Letters to the editor: 01/09/03

Hopper wrap-up coverage was excessive

To the Editor:

In addition to being one of the subjects depicted in the color photos (with accompanying caption information), Nathan Hopper was repeatedly mentioned throughout the paper. He is mentioned in the editorial, "Looking Back over 2002's News"; and the details of his trial and conviction are mentioned again in the catalog of newsworthy events on page 7A. He received three listings here - one for his arrest, one for his indictment and one for his sentencing. While it is true that other items were repeated, none received the extensive coverage given Hopper.

Such excessive coverage troubles me. Many readers still remember the detailed coverage given the trial and subsequent confession. In my opinion, this coverage contained graphic details that went beyond the bonds of objective journalism. In fact, I am forced to conclude that certain aspects of the coverage smacked of a kind of "tabloid relish."

Further, the coverage of the Blue Ridge incident was also reported with a kind of heedless enthusiasm that affected the lives of some innocent people. (I hesitate to comment further since to do so could merely perpetuate the same injustice.)

To a lesser degree, I was disappointed by the meager listings of events that could be characterized as "cultural." Where was Mary Jane Queen's Mountain Heritage Achievement Award, which she received at Mountain Heritage Day, and her subsequent appearance on PBS? Were none of the plays and concerts in this county (events were performed by native artists) or the programs at "A Summer Evening in Webster" worthy of mention?

What about the half-dozen writers and poets in this county who published significant works in 2002? Aren't they at least as significant as "the stalled traffic" at the Comfort Inn on last June 27?

Otherwise, I was delighted to see acknowledgment of significant people, buildings and organizations: Sol Schulman, the Sylva Fire Department, Chief Justice Harry Martin, the Hooper House and Martin Cook - all justly honored and acknowledged.

Gary Carden

Sylva

Elimination of planning board was a good idea

To the Editor:

Many people do not realize that small town political planning departments violate our constitution. When we buy a piece of real estate in good faith to use it, we are prohibited to do. We have invented reasons, mostly no good, why we can take ownership rights away from property owners.

On the other hand, if the property is large and/or valuable, the planning board will yield to the intended use, and it will end up so used. We waste property owners' finances and the end result costs extra. The attorneys like this. Sometimes we lose a very desirable piece of growth simply because one person of influence intercedes for his own selfish purposes.

Again I say Jackson County does not have enough land worth the money spent putting some politician's friends to work guiding and controlling our future. Firing the planning board was the right start by our new commission.

We have other pressing problems. Our garbage disposal is our most important. We are extremely short of land and taxed for more than we benefit.

St. Petersburg, Fla., compares to our location and needs. They use trash and garbage for generating electric power to pay its own way. Why can't we do this?

A self-liquidating bond issue will pay for our costs of burning our garbage for profit. We can profitably burn garbage from our neighbors or we can eventually get socked with a multi-million-dollar damage suit after we ruin ground damaged beyond repair. Waste Management did this at Jacksonville, Fla., and paid many millions of dollars after loosing their case. They ruined their neighbors' land and underground water.

This can happen to us without notice. We can lose millions if and when we lose such a suit, which will happen if we don't handle it first.

We have a good county manager who can handle these problems. Let him do it.

Thank you,

Frank Young

Cullowhee

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