THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 26, 1996 TAG: 9607250175
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 90 lines
Vulgarity notably absent
We have just returned from a two-week trip to the Orlando, Fla., area's five theme parks and had taken two young grandsons with us. The entire time I never saw a suggestive or vulgar T-shirt worn or displayed.
Can you say the same for Virginia Beach?
Nancy S. Kimball
July 15
Even charities get greedy
This is a mid-year resolution (OK, so I'm a slow learner). From this day forward, I will take every piece of ``junk'' mail, write ``REFUSED'' on the face of it, and dump it in a nearby mailbox. This is prompted not by the sleaze peddlers, but by worthy non-profit organizations which send me continuous pleas for further assistance.
I have supported some of these causes in the past with whatever I could spare. I believe they are doing good works. But I resent being asked to repeat that assistance monthly. And I refuse to feel guilty for doing so.
So charitable organizations, take notice. From now on, I will not read your mailings. I will not write a small check every once in a while to prove that I care. You have killed the goose that lays the golden egg. I no longer support your cause.
I hope other individuals will join me in this initiative. Send it back. Let the post office deal with it. This constant hectoring is not needed; it's greed.
Save your dollars for local causes. The Food Bank, your church, Save the Bay, your local rescue squad. They spend your money on good works and not on constant mailings.
Marion O'Handley
June 27
Manager deserved better
I just completed reading the July 5 article regarding Barbara Bishop and her attempt to help teens in her apartment complex. Certainly, it is obvious that she has taken the wrong tack in this situation. After all, her actions there have not resulted in teens arrested or jailed. There have been no shootings, police involvement, or other problems that we can point to as ``teens gone wrong'' and so we can only conclude that she is incapable of doing her job. How can one expect ``bad kids'' to understand that they have to accept responsibility for their actions when this woman keeps making them understand that there are people who will give you a chance to show that you can be responsible and that you can do what is right.
It really sounds to me like Great Atlantic ownership needs to put her as far down as possible before they have other managers helping people and causing teenagers to act properly and all of those value things that we hear preached about in the paper and by politicians.
To the parents who didn't like her firm and strict approach, I say, ``If you control your children and they are never in the situation where Barbara Bishop would have to deal with them, you have no gripe because she was only dealing with the problems. If she was too strict with your child, maybe you need to take a look at what your child is really doing and where your values are.''
Dave Wemhoff
July 5
This letter is in response to your July 5 article regarding Barbara Bishop.
Shame on you, Edwin Joseph! Her actions are inappropriate? She violated a company policy on resident confidentiality? Get a grip! Barbara Bishop deserves our community's support for a job well done and for going above and beyond the call of duty. Too many times individuals turn their backs saying it is someone else's problem to help our youth today. Now, our future leaders of this countryare shown once again that no one cares.
Give Barbara her job back. Our city, state and nation needs more individuals like her!
Sherry Baldridge
July 5 Officer thanks citizens
I would like to express my gratitude to the several unknown men who assisted me in chasing down a narcotics suspect on busy Laskin Road across from Linkhorn Elementary School, on July 1. As traffic came to a standstill in both directions, these men exited their vehicles and became involved in a brief foot pursuit. With their assistance, we were able to capture the individual. These men certainly went beyond the call of any civic duty in becoming involved in a potentially dangerous situation. On behalf of myself and the Virginia Beach Police Department my heartfelt thanks goes out to them for their courageous involvement.
Robert W. Mathieson
Master Police Officer, Second Precinct
Virginia Beach Police Department
July 3 by CNB