LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Clean the beach

Beach litter is a worldwide dilemma. Starting with Port Aransas, the issue can be solved.

While it would be naive to insinuate there are easy answers, it will be done.

This is not about a person’s will, but rather God’s will. This is clearly a good thing.

Among the possible worldwide answers, an international moratorium applying to all shrimp boatswould be an excellent start. Cutting the yellow nets, which are all over the beach, should be prohibited. The obvious reason is money. It is a bit redundant to say it would cost more to dispose of the netting properly. The benefit of a similar tar law is appreciated, and apparent to all, though not well known. The Internet is the avenue to reach the world. Any Web site designer would be extremely appreciated to do a pro-bono site for this.

Regarding the Port Aransas beach litter, some solutions, not all, are available: Place litter bags on poles along intervals on beach, out of usual high tide area (and any other suggestions to make litter cleanup easier or workable), pay $1 per full bag of litter (much less than a city employee), have an adopt a beach program, similar to adopt a highway, join volunteer beach litter clean up ( twice a week), decals and or billboards to encourage litter pick-up with shells (would involve a very slight change in mentality, as little as 10 percent ratio, would make this the cleanest beach in the world.

It needs to be stated that this is not to be done in a spirit of anger, hate or disgust. Finger-pointing will not clean the beach.

The people who litter deserve no pity because they are making bad choices, which will have consequences for them, also. However, compassion is appropriate, as they do not know what they are doing.

Dennis Cobb

Port Aransas

Public input needed

Regarding the subject matter of drugs and alcohol abuse by minors, discussed at the city council meetings and the placing of responsibility on law enforcement: Let’s all be reminded that without public input, law enforcement is totally handicapped. The people of this community are the eyes and ears of law enforcement. If police are not made aware of a crime, absolutely nothing will be done. If people are not willing to assist police and volunteer information on a crime, very little can be done.

No community is too small to establish its own Crime Stoppers program. If only 30 merchants and concerned citizens contribute and pledge an average of just $10 a month each, in six months there would be up to $1,800 available for rewards for information on various crimes, including minor violations.

In this small community, like any small community (and I’ve been told by many), there is an uneasiness to give information about a crime because of a sense of lack of security in revealing the reporting person’s name. I take exception to this because, in my experience with law enforcement personnel, they put their official duty and oath ahead of personal feelings. Furthermore, the Crime Stoppers program may lessen this anxiety since it is a non-profit organization of citizens against crime (crimestopusa.com),

Jim Anderson

Port Aransas

No football in school

The current trend in our nation’s leading institutions of higher learning is to end long-reigning football traditions in order to “maintain the highest academic standard” sustaining faculty dedicated to intellectual and artistic advancement.

Our computer science team state champs have demonstrated that our present PAISD has successfully produced academic achievement at the highest level sans football. Bravo!

If we are to continue to prepare the graduates of PAISD for admission to these institutions of higher learning, why is the PAISD school board even entertaining the prospect of a football program? It is not appropriate to recruit and maintain a team of male students to play football for a school district the size of PAISD. Taxpaying residents will ultimately have to pass a bond if the school board decides to go forward on this issue.

I propose the following win-win solution to the advocates for a football program and the taxpayers who clearly feel burdened with already exorbitant PAISD taxes. For a nominal fee, sign your kids up for Pop Warner, thus alleviating the community from footing the cost! It will keep this beloved, yet expensive, sport outside the school system so as not to interfere with what PAISD does best, and that is to educate our youth in scholastics.

If we are to give our kids a fighting chance to succeed in this global economy, there is no room for the distraction of football. Let’s continue the pursuit of high academic standards in the schooling of our children! And, let’s not add any more tax burden to the local residents of Port Aransas!

Liz Pianta

Port Aransas

Go for life sports

If one has a large desire to play football it can be done in most any town in Texas. Why is it needed in our coastal village?

Wouldn’t the students be better served learning life long usable skills like Tai Chi and yoga?

Steve Vaughn

Port Aransas

How will football help?

In a letter to the editor published in last week’s South Jetty, Jay Jones gave us some strong arguments in favor of establishing a football program in Port Aransas schools.

I would like for him to clarify one of his statements. Quoting Mr. Jones: “We do have an outstanding school district.”

I am asking Mr. Jones to tell us how football helped make that possible?

Barney Farley

Port Aransas

Football not justified

When the bond issue for the new high school was passed, thanks to the work of the school board and many dedicated citizens, I was president of the board.

Now I am trying to recall our thoughts and actions in regard to sports in the new school. Our main driving force was to have a strong academic program. It was felt that the gym, tennis, track, basketball and other individual sports would be enough. We put a tennis court on the old football field. We worked to get UT land for a track.

I don’t feel that a football program with its cost and needs is justified or needed now.

Patrick L. Parker (ret.)

Bald Knob, Ark.

Football a detraction

I have a question for those who support adding football and volleyball to the Port Aransas school system. Many supporters of adding these sports are relatively new residents. What brought you to the island? Most of those I’ve talked to say it is the lifestyle and island charm, combined with a school district that is noted for its academic achievements. You probably wanted a smaller, better school for your children to grow up in…the small classrooms where they could receive more individualized attention, more concentration placed on academics.

You knew when you moved here, we did not have a football or volleyball program. You probably could have moved wherever you wanted, but chose to come to the island to get away from other city environments.

Now, suddenly, it’s not good enough. You want to add football and volleyball. You want to add something that will suit “your needs.” You want to take action that will ultimately cause an increase in our already high taxes.

However you look at it, in the long run, an expensive football program will cost our citizens in higher taxes. You want to take action that will effectively terminate good teachers. You want to add teachers that will have to multi-task between coaching and teaching, which will lower their ability to concentrate on academics? You want to add additional sport programs in a very small school system, with few students, that will only serve to lead them away from their studies – not lead them to their studies.

As a nation, we are facing some of the worst economic times in our history. Now is not the time to add additional financial burdens to our already burdened citizens.

Sherri Bujan

Port Aransas

Fonder memories

It may seem silly to come to the defense of a piece of our island, but I feel compelled to do so.

Charlie’s Pasture may well have seen more than its share of refuse and illegal activities over the years, however for “generations” of Port Aransans it has also been the scene of fonder memories.

My husband is one of many who enjoyed their first camping experiences with the Boy Scouts out there and when it was legal, he, his Dad and many other town fathers hunted their limits of dove. Flounder gigging and fishing for whatever was in season also helped keep dinner on the table, the kids busy and somewhat out of mischief!

As times change, and new facilities are built for both new generations and visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of this area, let’s not be so quick to rubbish the history of this great part of Port Aransas.

Tessa Gates

Port Aransas

Stop the attacks

The South Jetty gave Mayor Claude Brown the opportunity to revise his comments after the May 21 city council meeting. He decided to attack my husband, Travis Longanecker, by questioning his level of education (“he needs to continue his learning”), and his attitude (“he has a pitchfork attitude he needs to get rid of”).

It’s time for the mayor to stop the personal attacks.

This issue wasn’t on the “radar” until the mayor said, “we don’t do anything about it (i.e., under-aged drinking)”. When he said, we should “petition the police to enforce the law;” I thought to myself… the police aren’t enforcing the law?

I’m still not sure why Brown said he was “offended” by my husband’s remarks. After re-reading Travis’ comments, I couldn’t find a single personal remark about the mayor. If anything, he praised him for lending clarity to the matter.

Why was Brown so offended by his own words? Maybe he should be “careful what he wishes for” because he made the suggestion to petition the police.

It wasn’t until Travis suggested the county be part of the conversation that Brown got so angry.

I find it peculiar that the tape-recording of the May 21 council meeting was blank (according to reporter Dan Parker). I guess that’s why Brown was given the chance to revise, and add to, what he actually said at the council meeting.

That’s too bad because that night, the mayor tried to change the subject by saying he had “nothing to do with” city operations. He said he was only there to “run the meetings” and inferred Travis was ignorant of local government.

After teaching social studies for the last 20 years, I could have sworn the mayor’s role in local government was to answer to his constituents.

If anyone was “offended,” it should’ve been me after reading the mayor’s personal attacks on my husband.

He picked the wrong family to bully. Kristi Longanecker Port Aransas