Don’t
Re-Elect Officials
Editor:
Isn’t
it funny the same County Commissioners that never had time to listen to any of
your comments or complaints are so interesting in talking to folks now that it
re-election time?
Mr.
Frank White from the old television show The Southern Sportsman used to say –
don’t re-elect nobody. I think he might have had a good point. County
Commissioners are supposed to represent the people in their district but we
fail to see that. I truly believe one term is more than enough for the
commissioners who seem to get too comfortable in their positions and forget who
put them there.
From
the looks of all the corruption and back room deals in Washington maybe going
national with don’t re-elect nobody is a good thing there, also.
Capt
Bruce Wootten
Lasers
A Serious Issue
Editor:
(The following letter
was addressed to the Ocean City Mayor and Council and Police Chief Bernadette
DiPino with a copy forwarded to this paper for publication.)
In light of this
season’s proliferation of laser pointers being sold by resort businesses and
used by our guests, and of the recently-publicized “accident” involving
Councilwoman Margaret Pillas, members of my family and other employees of our
Boardwalk business have taken it upon ourselves to try to educate people on the
very real dangers associated with these devices. Whenever we have seen a child
with a laser pointer in our store, we have made efforts to let the parents know
just how dangerous these things can be, and that they should not be treated as toys.
What we have found is that there is most of our guests have no idea of these
dangers, and many have been very appreciative to learn of them. We have asked
countless numbers of people whether or not they were cautioned at all by the
store clerks where they purchased the items, and we have yet to speak with
someone who said that they were. In fact, one woman reacted somewhat angrily,
remarking that “they told us that that the red ones were dangerous, but that
these were safe!”
As fate would have it,
while working on Monday night, I myself was hit with a laser pointer — a boy
about 10 years old or so swept it across my face as he walked by the store with
his mother and for just a split-second, I found myself looking straight down
the trajectory of a laser. I was angry, and I caught up with them to let them
know that what he had done was not only dangerous, but also illegal. The boy’s
mother did not respond to me — perhaps she thought I was overreacting to the
behavior of a boy with a harmless toy. But what other recourse did I have?
At some point, these
“accidents” become negligence, and there needs to be some sort of
accountability. Obviously the arrest of a 10 year old isn’t the answer, and who
is to say which store sold him the device? But our observations have indicated
to us that there are widespread violations of the code requiring merchants to
accurately explain the potential dangers of these products, and even worse, the
sort of misinformation insidiously designed to mislead the public into believing
that the product can be treated as a toy. This needs to be addressed
immediately. There needs to be spot checks on the businesses that sell these
items to ensure that they are in compliance with the law. And the threat of
business license revocations needs to be brought into the mix to let these
merchants know that this is not just a game that they can play for the sake of
making just a few extra dollars. And perhaps officers that see people carrying
the pointers can approach them as part of an informational campaign — this
message needs to get out before more people are hurt.
As I type this letter
some three hours after the incident took place, I am still experiencing a
subtle blurriness in my left eye. At first, I thought that it might be my
imagination working against me — but no, this is quite real. I assure you that
it is not a comfortable feeling, but I am grateful that I was likely spared the
sort of eye trauma that Councilwoman Pillas experienced. I wonder: Is she still
struggling with her vision as she reads this letter?
On behalf of my family
and of the safety of residents and visitors alike, I urge you to take immediate
steps to address this serious problem.
Joseph L. Kroart III
Ocean
City
Outlaw
Laser Pointers
Editor:
I am a year-round
resident of Ocean City. Every year there is always a new fad whether it be a
T-shirt design or a bracelet, even Salvia was a fad (2009).
This year the
"Green Laser" seems to have picked up quite an obnoxious following.
The establishment I work for has had to call the police on a couple of
occasions to have the lasers confiscated. I was down at the Inlet not too long
ago (you can buy anywhere there for $30), asked a police officer the law and
this is how I understand it. It is not illegal to own or purchase a laser. It
is illegal to use that laser in a harassing manner though. If it is used in a
way that is harassing to another individual, the person using in that way can
be arrested or ticketed.
As I see it, there is no reason for these lasers to be used in a public
environment, period. There is not one valid use for these lasers. They cause
nothing but trouble and are extremely irritating to just about everyone but the
person using it. If the person using it had someone shining it in their face or
on their girlfriends rear end all night, they would be pissed too. How can we
get these outlawed from the stores that sell them on the Boardwalk? Please let
me know because I know I am not the only person with these concerns.
Scott Yarnall
Ocean City
Heartfelt
Appreciation
Editor:
Last
week my husband and I adopted our third kitten from Delmarva Cat Connection.
We were
lucky enough to read that there was a little male Siamese available for
adoption. He had all of his kitten shots, been dewormed and had been given his
first treatment for ticks and fleas. In this particular case, he also had been
neutered as well. A woman in Ocean City had painstakingly captured he and his
five brothers and sisters one by one and taken them to a foster home in Ocean
Pines.
The two
females we adopted about two years ago are a magnificent tortoise shell and a
beautiful calico. They had also been given their shots, been dewormed and been
given their first treatment for ticks and fleas. All three were litter trained
and very healthy.
The
people who take care of these kittens until someone adopts them spend countless
hours and money making sure they are accustomed to people, been litter trained
and been taken to the vets for shots, etc.
I
shutter to think what would happen to these dear helpless creatures if it
wasn’t for these dedicated people who unselfishly take them into their homes
and care for them until someone adopts them.
Unfortunately,
there are so many thoughtless people who simply drop them off anywhere and
everywhere – not caring that happens to them. How fortunate we are in this area
to have such a dedicated and hard working group of people who capture and take
in these homeless kittens.
We are
two of the lucky people who have adopted three of them and what a joy they have
brought to us. For a nominal donation, you, too, can have a furry ball of joy
in your home.
To all
of you who are involved with the Delmarva Cat Connection, a heartfelt thank
you.
Bonnie
and Gary Wise
Ocean
Pines
A
Community Asset
Editor:
We are
extremely fortunate to have the James G. Barrett Medical Building in our
community to provide services and outstanding care to the residents and
visitors of Worcester County.
The
building itself is immaculate. From the welcoming smiles of namesake Jim
Barrett’s portrait in the lobby, to the local art work displayed on the walls,
you feel the warmth and nurturing that has gone into this building to ensure
that every patient and visitor who enters the door is offered a wonderful
experience. Each office and business in the Barrett Medical Building provides
the services that only enhances the phenomenal quality of care that Atlantic
General Hospital is providing for our community.
I was
recently a patient at the Barrett Medical Building for an outpatient procedure
and received exceptional care, compassion and assistance from the staff and
volunteers. I hope that many of you take advantage of this wonderful asset to
our community.
Louis
H. Taylor
Berlin