DATE: Tuesday, July 8, 1997                 TAG: 9707080007

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 
                                            LENGTH:  117 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

PORTSMOUTH

Portside businesses bring

revenue to the city

Here we go again.

Portsmouth is famous for making changes, whether they're needed or not. I cannot believe that promoters of Vision 2005 are so shortsighted as to believe that closing Portside is a positive move. Have they ever been there to see the people who enjoy and spend money on our waterfront?

Portsmouth spends a lot of money yearly bringing in new businesses. Closing Portside would mean closing approximately a dozen businesses that bring revenue to our city.

I hope this proposal is thought out more carefully so that we can end up with a feather in our cap, not egg on our face.

Sandi R. Johnson

Portsmouth, July 7, 1997

HEALTH CARE

Lake Taylor Hospital

provides first-rate care

I recently had the opportunity to see firsthand the great health care at Lake Taylor Hospital. It's hard to live down a reputation. I, as many of you, thought of the old Lake Taylor when having to make a choice for my mother's care.

However, when I visited Lake Taylor, the care was contagious, the family atmosphere genuine and the patient care supreme. The beautiful facility was spotless. I am appreciative of the quality of care my mother receives from her personal physician, nurses and other staff. Go see for yourself.

Warren E. Amlet

Pastor

First Baptist Church

South Portsmouth

Portsmouth, June 27, 1997

THE ARTS

``Just Us'' was

unjustly ignored

On May 24, I had the great pleasure of attending the musical melodrama ``Just Us.'' Sadly, attendance didn't match my enthusiasm. Since The Virginian-Pilot didn't promote the show in its pages, I believe you must share in the responsibility for the poor attendance.

I take exception because of its strong message of racial harmony. At the very time everyone in Washington from the president on down was speaking out on the need to do something about healing racial division in this country, the cities and news media of Hampton Roads ignored this very important event.

``Just Us'' was presented by Frank Guida, who also wrote and produced it. Mr. Guida has made many contributions to music over the years. His influence has been acknowledged from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen. I believe it to be a real shame when an area that has a population the size of Hampton Roads couldn't fill the L. Douglas Wilder Performing Arts Center for two evenings for an event by one of our leading citizens about the most important and serious problem in America today.

Hopefully, Mr. Guida has plans to present ``Just Us'' again in the future. And hopefully the media and the citizens of this area will do ourselves a little prouder when he does.

Joe Thompson

Poquoson, June 30, 1997

ATM SERVICES

Banks don't rob

Regarding your June 30 cartoon:

No one is forced to use ATM machines. The implication that banks are committing armed robbery is ludicrous and insulting.

Whether bank fees are ``outlandish'' or not is controlled by the market and by competition among sponsors of ATMs.

James N. Garrett Jr.

Portsmouth, June 30, 1997

REVIEW

Heston book

has it right

Kudos to Bill Ruehlmann! His article slashing Charlton Heston's new book to pieces was enthralling. As a 21-year-old minority female, I wonder how people can claim society was better off 50 years ago? After all, today we have young men being shot over basketball games, countless girls pregnant before they reach college, an education system riddled with counselors that is virtually useless. How dare Mr. Heston believe that because children could actually read, write and think constructively by ninth grade that his era was better than mine?

Look at all that Mr. Ruehlmann's generation has left us: a culture of sex without repercussions (until AIDS stepped in) and drug use among schoolchildren. When your generation said you'd changed the world, you certainly did.

Thank you, Mr. Ruehlmann for doing away with Mr. Heston's archaic society which treated problems as problems, taught right and wrong, that life was priceless and all those other ridiculous fundamentals they tried to teach you.

Sofia M. Olkiewicz

Suffolk, June 26, 1997

ANIMALS

Euthanizing this

cat was shocking

We were aghast when Channel 3 news reported a recent story about the cat that nursed the puppies. Portsmouth Humane Society euthanized this fine animal. Many people, we among them, would have gladly adopted the cat had we been given a chance.

The Humane Society should have kept this wonderful animal out of gratitude.

Dr. and Mrs. Thomas C. Royer

Norfolk, June 26, 1997

WHITEWATERGATE

Put up or shut down,

Special Counsel Starr

Although she had tongue firmly in cheek, Maureen Dowd's column (July 1) was right on target regarding Kenneth Starr and ``Neverendingate.'' I, for one, cringe to think that we may be reading about Bill Clinton's puerile peccadillos for the next 28 years. Show us the money, Mr. Starr, and stop wasting the taxpayers'.

Vaughan B. Frederick

Norfolk, July 1, 1997

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu