DATE: Sunday, July 27, 1997                 TAG: 9707250226

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  120 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - CHESAPEAKE

Who is responsible for turning the state of Virginia into a garbage dump. Virginia, the home of our presidents, the origin of our history in the United States. Now Virginia is the second largest importer of garbage and trash in this country.

I am sure the Republicans will blame the Democrats and the Democrats will blame the Republicans, but people, not parties, negotiate, make deals and sign contracts. So who is to blame for the damage being done to this beautiful state?

The city of Chesapeake is in danger of being overcome with garbage and trash. With all the growth in Chesapeake, so grows the land fills. Someone feels we do not have enough garbage and trash in Chesapeake, so they will import garbage and trash from New York and Boston. Is this how our city officials plan to preserve our rural areas with land fills and borrow pits, not to mention putting 385,00 trucks carrying garbage on our roads per year? Who will accept responsibility? Who do we blame for this crime against our city?

I hope we will have some answers to these questions by the November election and City Council election in MY city. Someone is to blame - who?

Voters beware! Get these answers before you vote!

Anne Tregembo

Western Branch Ambivalent congrats

Seldom do I congratulate anyone on bad news, but that is what I have done recently at Southeastern Elementary School.

While I can think of no two people more deserving of career advancement than Dr. Woody Koonce and Jean Ausberry, it was a sad day at Southeastern the day after that announcement was made. I was helping with Field Day on the morning after the School Board meeting; and parents, teachers and students, alike, were bemoaning Southeastern's loss. Accolades for both Koonce and Ausberry were the talk of the school.

Faculty commented on how easy Ausberry is to work with and how fair she is. Students talked about how nice she is (a high compliment for the person in charge of discipline!). Parents, including me, are impressed at how often you saw Ms. Ausberry with her sunny, positive attitude in the halls. How she knows 800 children's names in just two years is beyond me. She has been a great asset to Southeastern.

Although everyone knew that Dr. Koonce's promotion was inevitable, especially since he completed his doctorate, ambivalence best describes the sentiment I heard. People were happy for him personally, but selfishly wished he could stay until their children were in middle school. Dr. Koonce's interest in the children, creativity in designing a wonderful learning environment, and management skills in keeping students, faculty and parents happy will always be remembered.

I cannot find words to express the appreciation I feel for Dr. Koonce and the education he has helped provide for my children. My son is a special-needs child. An educational psychologist once told us, ``The hardest thing for you will be to find the right educational situation for your child.'' The psychologist has not met Dr. Koonce and his ``can do'' thinking - my son continues to exceed everyone's predictions. We attribute much of his success to Dr. Koonce. My husband and I are grateful for Dr. Koonce's invaluable help in these first crucial years of our son's education.

The consensus among parents is that both Dr. Koonce and Ms. Ausberry will ``go places'' in education. We would appreciate it if you would consider moving them to Hickory Middle and Hickory High in future years as openings become available.

Gayle Nicholas Scott

Woodardsmill Thank you, coaches

Recently, the Greenbrier Baseball Association completed another very successful season. As in years past, numerous volunteers, in the form of coaches, assistant coaches and team parents combined to make the baseball season not only a fun event for all of the youth involved, but also a tremendous learning experience.

I would like to specifically recognize two gentlemen who did a fantastic job this past season, Joe fuller and Rick Hall, head coach and assistant coach respectively, of the Mustang League Red Sox team. The total dedication of these two men towards the kids and the team was outstanding! Besides leading the Red Sox kids to the regular season championship, Mr. Fuller and Mr. Hall provided the kids with something so much more valuable than a championship. They gave the kids not only a true appreciation for the game of baseball (a dying art these days) but also instilled in them the value of hard work, commitment and team play!

Because, after all, years from now it will not be important who won the championship, who hit the most home runs or even who made the All-Stars. Years from now what will truly matter is whether or not we made a difference in the life of a child. Coach Fuller and Coach Hall, thank you so much for your time, dedication and concerns. Most of all, thanks for making a difference in the lives of the kids you helped coach this past season.

Glenn W. Roessler

Washington Borough Rah for TCC Shakespeare

Tidewater Community College's first annual ``Shakespeare in the Grove'' drew more than 1,600 people in its 3 1/2 shows. And they liked it. So much that even thunder, lightening and high winds didn't drive them away.

Opening night, June 26, was cut short when a storm blew in when the outdoor performance ``As You Like it'' was well into the first act. Director Ed Jacob stepped onto stage and announced that the technical crew needed to disconnect their equipment because of lightening, but that he was not going to call off the show yet, as it was not yet raining. After 30 minutes of stormy weather, Jacob sent the disappointed crowd home.

Thursday's audience was typical of the other nights' audiences. They laughed. They sighed. They marveled. The celebrated. They liked it.

Jacob, an award-winning drama teacher at Great Bridge High School and professor of theater and speech at Tidewater Community College, never doubted that audiences would like the production.

The play opened, with full lighting and musical effects to a full set and stage designed to look like a forest.

There were definitely first-year problems. It was crowded, the refreshments were simple, there were not Elizabethan decorations, close parking was limited, there were a few bugs, and no T-shirts. But the bugs were much fewer then expected, and the heart of the matter - the acting, effects and setting - was outstanding.

Some may still think of Chesapeake as ``country bumpkins,'' but even in its first year, ``Shakespeare in the Grove,'' was a first-class production. TCC-Chesapeake should definitely continue with this fine series.

Patty LaRossa

Butts Roads

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