Vote for Scoville

If Ron Charlton is willing and eager to stab his fellow party member in the back regarding his support, why should I believe he will do the best by the city of Georgetown?

The arrogance of Charlton is a turnoff. If he really cares about the city, why did he not take the time and investment to campaign in the Republican primary.

Instead he waited to meet with the Republican candidate to make false promises and two weeks later announced his own write-in candidacy!

This is funny business. His running as a write-in candidate is deceitful and he will not get my vote.

I am voting for Jack Scoville, not because he is a Democrat, Republican or write-in candidate but because he took the time to knock on my door, introduce himself and share his economic plan for the city.

I may not agree with all the ideas in the plan but I appreciate him for taking the time to listen and explain his plans.

Now is not the time to elect people who play games, make promises they intend not to keep or make a living from filing complaints.

Now is the time to elect a thoughtful, forward-thinking leader.

That is why I am voting for Jack Scoville.

Natasha Dones

Georgetown

Maryville field, trash

Tuesday evening my son played soccer at the new field in Maryville.

I was surprised to see a tremendous amount of broken glass and trash all around the fields.

My husband and I picked up at least eight 1-1/2" to 2" pieces of broken glass that were laying on top of the ground behind one set of bleachers in an attempt to prevent our five year-old son from being injured.

I spoke to Paul McCullough from the Recreation Department. He told me that this site was once a landfill and that the trash and glass were brought to the surface when the lights were installed.

He was well aware of the pieces of glass everywhere around the fields as he told me that he had been picking them up himself and that they were mostly the bottoms of glass bottles.

He told me that they are working on it "a little bit everyday."

He did assure me that the fields where the children are actually playing soccer are safe because they have several inches of dirt between the remains of the landfill and the sod.

The condition of this area is unacceptable. Obviously, the Georgetown County Department of Parks and Recreation is not concerned with the safety of our children.

All of the trash and glass should have been completely removed before any games where held at this site.

Not only is there a threat of being cut, but the many dangers that come from being exposed to the unsanitary conditions of a landfill.

The safety of every player and spectator is at stake.

Leslie F. Rowell

Sanderson column

Responding to Jamie Sanderson is like playing ping pong with a two year old. I'll try not to hurt him with the ball this time.

His latest diatribe, this time against the right of a licensed adult to legally carry a concealed weapon in their vehicle onto school grounds, assails Republicans for using fear tactics to garner support for their causes, and then he turns boogey man and says that Republicans would "rather see our public education system turn into a war zone to push the need for private school vouchers."

Although a school voucher has nothing to do with the concealed weapons issue, I'm sorry that he didn't mention that Republicans also want to starve the crying little children. I think I recognize the Obama talking point -- "Talk to them like they are stupid."

He goes on to blame Republicans for our unemployment! Jamie! I thought it was you and your father who directed the vote that closed the steel mill and put several hundred men and women out of work!

How's that change working for you? I guess Republicans are responsible for that as well? You never know! Keep throwing it around -- something might stick!

Back to the gun issue, here comes my backhand -- if you think for one minute that a law is going to keep a person who is set on killing children from doing so on school property, you need a reality check. The last time I checked that was already illegal. By the time Capt. Brown or Vida Miller, who voted in favor of this bill, has the time to respond it may be too late. You had better hope and pray that if your child is in front of a maniac's gun, there is a licensed concealed weapons carrier nearby. Even better, you might pray that that licensed person is your child's teacher.

Your statement that "No Democrat candidate or official wants to take your guns from you" is almost not worthy of response.

They do it every election, they do it on every news show and in every news paper. Our current Speaker of The House is a leading and outspoken advocate of trying to take our guns. Please, try to maintain some credibility and begin your articles with the assumption that you are communicating with intelligent people. It makes for a better game when you at least bring your paddle.

Do you really want your children to be safe in school? It can be easily, but not cheaply, done. A high fence, guards at the gate of every school and on every bus checking everyone who comes in. Simple! And you are in luck! Your Democrats' hold the purse strings and run our nations education system! -- Git-er-done! But that isn't going to happen anytime soon because they choose to spend the money some where else. I'm not saying that the Democrats would rather see dead children in the school yard than a clunker on the highway, I'll leave those remarks to you. But in the meantime, you tell me -- what is safe about a maniac being loose in a school with the only gun? Or with the only knife? Or the only club?

Criminals in our society will always have weapons, whether they buy, steal or manufacture them. The responsible citizen should always have one bigger and be better trained to use it.

Did you hear that noise pass your ears? That was "Truth" and "Reality," the two balls that Democrats can't hit.

Bill Hills

Murrells Inlet

Challenges of aging

It is good to be wanted........our region's clean, sandy shores and mild climate are drawing many new residents to our area. A generous portion of these newcomers are mature citizens. Consider this ... the Waccamaw region of South Carolina has the highest ratio of seniors, per capita, than any other region in the state, at 21.8%. From 2000-2007, Horry County has experienced the highest population growth in the state 53,265, or 27.1%. Net in-migration represents 92.2% of that growth.

That's a lot of growth! Business is up for those who make it their mission to serve area residents that are members of the age group of 60, and better, throughout the Waccamaw community. While it is true that the influx of mature adults, into the region, is bringing a wealth of experience, gifts, talents and energy into the area, the converse is also true, that as people age, sooner or later, individuals and families will seek programs/services to assist them with some of the challenges associated with advanced age.

The aging of our community is as inevitable as the passing of time. The influx of additional mature citizens is a well-documented trend. The Waccamaw region must ready itself to serve a burgeoning bolas of mature citizens. But.....how?

This letter is a Call to Action. There are so many dedicated, bright and experienced elder service providers, seniors and family care partners in the Waccamaw region. Historically, our community's service agencies each address their own, separate, missions and are operating, for the most part, independently of one another, and doing a good job at what each entity does best ... be it service in home care, hospice, nutritional services, health care, wellness promotion etc. What would happen if our community service agencies, and family care partners, united to share ideas, build partnerships, and brainstorm ways to deal, collectively, with the challenges of aging?

What would happen has a new name: S.A.G.E.S. - Senior Advocates Growing Elder Services. Our region needs innovative and creative ways to come together to pool our strengths, experience and resources in order to better serve the needs of our most mature citizens, both now, and in the future. The Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging and our partner, Mercy Hospice invite stakeholders, across the region, to join us in round table discussions about important topics like: transportation; family caregiver support; community education; nutrition.

Please join us for a S.A.G.E.S. regional brainstorming meeting on: Wednesday October 28, 2009 at 10:30AM at St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church; 3301 33rd Ave. and Hwy.17 Bypass, Myrtle Beach, SC.

For more information call: Waccamaw Area Agency on Aging at 800-569-1957 or Mercy Hospice at 843-234-6625

"Never doubt that a small, thoughtful group of committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has," Margaret Meade.

Danita Vetter

Georgetown