Letters to the Editors

Millennium brought us all together

© St. Petersburg Times, published August 6, 2000

Eighteen months ago, Pinellas County and St. Petersburg Junior College joined together to plan a millennium celebration that would touch nearly everyone in the county. We wanted far more than firecrackers. We wanted memories for a lifetime. Our motto conveyed the mission: "Bringing Communities Together to Honor the Past, Appreciate the Present and Envision the Future."

Nearly 100 civic leaders formed our advisory committee. With their guidance, 300 events were staged countywide. The beneficiaries were the 200,000-plus people who celebrated at one of the events. The response from the community was more than we could have ever expected.

There were many proud moments. Among them:

"Hands across the bridge" ceremony at the opening of the Friendship Trail Bridge between Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

Dedication of the county's new Boca Ciega Millennium Park along the shore of Boca Ciega Bay.

An aviation festival featuring the re-enactment of the Tony Jannus flight across Tampa Bay.

Webb's City: The Musical featuring the life of Doc Webb, the most colorful entrepreneur in the history of Pinellas County.

The White House recognizing Pinellas County with a "Best in Nation" award for its efforts.

The Pinellas County Millennium Celebration Executive co-chairs would like to thank everyone who helped make this a memorable 18 months.
-- Carl M. Kuttler Jr., president, St. Petersburg Junior College, Millennium Committee co-chairman, Barbara Sheen Todd, Pinellas County commissioner, Millennium Committee co-chairwoman

Musical can't be praised enough

Re: Webb's City: The Musical.

Five letters have been published to date praising Webb's City: The Musical and giving reasons for having it rerun this winter or spring for our seasonal visitors. I agree 100 percent with all sentiments expressed by these writers. Although the production people received their just praise, nobody expressed a "thank you" to the sponsor. The Pinellas County millennium executive committee, advisory board and staff also deserve to be commended.

I was also surprised that none of the writers mentioned the prominence given to St. Petersburg's "world-famous green benches." Next year is the 85th anniversary of "green benches" in St. Petersburg. I think it would be a fitting tribute to present the musical again next spring and celebrate two treasures at once.
-- Dick Holmes, South Pasadena

Helping South Africans a worthy cause

Re: Helping students a continent away by Lennie Bennett, July 30.

With literacy less than 50 percent in South Africa, the goal of reaching even a part of the pupil populace in that area is a worthy one. I was in Kenya during January 1998 and traveled throughout Nairobi and surrounding towns along the roads. I witnessed windowless huts with tin and thatched roofs and few schools for kids. And everywhere I went, electricity and plumbing were out-of-reach luxuries for the poor. Getting an education can be a real hardship and hassle for children because of poor school access. Schools can be miles away, and even with school buses, the roads are so bad they're dangerous. Because of flooding, such roads are often off-limits.

Areas of Africa really need huge investments of capital and the adoption of Westernized ways. Towns in Africa could thrive when developed. Modernism -- social, cultural and economic -- is imperative for Africa. But the short-term answer is to build more schools and have more volunteer schoolteachers willing to go to Africa to teach students. Of course, working in poverty-type surroundings with no modern conveniences and little pay seems to draw only the most devoted and dedicated type of human being. But when it comes to little boys and girls, many such teachers give little thought to their own needs -- they are more concerned about the needs of the little ones.
-- Robert B. Fleming, St. Petersburg

Parrots learn by example

Re: Curse of the parrot, by Amy Wimmer, July 30.

In defense of Jasmina Fischer and her parrot, Bubba: I own seven birds. Three are Amazon parrots. They love to mimic noises and words, especially what they hear uttered with emphasis. They all bark like our neighbors' dogs, and yell "no." This tends to occur when a lawn is being mowed or one of the neighbors' children plays noisily and close to our porch. Unless excited, the birds are usually quiet.

If Bubba is using foul language, he learned it from repetition and likely from the neighbors.

My birds enjoy outside play time. I happen to like my neighbors, their kids and dogs, and appreciate the fact that they keep up their lawns. They also respect the fact that I love my birds.
-- Tina Smith, Tampa

Hats off to Pinellas Park officials

We are new residents of the city of Pinellas Park. We have found the local government to be most helpful in several situations we have had in the community.

The latest situation we had involved 102nd Avenue, where people are allowed to drop off their brush on Sundays and pick up mulch daily. Our community is adjacent to this area. In the past three months, we had four break-ins and vandalism to our northern neighbors' homes. We think the vandalism was due to access to 102nd Avenue, which allowed vandals to congregate and drink in this area. Police reports were made each time. However, reports did not correct the situation.

Consequently, we contacted the city manager, Jerry Mudd, and Mayor William F. Mischler. They immediately sent Marvin O. Hahn, public works administrator, to work with us for a solution. We think they efficiently gave immediate attention to this problem. They are in the process of securing the area by constructing a fence.

We are from the North and often found our local city hall officials there were unattainable. We think the local government in our community shows much empathy and concern for our communities. Our hats are off to them!
-- Robert P. Grippo, Michael Mistretta, Pinellas Park

Keep wrappers on the straws

It sickens me when I am handed a glass of water, iced tea or soda with a straw that has had three-fourths of the paper wrapper torn off.

I recently watched a man remove the paper from a pile of straws. When some of the ends came off, he carefully put the paper back on the end and put the straws in a container. I sat, eating my lunch and watching him do this, and wondered why. The next person with dirty hands will pick out a straw and put it in our glass. Think of the dirt and germs entering our drinks. These straws come covered for our health protection.

Please stop playing with our straws and our health!
-- Mary King, Pinellas Park

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