DATE: Monday, September 15, 1997            TAG: 9709130018

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B8   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  107 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

ENTERTAINMENT

Applause is

music to our ears

I want to thank the Daily Break staff for the Sept. 6 article, ``The Art of Enjoyment.''

People would applaud much more if they only knew the rewards applause begets. I, for one, work longer, harder and better when the appreciation is obvious. It is nice to see tapping feet and big smiles and to receive compliments; such things are not apparent to the boss, but applause is. Few performers make big money; our purpose is self-expression combined with acknowledgment.

A man told me recently that he wanted to applaud but didn't want to be conspicuous. Every time an entertainer performs, he makes himself conspicuous

Eric Stevens

Member

Tidewater Entertainers Association

Virginia Beach, Sept. 6, 1997

50th ANNIVERSARY

Air Force salutes

community, sponsors

On behalf of the men and women who make up your nation's Air Force, I'd like to thank the Hampton Roads community for sharing in Langley Air Force Base's 1997 Community Appreciation Day air show. This is a special year for us; we're celebrating 50 years as an independent air force and 80 years of flying operations at Langley.

We are grateful to our community for its constant support through these years. Since 1917, when Langley Field came into existence, the people of Hampton Roads have always made us feel at home. As we perform our duties here and abroad on foreign soil, we have counted on your hospitality and understanding. We have been successful largely because of your help and assistance. Last week's Community Appreciation Day activities wouldn't have been possible without your participation and the support of our many sponsors.

We are proud to be contributing members of this community and look forward to sharing that same great rapport in the future. We'd like you to join us at Langley again Sept. 18 or 19 at 6:45 p.m. for our Air Combat Command Tattoo performance.

Brig. Gen. Bill Lay

1st Fighter Wing commander

Langley AFB, Sept. 10, 1997

CRIME

Police shooting not

a racial issue

Recently a Chesapeake police officer had to use deadly force to subdue a potential threat to himself and his partner. This threat was a woman armed with a knife. She had cut one officer when she was shot. It is a crying shame that the NAACP has to get involved for they feel that the force was unjustified. They have turned a police officer doing his job into a ``black vs. white'' issue.

Mayor Ward did not help the issue by calling for council oversight into the shooting. It would seem that the mayor does not trust the police department or the commonwealth's attorney to give a fair and objective investigation.

My brother is a police officer and another relative is a state trooper. I am a firefighter-paramedic. No one in this line of work wants to harm anyone, but sometimes you have to decide when your or your partner's life or the community is in danger. Then you trust what you have learned at the academy and respond accordingly.

If this officer had attempted to use pepper spray or some other form of restraint, I am sure that we would be attending a police officer's funeral and adding another name to the cold gray slate in front of the Public Safety Building.

Harold B. Phillips III

Chesapeake, Sept. 5, 1997

NORFOLK

ODU village not

a jewel to drivers

I'm afraid Norfolk's ``jewel'' - as your editorial writer calls ODU's University Village - is going to strangle us. It used to take but a few minutes to go from Larchmont to West Ghent. It now takes one big headache if ODU classes are in session.

What are the plans for Hampton Boulevard traffic if this ``jewel'' of an ODU village is built from confiscated businesses and homes? Are we going to have grade separations at 47th and 43rd streets? Is any thought being given to widening Colley Avenue south of the bridge?

Creeping traffic along Hampton Boulevard is not going to motivate people on the north side of ODU to go shopping at MacArthur Center mall.

Charlotte Harrell

Norfolk, Sept. 9, 1997

SMITHFIELD FOODS

Polluting the Pagan

an unwelcome dividend

On Aug. 29, the Business news headline read: ``Smithfield to split stock.''

Bravo for Smithfield Foods; it has reason to squeal with delight over the stock split, and the shareholders are jubliant.

And were it not for the $12.6 million fine from the Environmental Protection Agency, Smithfield would have earned an even better share of profit.

But if the company is doing so well, why did it deliberately pollute the Pagan River over a long period of time? And why did the shareholders not complain to management?

What will the shareholders say to their grandchildren when they ask why the Pagan became a cesspool?

Anthony P. Pirrone

Virginia Beach, Sept. 1, 1997

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