Voices From The Readers – December 27, 2019

Voices From The Readers – December 27, 2019

Wind Farm Position, Coverage Inaccurate

Editor:

Both the Ocean City government and the Ocean City press are derelict in their duty to inform the public accurately on the visual impact of the Ocean City wind turbines. Renderings of the wind turbines can be found at the following two websites:

https://ibb.co/pwLW4J5

https://oceancitymd.gov/pdf/OCWindFarmRenderings.pdf

The latter website was presumably put together by money the OC council paid to a lobbyist with a felony conviction. The web page clearly has several inaccuracies, including showing 70 turbines rather than 32, showing turbines at 12.8 miles rather than the true value of 17 or more miles and making no attempt to account for visibility which is typically never more than 10 miles in a humid ocean environment. Visibility information is readily available from weather information services including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

If either the Ocean City Council or the Ocean City press wanted to provide accurate information, it is no more difficult than taking pictures of the Ocean City Ferris Wheel from 17 or more miles out and making these photos publicly available. However, the will to provide accurate information from either source has so far been lacking.

Doug Miller

Jessup

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Fundraiser Best Ever

Editor:
Happy Holidays. It is with gratitude and appreciation that I send this message. On Saturday, Dec. 7, the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation (QRCF) hosted our annual Caribbean Christmas fundraiser. Our signature festive event was held at Mango’s and raised funds the Center for Inland Bays, plus QRCF grant-giving and scholarship programs. We also collected clothes for the Dagsboro Boys and Girls Club.

I am delighted to preliminarily report that we predict that raised our largest number yet and we look forward to financially helping the Center, and other local organizations and individuals, and continue to do our good work.

This gift was made possible by the many sponsors, volunteers and guests who attended the event. Thanks to our sponsors: Bethany Blues, Beach Liquors, Cottage Café, Harpoon Hannah’s, The Heidaway, Joost Wafle Co., Local Coffee, Mango’s, Matt’s Fish Camp, Off the Hook, Ropewalk, Summer Salts Beach Grill, Three Blonde Bakers, and Zoca.

We also had many auction item donors, too many, in fact, to list here. Know that your support is most appreciated!

Our thanks also to the over 250 attendees who supported the event as guests, bought raffle tickets and bid on silent auction items. As a representative of the QRCF and on behalf of the dedicated board, my thanks for this extensive effort executed in the people and programs in Sussex County.

Our community efforts this holiday season continue. On Jan. 1, 2020, New Year’s Day, in downtown Bethany Beach, we, along with the Bethany Fenwick-Area Chamber of Commerce, will host the Hair of the Dog Run and Leo Brady Exercise Like the Eskimos Swim. Participants can run or walk the course and may also choose to plunge. Proceeds from the Run and Swim benefit the many individuals, groups, clubs, and organizations that are served by the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation and the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce. We hope that residents and guests will join us kick off the new decade with us.

Billy Scott

Bethany Beach

(The writer is the president of the Quiet Resorts Charitable Foundation.)

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Appreciation Expressed

Editor:

I’m not sure there are any who can understand or even would want to understand, but it needs to be said and cannot be said enough.

Folks that deal with darkness, despair and crime everyday are not really appreciated. Oh, people say they appreciate them but do they really? Dealing with those that cause so much hurt and trouble in our society make you change at some point. This happens because of all that they see and have to do over their careers to protect others. Several lose some of the innocence and all lose a piece of their humanity. What makes it so much worse today is that people no longer see these men and women as heroes but see them as villains. People are quick to point fingers and find fault with all that they do. You see to survive in their career they take on some of the traits of those they are dealing with. They have to think like a criminal, look like the criminal and at times even do things like a criminal.

There is one major fundamental difference with these professionals. They only use those traits as tools so they can catch the criminal. They never use them in the sick crazy way criminals use them to inflict harm on others.

There is a cost for living in this upside-down world of darkness, despair and violence. You see it creates a great deal of stress; it causes guilt, isolation, depression and strains or ruins relationships. You see the work they do is not normal.

Those that go about serving and protecting our communities know one thing that the majority of the public does not seem to understand. All the negative that is placed upon our society would be far greater without those who are willing to fight against it. They willingly take on daily abuse and being second guessed at every turn so that others can live peaceably.

So before you stand in judgement of any law enforcement officer or first responders consider the following:

They witness things no person is meant to see and they see it on a regular basis.

They perform duties that many would feel is beneath them to do.

They solve your problems, even the ones they are not responsible for like telling you what the traffic is like on route 50 and why are the streets flooding after a large storm.

They are the people running towards things you run away from or are only willing to video but not willing to take any action or even call 911.

They willingly stand between you and those wanting to cause trouble or cause harm to you or your property.

These professionals do the things that the vast majority are to weak or soft or cowardly to do.

Our lives are more peaceful and better because of them. Our society has become one where it is just too easy to throw things way, where things and people are said to be inferior or that people are to mean or forceful. We know this is an asinine mind set, but it’s out there just the same.

There are things worth fighting for even dying for. We know that every problem cannot be solved in a rational discourse. Some things need people who are willing to get the job done while others ridicule you and mock what you are doing.

Law enforcement officer believe that doing what other fear is honorable, noble and just. They pay the price in so many ways that people have no idea about. They just try and keep and hold on to the belief that every person should be able to live in a peaceful and safe community.

To all the law enforcement officers and first responders that are on the line everyday doing the job, stay in the fight.

Bob Luckett

Selbyville

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Stand Up Against Trump

Editor:

Are we no longer fighting to preserve Democracy? Has Trump created such fear in Republican leaders and within his own administration that they are willing to swear allegiance to Trump the man, rather than to the Constitution?

Really, Could they fear that “bad things” will happen to them? Trump believes he is friends with Putin. I don’t believe we should antagonize Russia but Trump is confusing his personal relationship with Putin, with a foreign policy that benefits Russia at the expense of our Democracy. Trump has systematically alienated and demeaned our democratic Allies under the guise of wanting more money contributed to their defense. Trump has befriended and sided with Putin despite dire warnings from the U.S. Intelligence Community. We have heard him with our own ears in Helsinki and seen his actions. He delays implementing sanctions against Russia. He welcomes Russian interference in our election rather than notify authorities. Trump takes no major action to invest in cybersecurity that would prevent further foreign interference in our elections. He spreads baseless allegations manufactured by Putin. He demands that Ukranian leader Zelensky announce an investigation into a debunked conspiracy that absolves Putin of responsibility. He without explanation delays urgent military aid from Ukraine which is fighting Russian expansion.

It does not matter whether you love Trump or you hate him. Trump has abused his power and obstructed justice. He has endangered our national security by inviting foreign interference in our elections and by disbanding crucial Democratic alliances. We cannot wait for elections because Trump gets more brazen in undermining them each day.

Congress, please remember that Russia is our Enemy. Please do not forfeit your powers. Do not turn considerable presidential power into absolute power. Stand united against tyranny or I might someday be prosecuted for exercising my right of free speech.

Jan Adamchak

Berlin