County officials failing veterans
Veterans have many important dates to remember, like Dec. 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor and June 6, 1944, for D-Day. Now, Rowan veterans can add Sept. 8, 2009, to their list of dates. For it was on this date that Rowan County commissioners turned their backs on veterans so as not to allow criticism of how a county agency director ensures proper services to veterans of our armed forces.
Instead of giving veterans a forum to speak to these issues, we were limited to the same three minutes allowed general members of the public during open comment ó and this was the meeting where commissioners diddle-daddled away more than an hour on the vital issue of snuffing out the Christmas lights that would not have cost the county a plug nickel. On Sept. 8, during an agenda item, veterans were not allowed to speak at all. Seems our commissioners prefer backroom politics to veterans issues. I respect our elected board, but when it comes to the county’s policy priorities, it seems they have recently let themselves boldly go beyond what is good for the county. If any veteran or active military personnel has experienced the same treatment from Rowan County, I would like to know about it and maybe I can assist you. E-mail me at rcress@ carolina.rr.com.
Respect doesn’t come with being elected. One has to earn that.
A soldier never quits and a veteran will always be one.
ó Rodney Cress
Salisbury
A risky early release
I just read Jessie Burchette’s Sept. 9 article about child rapist Eddie Charles Jones being released early from a life sentence, following N.C. protocol.
I strongly feel that the protocol must be changed in the case of child molesters. There is no evidence that these people are “cured” or “rehabilitated” by incarceration. In fact, as the case of Jaycee Dugard in California shows, they will repeatedly offend. The administrator for the N.C. Parole Commission’s comments that “he was approved for the program, he went through it” means absolutely nothing. The fact that he will be registered as a sex offender is no assurance that the community is safe. Those with this condition simply must be locked away from the general society.
The thought of a man with this history residing in our community with my two young granddaughters is frightening. The state’s most basic responsibility is to protect its law abiding citizens.
ó Carl Repsher
Salisbury
Not so ‘shocking’
I have just read the Sept. 9 front page article “Sparks Fly” with great interest.
Being a civic-minded person, I often watch the government channel at night after work to keep informed about the happenings in our county. I am shocked that Commissioner Tina Hall was “shocked” at the remarks of Mike Miller. In my watching the channel, I have found that Ms. Hall very much likes to take control of any situation that is being discussed.
I don’t know her and assume that she is a responsible person, but so are the other commissioners. I have seen very little time allotted to them during discussions. I am speaking particularly when she was grilling the ABC board. I timed her and at 40 minutes she had said the same things several times in a few different ways. She talked about side trips to taverns in Virginia, and she seemed to know nothing about their historical interest ó plus, they are really restaurants now, not taverns. If the same happened to Mr. Miller and his group, I can certainly understand his frustration and “shocking” comments.
If I was a business owner I know that I would “dread” to go before the commissioners because of her nit-picking that I’ve heard in the past. I do appreciate that she wants the best for the county, but it seems it always has to be on her terms.
My suggestion is for Ms. Hall to watch some of the recorded telecast and I don’t think she would be shocked at his remarks.
ó Alice Edwards
Salisbury