Letters to the Editor

Boeing insight
A recent letter from a Boeing employee has to be the most insightful I have seen in The Post and Courier. It certainly is the year’s best.

Now if our educational system followed suit to ban tenure and make unions optional, we might hope children would learn how to read and write before graduating.

Larry Wiessmann
Seabrook Island Road

Johns Island
Support Elise
As an avid fan of “American Idol,” I was very sad to see Charleston’s own Elise Testone eliminated from the competition this past week.

I also find it unfortunate that The Post and Courier waited until Elise was voted off the show to mention her on the front page.

Elise is the first competitor from South Carolina to make the Top 10 on American Idol.

Perhaps if The Post and Courier had praised her each week, rather than mentioning in passing that she was yet again in the bottom three, our hometown idol might have gotten more local support and much needed votes.

Regardless, I am delighted that the Idols Live Summer Tour will make a stop at the North Charleston Coliseum on August 6.

I hope the Lowcountry will support Elise by packing the coliseum.

Typically this concert only comes as close as Charlotte or Atlanta. Tickets go on sale May 11. See you at the concert.

Michael Holt
Sam Rittenberg Boulevard

Charleston
Follow-up needed
I was shocked to read the recent report about conditions at Fair Haven Nursing Home.

I recently spent three weeks at Sandpiper Nursing Home and can report that no such problems existed there. If they had there would have been a mass exodus.

However, I am more shocked that there has been no follow-up in the news. Someone must be held accountable.

How many more facilities like this exist? If nothing is done to make inspectors accountable, how is the public to know?

Gary Recker
Anna Knapp Boulevard

Mount Pleasant
Sullivan’s school

I have been following the controversy over the size of the Sullivan’s Island school for two or more years.

I think the real problem is the Charleston County School Board. Its jurisdiction is far too large.

Schools should be controlled by boards within their own area, not countywide.

The Charleston County School Board should get out of the way and let the good people of Sullivan’s Island solve their own problem, maybe with input from parents from off their island whose children would attend the school.

By the way, I have no children or grandchildren attending the school, nor do I know anyone who does. I don’t even live on Sullivan’s Island.

Diane Oltorik
Ocean Park Court

Isle of Palms
Race Week
Thank you for taking the time to cover the recent Sperry Top-Sider Charleston Race Week (April 19-22). It was a tremendous success, and it is now widely regarded in the sport as one of the country’s premier events.

Nearly 260 sailboats participated this year, meaning that we had roughly 2,000 sailors on site at the Charleston Harbor Resort and Marina for four days.

We know from past races that this regatta pumps over $1.5 million into the local economy and helps keep Charleston on the map by garnering more than 2.2 million media impressions.

That’s not only significant for Charleston, but also for our event sponsors because it connects them with a high-income demographic.

And this year the regatta attained an even higher profile with the actual America’s Cup trophy on site as a highlight.

On behalf of my fellow organizers within the Charleston Ocean Racing Association, I’d like to thank the numerous volunteers who gave so generously of their time and resources to make this not just a successful regatta, but the best one that we’ve staged in the 17-year history of the event.

We had over 150 volunteers on the water and more than 100 on land. They demonstrated that Southern hospitality is alive and thriving here in Charleston.

Randy Draftz
Event Director
Sperry Top-Sider Charleston

Race Week
Pace Street
Charleston

Good concert
I would like to thank First Federal for sponsoring the Charleston Symphony at Patriots Point, and Mother Nature for a fantastic evening of music under the stars.

In an area that a year ago was overgrown with weeds, a place for music and entertainment has been developed.

The playing of military service anthems was appropriate with the historic USS Yorktown in the background, and show tunes in the open air made for a very pleasant time.

Sid Busch
U.S. Navy (Retired)

Bridge Creek Drive
Goose Creek

Once is enough
The May 2 headline of the Post and Courier was “S.C. voter ID law: ‘They don’t want us to vote.’ ”

It should have read “S.C. voter law: ‘They don’t want us to vote more than once.’ ”

J.R. Van Vechten
Schooner Bend Avenue

Summerville