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Letters to the editor: 04/06/00 |
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Animal control efforts could be tougher
To the Editor: I have a concern with the local animal control and its lack of concern with the many animals that roam freely in Cullowhee and the surrounding area. I have on numerous occasion called them about stray dogs, as well as animals that are owned but not controlled by their owners. The majority of these animals have no collars or tags, and it is unlikely that they have been vaccinated for rabies. One animal in particular has a severe infection on its nose. Some of these animals block the road, vandalize gardens, and harass other animals and people. I have been told by animal control that as long as no one is bitten by an animal, there is nothing that they can do. What, then, is their function? It is to wait until it is too late, after someone has been bitten or attacked? Carolyn L. Lunsford Sylva Support of Sugar Loaf appreciated To the Editor: Many thanks to The Sylva Herald for highlighting the situation at the Sugar Loaf property and bringing it so strongly to our attention. This, to me, is a fine example of community journalism and shows the positive role that a local newspaper can play. Now it's up to us to unite together to keep this threatened tract open to the community. Prodded by The Herald's editorial challenge, I sent a letter to Rep. Charles Taylor. If everybody in the watershed did that, it would be the kind of persuasion to which a politician would respond. David Wheeler Whittier Broad Street should be closed To the Editor: I am writing to express my concern over the proposal before the Sylva Town Board to extend the street I live on, Broad Street, to accommodate the interest of Wayne Smith. Broad Street has been my family's home since 1936. During those 63 years there has never been a question the street deadends beyond what is now Community Bank property. Mr. Smith has requested that Broad Street be extended for the residents of his newly-opened trailer park. Why does he need Broad Street opened to his trailer park? The residents and Mr. Smith already have access to the trailer park by way of Bridge Street. The intersection of Broad Street and Main Street is dangerous now, and the additional traffic simply adds to this danger. Mr. Smith has stated that he has signed a lease with Waffle House that will enable the company to open a restaurant on his land between McDonalds and Green's Auto Service. He implies that the restaurant won't come to town if they can't come down Broad Street with their big trucks. I read the letter that Waffle House wrote to the Sylva Board, and it does not say they will not open if they don't gain access to Broad Street. It just says they would like to have it. The delivery truck traffic should not be added to Broad Street. The residents of the trailer park, the delivery trucks and Main Street traffic will be endangered from the increased traffic if my street (Broad Street) is opened to through traffic. The fact that Waffle House wants to come to Sylva sounds like a good idea to me and I would be a customer. I don't feel the additional traffic Broad Street is in the best interest of Sylva. In fact, my family took me to see other Waffle House restaurants, and none that we saw have but one access to their parking lot. Why would this one be different? Waffle House says they only need access twice a week. Isn't building a street pretty expensive for two trips a week? Lastly, I would like to ask why the town of Sylva should pay to build and maintain a road that would only benefit one man? I've talked to my neighbors (all businesses) and none of us want this street open beyond Community Bank. These people have been in business for years providing jobs and town revenue through taxes. This proposal becomes everyone's concern when it can effect so many other people. It can effect all residents of Sylva if tax dollars are used to fulfill Mr. Smith's request. There is a meeting tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m. at City Hall to discuss Mr. Smith's request. I hope that all concerned citizens will come to the meeting and support a permanent closing of Broad Street beyond Community Bank. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my concerns on this matter. Sincerely, Mary W. Tweed Sylva Disappointed in WCU for firing Hopkins To the Editor: I am a graduate of Western Carolina University. I live in the community and have always actively promoted Western and attended activities and events sponsored by Western. It is my school and the people connected with it are my people. I am not an athlete; I am a fan. To me athletics means people, not scores. Sure, it's always more fun to win, but that's not the ultimate goal. I have not driven to Boone and sat in the freezing rain to watch a football game because it is most likely that Western will be victorious. I have not sat in the cold and wind to watch baseball games only when the Cats were on a winning streak. I have not driven home from work in Franklin and then tackled icy winter roads to attend a basketball game on a Tuesday night because we were bound for the "big dance." I did all of these because my team was playing. I did not huddle around a radio filled with mountain induced static, turning it every so often to get the best reception because the score was always in our favor. I did it because my team was playing, and I couldn't be there. Athletics is about people. And these were my people. I have recommended Western to my nieces and nephews as they reached college age, and now that I am a grandparent, it was my intention to be a pro-WCU grandma. We are a small school which has borne the stings of "nothing to do," hicksville, sticks and rubes because we knew above all else we were a people place. A university where professors know their students, where coaches love their players, and where there are faces instead of numbers. We were a people place. Since Western has opted to release a person with the integrity and values of Phil Hopkins, it has become anti-people. I can no longer support WCU. I will no longer attend athletic or other events. I will no longer recommend this school, which seeks numbers, whether it be scores or dollars, over people. When I have heard complaints about all freshman having computers, I responded that I thought it was a good idea and that financing could be worked out. When there were comments about our rural atmosphere, I responded, "You don't know what you're missing." When I heard remarks about Western being a party school, I said that we were working on it. When I heard that we had a chancellor who micromanages everything, I said that everyone has their style. Now I know that the heart has gone out of WCU. It is no longer a people place, and that is far worse; that is a crisis. I will still be living in this community. I pray that Phil chooses to remain here in the mountains because we will miss him if he moves. However, I know that he loves to coach so I won't be surprised if we lose him soon. Now the WCU homecoming parade will be a nuisance blocking Main Street, and the "party school" a few miles from my home will be an embarrassment I try to explain to visiting relatives. We have all lost - Phil, his players, WCU, the community, and me. Kathleen Moore Sylva Important to ask the right questions To the Editor: When you visit the college or universities your daughter is interested in attending, ask the following questions: - Ask the administration if there have been any investigations, complaints from parents or players, or review of the sports program your daughter would like to participate in. - Ask the school physician and the athletic trainers if the sports program has an unusually high number of injuries compared to other sports. - Ask the athletic trainers if the coach follows their recommendations when making decisions regarding an injured athlete's ability to compete and train. - Ask the athletic director if there is a high turnover of players in that sport and why. - Ask about the coach's style. Is it abusive and intimidating? Does the coach exhibit a ³win-at-all-costs² approach, showing no concern for the athlete's health and welfare? - Ask how many players have quit the team? - And the most important question - Find players who have quit the team and ask them why. Women's collegiate sports can be a wonderful and enriching experience if you ask the right questions and your daughter makes the right choices. If someone had told us to ask these questions, our daughter would not have chosen Western Carolina. Mark and Lois Jarrell Chapel Hill Editor's Note: According to a Western Carolina University media guide, Julie Jarrell, daughter of Mark and Lois Jarrell, was a freshman member of the volleyball team during the 1999 season. |
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