Money doesn’t grow on trees
Regarding your article on Biscuit Run State Park [“Taxpayer State Park,” October 26], I read it once, skimmed it again and the only thing it seemed to be concerned with is MONEY. Almost every paragraph had dollars and math and all in a negative way.
Let’s talk about what a glorious wonderful piece of property this is, a real treasure for the Albemarle/Charlottesville Area! This park has great diversity of habitat and can offer much to local residents, who I feel appreciate outdoor spaces far more than other places I have lived.
Being a member of the Charlottesville Area Tree Stewards, we were given a great opportunity to tour Biscuit Run property recently, arranged by State Parks Director Joe Elton and many others within the state park system. They made us feel very welcome and value our input, and we hope to continue our relationship with them in helping to develop this park, no matter how long it takes.
Thomas Jefferson said, “Too old to plant trees for my own gratification, I shall do it for posterity.” He was 83 years old, two months before his death, planning the arboreteum at the University of Virginia.
We also need to take that attitude and think ahead and be positive.
Janet Eden
Certified Arborist, International Society of Arborculture
Charlottesville
Health care reform?
In her September 28 letter to the editor, “Abortion is risky,” Kelsey Hazzard argues that abortion poses risks that merit targeted regulation. I trust, therefore, that Hazzard will also call for further regulation of colonoscopies (risks include intestinal perforation and bowel infection), tonsillectomies (bleeding, infection, dehydration, permanent change in voice), appendectomy (nosocomial infection), and, for that matter, electing to carry a pregnancy to term (domestic violence, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, postpartum depression, postpartum hemorrhaging, obstetric fistula, difficulty urinating, constipation, and possible harm to the baby).
Proponents of abortion rights support the highest standards of abortion care, and as such, condemn the gross negligence of Dr. Rapin Osathanondh. Nevertheless, abortion is already well regulated by the Virginia Board of Health, the Virginia Board of Medicine, and OSHA, among others. The further regulations proposed by Attorney General Cuccinelli do not address isolated tragedies like that of Laura Smith. They only limit women’s access to safe, competent and skilled abortion providers.
Delilah Gilliam
Charlottesville
Shop right!
You ask, does Downtown Charlottesville need a larger grocery store [“City seeks site for Downtown grocery,” Development News, November 2]?
No!!! There are splendid grocery stores downtown: Market Street Market, Market Street Wineshop (which sells many fine groceries and fruits, etc.), The Country store (ditto) and CVS. They satisfy many needs in many ways.
When we had to give up our auto—my husband is now almost 93 and I am on my way to being 90—we settled down and found all our needs were taken care of. Why, in last year’s snowstorms the Market Street Wineshop and Market Street Market delivered provisions to us!
We enjoy the C-VILLE newspaper and send you our best wishes.
Easter Mary Martin
Charlottesville
Begging, the question
I have closely followed the reporting on the homeless in the C-VILLE. As an attorney who specializes in civil rights litigation, I was particularly interested in the proposal, aggressively pursued by the Downtown Business Association, to further restrict the right of poor people to beg on the Downtown Mall. I was impressed by Cathy Harding’s analysis of the situation and opposition to further restrictions [Read This First, August 10]. Nonetheless, amendments to the panhandling ordinance, now known as the solicitation ordinance, were passed unanimously by the City Council with little opposition.
Following the passage of the amended ordinance, the DBA sought to engage the Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) in its campaign to rid the area of homeless by convincing visitors to the Mall not to give money to beggars. At a meeting of the Board of TJACH, the DBA went so far as to offer financial incentives (urging patrons to give to TJACH and not to “panhandlers” and offering space for a fundraiser) to TJACH if it joined its campaign. I believe that a reporter for C-VILLE was present but unfortunately did not report on the meeting.
Several of us are starting a campaign to convince the City Council to revisit and significantly revise its “anti-solicitation” ordinance and are working with the ACLU of Virginia on a constitutional challenge if that approach proves fruitless. We hope that future issues of C-VILLE will continue to report on this important human rights issue.
Jeffrey E. Fogel
Charlottesville