DATE: Tuesday, September 23, 1997           TAG: 9709230005

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B10  EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Letter 

                                            LENGTH:  126 lines

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR -THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

EDUCATION

Sales pitches

exploit students

My daughter, who is in first grade at Fairfield Elementary in Kempsville, came home with a brochure to sell products for additional educational programs. The educational leaders made her watch a film to show how to sell the products and what she would get if she sold an astronomical amount. My child came home all perked up, willing and ready to start this business.

On the front of the magazine order it says for parents to take this brochure to their workplaces and get additional sales. As a government worker, I am forbidden to do this. As a taxpayer, I resent this type of promotional garbage. For the child, it causes heartache if they don't sell enough for the ``big prize.'' As for parents, it's an additional headache, something that belongs to our educational services of Virginia Beach.

What kind of message is the city of Virginia Beach sending? Can't it prioritize and organize its budgets better?

Nancy Brinkman

Virginia Beach, Sept. 15, 1997

RECYCLING

SPSA bin doesn't

limit what you put out

As the curbside recycling program manager for the Southeastern Public Service Authority (SPSA), I would like to set the record straight on our recycling programs.

SPSA does not provide a 14-gallon bin. The correct bin size is 18 gallons.

SPSA has never expected every resident to get everything in one 18-gallon bin. Residents can place overflow containers (i.e., cardboard box, laundry basket or clear plastic bags) out with the blue bin, and it will all get collected. SPSA collects all three colors of glass (clear, brown and green), as well as telephone books and tin cans.

Your Sept. 8 article states that ``whatever Tidewater Fibre can't use, they sell for $25 a ton to SPSA, which can use it in its trash to steam plant.'' SPSA does not buy the materials from Tidewater Fibre. Tidewater Fibre pays SPSA to dispose of the residue, and the rate depends on the nature of the residue.

SPSA only collects those items it knows Tidewater Fibre can market and recycle. Thus, we are able to reduce the amount of residue collected that requires disposal. In SPSA's case, the average monthly residue is 3 percent to 5 percent. In a program like Virginia Beach's, conservatively, the residue can be as high as 30 percent to 35 percent.

SPSA doesn't mind having its programs compared to others, but it would like the facts to be presented in a factual manner.

David W. Horne

Chesapeake, Sept. 12, 1997

OCEANA

Noise can lead

to permanent damage

I would like to urge Virginia Beach officials to consider very carefully the noise effects of the proposed increase in naval air traffic.

Noise-induced hearing impairment is permanent - at least as far as is now known - and studies have shown the ill effects of airport noise on the health and emotional well-being of surrounding neighborhoods.

Most important, studies of students in areas surrounding airports have revealed lowered grades and productivity. What are we doing to our children in the name of economic expansion?

A troubling but overlooked effect of high sound levels on wildlife is revealed in your statement, ``Much of the land around Fentress is wetlands and undevelopable, Nielson said, so should not be affected by the changes.'' The EPA may have a different opinion.

The city fathers would do well to examine the scientific literature on sound before making any final decisions for Virginia Beach.

Carolyn Amundson

Virginia Beach, Sept. 12, 1997

SENATE

Autocrat Helms

at the helm

Sen. Jesse Helms, Senate Foreign Relations chairman, is the epitome of an autocrat. His stance against William F. Weld's nomination as ambassador to Mexico is unyielding. The opinions, concerns, suggestions of anybody else are just brushed aside because Senator Helms does not agree with Mr. Weld's belief in the medical use of marijuana.

Yes, Mexico has a drug problem, and, yes, the United States does, too. One delivers and the other one uses it. And, yes, I can appreciate, yet do not share, Senator Helm's concern that Mr. Weld's favorable attitude toward the medicinal use of marijuana may send the wrong message to Mexico. Maybe, maybe not, but in a democracy this should be open for discussion.

Gretchen Dirksen

Virginia Beach, Sept. 13, 1997

SAFETY

Speeding school buses

are also a hazard

With the opening of the new school year, there has been great fanfare over the stiffer penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses and for those exceeding the speed limit in school zones. These new penalties should be applauded, because what is more important than the safety of our children?

However, shouldn't there also be stiff penalties for the school buses speeding through neighborhoods past groups of children waiting for other buses? And for those going through the tail end of yellow lights and occasionally red lights? The fastest vehicles going through my neighborhood every weekday morning are the school buses - easily exceeding the speed limit.

Talk about a disaster waiting to happen!

Dan Sweeny

Virginia Beach, Sept. 15, 1997

BAY BRIDGE-TUNNEL

No-passing not

a hardship in Canada

We have just returned from a drive through the Canadian Maritime Provinces, which included crossing the newly opened Confederation Bridge from Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick. This is the longest continuous span bridge in the world at approximately 9 miles - about half the length of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. However, the entire length is a no-passing zone. It did not present a hardship, and I didn't hear anyone complain.

Having crossed the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel many times and being acutely aware of its passing dangers, we made a more relaxed crossing on the Canadian bridge. We agree with the decision to have the bridge-tunnel declared a no-passing zone until the new spans are opened and the old spans restored and reopened.

Edward R. Estes Jr.

Professor emeritus

Civil Engineering Technology

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, Sept. 7, 1997

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