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das " a Yh, Whos rT AT Bm a "A Family Tradition for 132 Years" PORT PERRY STAR - Wednesday, May 20, 1998 - 7 LETTERS To the Editor: In response to "Test Hill Suggestion misses mark." [ have loads of respect for the Durham Regional Police. I know full well that they are too busy to be worrying about small problems. My Blazer was stolen back in the fall, and when I reported it missing they told me they were too busy and if I found my Blazer to let them know so they could take it off their records. I was trying to give constructive suggestions about different ideas to this dilemma that a few people have. It is not as if this is a new problem. There are second generation mud boggers going back to Test Hill. If the owner doesn't want people on his property, then he or she should put up a fence or blockade that keeps people out. If he or she doesn't mind then let's set it up so We need positive solutions for Test Hill everyone benefits. Scugog council is always trying to find con- structive ways for youth to spend their time, and this is very important. So when young and older adults alike want to have a little harmless fun, as has been going on for the past 20 to 30 years back at Test Hill, then why not let them as long as the owner of the mud bog acre in question, doesn't mind. Working for positive and constructive solutions is far better than personally bashing someone with positive ideas and telling him to "change his tune." Blaine Sleep, Blackstock (Name included by request) Proud of Port Perry's organic approach To the Editor: I am very proud that the town of Port Perry considers our health more important than having every grass surface dandelion free. Last Wednesday evening, I walked by the small park area that used to be the lawn bowling green. It was the end of a beau- tiful day. A local Beaver pack was playing games on the grass...running, and falling, rolling in the grass. Many chil- dren had bare arms. No problem, lots of bright and perky dande- lions let everyone know that the park grass was "pesticide free" and safe. I am sure that many are annoyed to see those dandelions, some of which are huge. They offend those that somehow feel the perfect lawn is the healthy lawn. Many may call the Parks and Recreation Department to do something -- to spray or apply an equally toxic 'weed n' feed." May I suggest instead that we all take a stroll to our parks in the next week or so carrying a bag and a paring knife. Those that care for perfection, and those that just want to avoid spraying, can all work together so that the perceived problem will be reduced. Hopefully, every- one will be happy. Pesticide appli- cation is not good for the sprayers, for us, or the environ- ment. Just cut out, or pull out if the ground is moist, a good chunk of plant and root now when they are flowering and most of the dandelions will not grow back. They are putting all their energy into going to seed and not much nutrition will be left in the stump of the root to regenerate. Ideally the town will over seed the worst areas with one of the new wear resistant grass varieties. Dandelions actually tell us the condition of the soil they grow in...that it is lacking in organic content, probably clay based and too compacted. Their role in nature is to grow deep into the tough soil, cracking it up with their strong roots. They then pull minerals up from the sub-soil into those roots which eventually die and break down forming open spaces and plant nutrients. In Palmer Park which has recently been aerated to help improve compaction, you will see that the greatest con- centrations of dandelions are where people walk most. I'll be out there doing some work while I enjoy the park. It would be great to have some help. Barbara Karthein, Port Perry Make way for emergency vehicles To the Editor: I am really concerned with the drivers who do not pull off the highway to allow our emergency services to get to their calls as quickly as possible. When a 911 call is made, it seems like forever when waiting for help -- but to see an ambulance or fire truck forced to drive on the wrong side of a highway going up a hill because some inconsiderate driver refuses to get out of the way is really upset- ting. I would appreciate it if you would remind the public that the law states "if you hear a police, fire or ambulance of public utility emergency vehicle,- bell or siren, or see a flashing red light mounted on the vehicle, get out of the way. Bring your vehicle to a stop as near as possible to the right hand side of the road and clear of any intersection. (137 (1) (a). Perhaps the police should follow an emergency call and start charging those who do not respect our vital services. Come on everyone - clear the way for 911. N. Parratt Scugog Island Editor's Notepad JUST LIKE OLD TIMES, HUH? FOR THE LOVE OF THE BOMB: Here's a comforting item to help you further enjoy your day: India and Pakistan, and the escalating tensions between the two countries. Now, everybody knows there's no love lost between the nations, and there's always some sort of beef simmering. What makes this latest quibble of par- ticular interest to everyone on the planet, however, is the fact that they're conducting their spat with thermonu- clear weapons, one of which they seem to detonate every few minutes or so. Gosh. Kind of makes you reminiscent for the Cold War, doesn't it? Weren't those the days? Wondering if and when some boozed-up general on either side of the Iron Curtain might go haywire and launch a pre-emptive attack? Or that a technician, four miles underground and wired on bad coffee, might hit the wrong button? Or that the computer might just, you know, experience a glitch and send the missiles flying? Remember warm and fuzzy terms like Mutual Assured Destruction? Thanks, fellas. THAT TIME AGAIN: So, here we are, on the wrong end of the first long weekend of the summer. Are you feeling: Sunburned? Hungover? Sprained/strained/bro- ken? Whatever the case, it's good that summer's here again, and with it has come those summer long weekends we love. They're a great institution, you know, and if | had my' way, we'd have Mondays off From May 24th to Labor Day, or maybe even Thanksgiving. I'd also get rid of pennies, bolster the CFL, and ban Christmas advertising before Nov. 20. But I'm not in charge, so things will have to remain the way they are. WHAT... NO SUBTITLES? ...This week marks the return to the screen of Godzilla, that gigantic, maladjusted lizard who stomped his way into our hearts so long ago. This time | gather he's attacking America, instead of Japan, which means we'll be able to understand what all the people are screaming as they run blindly down the street: "What the hell is that?" or, "Hey, he squashed my Four Runner!" and, "One more step, buster, and I'll sue!" ...Do we need this? Do we need Leave it to Beaver? Do we need Les Miserables and Lethal Weapon 4? Has anyone had an original idea lately? | think I'd prefer the old Godzilla, on the big screen at the drive-in in Port Bolster. With subtitles. 'Random Jottings ~ by J. Peter Hvidsten A LOT OF HOLES... AND | DON'T MEAN POT HOLES Driving through town last week, | couldn't help but notice the num- ber of vacant stores which dot 'the downtown core A quick count tallied up more than 10 storefronts along Queen and Water Streets, sporting "For Rent or For Lease" signs in the windows. To the best of my memory, | believe this repre- sents the largest number of vacancies in the down- town area, especially Queen St., since back in the 1970s when Canadian Tire and Dowson's Red and White moved down to the new Port Perry Plaza. Some of those who have closed up. shop or 'moved to a new location, leaving stores empty over the past few months, include Sturman's General Store, The Garden Collection, Many Colors, Lizy Lou Colorcraft, David Chow's Restaurant and Best of Things, Scooters, Peer Pressure, Videorama and Clarke's Flooring. And there may be others! It seems strange, with the economy on a roll these days, but there appear to be more stores closed now than there were at the height of the recession. Hopefully we will see all these storefronts filled with new business in the near future. Nothing quite takes the charm out of a beautiful community like ours, like empty stores greeting our visitors. SAFETY FIRST The celebration of Victoria Day over this past weekend couldn't have been any better, bringing us lots of warm weather and sunshine. As usual on a long weekend, roadways started to get busy early Friday afternoon, and throughout the weekend both the highways and waterways were bustling with all sorts of traffic and activity. "One of the worst fears that comes with good weather and long weekends is the probability of injuries and deaths on our roadways and in the water... and this past weekend was no exception. There were a number of deaths throughout the province, directly related to lack of safety measures and carelessness. With the start of summer now well under way, it would be wise for everyone to slow down and use common sense, on both the water and pavement. Please help make this a safe and enjoyable sum- mer for everyone. MEETING MARILYN Had a brief, but enjoyable chat with former Scugog councillor and regional councillor, Marilyn Pearce last week. Apparently she hasn't missed public life one bit since deciding to pack in her political career last year. Seems she's had no trouble at all finding pro- ductive things to do with her life after politics, and is content to be a citizen and entrepreneur. | She adds that she enjoys getting her Port Perry Star each week, and gets a chuckle out of reading about about the issues facing council. It's interesting, but most ex-politicians I've spoken with feel the same way after they retire. | Kinda makes you wonder why anyone would want the job to start with... doesn't it?