Letters to the Editors

For bears' welfare, say no to Wal-Mart

Editor: Re: Wal-Mart's proposal to build a supercenter at the corner of U.S. 19 and Osowaw Boulevard.

There are many reasons why any big box should not be built at this location, and hopefully others will address the fallacy of the economic benefit, the evacuation route, sinkhole possibilities, etc. But there are two issues the big box ordinance did not address adequately. Where are they appropriate, considering the surrounding area, and what will be the impact on adjoining residential areas?

We have already seen what Home Depot and Lowe's have done to their residential neighbors, and if Wal-Mart is allowed to build on this site, it will have a larger 24-hour impact on adjoining Forest Glen. I would suggest the residents of this community drive around the back of the State Road 50 Wal-Mart supercenter at night to see what they will have to contend with.

I have been documenting bear sitings for almost six years as coordinator of the Gulf Coast Conservancy Bear Hotline, and also I am a member of the Chassahowitzka Black Bear Interagency Working Group. The bears of our local range are the smallest, still viable group in the United States. As history is written, do we want to be held responsible for the demise of this population because the county is unable to put together a plan that buffers large development from preservation areas and does not take into account the impact of increased traffic on threatened species?

I will agree with the Wal-Mart representative that the proposed site is not pristine, and I have publicly maintained that bears don't use this site. The site is adjacent to preserved land that includes not only bear trails, but has provided for denning. For the bears to move from the Aripeka Coastal Greenway to the Weeki Wachee Preserve, they must cross Osowaw Boulevard. The Wal-Mart would greatly increase the traffic, just where two cubs were killed last fall.

We are wasting money on preserving land if we allow big development on adjacent property. We might as well just give up and pave the coast. I hope citizens will turn out in large numbers on Feb. 12 at the County Commission meeting and say "No, not here!"
-- Niki Everitt, Weeki Wachee

Concern for patients lost in bickering of hospitals

Editor: In this land of free enterprise, we have Walgreens across the street from an Eckerd's, Winn-Dixie or Kash n' Karry across from Publix, and now Lowe's across from Home Depot.

Isn't it interesting that we don't hear any bickering or unjustified complaints from their CEOs? They even seem to be concerned about their patrons' needs and go about business in a mature manner.

What has happened between our two hospitals? Oak Hill Hospital and Brooksville Regional act like two arguing competitors. Whatever happened to the concern for the patient? It must have gotten lost in the quest for the almighty dollar.

It seems that the medical arena, in recent years, is mostly interested in the profit margin, and in Hernando County, can't even get along with neighboring facilities.
-- JoAnn Peterson, Spring Hill

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