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© St. Petersburg Times, published May 9, 2002
Editor: Re: Mighty Wal-Mart, please heed my cry, May 5 column by Jeff Webb:
Every once in a while I agree with one of Webb's columns, and Sunday's was somewhat agreeable. A median cut on U.S. 19 between Applegate and Spring Hill Drive to accommodate a Wal-Mart or any other commercial entity will be a disaster. The so-called experts who predict a safer intersection due to the cut are beyond reason or intelligent engineering practice. Let's use some common sense.
While on the subject relative to a Wal-Mart Supercenter in that area, why not allow Hernando residents to vote on this issue? The proposed Supercenter will be the beginning of the total deterioration of Hernando County, especially on U.S. 19.
It's bad enough already. Look what has happened over the past few years. I have been here for more than 14 years and have seen it go from a pristine, tree-forested roadway to an overcommercialized, divided speedway with gas stations, drug stores, shopping plazas, restaurants, Home Depots, Lowes, etc. Greed is the word, and Wal-Mart personifies it.
Wal-Mart's existing store opposite Timber Pines will close and, no doubt, will remain empty, and the other major retail supermarkets are bound to suffer reduced business and perhaps even closure. Service Merchandise has already closed its store. What next?
Reasonable commercial development is essential to any growing community, but another Wal-Mart Supercenter is overdevelopment. Let's be satisfied with those already in place in the county.
Who manages this county? The commissioners or big business?
-- John E. Klika, Spring Hill
Editor: Re: Study: Bear pack small, smart, May 2 Times:
I was thrilled to read the latest news on the growth of our local bear population. My happiness was short-lived because the county commissioners, with the exception of Chris Kingsley, have approved the details of the road proposals for the new Wal-Mart Supercenter on U.S. 19.
The article stated the bears have developed a form of "street smarts" in order to survive their dwindling habitat. I hope the commissioners will be able to sleep well at night, knowing that our bear population will need more than "street smarts" once Wal-Mart breaks ground soon.
The county commissioners are only looking at dollar signs.
-- Wanda Jedierowski, Spring Hill
Editor: Re: Cut expenses to pay for community pool, April 30 letter to the editor:
When reading the thoughts of Vilmar Tavares on building a community pool, I wondered how he is able to manage his own household finances.
Mr. Tavares recommends that a community pool be paid for by "cutting other expenditures" and stating that this is "how many families plan expenditures in their budgets." He goes on to recommend "cutting (read terminate) the number of county employees (read police, firefighters, building inspectors, road crews, etc.), then using that savings to build the pool."
I wonder if Mr. Tavares uses the same line of thinking when planning his own budgets. How many of his children does he "eliminate" when he needs a new car? What does he do with a son or daughter when he decides to take a vacation? Does he banish his wife when he needs a new set of golf clubs?
Please, Mr. Tavares, put your mind in gear before engaging your pen. The least reasonable direction to take would be to eliminate any of the "Hernando County employee family" and build a pool on their backs, just as it would be to cut a child out of the family in order to balance the budget.
-- Joseph A. Maggio, Spring Hill
Editor: Re: Priesthood gains a new, different look, April 27 Times:
I apologize to the newsroom of the Hernando Times. I had called and complained about the lack of coverage of the first woman to be ordained as a priest in the Catholic Apostolic Church in North America. I didn't realize there was only one day a week (Saturday) set aside for religion news.
Tremendous credit should go to staff writer Jean Johnson for the wonderful article she wrote about the ordination of Mother Anne Stewart. I am so blessed to have met this wonderful, religious person. She is another Mother Teresa to me.
-- Ray S. Bencar, Brooksville
Editor: What are "stop" signs for?
"Stop" signs at intersections are meant for the motorist to come to a complete stop and then proceed with caution. But not all motorists come to a complete stop. They slow down and go right through the "stop" sign as if it were a "Yield right of way" sign.
"Stop" signs do not mean come to a rolling stop. If law enforcement officers were at every intersection, citing these "rolling stoppers," then every county would certainly generate a lot of fines.
Is the "stop" sign becoming a thing of the past?
-- Michael J Kowalik, Spring Hill