May 08, 2008
Dominion’s ad really a fairy tale
On May 1, The Daily Progress published a full-page ad from Dominion Power touting its “new clean-coal carbon capture-compatible power station in Wise County” with “the very latest in emissions-control systems.”Albemarle residents need to unite
It is important to understand that those of us in the rural areas are not at war with our urban brothers and sisters.Meadowcreek Parkway a disservice to city
The Meadowcreek Parkway is not the true issue.May 07, 2008
Supervisors have donned left-leaning goggles
The Daily Progress article of May 2 concerning the Albema-rle County property-rights issue (“Farm Bureau allies rally for county property rights”) again illustrates how our supervisors are swinging to the left.May 05, 2008
Musicals come with a high price
An April 29 Daily Progress article (“National tours will be stopping by the Jack”) described several Broadway shows scheduled to appear at the new John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. This is both good news and bad news.Council needs to get act together
It has been wisely said that perfection is the enemy of the good. No finer example of this thought can be found than in the dysfunctional, ineffective, perpetual dithering of the Charlottesville City Council regarding the Meadowcreek Parkway.May 04, 2008
Planning ahead is board’s job
In explaining her support for a 71-cent real estate tax rate (“Mallek’s approach becomes clearer,” The Daily Progress, April 26), Albe-marle County Supervisor Ann Mallek decided to hold on for the extra penny, which would be placed in a lock box for future economic downturns, because not ha-ving more money in county coffers to deal with decreasing revenue forecasts would have been irresponsible.Population level: Calling all angels
A recent letter compared the Advocates for Sustainable Albemarle Population study of the optimal sustainable population level for Charlottesville and Albemarle County to spending money to determine how many angels can dance on the head of a pin (“Popula-tion objectives are suspect,” The Daily Progress, April 16).May 02, 2008
Afghan children would love kites
Re: “Soccer balls bring solace to children,” The Daily Pro-gress, April 26, about donating soccer balls to children in Mosul, Iraq:Pipeline would scar Albemarle
Leaving Charlottesville by air, one becomes acutely aware of the disfigurement that would be created by a water pipeline from the Rivanna River to Ragged Mountain Natural Area - a 10-mile scar across the face of Albemarle. Is this what we want to leave for the next generation?Growth needs careful planning
For 25 years I have lived in Charlottesville and have enjoyed every day, season and year here. This is a very special community and great place to live, but we all know that. Visitors see what we have, tell us about it and many return to live hereMay 01, 2008
Washington running on empty
We are currently diving headlong toward the most devastating depression ever experienced. Commodity prices, including oil, are skyrocketing at an accelerated rate, without any improvements anticipated in the foreseeable future. Yet, Washington, both the executive and legislative powers, continues to fiddle a la Nero.April 30, 2008
Don’t be fooled by ‘upbeat’ news
The Business article of April 17, “Quarterly results upbeat; stocks surge higher,” is a perfect example of “pumping.” Nearly every finance company, JP Morgan-Chase included, is reporting terrible quarterly results, yet a vice president of a trading company is cited calling them “strong earnings” and recommending buying.No need to rush artificial turf
At a recent Albemarle County School Board meeting, plans for artificial plastic turf continued. The April 20 Washington Post story “U.S. Investigates Artificial Turf’s Lead Levels” stated that the federal government is investigating whether turf contains lead that rubs off and poses health hazards.April 28, 2008
Let’s keep our roads beautiful
In the spirit of earth week, I have a suggestion.Rookie learned lesson in courtroom
It was interesting to read the Yesteryears column in the April 20 Daily Progress (“Hair raising events in 1965 courts”). I was a young police officer for Charlottesville Police Department in November 1967 and had to face Judge Allan Spitzer many times during the course of my law enforcement career. I found out very quickly that he demanded respect in his courtroom, and would not hesitate to give someone a tongue lashing if they showed an attitude or tried to outwit him.Let’s keep our roads beautiful
In the spirit of earth week, I have a suggestion. If all property owners would pick up the litter thrown on their road frontage, it would keep our roadways beautiful. It honestly does not take much time, and most of us could use the exercise. Please consider making this a habit to help keep our state roadways clean.April 27, 2008
Complaining won’t solve problems
How many years has the fiasco about the Meadowcreek Parkway been in the news and in the planning stage? Why can’t the planners realize that all aspects of the project need to be considered? Now we have a delay because of Charlottesville High School and the loss of some of its land. Who are the non-thinking, non-planning individuals who forgot or ignored this part of the puzzle?Expand reservoir without delay
I think it is shortsighted to think of reservoir expansion at Ragged Mountain and dredging of the Rivanna Reservoir as mutually exclusive issues; they are complementary, but expansion of the reservoir at the source of our supply addresses the long-term needs of our region more responsibly than dredging. The relief that dredging provides is constantly diminishing because siltation is a constant and our demand for additional water is compounding.April 26, 2008
Many pitched in to fight wildfire
During our time of media pessimism, we see a sudden inspiration that feeds our faith and hope. This happened on April 19 when many counties came together to save homes and lives. The wildfire in Buckingham County on that day offered us all a good look at our inner selves and what motivates us to become instantly compassionate.Soccer balls bring solace to children
In a recent letter my nephew, who is serving patrol in Mosul, Iraq, spoke of the children and the odd scene of seeing them play soccer in a dirt field with the horrible circumstances of war around them. After reading the letter I appealed to the Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle for soccer balls or equipment for this special effort, which Lt. Ken Marckesano had started to help with building relationships and trust through soccer.Kind custodian remembers glove
A special thanks to Woodbrook Elementary School’s custodial staff member Gordon Carter. My son left his new baseball glove on the playground during spring break. One week later, and after the lost and found had been emptied, I met Gordon. This happy, jovial man remembered the glove in detail and believed he set it aside. Ten minutes later, he came out to the playground with an ear-to-ear smile, glove in hand.April 24, 2008
Democrats hampered in Congress
The ancients had four causes of everything — earth, air, fire and water. They did not make what is widely known as “the one great cause fallacy,” assuming that one thing is responsible for everything. Yet, one letter-writer (“Economy suffers under Democrats,” The Daily Progress, April 20) has regressed to one great cause and that is, surprise of surprises, the Democratic Party.April 23, 2008
Growth is a valid county concern
In response to the letter “Population objectives are suspect,” The Daily Progress, April 16: The author’s proposal to study how many angels can dance on the head of a pin is of no consequence. I, for one, have never worried about it and I dare say most people have not. However, Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population’s plan to study the optimal sustainable size for Albemarle County is of great significance.April 22, 2008
Federal workers will aid economy
I find myself in sharp disagreement with the writer of the letter “Federal facility no benefit to area,” which appeared in The Daily Progress on April 14, and in full agreement with The Daily Progress editorial that characterized the move of at least 1,000 jobs to the area by the Department of Defense as a “Christmas present.” The Intelligence Analysis Facility is not a smokestack industry.April 21, 2008
Defense of war deserves retort
Every day since Memorial Day 2007, I have worn a necklace carrying a 4- by 6-inch banner that rests on my chest displaying the current number of American soldiers who have died in the Iraq war. As of this writing, April 10, this banner reads, “Why? — 4,032 — Taps — Still dying.” People have expressed a great deal of interest in my posting the number of soldiers who died in Iraq.Why exempt Virgil Goode?
The Daily Progress editorial of April 13 takes Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi individually and the House Democrats collectively to task for their response to President Bush’s attempt to have Congress agree to a U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement. The editorial accused the Democrats of playing politics with the issue and changing the rules in the middle of the game.April 20, 2008
Economy suffers under Democrats
One of the hit songs in 1959 was by Dinah Washington, “What a difference a day makes!” In a purely musical but political context, that favorite oldie-goldie should be updated and retitled “What a difference a year makes!” Fifteen months or so ago, the stock market was approaching a record high, the economy was looking very strong, unemployment was at 4.5 percent, gasoline averaged $2.19 per gallon and public approval of Congress was higher than that of the president.Make animals more affordable
I would like to respond to the letter “Animals at SPCA need visitors” (The Daily Progress, April 12). I am a married mother of five children. We love cats and dogs; we had three cats and two dogs. We recently moved from Albemarle County to the city, where two of our cats, not used to more traffic, have been killed.April 19, 2008
