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Letters to the EditorsU.S. 19 needs service roads, signs at main intersections
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 25, 2001 Re: Address system gets test on U.S. 19, Dec. 28 story. Is it so difficult for the county Metropolitan Planning Organization to figure out the major problems on U.S. 19 that it needs a U.S. 19 task force? Yes, the lack of street numbers on U.S. 19 is a major problem, but can you imagine every business having these big blue signs in front? And the cost of the signs -- $1,500 -- is unbelievable for small businesses. If U.S. 19 had signs along the highway indicating the 4900 block, 5000 block and so on, and if the main cross streets such as Curlew and Alderman had 3500 or 4900 in large numbers, it would help tremendously. But U.S. 19 needs service roads. Is that so hard to figure out? Of course, preplanning wasn't done to leave room for service roads. If the Metropolitan Planning Organization can't figure these things out, it should be replaced and someone else called on to come up with the right solutions. Most of the accidents on U.S. 19 occur because of the absence of service roads and improper signs. People can't find the businesses they are looking for on U.S. 19. What do they do? They drive 20 to 30 mph trying to find a street number. That creates accidents. If I had a business on U.S. 19, I would be frustrated, just as the customers are, because a lot of people never find the businesses they are looking for. I know because it has happened to me many times.
U.S. 19 business signs are a wonderful ideaRe: Address system gets test on U.S. 19, Dec. 28 story. These signs are the greatest idea since safety pins or whatever. Not all businesses put their numbers on their building. Most of the time you have to guess where they are. Whoever thought up that idea deserves a street named after him -- and, of course, the signs in front of each business.
Another day, another accident on U.S. 19I have just hung up my phone after speaking with my fiance, who is on his way to pick up my daughter at a location just south of Alderman Road off U.S. 19. Not one minute later I hear ambulance sirens and then helicopter sounds. My heart is pounding. I phone my fiance and they are fine. "Someone got into a bad accident pulling out from Innisbrook," he says. I count my blessings once again. This is not new, not unusual. As a resident of the Glen Eagles subdivision, I have no choice but to use U.S. 19 until the Belcher Road extension is completed. Many accidents occur in this area because there is no traffic light on U.S. 19 between Alderman and Klosterman roads to slow down drivers. My question is, how many people will be killed or injured before someone does something? To make matters worse, a new apartment complex has been completed with more than 400 apartments. All of those residents also need to get out onto U.S. 19. We are already equipped with an emergency flashing light for the fire station in this area. My suggestion is to immediately convert the emergency light to a traffic light before one more life is lost or one more person is injured.
Chief's great expectations for pension are absurdRe: Clearwater police chief seeks pension, lump sum, Jan. 11. What is Chief Sid Klein trying to prove? I spent more than 20 years in the military with a heck of a lot more personnel and equipment under my command and direction than Klein ever had. Rest assured, my pension is nowhere near what he thinks he should get. Fifty-thousand dollars a year for life? Eighty-five percent of families in this area don't even make that much, let alone get a pension of that magnitude. I sure would like to know what Klein and Deputy Police Chief Baird have at happy hour, or what they smoke. I'd like to try it and maybe change my circumstances.
Children's charities benefit from Festival of Trees helpOn behalf of the Festival of Trees steering committee, we would like to publicly thank the hundreds of volunteers throughout Pinellas County who helped make the 16th annual Thanksgiving week event a major success. On Friday, $84,000 was distributed to children's charities throughout Pinellas County. The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast and UPARC Foundation each received one-third of the funding. The Haven of RCS, Watson Center, Equither, Friends of the Deaf Service Center, Foundation Village Neighborhood Family Center and Kids Kommittee received money in response to grant requests. Each year this community event and fundraiser, held at the Harborview Center in Clearwater, attracts businesses and individuals who love to help children. In the past 16 years the Festival of Trees has contributed almost $900,000 to the community. Our thanks to everyone who supported this event.
Paramedics responding to 911 call earn praiseEveryone hopes that 911 medical care will never be needed, but it's good to know that it is always available. It was necessary for me to use that service recently and I was pleased to find that the staff was more than could have been expected. The paramedics were well trained, efficient, pleasant and highly professional. The response time was quick and their reactions were fast, gentle and helpful. The entire team is to be congratulated and they certainly have my heartfelt thanks.
When blood is donated, two parties benefitWhen my husband was in the hospital recently, he needed several units of blood to aid in his recovery. As I watched that blood drip into his arm, I wondered who the kind person was who had taken the time to go to the blood bank and give the blood he received. It made a big difference to him. I and a number of people in my family are donors and can tell you that donating is easy. Each unit gives a benefit to two people -- you as donor, and the person receiving it. The blood is urgently needed.
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