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Today's Letters: Real damage was to sense of safety

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published April 29, 2007

Re: Pellets fired at occupied school bus story, April 21

As a Pinellas County school bus driver, I happened to be driving the bus that had two of its windows apparently shot out on the anniversary of the Columbine High School shootings on April 20.

Your article on April 21 stated, "No one was injured in the shooting." That is not entirely true and deserves some clarification. It would have been closer to the truth to have written that "no injuries were reported." In fact, one kindergartner had a tiny cut above her lip. A paramedic treated her as soon as they arrived on the scene.

The little girl's mother was waiting at the bus stop, which was the safest side-street near the incident. The mother chose not to report the injury, as the child was not sure how she got it anyway. It could have been from broken glass or maybe from another child's fingernail during the scramble to get to the safer side of the bus.

But the real injuries among the 14 of us (the 12 children, myself, and a teacher assistant from Belcher Elementary) are inside. We got through the incident with relative composure. The kids actually behaved better than they usually do, because they were afraid.

Fear is the injury that I am reporting here. I have rerouted to avoid that area, because that is all I can do to decrease the burden of anxiety.

But a fourth-grader told me that he still gets a stomachache when he gets on the bus every afternoon. A second-grader told me that she ducks down in her seat when her parents drive their car that way.

In my relatively well-informed imagination, the perpetrator was probably a high school boy, probably not yet 16. His dad probably did a stint in the military and thinks he is teaching his son to use that pellet gun responsibly. But Dad wasn't home from work yet. And the TV had been commemorating the anniversary of Columbine. And there had been a bomb threat at the high school that day. He was hyped-up, an all-American, media-fueled terrorist in the making.

So , now where is our "war on terror"? In a north county park that borders on U.S. 19?

Ironically, of the 12 kids on board that day, nine of them are bused to Belcher Elementary for an ESOL program (English for Speakers of Other Languages). Most are Hispanic, but a few are Middle Eastern. Undoubtedly, some of their parents came here to get away from random violence and terror.

Alda Thomas, Clearwater

Short-term rentals are economic asset 

Re: Short-term rentals can go on story, April 21

I'm delighted that Judge Nellie Khouzam found in favor of the plaintiffs in the Clearwater Beach rental case. She followed the law - she always does - and I feel it was the correct and fair decision.

Yes, I am the father of David Allbritton and appeared as a witness in the case for him. As a lifetime resident and property owner in Clearwater, I object to any part of the taxes I pay being used by the city to appeal the judge's decision, as urged by Jerry Murphy and the so-called neighborhood group. Let Murphy and his group finance the cost of any appeal.

My son and the other plaintiffs bought their expensive beach properties to rent to families for short one-week to 10-day periods. The Murphy group urged the city to pass an ordinance that required rentals to be 31 days or more. The city did so, but it was after the plaintiffs bought and used their properties as intended. The law specifies they are grandfathered in.

With all the small motels being replaced by condos all over the beach, short-term rentals on the beach are certainly an asset. The main industry in Clearwater and the state of Florida is our tourist business.

If the Murphy group observes parking or noise violations, as they claim, then they should contact the police department so charges can be processed as city ordinances have long provided.

My son always carefully screens those who rent from him and warns that if they cause loud noise or park improperly, they'll wind up in county court and he will revoke the rest of their rental and keep their deposit.

Owen S. Allbritton, Clearwater

Stanton has been gracious to Largo

It continues to amaze me that so many of our citizens whose letters appear in this newspaper continue to judge former Largo City Manager Steve Stanton with distrust and disdain.

Having been one of those who spoke out in defense of Mr. Stanton at both public meetings at Largo City Hall regarding his job status, as well as a close observer of the whole process, I cannot recall hearing or reading that he has publicly uttered one word disparaging the city of Largo, its citizens or its government.

In fact, he has said, locally as well as on national network TV, that he loves the city, couldn't possibly bring suit against it and even referred to Largo as a "progressive city."

And lest we forget, it was this very newspaper which, early on in this process, conducted an objective telephone survey of Largo citizens, the results of which indicated that more than 50 percent of those polled thought that Mr. Stanton should be allowed to keep his job.

Yet his outspoken critics persist. Could it be that this is the only way they can find to rationalize their judging/treating another human being unfairly? I hope not.

Nancy Hoppe, 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 April 28, 2007, 20:11:57]