Northpinellas: Application of the law is not always just

Tarpon Springs now is safe, thanks to Officer Romando Black's arrest of four old-timers playing cards. The peace and dignity of the state of Florida has been preserved. I would like to nominate Officer Black for induction into the Police Officers Hall of Fame.

This newsworthy article appeared adjacent to an article in which Dennis George Roache was found incompetent to stand trial for the brutal decapitation murder of Gregory Shannon. The article states that in two previous cases, Roache was found mentally incompetent and the cases were unable to proceed until he received treatment. How many more times will Roache get a pass and be found unfit for trial?

Too bad Roache commits his crimes in St. Petersburg while Tarpon Springs is made safe by Officer Black.
-- J. Schlosser, Spring Hill

Gambling laws send mixed messages

Re: 4 arrested in coffee shop gambling case, story, March 28.

Sure, it's okay to go to the race track, casinos or dog track, bet all you want, lose all you can't afford to, support an industry that has a bad reputation for exploiting man's best friend; but you get arrested for having a private card game with no spectators, playing with small amounts of money while drinking coffee.

Am I crazy or is there something wrong with this picture? If gambling in a private card game is illegal, why is it legal to do other gambling? Please, someone educate me. I feel like such a dope!
-- Marilyn Weaver, Tarpon Springs

Countryside High will miss coach

Re: Cougars coach resigns, story, March 14.

During the 1999-2000 school year, I was a senior in the special education program at Countryside High School. Joe Ionata was my driver's education instructor. He was aware of my interest in football and invited me to come to the football games.

When I came back to the school for the game, Coach Ionata approached the car so he could introduce himself to my mom.

After the football season ended, Coach Ionata offered to help me learn to drive a car. Without his support and help, I would never have been able to drive the way I do now.

I had never had so much fun in school before Coach came into my life. In the second semester, I went to the Pinellas Technical Education Center and took culinary arts for three periods each day and then returned to Countryside High. I just could not wait each day until I got back to Countryside High School to be his teacher assistant.

Countryside's football team will surely miss the best teacher and coach of Countryside ever. The teacher and coach led Countryside to its first district title and playoff win. It will be hard to repeat what the coach did at Countryside because he knew what he was doing.

I am glad that he was part of Countryside High when I was attending there. What Coach Ionata did for me was deeply appreciated.
-- Brian Maloney, Dunedin

Tarpon Springs lost a true pioneer

On Feb. 26, Tarpon Springs and the west coast of Florida lost an important member of the pioneer generation in North Pinellas with the death of Angelo Smirlis, 88.

Angelo was the last of the first American-born generation Smirlis family whose parents, Stavros and Elisaveth, emigrated to this country from Lemnos, Greece, and established the landmark Smirlis Bakery in 1905 in Tarpon Springs. The bakery operated under continual family ownership until 1990 and employed generations of Tarpon Springs residents as it grew along with this area of the state. The bakery ultimately served the entire Florida west central area with quality breads, rolls and signature Greek breads.

Angelo was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Costa, Despina, Catherine and Stelios, making him the last living link to the era that tracks the development of Tarpon Springs and parallels the establishment of the sponging industry in our town.

Although the story of the Smirlis family is not unique, it is a clear example of the courage, initiative and drive of many immigrant families who left their lives in another land to come to America to seek a better life. No guarantees were in place to secure the success of these immigrants, but this family was able to establish a business that provided employment and economic support to a growing town. Through tough economic times, including two world wars and the devastating Depression, the Smirlis Bakery continued in operation.

It is a source of pride that the family understood the opportunities available in this country and recognized the value of education. Costa graduated from Georgia Tech and worked in the business until his death. Despina graduated from the Florida College for Women, now FSU, and taught school at Tarpon Elementary for more than 50 years.

In an area obsessed with establishing a link to the historical past, it is a travesty that the St. Petersburg Times failed to note the passing of this pioneer by more than the standard obituary provided by the funeral director. There are worthy stories of the lives of early residents of this area, and I frankly expect more from a newspaper of the quality of the Times.
-- Russ Fernandes, Palm Harbor

Will future seniors stay off roads?

Re: Seniors should make way on roads for working people, letter, March 22.

Senior drivers, now that letter writer Teresa Nelson of Largo has given you your traveling orders, whatever will you do? Change your doctor's appointments? Cut out your morning walks at the malls? Make airport pickups too early or too late? Stay put until Big Brother blows his a.m. and p.m. whistles telling you that you can now move about as freely as other citizens?

You are being asked to make these minor changes in your daily mobility by Ms. Nelson to make it easier for her and her generation to "get around to earn their retirement funds." And when they do earn their retirement and the privilege of being called seniors, will they graciously accept the same travel restrictions they would place on this generation of seniors? I think not.
-- Fred Nassif, Clearwater

Drivers must practice tolerance

Re: Seniors should make way on roads for working people, letter, March 22.

Having spent 10 of my working-stiff years in Florida, I ran into many situations in which I wished senior citizens were banned from the roads. I even avoided coming to the Tampa Bay area from Daytona Beach because of the dreaded "senior snowbirds."

My solution was to leave a little earlier in the morning for work and try to remember that one day, I too would become old (which I did).

Guess what, Ms. Nelson? We are everywhere now -- not just Florida, everywhere. Have you heard of the baby boomer generation?

I think people of all generations need to practice more tolerance when dealing with everyday driving experiences.
-- Dan Hardin Sr., Palm Harbor

Roads, buses the problem -- not seniors

Even though I am not a senior, I just could not take one more day of reading letters by seniors defending their right to drive public roads. Two things are blatantly wrong here.

First, these are public roads and all should have access to them without having to defend that right. Second, I believe no one, as yet, has realized that the people who use these roads are not the problem. It is the roads that are inadequate and the public transportation system that must be too cumbersome to be an alternative for those who might need it.

Let's direct our attention to the correct target, something about which we can do something, and stop harassing the seniors of our community.
-- Kitty Magness, Dunedin

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