Slinging Mud Not A True Position
Editor:
In a recent Maryland Coast Dispatch, Editor Steve Green in his Between The Lines column commented that Republican Delegate Mike McDermott knows he has to go negative, encouraging residents to log on to LiberalJim.com a website created by the McDermott camp. That’s why McDermott has to sling some proverbial mud.
Steve, aren’t you doing exactly what you’re accusing Mike of doing — slinging mud? Is speaking the truth slinging mud? Can you point out anything on LiberalJim.com that is not true? Is it not true that Progressive Maryland gives Mathias a liberal rating of 73% while McDermott rating is 11%, Maryland Business for Responsive Government rates Mathias at 54% and McDermott at 93%, Maryland Right to Life rates Mathias at 0% and McDermott at 100%. Is it not true that Mathias has voted for every Governor O’Malley budget for the last eight years that has raised taxes on Marylanders while McDermott has voted against every O’Malley’s budget. Is it not true that Mathias has voted to increase state spending by over 30% during his time in the General Assembly even though he promised to “cut spending.” These increases amounted to more than $10 billion in additional spending during the worst recession in Maryland’s history.
Is it not true that Mathias voted for the failed Maryland Health Care Exchanged that cost Marylanders over $100 million while McDermott voted against it?
Mathias portrays himself as a conservative. His record doesn’t indicate so. He votes for higher taxes and more regulation. He supports centralize medicine, centralized education (Common Core). These are not conservative values. Maybe he should be accused of slinging mud.
I was very disappointed in your comments about Mike.
Francis Gebhart
Berlin
Decatur 5K A Success
Editors:
The Stephen Decatur High School Athletic Boosters held its 2nd Annual Decatur Way 5-K on Saturday Sept, 27 during Homecoming weekend.
It was a gorgeous day for runners as they took to a course near the school, beginning and ending on the track at the football stadium. This annual event is held to promote school spirit and to encourage the community to run with us and be involved in the amazing sports programs at Stephen Decatur High School. This event is presented with the help of our incredibly generous community who donates to the 5-K.
The Athletic Boosters would like to thank the following for making this event successful; OC Tri-Running Sports/Chris Klebe, The Dispatch, Food Lion of Berlin, W. Ocean City and Ocean Pines, Dunkin Donuts, WaWa, A Bagel and …, Decatur Connections/Laurie Chetelat, ABC Printing and the Administration and staff of SDHS for featuring The Decatur Way 5-K/Athletic Boosters for “Casual Day” whose proceeds will benefit the overall fastest finishing class.
Congratulations to the freshman class who had a terrific turnout of runners. Come run with us next year at the 3rd Annual Decatur Way 5-K. Thank you again from The Athletic Boosters.
Kim Holloway
(The writer is the president of the Stephen Decatur Athletic Boosters.)
Worst Weekend Of Year
Editor:
As a homeowner who lives along Coastal Highway across from the Convention Center, I see a lot of activity in the parking lot of the Center. This past weekend’s H2Oi was once again the worst of the year.
These car owners and their friends are the most disrespectful group that comes to town. Every year these car owners are allowed to congregate in the Convention Center parking lot where they over crowd the parking lot and sidewalks along Coastal Highway to the point where it gets so out of hand the police can not control them. Each year our condo parking lot gets overrun with this group who block 41st Street, the entrance to our condo building and park in our marked parking spaces. They use our bushes and parking areas for their personal bathroom and trash can with no respect for private property.
This year it was particularly bad with the event in the 45th Street Village. They were racing back and forth between 45th Street and the Convention Center. I realize this event is not sanctioned by the city, but the city has known about it for months, knows who the promoter is and said they work with the promoter to head off problems.
In my opinion, the best solution is to fence off the Convention Center parking lot so they can not congregate there. Security could be hired to make sure they don’t take down the fencing and a bill could be sent to the promoter. If the town wants to continue to allow them to park there, they should be charged a fee, say $50 (same as the 4th of July inlet fee) to park there for the day. The additional revenue can then be used to pay for extra police patrols.
Debra Fish
Ocean City
Disturbing Weekend
Editor:
What happened to our once sleepy little family resort town of Ocean City?
On the weekend of Sept, 26-28, 2014, OC turned into “Senior Week” and “Bike Week” combined times 10.
In my 55 years of staying in Ocean City, I have never run into a group of young people who were more obnoxious, foul-mouthed, disrespectful and mostly punks. I have since learned the vehicles and drivers who took over OC were from a group called H2O International – club members who drive “low rider” cars. Their presence in OC was not endorsed or sponsored by the town and was not advertised as an Ocean City “event”, yet they made life miserable for those who came for an enjoyable weekend.
I’m no prude and have been “around the block” a few times in my 67 years, but I heard the phrase “f*** you” more than I needed to hear in a lifetime and on three separate occasions, the phrase was directed toward me – once when I simply asked the motorist next to me if I could get in front of him to make a turn.
On another occasion, I “tapped” the back of a plywood cart being pulled by a “low rider” vehicle. I apologized, said there was no damage and that it wasn’t a big deal. Seconds later, my vehicle was “bumped” from behind with the explanation that I bumped his car – no big deal so he bumped me – no big deal.
Youth of today? God help us.
Mary Yingling
Ocean City
Fire Prevention Week
Editor:
When was the last time you tested the smoke alarms in your home? Was it last week? Last month? A year ago?
If you’re like many people, you may not even remember. Smoke alarms have become such a common feature of U.S. households that they’re often taken for granted, and aren’t tested and maintained as they should.
However, working smoke alarms are a critical fire safety tool that can mean the difference between life and death in a home fire. According to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), smoke alarms can cut the chance of dying in a home fire in half. Meanwhile, NFPA data shows that home fires killed more than 2,300 people in 2012; many of these deaths could have been prevented with the proper smoke alarm protection.
As a member of the fire service for 11 years, I’ve seen the devastating effects of fire first-hand; the burn injuries, the loss of homes and possessions are distressing. What’s even worse is witnessing a family’s anguish after a loved one has been killed in a fire. It’s heartbreaking.
As the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week, October 5-11, 2014, NFPA is promoting “Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives: Test Yours Every Month!” to better educate the public about the true value of working smoke alarms.
My sincere hope is that all those reading this will make sure there are working smoke alarms installed throughout their homes. These simple steps can help make a life-saving difference, and prevent the potentially life-threatening impact of fire.
Here are additional smoke alarm tips to follow:
1. Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement.
2. Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
3. Test alarms each month by pushing the test button.
4. Replace all smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and hard-wired alarms, when they are 10 year old or sooner if they do not respond properly.
Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound and understands what to do when they hear the smoke alarm.
Ryan L. Whittington
(The writer is the deputy fire marshal for the Town of Ocean City.)