Letters to the Editor: May 28, 2022
Commercial fishing is part of Port Salerno’s proud heritage
Alarm bells went off in my head on March 11 when The Stuart News printed comments by Parks and Recreation Director Kevin Abbate about keeping the boat docks open at Sandsprit Park throughout “the busy summer season,” and not closing them until the winter in order to rebuild them.
My first thought was, what about our commercial fishermen, who fish during the winter months for mackerel that move south into our waters when it gets cold up north? Closing both boat ramps would directly impact fishermen’s livelihoods in a harmful way.
I wrote to all five commissioners to ask for help, and only one responded, Commissioner Stacey Hetherington. She does not even represent Port Salerno's District 4. Commissioner Hetherington obtained assurances from Abbate that at least one Sandsprit boat ramp would remain open throughout construction.
I am not a fisherman, and neither am I a member of a fishing family; however, I've lived for more than 30 years in Port Salerno. Commercial fishing is Port Salerno's proud heritage that deserves respect and protection.
Our fishermen had a double whammy this past year when the county curtailed the Port Salerno Seafood Festival, which helped fishermen pay the state's submerged land lease, liability insurance, and all the other expenses of the Dock Authority, including conservation fees, electricity, water, garbage, yard and equipment maintenance, and dock repairs. That's in addition to their expenses relating to their own boat and equipment.
Dozens of fishermen’s families would be affected, not just those who belong to the Port Salerno Fishing Dock Association. I want to thank District 2 Commissioner Hetherington for stepping up to make a difference. She is very much appreciated.
Ellen B. Asselin, Port Salerno
Many advocates are quick to fire off words for political effect
“Too quick on the trigger.”
That is not isolated to fidgety fingers on a metal gun trigger. Politically we live in an era in the United States when a large number of advocates are too quick on the “trigger,” firing off words for effect, propelled by simmering angers.
I just returned to Vero Beach from Lake Wales on heavily-traveled State Road 60 and saw a pickup truck tailgate painted with a four-letter obscenity — one we wouldn’t want kids to see — followed by the name Biden. The letters were large and hand-painted.
The truck owner obviously was making an in-your-face statement.
Overt assertiveness is playing out in other places and during the past two years special focus has been placed on school board meeting. Public comment periods have sometimes been made into stages for those blasting at school officials.
The professed reasons appear reasonable: not allowing pornography in schools, protecting students and avoiding bias. However what gets glossed over in the one-liners is that school officials haven’t necessarily been unreasonable.
Schools are massive human institutions, moving thousands of individual flesh-and-blood children day by day, grade by grade with the objective of educating minds and hopefully encouraging them — and all that during difficult and divisive times. Schools aren’t road-paving projects that officials can proudly point to after the asphalt is laid and then walk away. Nor are they just pickup trucks that can be branded with labels for everyone to see, for political effect.
Schools do have problems: teacher burnout, gaps in all-important early childhood education, lack of people serving in parent-teacher associations and more. Who will fill the want ads for those behind-the-scenes tasks? Let’s keep our eyes on literacy rather than lecturing.
Elliott Jones, Vero Beach
Ukrainians have shown the world their grit: Why aren't we doing more?
I am ashamed that our country isn’t doing more to help Ukraine fight off this Russian army. These people haven't sat back and waited for someone to come to their rescue. They’ve shown the world their determination to save their country.
If we allow Russia to take over Ukraine, which of the European countries will be next? When will this evil of Russia ever be stopped? All of the countries in Europe are at great risk. Does anyone think that Russia will stop at Ukraine? If so, get your head out of the sand and think again.
The United Nations should be stepping up and putting an end to this invasion. Why aren't they? They should let Russia know that it will never be allowed to take over another country.
Have our leaders forgotten WWI and WWII? Russia is like Germany in their quest to take over that part of the world. Don't let this happen.
The last three presidents have weakened us as a nation. We don't have the respect we once had. Even President Reagan realized Russia would always pose a threat to the free world.
Stop playing games, stand up, and work together. We need leaders who have a sense of morals and ethics to be in charge of America, regardless of what they call themselves, Democrats and Republicans.
May God bless America.
Patricia Boddy, Fort Pierce
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Letters to the Editor: May 28, 2022
