Letters to the Editor

Money returned

In November, I lost a large sum of money wrapped around my savings account card. After shopping, my last stop was the bank to make a deposit. To my horror, the money was missing. It must have fallen out of my purse, into which I'm not in the habit of putting money unprotected.

I work hard, cleaning for a living. I felt ill because I was trying to save for a car. A week later, I received a letter from a teller at First Federal saying a lady turned in my money with the account card to deposit in my savings.

I am so thankful and grateful to this lady. It is great knowing there are honest people around.

Thank you so very much. I'll never forget this wonderful gesture.

MELISSA PHILLIPS
Folly Road

Pay and play?

Now that public money is going to pay 20 percent of the sand bill to restore the beach within the gates of Wild Dunes, can 20 percent of the public use the beach?

TERRY WILLIAMSON
Spalding Circle
Goose Creek

Need ideas

The financial hard times our country is facing didn't dissuade member of Congress from accepting a 2008 pay raise. Wouldn't we all love a job for which our pay raises are guaranteed?

It is time for us to wake up and realize the financial direction our country is heading. If anyone has any realistic ideas on how we can do this, count me in.

JANET HILTON
Marsh Walk Circle
Mount Pleasant

Immigration issue

When I read that opponents of anti-illegal immigration laws consider these measures racial profiling, I can't help but wonder when "illegal" became a race.

SUE WEHMAN
Pelzer Drive
Summerville

Misguided idealism

Over the past several days, I've read many letters voicing support for PETA's efforts and its subsequent shallow victory over the monks of Mepkin Abbey's egg production operation. Many of those letters made statements beyond the pale of sensibility in defence of PETA's misguided idealism.

I've seen letters citing PETA's rationale for attacking the monks' egg production. They noted concern for the chickens because they could not "breathe fresh air, feel the sun on their backs, build nests, raise their young," etc. A writer states, "More people need to educate themselves about PETA's mission with regard to the rights of animals." Another writer absurdly brings the issue of slavery into the fray to rebut a supporter of the monks who mentioned the "totally legal egg production operation conducted by the brothers of Mepkin Abbey." The writer commented that "at one time, slavery was totally legal, too. That doesn't mean it was right."

Finally, a supporter of the monks, commenting on PETA's advice that the monks sell bread, beer or jam, stated that such a suggestion says volumes about the credibility of PETA's members. The supporter was rebuked by a PETA defender, who stated, It reveals that PETA members are "willing to endure anger and ill will to do what their heart tells them."

In order to give PETA and its supporters some peace of mind and make concessions to their concerns, perhaps the monks could turn their operation into a health spa for the chickens, allowing them to "breathe free and feel the sun on their backs."

Another concession might be for the monks to become a teaching order and dedicate themselves to educating unenlightened souls who are unfamiliar with PETA's barnyard bill of rights. Becoming politically active would be another path to fulfill the monks' efforts to do good work. I'm sure they would work tirelessly with PETA to free all chickens "yearning to breathe free" and lead them out of bondage.

Finally, to relieve PETA members and supporters from the anger and ill will of others, I would propose that the entire flock at Mepkin Abbey be placed under the care of PETA, which could then contract to manage the chicken health spa operation for $140,000 annually.

THOMAS FAZENBAKER
Gold Cup Lane
Hollywood

Kudos to DMV

I would like to relate a very pleasant experience I had at the S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles in Ladson.

Last month, I bought a car in Georgia. I needed to get an S.C. title, register the car and transfer an existing license plate. The dealer I bought the car from was supposed to do all of this for me. Several weeks after I bought the car, the dealer called and said it would be better for me to take care of this myself rather than have them do it.

I walked into the Ladson DMV and was greeted by a pleasant lady who made sure I had all the correct paperwork. I did and was given a number. I waited for only five minutes before I was called to a station. There were at least 12 stations, all of which appeared to be staffed.

The person I was assigned to looked at the papers and proceeded to title the auto and transfer the plate with lightning speed. I walked out of the Ladson DMV about 20 minutes after I walked in.

Kudos to the Ladson DMV.

THOMAS M. JANECEK
Trolley Road
Summerville

Changing light

The DMV changed the timing of the traffic lights going from U.S. Highway 78 onto Ladson Road to be green for an extraordinarily long time.

This had an immediate and beneficial impact, as traffic coming from North Charleston and the interstate system previously had been backed up for miles, trying to cycle through the light.

Previously, many of the Charleston commuters would go up to the intersection, and cut through Kentucky Fried Chicken and hook a left out the rear of the restaurant to go straight across the intersection, or they would do a U-turn behind KFC. Or, they would go straight through the light, and immediately stop traffic so they could turn left through the Hess station.

Changing the timing of traffic lights to cycle at different rates throughout the day to handle peak loads is a proven method of making streets safer for people who do drive sanely.

The bulge of traffic coming up from North Charleston is stuck between U.S. 52 and I-26. That stretch of U.S. 78 is filled with businesses and getting more, but it is to the point where it is so hard to get across, or back on, the road, that we can't do any business there.

Can we have the lights between U.S. 52 and U.S. 78 split-timed to flow traffic heavily toward I-26 with long cycles to clear up this daily congestion? At 5 p.m. it takes 11 minutes to travel from the 52/78 split to I-26.

Now, it is quicker to take U.S. 52 to U.S. 176, then take Westview to Crowfield Boulevard and out onto College Park Road.

If you drive that route quickly, you can be home much sooner than waiting in traffic on U.S. 78.

JOHN STORIE
Pinewood Drive
Ladson

Better way to live

The argument for extending I-526 should not be about getting to the Citadel Mall five minutes earlier, or the airport 15 minutes earlier.

The concern should be for a better way to live, with less stress, less pollution and a higher quality of life.

The suggestions put forward by the engineering firm of Glatting Jackson Kercher Anglin are based on proven traffic engineering principles that are being adopted throughout the United States by major cities with far worse traffic issues than Charleston.

More importantly, the solutions will also give James Island a town center, West Ashley a waterfront on the Ashley River and neighborhoods along Savannah Highway places to shop locally, thus reducing the need for long-ranging traffic in this day of high fuel prices and greenhouse gases.

Charleston will continue to grow and creating more roads will not solve the problems of moving more people.

Glatting Jackson has shown Charleston a way to transform itself into a more vibrant metropolitan area, which focuses on people, not traffic, and on creating a far more livable place, rather than on another super highway with pollution-belching trucks and tailgating 85 mph traffic, which is so characteristic of I-526.

PHILLIP DUSTAN
Burden Creek Road
Johns Island