Nothing can undo what happened with the horrific bus accident. We can all speculate, but we weren’t in the car or on the bus.
I drove a school bus in 1970-1972 in the South Rowan school district. Even then, motorists would run past my stop sign, and at that time, all we had was the red stop sign on the bus. We would attempt to get a tag number, let our principal know, and he would contact the person in charge of transportation.
My heart goes out to both families involved and to the friends of the young man and Barbara Smith.
When I was driving, we were told that school buses were not to move out before the day’s first light, that the safety of the students we were picking up was the most important issue of our day.
I had the longest route in the county at that time, and I never left until it was daylight, nor did I move the bus if it was foggy or conditions would impair my vision.
Now, I drive a tractor-trailer through the Southern states and do occasionally see a bus on the interstate, going to pick up kids. The bus will be going to a stop, but daylight will be breaking.
I want to thank this bus driver for doing everything right. She, too, will never forget that day.
To all — please slow down when you see the big orange buses. Don’t text, don’t talk on the phone while driving. Nothing is as important as we motorists giving our full attention to what is on the road ahead of us.
Let us learn from this horrific accident, and let’s hope our leaders in Raleigh will see why precious children, our future leaders, should never have to cross a busy road to catch the bus.
— Leah Fry
Woodleaf
Regarding the county commission’s changes in the Veteran Services Office:
Certain ones who have never made a mistake apparently influenced four commissioners to do away with half of the veteran services officer’s job.
In talking to the district service officer, I learned that becoming a VSO requires a year of training by a certified veterans service officer. I guess our illustrious county commissioners are going to expect our certified veterans service officer to train the ones they hire at 20 hours a week, which is the minimum number of hours the officer must have in order to stay certified. But it is hard for me to figure out who is going to be the trainer.
I think veterans in this county need to writer letters to the commissioners and the Salisbury Post so that the commissioners will never consider this again.
I am the president of the Rowan County Veterans Council. If you cannot get an appointment, please let me know. My email address is davidhand89@yahoo.com and my phone number if 704-279-8245.
— David Hand
Rockwell

Letters endorsing candidates in the Nov. 5 municipal elections must be received in the Salisbury Post newsroom by 5 p.m., Oct. 30.