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Rendering plant not good for area

Dade City is presented with plans to convert the historic Lykes-Pasco orange juice factory into a rendering plant. Online encyclopedia Wikipedia defines rendering as "an industrial process that converts waste animal tissue into stable, value-added materials." That the "value-added material" to be produced in Dade City is biofuel rather than dog food, soap or candles doesn't change the nature of the industrial process. That the dead stock to be boiled down into a "value-added material" will be limited to chicken fat rather than whole horse carcasses and dead dogs also doesn't change the fact that the orange juice factory will become a rendering plant.

Rendering plants are not usually good neighbors. To my experience, rendering plants often stink to high heaven. Like huge livestock pens, rendering plants can be nuisances for all nearby land users. Boiling down tons of chicken fat doesn't sound like it will smell as sweet as the coffee sometimes roasted in the Dade City plant.

Dade City has enjoyed some excellent community leadership over the years - developing the downtown area into a tourist draw and encouraging pleasant residential and light business growth in the area. Many a community has found itself permanently blighted by introduction of a chemical plant, paper mill or other odious industrial businesses that literally turn the atmosphere of a town sour.

Last year, in a wise and courageous commitment to the future, Pasco County commissioners amended the county's growth management plan to protect northeast Pasco's rural nature. Central to the planning was the notion that Dade City would continue to serve as the natural and historic town center for the region. Blighting Dade City with an odious industrial overcast would undermine the goals of land use planning, both at county and city levels.

The leaders of Dade City and Pasco County need to pay close attention to the biofuel plant proposal. Our leaders need to be careful with the city's future. The result could be a completely different atmosphere for a town and region once seemingly headed toward a fresh new future.

Doug Bevins, Dade City

Parents, be aware of sex predators

Enough is enough! Do you have to read that rape and murder suspect John Couey had a lousy childhood? Are we supposed to forgive him and then give justification for his behavior? Poor Johnny - he wanted help and no one gave it to him. Give me a break! This guy is a violent sexual predator who somehow slipped through the system. It only shows that there is something wrong with the criminal justice system and our value system. There is too much apathy and not enough caring and concern for what should be.

There are 47 sexual predators in Pasco County. These people believe in stalking children to satisfy their sexual needs. They are dangerous and should be in prison. Thirteen years ago, we did make a change in the Florida state law to protect all sexual assault victims and make the penalties for sexual assault tougher. Obviously, it was not enough to create a deterrent to stop the crimes against little girls like Carlie Brucia, Sarah Lunde, Jessica Lunsford and Jennifer Odom. At that time, this area was predominately senior citizens, and they, indeed, did a great job in helping our organization, Enraged People Against Rape, get laws passed that eliminated gain time for convicted rapists; required life sentences for anyone convicted of a sexual battery on a child younger than 12; and eliminated the statute of limitations on sexual battery. State Sen. Mike Fasano was the legislator who helped get these laws for victims passed.

Now it is time for the young mothers and fathers to take over to help get stricter penalties for these violent times. Young children should feel safe and secure in our society. That is not happening. This extends to the Internet as well, where sexual predators are on the hunt for young people so they can seduce and manipulate vulnerable teenagers. The Internet is used for many things, some good, some bad.

Parents, go on the Internet to see what your children are reading. Please be aware of who is living in your area. Check with the Pasco County Sheriff's Office Web site. It is up to you to make a difference to protect the children and all victims.

Judi Barrett, Bayonet Point

Leaders jump in to save palm trees

This is government at its finest.

Immediately after learning of a plot to remove the Washingtonian palm trees that Hudson Seafest planted years ago on Clark Street and Old Dixie Highway, our county administrator, John Gallagher, and Commissioner Jack Mariano had their staff get involved and put a stop to any potential trouble.

It appears our palms are safe.

Al L. Meyer, Hudson

High oil prices are part of reality 

Faced with injustices, we prefer distractions Feb. 12 Greg Hamilton column

Greg Hamilton is unhappy about the high profits made by ExxonMobil. He uses the words "appalling" and "obscene" to describe those profits. He considers these high profits to be an "injustice." To whom would these high profits be an injustice? To the American people? To Mr. Hamilton? Then he says his comments apply also to the other oil companies.

What Mr. Hamilton doesn't say is the number of stock shares into which the gains have to be divided. If the profits are really enormous, maybe we should all buy oil stocks. I am not a stockholder, but maybe I ought to be.

However, ExxonMobil answered similar charges of "obscene" profits about a year ago. It published a chart sourced to Business Week and Oil Daily. This chart shows profits per dollar of sales. This chart shows that "oil and natural gas" gains were 12th on a list of 19 industries. At the top of the list were banks and pharmaceuticals. Mr. Hamilton hasn't wept about these top industries' obscene profits.

At the bottom of the list were transportation and automobiles. Maybe he should weep for these companies.

I don't like high prices, but I have to live in the real world and spend my income the best way I can. I don't own any stocks. I have no ax to grind.

Charles Derer, Hudson

[Last modified February 18, 2007, 07:20:06]