THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 12, 1995 TAG: 9505100159
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 105 lines
Militia patriots
A lot has been said about private militias since the Oklahoma City bombing, but let's not forget that all militias are not terrorists.
Too many forget that militias were the first to defend our push for independence back when America was in a struggle to remove the bonds imposed by an unpopular king.
It is time to pray for the victims and ease up on unproved theories.
We should look beyond our own grudges and try to remember the true committed militiamen who want only to be allowed their constitutional rights to own a gun. We are not terrorists, only true Americans who have become disenchanted by many of the regulations that have been put into effect to limit our rights to the freedom of speech, gun ownership and, above all, the right to assemble with others of like beliefs.
Howard Mathias
Second Street Nance's sincerity
I have resided in South Norfolk my entire life of 82 years and have known Robert T. Nance Jr. since he delivered my newspapers and cut my grass as a young boy.
There is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Nance is upright in all that he does and is most sincere in his service to our city.
The City Council made a good choice in appointing him as vice mayor.
James M. Scott
Stewart Street The people's will
In response to the letter from Terry Scott entitled ``Nance's ambition'' (The Clipper, April 28), I am perplexed why he thinks there is something wrong with having ambition. In the case of Vice Mayor Robert T. Nance Jr., if he feels that he has the ability to do more for our city, there is no crime for him to do so.
We are fortunate to have people like Mr. Nance who want to dedicate themselves to serving the community and to helping make Chesapeake a better place to live.
I don't know the facts in reference to the comments that Mr. Nance assured Mayor William E. Ward and Councilman John W. Butt that he had no higher political aspirations than to serve on the Planning Commission. But I think that it is unconscionable for Ward and Butt to extort such a promise from Mr. Nance. Why are they trying to restrict the field?
As for Mr. Nance taking advantage of Vice Mayor Arthur L. Dwyer's misconduct, that is ridiculous. Mr. Nance did what anyone else would have done. We live in a democracy. You get nominated, and then they vote, and the one with the most votes wins!
Regarding Mr. Scott's statement that the new vice mayor should have been someone with more formal education or more tenure, that seems to be the problem these days - too many lawyers, doctors and tenured politicians and less common folk who major in good, old common sense.
I think the vote to approve the benefits package for fired police Sgt. Ed Lewis was wrong, but the entire council voted unanimously on this issue!
It is a real shame that some people have not caught on yet, but the people of this country and this city sent a message to politicians that the direction was wrong. They elected leaders to take us in the right direction. Evidently the Old Guard is still not listening. It still wants to spread seeds of hate and discontent.
Some people keep saying it is partisan politics, but what it really is is the will of the people. Does anyone remember that phrase?
Mark P. Cernak Sr.
Martin Johnson Road Tracks not permitted
On March 29, Suffolk's City Council and Planning Commission had a joint public hearing on the Northgate Industrial park and Suffolk International Raceway rezoning and conditional-use permit.
Since Mayor S. Chris Jones was quoted in the paper prior to the meeting as saying that the City Council was holding the meeting ``to ratify and re-ordain their original approval of the rezoning and conditional use permit,'' we didn't think they were likely to change their minds. As you know, the Suffolk City Council did what Mayor Jones said they were going to do.
During the meeting, several Suffolk residents who live near the proposed race track spoke on how the rezoning and conditional use permit contradicted Suffolk's industrial and agricultural land-use standards. Even though Mayor Jones and Councilman Curtis R. Milteer were on the Suffolk City Council when the industrial and agricultural land-use standards were adopted, there was absolutely no discussion about the contradictions. I'm sure Suffolk's City Council will wish these land use standards didn't exist when our dispute gets to court, because their actions are clearly arbitrary and capricious.
In addition, the Suffolk City Code permits ``conditional uses'' in B-2 districts, which allow commercial recreational uses, including bowling alleys, miniature golf, golf driving ranges, pool halls, billiard parlors, dance halls, penny arcades and similar forms of public amusement. An automobile race track is not similar to any of these forms of public amusements.
In short, the Suffolk City Code does not permit the use of automobile race tracks.
Councilman's Milteer's comment, ``The people in Franklin got used to the smell of the paper plant, and we would get used to the sound of the race track,'' really concerned me. I would hate to live near a chemical manufacturing plant, paper mill or fertilizer factory because of the smell. It is probable that if this rezoning occurs, the residents of Northern Suffolk and the Western Branch area of Chesapeake will wake up to the smell of a chemical manufacturing plant in the not-too-distant future.
David Walkup
Wild Duck Crossing by CNB