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Airpark could be Pinellas' lifeline

The recent tragic events in New Orleans and the northern Gulf Coast clearly show the need for an airport in Pinellas County that is not at (or near) sea level.

There are three aviation facilities in the county: the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) in the Feather Sound area, Albert Whitted Airport in the St. Petersburg bayfront area and Clearwater Airpark in midcounty.

While sustained flooding is not a real concern in Pinellas County, storm surge and the resulting damage from it is an issue.

Due to its elevation, Clearwater Airpark is the only aviation center in the county that is not subject to storm surge concerns. It might be the only lifeline to the outside in the event of a serious disaster.

Air Force C-130 aircraft can land at the airpark to bring life-saving supplies to our entire community, should the need arise.

Support the Clearwater Airpark as the valuable asset that it is for our entire community. Your very life may depend on its existence!

Money drop a missed opportunity

Re: Money falls from sky on Clearwater Beach, story, Sept. 5.

I suppose a lot of people on Clearwater Beach on Sunday thought "Money Man" Kevin Shelton was as good as winning the Lotto, but at this time with all the devastation that has taken place on the Gulf Coast due to Hurricane Katrina, I can't understand why Mr. Shelton didn't send the $10,000 to the American Red Cross instead of blowing $2 bills to folks mostly here on vacation who could really live without the extra 2 bucks they caught in the air.

I applaud Mr. Shelton's generosity. But think with that kind of money, he should have given it to the needy along with his kind gesture of going to New Orleans to help out there.

Civic club makes Oldsmar better

Re: Civic club building razed for new library, story, Sept. 4.

As a longtime resident and former City Council member, I would like to thank the Oldsmar Civic Club.

For more than 50 years the Civic Club has opened its doors to the people of Oldsmar and provided a great service to Oldsmar, from donating thousands of dollars from its bingo game profits to help organizations in Pinellas County, to becoming the home of the Oldsmar cultural art center and providing a place to teach and learn about the arts, music and dance. Oldsmar is a better place because of you. Thank you.

Columnist overlooks point about work

Re: Putting your heart into your daily work, guest column, Sept. 5.

Guest columnist Douglas Spangler, in his verbose attempt to point out the dissimilarities between work and labor, overlooked one important concept. Like it or not, good hard work is labor. And just because we labor over something, it does not necessarily mean that we detest it or find no fruits from our labor.

Has Spangler never heard the expression, "a labor of love"? He appears to be under the impression that those who are unhappy with their jobs can easily switch to something more apropos to suit their individual needs. Well, it ain't necessarily so. It takes more than a magic wand to make an ideal situation.

Some people take a job, even though they may detest it, because it pays the bills and puts food on the table. A more enjoyable job might leave them short on funds. And like Spangler's parents, they do it for their family, for other people and themselves.

[Last modified September 8, 2005, 01:49:23]