THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 4, 1996 TAG: 9608010276
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 52 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 202 lines
At Etheridge Fishing Supply Co. Inc., we enjoy working with the commercial fishing community. As most of the commercial fishermen in this area know, we have been a North Carolina Marine Fisheries licensing agent for the past two years. However, I regret to say that it's become too much of a burden to continue. The last day we will be selling commercial licenses is Aug. 31, 1996.
Every year, the Marine Fisheries has added more and more of a burden on its agents. We only sold licenses to help the commercial fishermen. The sale of licenses, however, has become so complex that it has become a financial and mental burden. The one dollar we receive for writing each license is less than compensatory. We don't need to complain to the license department. Janice Fulcher and the rest of the department have done about as good a job as can be done under the circumstances. I know the license department has had many headaches since the moratorium took place.
I advise the commercial fishermen to bring their concerns to their elected officials to get results for this area. We cannot expect the Division of Marine Fisheries, under its current leadership and disarray, to improve the situation.
We will continue to serve the commercial fishermen to the best of our ability. I know this will cause some hardship in this area. But perhaps if we complain to the right individuals, we can get some improvements.
Beau Midgett
Etheridge Fishing Supply
Wanchese Too much, too early
Hurricane Bertha:
Too much ``mandatory'' evacuation and much
Too early in any event.
Too much media hyperbole and
Too much fear-mongering by officious officials.
Too much Dare County Emergency Management Commissioner's panic resulting in
Too many candy------ decisions by
Too many politicians and
Too many bureaucrats practicing CYA.
Too much Weather Channel ``color'' commentary.
Too little common sense.
TOO MUCH BIG BROTHER.
Bill Booker
Manteo Altered view
Editing errors changed the meaning of ``Another View'' on recycling in the July 28 Coast. The next to last paragraph should have read:
``Where one stands on whether or not to recycle has some basis in one's fundamental world view. If you think it is OK to continue to use up resources in the belief that there is no tomorrow, as James Watt (Ronald Reagan's Secretary of the Interior) suggested while trying to dismantle the national park system, then recycling may not appeal. But if you believe that natural resources may well be finite, and if you think that there may be a future on earth for humans and other living things, and that we should try to preserve rather than use up supplies of raw materials, then you may think that recycling is worthwhile.''
Diane Henderson
Southern Shores Scorching Speer
My heart was filled with so much pride and adoration when our American female gymnasts won the team gold medal at the Olympics. That is, until Ronald L. Speer felt it necessary to rain on my parade with his tainted views in his column.
His comments were unfounded and based on pure speculation. I can't believe he would actually attempt to convince anyone that those female gymnasts are forced, against their will, to endure extensive hours of training, injuries, and separation from their families because their parents are on some kind of glory hunt.
These athletes are born with killer competitive instincts. Their goal in life is to excel in gymnastics. They have trained many hours and endured much pain for one moment of glory or one gold medal. To them, it was all they wanted. You could never convince me that these girls are forced by their parents, coaches or anyone else to do what they do.
I don't agree with his point that Bela Karolyi would risk the health of his athletes for some kind of personal satisfaction. He did not make Kerri Strug perform that last vault. He merely encouraged her from the sidelines as any coach would do.
He has the reputation of being a tough coach, maybe even a perfectionist. But he is not the inhumane ogre Mr. Speer made him out to be. Kerri Strug did what she was trained to do. Would you have missed your chance to be an Olympic champion because your ankle was hurt? I know that, put in her position, I would have done the same thing she did. It was her last chance, so to speak, and she did what any highly skilled athlete would have done under the circumstances.
In closing, Mr. Speer expressed in his article that he felt like a pervert when he watched these gymnasts perform. If he really feels this way, I think he needs to seek counseling and discuss his feelings with a therapist instead of in a newspaper column.
Leslie Schiefer
Suffolk School shortcomings
Something's wrong! What justification is there for the Superintendent of Elizabeth City Public Schools to receive a $23,000.00 supplement and the principals of Northeastern High School and Elizabeth City Middle School a $12,000.00 supplement?
Let's review the evidence to the contrary:
The local community college had more student graduates from high school than the local public high school.
How many freshmen started Northeastern four years ago and graduated this year? What is the true percentage?
How many students were encouraged by high school guidance counselors to receive a high school education?
Is your child one of over 550 attending summer school this year? Some questions should be raised when a student can maintain an A average for nine months and make the superintendent's list and fail to pass to the next grade because of one test. (Though, without any set criteria or appeal procedure a student can circumvent this policy.)
More questions come to mind. Following the policy that is now in place, can a child not fail for nine months, pass the end of grade test and go on to the next grade? Also, how can a child who has failed the ``tests'' given by a teacher for nine months be expected to pass after only four weeks of instruction?
Could it be that this gross imposition is not state policy? Is it possible that the local school administration has superseded its authority? The following is an excerpt taken from the End of Grade Test Manual:
``Test scores are to be presented as one source of information about a student or group of students and should not be used alone for placement, referral, and other consequential decisions on the education of a student.''
By failing to provide an environment that is equitable and conducive to all students being able to obtain a good education, by failing to adhere to state policy the administration has left the Board of Education vulnerable to litigation.
William L. Askew
Elizabeth City Support for commission
Dare County commissioners did the right thing when they approved the recent one-time payment to the Albemarle Commission. That payment plus payments from the nine other counties comprising the Albemarle Commission will help free up funds frozen by some state agencies until the commission gets its finances in order. As Geneva Perry explained, the Albemarle Commission is on its way to solvency with a new list of recommendations and a bare-bones budget which was approved by the Albemarle Commission Board of Delegates on June 28.
Why should Dare County support the Albemarle Commission in the first place? The most important answer to that question is:
The Albemarle Commission is a Regional Planning Organization made up of counties (including Dare County) and municipalities (including Manteo, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, and Southern Shores). Federal, state and local funds are pooled and allocated through the Albemarle Commission. True, all the services offered through the commission are not needed and/or wanted in Dare County, or in our towns, but all services are available, if prerequisites are met and our county or any of the towns agrees we need the proffered service. So far, Dare County has received a very good return on their investment in the Albemarle Commission.
Aside from benefiting from the federal, state and local pooled funds, I would like to enumerate additional advantages of being a part of the Albemarle Commission. Geneva Perry already mentioned:
The Albemarle Commission's aging program - the Meals on Wheels and hot meals served at Mt. Olivet Church. Also available through this aging program are Legal Services, Senior Center Development, Home Improvement and Repair, Chore Services, Respite Services, Homemaker/Health Aid. (In general, programs designed to encourage our aging population to remain in their own homes as long as possible.)
Other programs include the following:
The Economic Development program. Dare County and/or the towns can take advantage of studies for planning and eventually implementing economic activity to create economic growth and jobs in our area.
The Loan Program. Some Dare County businesses have already received Small Business Loans. Other loan programs besides the Small Business Loans are also available - if prerequisites are met.
The EMS program provides assistance to the local EMS.
The Jobs Training partnership program provides for education and training for low-and-moderate income people so they can decrease their dependence on public welfare.
The Community Development Program offers funds for decent, safe and sanitary housing to low and moderate income families - again if prerequisites are met.
A few new programs include the Day Reporting Center (funded primarily by the Criminal Justice Partnership Program) providing for multiple needs of people who have been incarcerated and now need a helping hand to get reestablished.
And the JobLink Career Center which provides for computerized integration of agencies such as community colleges, public schools, social services, Employment Security Commission, Job Training Partnership, Vocational Rehabilitation, in addition to the applicant's input - all aimed toward training and placing people who need work.
I'm sharing this information to inform Dare County taxpayers what happens to county and town money when it is invested in the Albemarle Commission. Granted, in the past, there have been some problems within the Albemarle Commission. However, with the Blue Ribbon Committees's recommendations and the workable budget plus the commitment of the newly elected officials, the employees, the program leaders and the volunteers, this commission will work to serve the needs of the citizens in the 10 counties and towns associated with the commission.
Mary Berntsen
Albemarle Commission,
Dare County Representative by CNB