In Newton Falls, it's time to accentuate the positive

In Newton Falls, it's time to accentuate the positive
EDITOR:
Negative! Negative! Negative! Aren't the good people of Newton Falls tired of Edwin Buchanan's tirades against the school system? Mr. Buchanan seems to have nothing better to do with his time than to hold court at the local restaurants complaining about the schools and writing incorrect literature to any local newspaper that will publish his remarks.
In October 2000 I requested that Mr. Buchanan work positively for the good of the school district and invited him to visit any and all of our classrooms to see the good things happening in Newton Falls. He never responded to my request. Perhaps he was too busy trying to tear down our school district, one which he served as a board member for many years. In his terms on the school board, Mr. Buchanan continually asked for pay cuts from the teaching staff, while he himself, a retired teacher, receives an automatic 3 percent raise in his teacher's retirement check each year.
Mr. Buchanan recently complained about one of our teachers attending the school board convention in Columbus, but failed to say that it would be of no cost to the Newton Falls School District, as the teacher's residential school district would cover all costs for substitute teachers. He also failed to note that he voted to allow this same individual to attend last year. Nor did he tell the good citizens of Newton Falls that after he was voted out of office last November, he, too, attended that same school board convention in Columbus. Now, what good was he to the Newton Falls School Board at that convention as a lame duck school board member?
I ask the people of Newton Falls to look at the good things happening every day in our classrooms. See how many of our teachers live and work in this community and contribute their time and energies to the improvement of the educational environment for our students. The astute voting citizens of Newton Falls were very wise to elect new school board members last November who are working for the good of this school system rather than continually tearing it down.
DARLENE A. SCHAEFER
Austintown
X The writer is president of the Newton Falls Classroom Teacher's Association.
Understanding trooper kept driver's record clean
EDITOR:
On Oct. 19, I was driving down state Rt. 11, coming from Columbiana where my family and I had dinner.
I was driving the speed limit (65 mph), in the driving lane, while a white car in front of us was weaving side to side and had slowed down to 60 mph. I put my left turn signal on, passing him in the passing lane. I put on my right signal to turn back to the driving lane, the man in the white care sped up (he was talking on a cell phone). Naturally, I didn't want to be around him. I sped up to pass him.
That's when I met Trooper Zemecka. I could not believe how courteous and professional he was. He even allowed me to explain what happened.
You have to understand that I am 60 years old and have never had a ticket in my entire life. He checked my license and registration, then he issued me a traffic safety reminder (warning ticket), and asked me to try to be a little more careful in the future, and to report a weaving driver on my cell phone. I never gave it a thought, but I will in the future.
After all the negatives you hear about "state hoopies," I just wanted to share my experience with you about the most professional and courteous law enforcement office I have ever come in contact with.
Thank you, Trooper Zemecka, for all the respect and courteousness you show me and my family.
RALPH A RUGGIERO
Youngstown