Too little, too late to keep Sanders?

3/24/2006

It's about time someone has taken the initiative to keep Toledo Public Schools Superintendent Eugene Sanders. It's probably too little, too late, but isn't that our track record?

Mr. Sanders has pulled our school system out of the gutter. Yes, I know we have miles to go, but look how far we've come. So to show our appreciation as a district, we show him the door. Good job school board and Toledo!

Our board "president" questions Carty Finkbeiner's motives for supporting Mr. Sanders, stating, "He had plenty of chances [to speak up] when Dr. Sanders was going to Washington and when he was going to Detroit. I have no understanding of what the motivation is at this point."

Duh! He wasn't mayor back then, Jack Ford was, and we see where that got us. Now that Carty is mayor, he's taking steps to try to dig us out of the hole the Urban Contradiction, I mean Coalition, has put us in.

What is Darlene Fisher's motivation? She has spent years campaigning against and complaining about the district. "Three for Change"? Change for what? The worse? She has done nothing since her election but cause hard feelings and dissension. How is this negativity going to effect change for the better? What superintendent is going to want to come here? He or she would have to be nuts!

I am so sorry to see that Toledo once again is shooting itself in the foot. Mark Twain said it best:

"In the first place, God made idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards."

Jenna Wamer

Northwood

It was one year ago that my nephew, Dameatrius McCreary, was killed by reckless driver Angelique Dipman. This driver's lack of attention due to her cell phone has caused my family irreparable anguish and heartache.

Nothing will ever bring Dameatrius back, but we can save other children from suffering this terrible fate. We need to stop all distractions while driving, i.e. cell phones, eating, applying makeup, etc., and just drive.

We find it hard to go on without Dameatrius. Could you go on knowing that you had taken a child's life over a phone call?

Please pay attention to the road. Let's not have another tragedy.

Wayne Appenfelder

East Broadway

The board of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District enthusiastically endorses the plan to construct a new multi-purpose arena in downtown Toledo.

We believe that the synergies to be gained by locating this much needed facility adjacent to the SeaGate Convention Centre and Fifth Third Field has been proven beyond any reasonable doubt.

We also fully support the ongoing efforts to develop the Marina District/International Park project to include an outdoor amphitheater, dual surface ice rink, public and private boat slips, up-scale retail, and market rate housing opportunities. The issue is simply whether we have the human and financial resources to undertake both endeavors at once.

We believe that the arena should be constructed now and that marketing efforts to attract a destination retailer like Bass Pro should continue in earnest.

Once that effort is accomplished and the city sells much of the remaining property to other developers, it will have the funds available to construct the amphitheater and additional public amenities which will truly make the Marina District not just the "Jewel of East Toledo," but of the entire region.

Tom Crothers

Executive Director

Downtown Toledo

Improvement District

I found the March 20 editorial, "Stop on red," very interesting but was struck by one thought: Who'd have believed the editorial board at The Blade would be such big supporters of domestic spying?

H. David Godfrey

Belews Creek, N.C.