Letters to the editor 140529924
The three Ds of Hernando and Brooksville
These are the three Ds I associate with Hernando County and Brooksville, in particular.
Disheartening because with a little effort and initiative Brooksville could have the growth and potential you see arising all over Spring Hill instead of vacant mini malls and store fronts that line the main drag in Brooksville.
If the same initiative that was used to push all those red light cameras down our throats was used to get new business to take up residence in Brookville we would be a booming metropolis instead of a place a lot of people avoid.
Are we as a town offering any incentives for new business to move here? People look at these things when they’re in the hunt for a home or place to start a new enterprise. We need new incentives to lure people to the Brooksville area if we are to grow.
The second D is disillusioned. This has its roots in Hernando County and code enforcement or, I should say, lack of it. The residents — I being one — of Hill & Dale “The Village” spent months last year in a fight to get code enforcement to do their job and make the out of state owners who have all the vacant lots, mow them. Finally, in September after five months of numerous calls and trips and a visit to a board meeting, code enforcement finally got off there duff, sent out summonses and the lots got mowed.
That brings me to the final D, disappointed. The disappointment is that no one seems to give a rats patookie. Our local government seems happy with the status quo and this area growth. There is no sense of urgency and it may be they like it that way .
If everyone is satisfied with this dormancy and wants to remain a name on a map and place people pass through instead of a destination, just keep on keeping on and you will succeed.
By the way, we’re back battling code enforcement again. Weeds and grass are two feet high and I’m on my sixth call. Maybe by the time my neighbor’s house disappears from view something will get done. James Woods
Brooksville
Why no word on FCAT scores?
When are we going to hear from the school system about this year’s horrible FCAT scores? It’s been several days and no one has anything to say. If the scores were good, they would have been slapping their backs. So, why all the silence? Our school system is going in the wrong direction. The leadership lacks … well, leadership. New blood is needed with old-school values.
Eugene OReilly
Weeki Wachee
Why all the empty storefronts?
You only have to drive a short distance in Brooksville either on U.S. 41 (Broad Street ) North or South or on State Road 50 East or West (Cortez Boulevard) to wonder as my visiting sister-in-law did, why are there all these empty store fronts? As she observed just a short time after passing under the pay roads overpass on 50, “Wow, it’s another world over here.”
The parking lots are full, there is new road construction, even a new mall going in listing all the new businesses intending to open.
How come they’re building a new mall just a few miles down the road from all those empty store fronts we passed back there in Brooksville? I thought and couldn’t give her a definitive answer so I decided to write this letter and ask if some official from Brooksville would like to answer my sister-in-law’s question.
I joked with her that Brooksville’s answer would probably be to put in a few more red light cameras and that way they could get a cut of all the money that people would be spending in that new Spring Hill shopping center. I’m sure there is a honest answer. Lets see if we get one.
J.T. Woods
Brooksville
Bring our Marine home
There was a time when America would have stood tall and told whatever country, you have one of our citizens, an American fighting man, a Marine, and you have 24 hours to return him to us or we will send in the rest of the Marines to take him home.
If you have a legal problem with him, we will assure you he will appear in your court, but for now he is coming home within the next 24 hours.
I kind of think Teddy Roosevelt might be turning over in his grave regarding this incident. And where is President Obama’s voice in all this? Is he afraid of hurting Mexico’s feelings by demanding the release of our countryman.
Considering the person being held is a Marine, this is a slap in the face and we are being told America has lost all self respect and is no longer a world leader. Those responsible for holding this Marine sergeant are laughing themselves silly over this.
President Obama can be assured that this will only embolden countries all over the world and as far as these countries are concerned, President Obama can take his “diplomatic options” and stick them where the sun don’t shine.
Ron Dakin
Spring Hill
Criminal Technicalities
Our liberal federal judges, together with the support of the liberal “American Civil Union” are gradually eroding the power of law enforcement to convict known and guilty criminals based upon technicalities.
The latest episode involves a criminal conviction against a gang member caught selling illegal drugs, who is now appealing the conviction based on a technicality.
The police at the time of his arrest took over possession of his cell phone and all of the information on his cell phone relating to his drug dealing. The state used the information to convict him.
This drug dealer claimed that he had a right to privacy for all information on his cell phone and based on this, the information on his cell phone used to convict him should not have been heard by the court and conviction cancelled.
He claimed that the police should have obtained a search warrant for his cell phone, signed by a judge, before they can use the damaging information on the cell phone in court.
Further, he claims that no search warrant can be issued until there has been evidence of a crime. If there has been no evidence then no search warrant can’t be issued and thus no cell phone information.
Most criminals own cell phones in which they keep records of all their criminal dealings?
This case is now on appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court with its majority of liberal judges, guess how this is going to go.
The reason we have so much crime is that there is no respect for the law.
Our liberal judges do everything they can to see that technicalities defeat the truth and continuing law breakers are not put away long term and more.
If you really want less crime, then it is up to you to demand that our legislators pass tough laws and that our courts stop issuing free passes to criminals based on technicalities. Otherwise, let there be more crime.
Norman Pallot
Weeki Wachee
