidate is from - the result can only be looked upon as a game of chance.
What are the odds of anyone being able to find three people in the whole city who can name six candidates, let alone being able to say whether they are two-year at-large, four-year at-large, two-year borough specific or four-year borough specific candidates? About the only thing that is easy to remember is how to make some sense out of the voting system - just vote NO to referendum question number one.
The Virginia Beach Education Association is the only outfit that has the incentive and organization to get its followers to exercise their rote-memory capacity to vote for a slate of approved candidates. So, they'll probably be most influential in providing the next batch of fodder for a special grand jury. VBEA's task has been made easier and their influence greater by the Republican and Democratic parties failing to encourage, sift, sort, train and support candidates.
The at-large system means a candidate for council has to campaign and gain name recognition citywide, even if he or she is running for a borough specific seat. Translation: If you aren't an incumbent and can't raise $100,000, forget it.
Again thinking of Lady Luck, and council, one of the commercials she appears in shows the dire effect her wand can have in the wrong hands - a symphony orchestra is changed into a bunch of chickens. I wonder if she could reverse the procedure, starting with a bunch of turkeys?
Don Babcock
April 4 Support bill on insurance
More and more Americans are employed in small business - a sign that we're still a nation of entrepreneurs. But today, the lives of those who work in small business are different from a generation ago. For one thing, today's skyrocketing health care costs make the need for dependable health insurance for small business owners, as well as their employees and families, more important than ever.
A person, for example, who runs a successful automotive repair service and employs a crew of 15 has tried to secure health insurance for his workers, but has been denied coverage because insurers feel he has an ``unhealthy'' workforce. He employs two people who have family members with pre-existing medical conditions. Some members of his workforce may leave to find jobs where they can benefit from some type of employer health plan.
There may be a way to help eliminate these discriminatory practices affecting our health care system. Legislation introduced by Sens.Nancy Kassebaum, R-Kan., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., is pending in Congress that would allow small businesses to buy health insurance for their workers, regardless of whether they have a pre-existing health condition.
The bill (S-1028) faces some obstacles. There are those who desire to attach amendments to the bill, which would weaken it so much that it would be nothing more than a piece of paper.
Every employer should have the right to offer employees fair health insurance. The Kassebaum-Kennedy bill (S-1028) as it is written is the insurance policy small business can rely on for just that opportunity.
Individuals are urged to contact their senators and have them support S-1028 as written.
James K. Ramborger
Virginia State AARP
Legislative Committee,
Vice Chair
April 11 Editor's note: This bill was passed by the Senate on Tuesday. It now faces action in the House of Representatives. Firefighters are thankful
On behalf of the 242 members of the Virginia Beach Professional Firefighters Association, I would like to sincerely thank Fire Chief Harry Diezel, City Manager James Spore and the entire Virginia Beach City Council for their support in regards to the recent firefighter line-of-duty deaths in the City of Chesapeake.
It was their leadership and compassion that enabled us as firefighters and fire officers to help staff Chesapeake firehouses and to perform many other means of support for our brother and sister Fire/EMS personnel in their time of need. Also, I would like to thank the citizens for their enormous amount of support. You responded with donations, flowers and moral support, which helped us deal with this tragic event. Everyone's gratitude is sincerely appreciated and will never be forgotten.
Dean M. DaSilva
President
Virginia Beach Professional
Firefighters Association
I.A.F.F. Local 2924 Businesses lend support
I would like to thank all the volunteers from the local Coastal Region chapters of the Business and Professional Women's Clubs and the businesses who assisted with the Reality Store project. The Reality Store project is a fun, educational way to help youth learn about their career options, evaluate their choices and plan appropriately for their futures. We were proud to provide this free special program and be the first ever for the Girl Scouts at their new facility in Chesapeake - ``A Place for Girls.''
Lois Shafter
Reality Store coordinator
April 11 This candidate has heart
One rainy and cold Monday early in April I was driving to an appointment when I saw a very curious thing. As I slowed to a stop for the red light at the intersection of Lynnhaven Parkway and Princess Anne Road, I saw a man in the cold rain putting up a sign for School Board candidate Mike Arsuaga. While I was waiting at the light, this man put up Mr. Arsuaga's sign and then did a very chivalrous thing. He also put up the fallen signs of the other candidates.
I was so impressed by this good deed, I called Mr. Arsuaga at home that evening to express my appreciation. He admitted that it was in fact he I had seen.
In these times of dirty politics and mudslinging campaigns, it is indeed refreshing to find someone who demonstrates the strength of character to do what is right, even when they think no one is watching.
Judy Reed
April 16 Elect Bradway to board
As a registered Virginia Beach voter and subscriber to The Virginian-Pilot, I'd like to let you know of my support for Don Bradway's candidacy for the Virginia Beach School Board. He has the highest moral standards and I believe he will work diligently for fiscal responsibility.
Also, since he has two of his own sons in the public school system, I know he will keep the children's interests at the forefront during his tenure. Having a first-grader in the same school system, I hope he will be involved in the operation of the School Board.
Susan Lennon
April 12 Sigmon is proven leader
As an employee of Commonwealth College, I have known the director of the campus, Ken Sigmon, for several years. He came to us at a very turbulent time for the college and within a relatively short time, managed to turn it completely around. He has the rare qualities of integrity and intelligence.
In addition to his obvious qualifications as a college administrator, calling for strong financial skills coupled with organizational and managerial abilities, he has children in the public school system thereby giving him a vested interest in its future. To have Ken Sigmon on the School Board would no doubt bring to our school system those same qualities he brought to Commonwealth College which have been such a contributing factor to its growth.
Gail M. Krebs
April 1 Vote YES on question
This letter is written to urge Vote Yes on the May 7th referendum, which will determine how we elect our City Council and School Board.
Contrary to the arguments of the opponents, the issue is simple. A vote yes means you can vote for all 11 council and board members. A no vote means you select only five - your own borough representative and four at-large members. Why would any citizen want to forfeit his right to vote for a majority of the members of our two most important bodies?
Consider the School Board debacle! Would you want to give up your right to vote on six of the 11 replacement members? I think not. Vote Yes.
Do you want a ward system? Take a peek at what is happening in the super ward conflict in Norfolk.
City Council has taken action to equalize population in our voting districts. A Vote Yes is the purest form of one person, one vote representation.
Dan Arris Editor's note: Arris is former chairman of the Planning Commission and ran unsuccessfully for the City Council in 1994. by CNB