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Muck, mess spoil beauty of upper bay
Letters to the Editor
Published January 4, 2006
Re: Cities explore muck problem, story, Dec. 16.
I see that "... leaders from Oldsmar and Safety Harbor met to discuss ... what to do about the condition of the bay."
I heard somewhere that the species homo sapiens is the only species that fouls its own nest. There is no better example than upper Tampa Bay.
According to June Hurley Young's book, Florida's Pinellas Peninsula, "when Hernando DeSoto first saw the Pinellas peninsula on May 25, 1539, he wrote in his journal of the beautiful land, the white sand and the surrounding bay of clear water. DeSoto named the bay Bahia del Espiritu Santo (Bay of the Holy Spirit)."
This event may have happened some 466 years ago, but it is only in recent history, starting with the Gandy and Howard Frankland bridges and the Courtney Campbell Parkway, that the "Bay of the Holy Spirit" turned into the muck and smelly mess that the people of Oldsmar and Safety Harbor are complaining about.
Mother Nature heals herself and puts down mangrove roots in the mire to build more land to cover up the mess. Maybe the developers 400 years from now will be building condos on the newly made waterfront property, and the process will begin again.
-- Robert Tharin Sr., Dunedin
We can all resolve to make streets safer
'Tis the season for New Year's resolutions.
Imagine this: No traffic accidents in the Tampa Bay area. Or, more realistically, at least a greatly reduced number.
It may be feasible if we all pitch in and work together, if every time we get behind the wheel, we make a conscious effort to drive safely and promise ourselves not to rush (even if we are a few minutes late).
This is one New Year's resolution that every driver can make. In fact, I am putting it at the top of my list. Let us all do our share to keep the roads safe. Happy New Year. And may 2006 be a happy, healthy and safe year.
-- JoAnn Lee Frank, Clearwater
Halogen headlights impede vehicle safety
As recently stated in your paper, 2005 was a bad year on the road with vehicular accidents. Will it get worse with the use of halogen headlights that are a blinding nuisance when driving at night?
Will it take more loss of life before someone in authority does something to correct a potentially dangerous situation?
-- Walter Godfrey, Largo
[Last modified January 4, 2006, 01:06:11]
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