Give public a reason to recycle

1/6/2010

The city can add my name to the list of people who are unhappy with the new trash pickup procedures and schedule. The Blade on Dec. 29 mentioned that some people were having to wait 10 days from their last pickup to the next.

My trash was picked up on Dec. 18 and was not picked up again until Dec. 29, an 11-day time span. With all the trash from Christmas both of our trash containers, regular trash and recycling, were completely full.

The delay would have been tolerable except that the city didn't pick up the recycling container, which is picked every other week. Based on the number of containers sitting in front of my neighbors' houses, the city hasn't done a very good job of providing that information to the public. I now have to wait another week for recyclables to be picked up, for a total of 19 days between pickups.

The city wants to encourage recycling but is not giving the public much encouragement to do so. The entire process leaves a lot to be desired.

Ted Riley

Goddard Road

The announcement that Karl Rove will be guest speaker at the Lucas County Republican Party's Lincoln Day dinner on Jan. 21 was portrayed as a coup for Toledo. I think it is shameful.

I remember my aunts taking me to a Lincoln Day dinner when a young Andy Douglas was the darling of the party. That was a time when Eisenhower was president - Ike, a true patriot, five-star general who led us out of WWII - not today's flag wavers espousing patriotism who have never and would never serve in the armed forces. America was respected and our leaders collaborated with our allies rather than having the hubris and go-it-alone attitude that Mr. Rove helped create. The GOP in Ike's time stood for decency and compassion. Greed hadn't yet invaded the party.

The "evil genius," as Time magazine described Mr. Rove, represents today's face of the Republican Party. Look at the others now representing this once grand party: Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin, Carrie Prejean, and hate mongers Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity. Then there are the two who disgraced our country: Dick Cheney who used the F-word on the Senate floor, and Joe Wilson, who screamed "You lie!" as our President addressed Congress and the nation.

It seems not only have the demographics of the party changed, but its values have too.

Jeannie Jones

Springfield Township

If recent letter writers were so concerned about the welfare of deer in Ottawa Hills, they would invite more in, realizing the fact that their natural habitat has been destroyed. It is absurd to state nature is unable to provide enough food when it is man, with our slash-and-burn attitude toward the environment, who drove deer to more lush pastures.

We are the most vicious and destructive predators on the planet. We build housing developments and shopping centers on every green space available, crowding deer, and then try to justify that killing them is the only way to humanely co-exist with them. Residents of Ottawa Hills are capable of finding an imaginative way of living with deer other than the banal and futile hiring of mercenaries.

Sally J. Keller

Sabra Road

With all due respect to Dr. S. Amjad Hussain, his Dec. 28 column, "Share the spirit of the season," encouraging his Muslim counterparts as well as our Jewish and Hindu neighbors to celebrate the Christmas season for what it is - a celebration of Christ's birth - is ill-conceived.

I know Dr. Hussain's heart is in the right place, but he speaks from a split mind. Christmas does not only celebrate the birthday of Jesus, it celebrates the birth of a Savior. The world view that Dr. Hussain posits does not reflect the reality of Christian Scripture.

In one way or the other we have all expressed the sentiment, "Why can't we all just get along?" I will gladly celebrate with anyone, saint or sinner, as did Jesus, as I love to savor and experience life. The vast array of delicacies various cultures offer, along with song, dance, and tradition, delight the senses.

However, to pursue peace at any price you must sacrifice truth. Doctrine matters. The assault on Christianity continues. Prophecy unfolds. Sound doctrine continues to be mocked and ridiculed. Loose willy-nilly anything-goes teaching doesn't offend anyone, but it doesn't save anyone either. Truth matters.

Don Gozdowski

Franklin Avenue

In a Dec. 23 letter, Springfield Township Trustee Andy Glenn accused David Carr, who opposed the recent failed police levy, of trying to divide our community. A few weeks earlier Mr. Glenn had a message on his Facebook page using the most vile language against a fellow trustee and Mr. Carr. He thinks nothing of name calling or trying to ruin the reputation of anyone who disagrees with him.

Heaven only knows what he had in his e-mails from his place of employment - the city of Maumee - to the township, as Maumee refused to disclose them.

I was appalled at what appeared to be an attempt by Mr. Glenn to use the tragedy of two local families to make himself look good.

I hope this and the season did make him have a change of heart and he meant what he said about "not bickering" and "not holding grudges" and "realizing what is truly important."

We will see how sincere he is by his future actions.

Jessie Geis

Holland

Here's the perfect job for Carty Finkbeiner now that he is retired. He can go to Toledo neighborhoods and on trash day take out the new trash cans for the elderly and disabled who can't do so themselves. He can then return the cans to their proper place once they've been emptied.

Marjorie Cashin

Latonia Boulevard

In reference to the Dec. 30 Blade story, “Gerken draws fire for lease of foreign-nameplate car,” I generally have not been a supporter of Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, but give the guy a break.

He can lease or purchase any make of car he wants; it's his right as an American. He should not have to answer to the United Auto Workers.

This union-politician affiliation is a major reason why Toledo and Lucas County have been subjected to such poor leadership in recent years. This was a personal decision by Mr. Gerken and it should remain that way.

Aaron Wozniak

Woodmont Road

Polly Taylor-Gerken got the car she wanted and Pete Gerken lost all credibility with those who have supported him for so long.

It's obvious that Pete Gerken has no plans to run for re-election. People should never forget where they came from. Organized labor has supported both Polly and Pete, but no more.

Joe Szenderski

Chalice Way