THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507190147
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
As described in the July 7 edition of The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, the Suffolk City Council has approved a sewer project to the predominantly white, affluent neighborhood of Westhaven Lakes. This decision was made despite the fact that the funds allocated by City Council were not previously intended for the sewer project, and this neighborhood ranked 20th in need for sewer service.
The real outrage comes with the fact that there are neighborhoods in Suffolk where outhouses are still used. These are mostly lower income, African-American sections of the city.
Shame on Councilmen Richard Harris, Thomas Underwood, ``Sammy'' Carter and Curtis Milteer Sr.! This is a clear case of favoritism of upper class whites and discrimination of poor blacks.
Isn't this lack of conscience exactly the identity that the South has been trying to escape since the 1960s?
Dr. Lisa Ferreira Doyle
Sleepy Lake
Suffolk Story on biking deputies leaves several questions
The cover story, ``Pedaling a Beat,'' in the July 12 edition of ``The Citizen,'' (community news section for Smithfield, Windsor and Isle of Wight and Surry counties), really describes your political leanings. How dare you, in the midst of a campaign for sheriff, give the incumbent such free advertising? The story was a feature article and did not delve into journalistic questions, such as:
1. Why did this administration spend more than $3,000 on bicycles when they would easily have been donated, such as in area police departments?
2. With limited county funds, can we afford the luxury of two deputies patrolling simultaneous beats?
3. Were the most qualified deputies chosen for the patrol?
4. Can the county afford over $3,000 in the sheriff's budget for his ``public relations,'' as the article says?
The sheriff states that ``the bike patrol is not based on crime statistics.'' With all due respect, isn't that what it should be based on and not for ``show?''
Bike patrols could be a good idea, primarily in urban areas. This is another example of how a good idea is not properly implemented by this administration in the most frugal manner. Let's get the bikes free and spend $3,000 on drug prevention or a program to help our youth.
Shelton A. Spivey Jr.
Candidate for Sheriff
Isle of Wight County Inconsistency on school begs some answers
The July 2 Sun article on groundbreaking for the new northern Suffolk school was very enlightening: plans being tentatively made to retain Florence Bowser as an alternative school; the new school essential to selling the homes being built in Harbour View. Air conditioning and added storage (plus an addition) could quite probably solve the majority of ``problems'' at Florence Bowser.
Some time ago, it seems the people were informed by City Council and the School Board that: the land around the Florence Bowser school floods many times during each year; closing the school and building elsewhere is the most cost-effective and child-safe solution; the best alternative to accommodate the expected growth is to dispose of Bowser and build anew in Harbour View.
This inconsistency needs to be cleared up.
Don McLellan
River Crescent
Suffolk by CNB