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Today's Letters: Terminal will be a traffic nightmare

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published March 20, 2007

Drivers of McMullen-Booth Road and/or State Road 580, get ready for more traffic backups than there are now.

If Pinellas schools superintendent Clayton Wilcox has his way, a 300-vehicle school bus parking terminal, maintenance and repair facility and 30,000 gallons of diesel fuel storage might soon be approved for building on the property affecting these two roads and their intersection.

Along with the buses going in and out, there will also be 300 school bus drivers and maintenance workers entering and exiting on these two roads. Just what we need on two roads that are already jam-packed not only in the morning and afternoon commutes but also generally during most of the day.

But don't worry. Dr. Wilcox assures us that the traffic will have little, if any, impact because of various remedies he has in mind, like staggering the comings and goings of these buses and drivers and possibly another traffic light, either on McMullen-Booth or SR 580. Just what we need.

If a light is put on McMullen-Booth, it will be on Rigsby Lane where the golf driving range entry is located and will be the fifth stoplight plus a flashing yellow light at the fire station between SR 580 and Curlew Road. All these lights are within 1 1/2 miles.

If ingress and egress is on SR 580, it will be right on a curve where the road goes to the water treatment plant and only about 150 yards before the light at McMullen-Booth.

We urge you to e-mail (super@pcsb.org) or call Wilcox at (727) 588-6011 and the School Board members at board @pcsb.org or (727) 588-6300 to let them know your displeasure. This is one of the most effective ways we have to fight this potential quagmire.

You might want to think of an alternative route for your trip to work or chores or picking up or delivering your children to various activities.

What alternative route? Don't ask me, ask Dr. Wilcox. He apparently has all the answers.

Sharon Philyaw, Safety Harbor

Re: Two 'dangerous' pit bulls to die story, March 18

Generalizations are unhelpful

As a dog trainer, I was appalled at the comment of Dr. Welch Agnew, assistant director of Pinellas County Animal Services, that when two pit bulls get together running around unsupervised, "you've got trouble." Such a broad generalization with no scientific merit does nothing but stigmatize a particular breed of dog.

Just as there are dangerous people, there are dangerous animals, be it dog, cat, horse, you name it. Because all dogs have the ability to bite, each dog should be individually assessed for temperament.

Laws with general definitions as to what constitutes "dangerous" do not help the matter.

A growling dog doesn't necessarily mean a dangerous one. A thorough assessment of the "dangerous" classification is desperately needed as well.

Steve Pica, Clearwater

Stanton is not good for Largo

If I'm correct, the majority of the people in the Largo area are against Steve or Susan Stanton staying in office.

He might have been a good employee of Largo in the past, but with the baggage he is bringing to the workplace and the treatment he has brought to his family, he looks like a poor risk to me. The city of Largo should not consider him for city manager. Maybe doing something else, but not in management.

Also, Mayor Pat Gerard has referred to "hateful people." I think that is uncalled for and she should apologize to us or be thinking of another job for herself.

At least some of us are thinking for the well-being of the city of Largo.

Jim Robinson, Largo

Re: With no transition plan, Stanton wrote one story, March 18

Stanton's support is undeserved

While suffering through another self-absorbed puff piece on Largo City Manager Steve Stanton, I was reminded of my "other self."

As a young girl, teen and then woman, I always felt I was supposed to look like Brooke Shields on the outside. I never felt my outside - plain, freckled, chubby - matched who I was inside: tall, dark and full-lipped.

I used to pretend to be her, even wearing the same clothes as she wore in the magazines and trying to make my blond eyebrows look like her signature brows.

Would I get as much support from those in the community trying to look hip in supporting Stanton on his extended ego trip?

Michelle Keller, Largo

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified March 20, 2007, 00:45:47]