Letters to the Editor

District 1 issues

I feel the Aug. 30, article titled "Two to seek Fishburne's City Council Dist. 1 seat" is a bit unfair concerning "big issues" in the Charlestowne Neighborhood, and by implication, much of the lower peninsula.

After all, this council race is not just for the Charlestowne Neighborhood and Daniel Island, but for all of District 1, which not only includes the neighborhoods mentioned in the article but also other neighborhoods such as Ansonborough and the French Quarter. All of these peninsular neighborhoods share similar concerns, including crime, traffic congestion, parking shortages, tourism-related problems, noise and other quality of life issues.

The real problem here is exactly as the article stated, "The far-flung City Council district, connecting three disparate parts of the city that are separated by two rivers, serves residents with very different needs." This district needs to be redrawn to more accurately serve the needs of the residents of the diverse neighborhoods.

By the way, the number one "big issue" in the Charlestowne Neighborhood, as reported in a comprehensive quality of life survey conducted by our neighborhood association during the spring of 2007 is actually something entirely different — and outside the direct purview of City Council. The issue is the quality of public schools in Charleston.

CHARLES RHODEN

Former President

Charlestowne Neighborhood Assoc.

President

Charleston Peninsular Neighborhood Consortium

94 Tradd St.

Attune to needs

The Aug. 30 article titled "Two to seek Fishburne's City Council Dist. 1 seat," is misleading in that it portrays Charlestowne Neighborhood concerns as primarily tourist and parking issues. However, in recent history, we have had murders and muggings as reported in The Post and Courier.

While not on the scale of other neighborhoods, such as the east side, we must be vigilant that serious crime can happen anywhere and realize that no area is immune.

The upcoming election is important in that whoever is elected will need to be attuned to the different secondary needs of this gerrymandered district. It seems that the long-term sensible solution will be to restructure all of our districts to be more representative of their respective constituencies.

JACK SIMMONS

Chairman

The Committee to Save the City

15 Church St.

Bees Ferry speed

Congratulations and kudos to the city of Charleston for providing the residents along the Ashley River Road such a fabulous enhancement to West Ashley. My family and many of our neighbors use the new path just about every day and have enjoyed it tremendously.

We have just one request. We would like the city to consider lowering the speed limit along that beautiful stretch from Bees Ferry Road to the plantations to 25 or, at most, 35 mph. It is often dangerous for those of us living across the street to safely maneuver kids, bikes, strollers or dogs when cars are speeding along at 45-plus mph. Thanks again Charleston.

TRICIA GARRETT

415 Rhett Butler Drive

Protect wetlands

The Watson Hill development plan is an environmental disaster that must not be allowed to occur.

The reasons are: insufficient infrastructure to support another development in the area; substantially less demand for new housing due to overbuilding; the recent mortgage debacle; and the many residents in the area are violently opposed to the plan.

These reasons should make any reputable developer take pause.

However, the single biggest argument against this development is the proposal to fill 138 acres of wetlands. Everyone in the Lowcountry should be aware of the adverse impact this plan would have on our lives. Our wetlands bolster our water quality, assist in rainwater runoff and property storm protection, and provide food and shelter to an already fragile ecosystem. Even our hunting and fishing would be jeopardized by this absurd and ill-conceived proposal.

Wetlands are alive. They contain a very dense concentration of living creatures.

Every acre of our wetlands is valuable and irreplaceable. We are obligated and prepared to protect them.

I urge the residents of the area to work together and voice absolute opposition to the Watson Hill proposal and the developers who are attempting to get rich at the expense of our natural resources.

BOBBIE ROSE

1 Arcadian Way

Growing ice sheet

Some who have bought into the global warming scare have done so by listening to Al Gore and the media. What Mr. Gore and the media do not tell you is that the global warming alarmists receive $5 billion a year in tax or grant money while the non-believers receive only $19 million dollars.

You are told that in the scientific community, there is a consensus that global warming is caused by man-made sources. The law of gravity is a consensus; man-made global warming is not.

The alarmists claim the declining polar bear population is due to global warming. In my research, I have found scientists claiming anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000 polar bears. Since scientists are unable to agree on the population of polar bears, they can not determine with certainty that the population is declining or growing.

Mr. Gore's film shows calving glaciers to emphasize his global warming scare. In fact, calving occurs when a growing glacier reaches the water and breaks off. A melting and receding glacier would actually retreat and melt, not break off in chunks.

The alarmists claim that the glaciers are all melting. According to a study in the journal Science, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet gained about 45 billion tons of ice between 1992 and 2003. The ice sheets are several kilometers thick in places and contain about 90 percent of the world's ice. This means that more than 90 percent of the world's glaciers are growing thicker while the media keeps yelling about the ones that are melting.

You should question the man-made global warming alarmists and their motives. The politicians are using this scare tactic to create additional tax revenue. Many scientists are jumping on the bandwagon to receive the grant money. Do the research and do not fall into the intellectually lazy trap of sitting idly by the television and absorbing the propaganda being read off of a journalist's monitor.

BRUCE BATES

3428 Little Ranch Road

Ladson

Disliked review

Regarding the review of the Joe Walsh concert on Aug. 25: This review doesn't detail how good Joe Walsh really was.

It seems the reviewer is only familiar with Walsh's Eagles days and the FM "Classic Rock" tunes we've heard 5,000 times.

I find it funny that the reviewer describes something that Joe did at an Eagles concert here almost three years ago. He could have used that space to inform readers of the other tunes Mr. Walsh played or that Joe joined the opening act on one of its numbers.

DENNIS DUCKER

348 Susan Drive

Product of schools

I have four words that explain what our South Carolina public schools produce, which is an example of why we rank at the bottom in our nation.

Miss Teen South Carolina.

KEVIN ENSMINGER

254 Grapevine Road

Summerville

Unique partnership

Congratulations and thanks are in order to Anthony McAlister and Mayor Joe Riley. In a unique partnership between a developer and Charleston, the city now boasts a state of the art dormitory for our beloved college along with a more extensive city parking garage that will benefit shoppers, merchants and students.

The project was completed ahead of schedule. Whenever there was a concern from the business district, it was handled quickly and efficiently.

Charleston is fortunate to have a mayor who enthusiastically partners with the business community to promote and manage our treasured shopping district.

Thanks to Mr. McAlister for his sensitivity to the business needs and for his efforts for public and private collaboration.

Thanks to Mayor Riley for securing parking for "wonderful King Street."

MARIANA RAMSAY HAY

308 King St.

Correction

The name of a district engineer for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control was incorrectly reported in a Thursday editorial and an earlier news story. His name is Harvey Wilkins.

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