Visits to the dump aren't what they used to be
To the Editor,
Just off the U.S. 74 bypass in Jackson County sits a "landfill"
which I commonly referred to as a "dump" back home in Norfolk,
Va.
The "dump" was one of my favorite places to visit as a kid.
Located off Military Highway at the east end of Norfolk, the dump was
easy to locate - not only from its pungent smell drifting across the
Broad Creek river banks but from the hundreds of sea gulls that hovered
over its scrap food.
Riding to the dump on my old bicycle was an adventure from my home in
Fox Hall. I would have to travel along a sloped path which bordered
a ditch - alongside the remnants of broken-down tractor-trailers
of the Turner's Express Trucking Company. One slip of the handlebars
on the wet path and I was in the drink.
After conquering the ditch trail, I would travel up to Shelton Street,
where cracks in the asphalt were as numerous as rocks on the road. There
were lots of them.
Then it was on to Princess Anne Highway - one of the busiest thoroughfares
in Norfolk. Cracked sidewalks and dangerous intersections paralleled
the busy highway and I would have to stay alert to keep from being creamed
by the passing cars.
After a couple of miles of traveling along the highway, I would come
to the Military Highway traffic circle.
I always had mixed emotions coming to the "circle." The first
reason was that there was a great hamburger stand named "Burger
Chef" just on the other side. Second, the traffic there was also
murderous! Naval Air Station employees, amphibious base workers and
Navy personnel would all be traveling from military bases to their homes
in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
The trick to circumventing the traffic would be to stay as far right
as possible and pray for mercy on the stone- and glass-littered sidewalk.
Once past the circle, I had it made - just a half-mile's ride down the
feeder road, which paralleled Military Highway and was hardly ever used.
Who would want to go to the dump in the late afternoon? Me.
The dump was full of treasures: appliances, sporting goods, tools and
my favorite bike parts, frames, pedals, sprockets and tire rims, all
necessities for my 12-year-old life and adventuresome spirit.
I'd spend a few hours searching through the rubbish for valuables and
gather the parts I needed to keep my bike rolling. Hot roads, long miles
and rugged paths made bike maintenance a top priority.
Things aren't like what they used to be. Now the dump is a "landfill,"
and there's some person at the gate that doesn't allow "rummaging."
Plus, there's a bunch of green containers with the words "recycle,"
but there's no cycle parts.
It makes me wonder where an old man can go for a little adventure to
be a kid one day and get a few parts, like I did at the old dump.
Things just aren't like what they used to be.
Kenneth Lee
Sylva
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Gaither concert at WCU was a success
To the Editor,
The Ramsey Center at Western Carolina University at Cullowhee was "a-rockin'"
Friday night from 7 p.m. until midnight!
Not rock and roll, but "water from the Rock of Ages," Jesus
Christ.
Jesus Christ was lifted up in both spirit and song, for the Bill Gaither
Homecoming Gospel Singers had come to town!
Now-deceased Rep. Liston B. Ramsey would have been mighty proud to have
seen the old arena finally packed out to the brim!
I commend the powers that be who had the foresight in bringing a renowned
gospel group to the Liston B. Ramsey arena!
After eons of bad news for Jackson County for ages now, surely this
will be a plus for our fair county - and that in the wings of a
university!
Lloyd Cowan
Sylva
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Upset with proposed Main Street changes
To the Editor:
I was much upset to see the proposed closure of the left lane of downtown
Sylva.
How short are people's memories anyway? Does anybody remember when we
had the sinkhole on Spring Street? It closed one lane of Main Street
for several days. Who remembers traffic backing up to Mark Watson Park
during rush hours? We want to play this game forever now?
When a delivery truck on Main closes down a lane, you feel the effects
instantly. Drivers trying to merge into the other lane cause stoppages
all up and down the street. The proposed barricades will create nice
loading zones for these trucks, but it will also create the merging
traffic problem permanently.
Every person that backs out of a parking space on Main will have to
either turn left immediately or wait for some kind soul to let them
merge into the right lane. After a few days of constant frustration
about brand new stop-and-go traffic congestion, kind souls are going
to be in short supply.
Conrad Burrell, the 14th Division representative on the Department of
Transportation board was quoted in last week's Herald as saying that
DOT should not have anything to do with speeding. If we want to stop
speeding, we need to post a police officer.
What a novel concept. Enforce the laws the laws we already have on the
books instead of making radical changes to the roadways. Didn't we use
to have a police officer posted downtown?
Whatever happened to Officer Joe Frigo? Last time I saw him he was doing
speed enforcement on N.C. 107 heading toward Wal-Mart. If we are so
concerned about speed enforcement downtown, why not bring him back downtown?
We won't need any expensive barricades. We buy Officer Frigo a lawn
chair and a handheld radar gun.
By using him in variable locations and at variable times, you could
create the same effect on speeding as using the barricades without the
permanent congestion.
I offer this common-sense approach, even though I am likely to be one
of the first ticketed, because it just makes more sense than what I
have seen proposed before.
John Duncan
Sylva
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Town leaders should 'rethink' barricades
To the Editor:
This comment is to the Town of Sylva board members in regards to last
week's front page headline "Sylva officials plan barricades to
slow Main Street speeders" (Sylva Herald, Oct. 30, 2003).
We believe placing barricades on Main Street in downtown Sylva is a
bad idea. It may even be hazardous. This plan will turn half of Main
Street into a limited access turning lane. The possibility of losing
several prime parking spaces pales in comparison to the loss of an entire
lane of travel in our downtown business district.
Drive through downtown Sylva enough times and you've already experienced
the frustration of one lane or the other blocked entirely by a tractor-trailer
or box truck making deliveries. Placing barricades in the left lane
of Main Street will provide this congestion situation 24 hours a day,
every day, all year long – including peak tourist seasons.
Slowing cars down on Main Street can be accomplished safely in many
other ways without eliminating an entire lane of travel for downtown
commuters, shoppers and travelers.
We agree with Police Chief Jamison's assessment that the barricades
may cause more congestion, which in turn causes more movement and more
traffic accidents. We also agree with Conrad Burrell's suggestion to
place a police officer on Main Street.
Speeding happens, and selective traffic enforcement can keep it down
to a minimum. Ticketing excessive speeders will provide a revenue source
for our town's police department to provide this needed service. Those
who are observing the traffic laws won't be penalized and nobody driving
through downtown will have to ordeal a barricaded Main Street.
Could barricades potentially jeopardize downtown businesses? Who will
pay to have the barricades fixed each time someone hits them or runs
over them? What about folks already safely using the left lane and following
the speed limit? With barricades they'll have a greater risk of being
in an accident while driving downtown in either lane, even while observing
the speed limit. The fact that most downtown speeding occurs after the
last proposed barricade at Main and Spring streets makes this proposal
sound even more ridiculous.
Downtown barricades sound like bad business to us, and we ask town leaders
to please rethink this one.
Karin and Jason Kimenker
Sylva
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Educational excellence benefits all
To the Editor:
Excellence in Education should be our only goal in the Jackson County
school system. Why? It's corny but I'll say it anyway. The future of
Jackson County depends on the quality of students we turn out, especially
at Smoky Mountain High School. A few of our kids will go on to a four-year
university like Western Carolina University and a few will attend Southwestern
Community College, but a majority will stay here and immediately join
the local workforce. They will have had all the formal education they
desire and that is OK, but we had better have planted all the right
characteristics in our kids before they graduate and can no longer be
influenced by our educators.
You don't have to personally have kids in school to benefit from a quality
school system or suffer from a poor one. Jobs that don't require a degree
will be filled by someone who passed through SMHS, unless of course
you are related to a person of influence. The smarts, ethics, behavior,
respect, love of country, love of community, and people skills must
be ingrained in our students upon graduation. Knowing this, do we have
the school system we want?
I've spent the last several weeks harping on a number of concerns I
have with our school system, particularly the school administration,
Board of Education, and the high school. If you are interested, go back
and look at the things I've said and form your own opinions. We do not
have the quality school system we could have that our kids deserve.
The favoritism we have in this county has established a "good old
boy" system that stunts our ability to create the change needed
to have a system of excellence. Whether because of family or friendly
ties, people are either unwilling to speak out about things that are
wrong or are afraid. I'd bet that teachers at the high school are still
unwilling to step forward and instigate healthy change because of what
might happen to them. Similarly, if you have not expressed your concerns
to the Board of Education and school administration the same lip service
will continue. A system of education excellence must run from top to
bottom. It is imperative that we insist on the highest quality (best
qualified) educators, administrators, curriculum and facilities that
our budget will allow.
For you brave souls who have called my house to leave hate messages
without also leaving your name and phone number, I want to thank you
for proving my point. You rant and rave but disregard or don't even
understand the issues I've raised. Your only concern is the possibility
of losing your seat on the Gravy Train.
My school board representative (James Roper) lied to me and I've been
ignored by the Board of Education. I want to know why.
My desire is to see a better school system in Jackson County. It can
be done because I've seen it other places.
There may not be any similarity to Jackson County, but you have to ask
yourself how a place like Douglas County, Colo., could have contributed
to the conditions that led to Columbine. Let's not wait and see.
Ronald Bumgarner
Sylva
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