LETTER: Ignorance about Old School Is Not Bliss
August 30, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
Everyone has heard the saying, “Ignorance is bliss.” But unfortunately, ignorance is not always bliss. Not when ignorance means not knowing the facts.
Last Thursday at the Town Council meeting, many people came to give public comment regarding what has become a truly heated issue. I will admit that I arrived with my verbal guns ready to blaze. Was I rude to some people as they approached the building? Yes, and for that I am sorry.
Most people who know me know I am pretty laid back — until my feathers get ruffled. Then it’s “look out.” I’m sure many people that don’t know me thought, “Who the heck is that crazy woman?” So I’m writing this letter to tell who I am and why my feathers were standing straight up.
I am a person that believes in honesty, fair play, and governmental transparency. I came to the meeting knowing that honesty, fair play, and governmental transparency were five words that would not be in the room.
I knew that many people attending the meeting were ignorant about how we got where we were.
I knew that those same people were going to stand at the microphone and speak out against a community center and in favor of what our mayor and Town Council wanted, with no background on how that decision was made.
Driving to that meeting, I knew our public officials, the very people that we voted into office, the very people that our hard-earned money pays a salary to, had stacked the deck against the community center. I knew before the meeting took place what the outcome would be. [Read more…]
LETTER
Old School Epilogue — Can’t We All Just Get Along?
August 25, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
Rodney King famously asked, “Can’t we all just get along?”
Now that our representative government, the Town Council, has voted in accordance with the opinion of the majority of residents who chose to publicly render their opinions on this matter, isn’t it time we moved on?
Despite the animosity, division, anger, and hyperbole we all saw throughout this debate, I have also born witness to the strength of our community. We are not just a sleepy little beach town.
I have heard, and read, opinions from residents are who smart, funny, and engaging, that I didn’t know existed in this town.
I, for one, relish robust political dissent. However, perhaps it is time to lay down our swords on this issue and move forward toward the goal of a greater good and a more cohesive community.
Personally, I see no need for a publicly funded community center, but I am open to being persuaded if the venue is smaller and more affordable than the old high school. I look forward to all of us having that discussion.
SUSAN BAUER
Letters to the Editor are welcome on any subject relevant to Cape Charles, and a diversity of opinions is encouraged. Letters should be original and never submitted elsewhere. Email submissions to [email protected].
LETTER: Public Spaces Should Not Be Privatized
August 19, 2012
DEAR EDITOR,
We the people own a collective array of resources that should not be exploited for private gain.
For the Founding Fathers, and later the high court, this notion is the original countermeasure to governmental abuse.
This is the current struggle for the old Cape Charles School — should Town Council have the ability to control the access and use of public space and assets?
Yes, the old school, especially the gymtorium, is public space, and the building and grounds are public assets.
Our public spaces have always served as a metaphor for our shared participation in the American dream of equality.
Public spaces are meant to be places where people from different backgrounds create a Cape Charles that includes everyone, and excludes no one.
It also invokes the notion of Lawrence Lessing’s idea of the Commons, “a resource in joint use or possession to be held or enjoyed equally by a number of persons.”
According to the courts, generally accessible government-owned places are tradition puble fora, and the American “traditional public forum doctrine” emphasizes the government’s role in protecting citizens’ access to public spaces such as the old school. These are the basic building blocks of our democracy. [Read more…]
LETTER: Too Many Tomatoes? Bake a Cake!
July 22, 2012
DEAR EDITOR:
Too many tomatoes? Try making this Fresh Tomato cake!
I used an angle cake pan and cream cheese frosting, but you can use your imagination.
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix with pudding in the mix
4 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 cups chopped fresh unpeeled tomatoes
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Chop and drain the tomatoes slightly.
Beat eggs and oil together until smooth.
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Spray pan with baking spray, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
Cool and frost.
Delicious!
SANDY MAYER
Letters to the Editor are welcome on any subject relevant to Cape Charles. Submissions must be signed, and may be emailed to [email protected].
LETTER: Thanks to All Who Made Tall Ships A Success
June 14, 2012
DEAR EDITOR:
On behalf of Eastern Shore Virginia Festivals (ESVAF, Inc.) and Tall Ships At Cape Charles, I want to extend our deep gratitude to our sponsors and the community at large, including all who helped make our June 8 -12 festival such a huge success.
In Cape Charles, the five-day festival brought throngs of visitors (more than 7,000 of them, by a conservative count) to tour the tall ships and go on day sails, while also enjoying the food music, and entertainment, plus all kinds of family-friendly activities and 43 terrific vendors selling crafts and wares of all kinds. In a boost to the local economy, cash registers were ringing all over town as visitors patronized shops, filled B&Bs and the new Cape Charles hotel, and packed restaurants. We thank our local merchants and business community for their support and great efforts in preparing to welcome all these visitors – the town never looked better!
The way in which both towns and the larger Northampton County community came together in support of such a huge and challenging initiative was truly inspirational to me personally as well as to the members of the Tall Ships At Cape Charles Steering Committee— more than 30 people from throughout the County, who worked and planned for nine months to bring this amazing event to fruition. Other towns participated through their volunteers and sponsors, making Tall Ships At Cape Charles truly a County-wide festival. We are grateful to our state tourism representative, Lynne Lochen, whose expert advice and guidance kept us on track, and to Jonny Stevenson and her team in Eastville for their enthusiasm and hard work planning their own Star Spangled Day.
With such a magnificent effort, it is challenging, indeed, to try to thank everyone, and not leave anyone out; in addition to all listed here, Eastville organizers are preparing their own, special thank-you letter to those who made their Star Spangled Day such a success. [Read more…]
