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OPINIONS
Voice of the people
High-speed chases endanger public
I previously wrote and had published a letter to the editor in The Herald-Dispatch after last summer's idiotic high-speed police chase on I-64 in pursuit of a suspected car thief.
Now, yet another senseless and dangerous high speed chase -- this was in downtown Huntington -- was reported recently in the pages of The Herald-Dispatch.
The crime: suspected spare tire theft!
The result: collisions with vehicles of two innocent victims and failure to apprehend this low-risk criminal. Once again, an obvious disconnect and an irrational risk assessment.
I hope you will strongly see this as occasion to write an editorial that addresses the above and calls for a more rational, data-based decision-making process from our local law enforcement.
As suggested in my previous letter, there are numerous policies in place by more forward-thinking law enforcement agencies that can serve as models. This might require -- gasp! -- looking outside of our region and even West Virginia.
The bottom line is that we pay taxes so that police can protect, not endanger, us.
Bill Niemann
Huntington
Beware: School levy will appear again
I am overjoyed that so many voters showed up to vote against the Wayne County school levy, but be sure this levy will come up for vote again.
It could be sneaked in on us, so be watchful.
We were not told the complete truth about this levy from the beginning about property tax. Who set this interest and why? Why were the schools not maintained and repairs made as needed?
Our grade school was lost because of a broken sewer pipe causing water flooding in basement.
Our high school was lost because of a leaking roof that caused it to fall.
My heart breaks each time I pass these schools or see the kids standing on the corner in the dark, in the rain and snow waiting for a school bus to drive them to school a distance away.
But I must remember this was done for the good of our children.
How many schools have been closed, then sold. And who got the money? Not the taxpayers, who paid for these schools. The school board, of course.
If the school board closes our schools, then let the school board replace them.
Juanita Smith
Kenova
