Stop Putin
I understand U.S. Sen. Lindsey’s Graham’s comment about Vladimir Putin to mean an assassination of Putin. I agree whole-heartedly. Allowing an evil man like Putin to invade Ukraine and slaughter hundreds of peaceful Ukrainians is unconscionable.
Why is Putin so fixated on this evil and murderous pursuit? He has stated that his reason is to keep Ukraine from joining NATO. He has also stated that the Ukrainians were the aggressors. Putin obviously doesn’t tell the truth. He is fixated on taking back all of the countries that used to be part of the Soviet Union.
Ask yourself, “Why should Putin’s life be more important than the Ukrainians’?” President Biden has called Putin’s actions “war crimes.” How else will Putin be stopped other than assassination? People will see this as premeditated murder, but ask yourself, “How many thousands of lives would have been saved if Hitler had been assassinated?”
Tim Bledsoe, North Augusta
Med-Tech 7 for all
The great news: Beaufort County students will be able to access state-of-the-art Med-Tech 7 educational opportunities.
The grim news: Bluffton and Hilton Head students, we’re outcasts because our schools are over or at capacity. (March 7 Island Packet, “More than 50 townhomes planned for Bluffton Square.”)
Such new housing is going up all over the outcasts’ neighborhoods because it was approved long ago, as well as recently, as well as ongoing, by, in my opinion, municipal boards who do not look past the dollar signs or implications for public education.
Final question: Are we really going to continue to offer our higher density communities’ local kids less, and break the backs of our schools and taxpayers more?.
As a former N.J. municipal Planning Board member and career public school educator, might we consider a step backward to give all students the opportunity to move forward? Renegotiate with developers to amend the project – it can be done.
Minimize the burden on our schools and taxpayers, and work with our county Board of Education to redraw school district lines so all students have an opportunity to qualify for Med-Tech 7.
Rosemary Hrinko, EdD, Bluffton
Keep Beaufort’s charm
It is beyond sad to see the capitulation of the city leaders to rampant overbuilding and developers whims in historic Beaufort.
It is also amazing to see one or two moneyed people from out of town change the face of the city while silent citizens go crabbing or oyster roasting.
And the city administration, they make the rules, and then say their hands are tied by the rules. And those of us who moved here for the Beaufort charm? Not at the table.
At the rate of parking garages to be built downtown, Town Center destroying the entrance to the city to fill up hotels and restaurants, and more to come, how long will iconic Beaufort exist? Soon it won’t be known as it was, but as Developers Heaven on the coast.
Developers and politicians will say, “You have to grow or die.” Baloney! Many towns and cities keep their beauty and charm by avoiding over development. It just takes committed leadership . Hopefully ours will show up before it’s too late.
Jerry Floyd, St. Helena Island
Ridiculous rebate
There’s an old bromide: “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” And South Carolina squanders that opportunity thousands of times every day.
Returning home from a recent trip, we knew what was in store when traffic began slowing as we reached the crest of the I-95 Savannah River Bridge. The roadway choked to four lanes and we got a long, slow look at the accumulated dirt, “road gator” recap treads, general litter and beat up, severely rusted guardrails.
For a visitor seeing that squalor at our doorstep looking like a Central American banana republic, it’s reasonable to assume they might stop at Loony Larry’s for a pack of firecrackers and keep going. Road conditions never improve until maybe somewhere above I-26.
Now I understand there’s a ridiculous proposal for a S.C. tax rebate that might cover the cost of, perhaps, a few tanks of gas. So here’s a serious offer: “Please, governor, just keep what I might have coming and apply it to some new guardrails at the state line.
George Martin, Chapin
