Youngstown police must have something better to do than raid bingo game

Youngstown police must have something better to do than raid bingo game
EDITOR:
I cannot believe that at election time in a city the size of Youngstown (not to mention its reputation from past years) the best protective action that the powers-that-be can come up with is to arrest three kindly souls helping to run a church bingo game!("Tip prompted Knghts of Columbus raid, Vindicator, Nov. 5.) The police department should hang its head in shame for this folly.
I love the city I was born and raised in, but that love comes from the respect that I learned from my parents -- Ann and Selone Zitello. I was appalled and dismayed to think that Dad spent 8 hours in a cold cell last Saturday -- without his heart medication -- having been arrested and handcuffed in front of his peers and friends for calling bingo numbers -- something that is done many times over in Youngstown any night of the week. Could this 86 year-old gentleman (and his two partners in crime) really be worth the time and money spent on this & quot;sting & quot; action?
Will the real Selone Zitello please stand up? I mean the man who has always believed in and defended the reputation of Youngstown when others saw only & quot;Little Chicago. & quot; I mean the man who was a respected businessman for 40 years -- supporting six kids on a small-but-honest salary while keeping his integrity. I mean the man who would rather take a chicken or basket of apples as payment for fixing the furnace -- at 3 a.m. -- of an elderly couple than let them freeze. I mean the man who is highly regarded by his nine younger siblings and six children and numerous grandchildren. I mean the man who would bring a little joy into others' lives by volunteering his time to the Knights of Columbus and other organizations while expecting nothing in return but a few smiles rather than sit at home on those winter days and feel sorry for himself.
Don't think that this first black mark on Dad's record will defeat him. While I believe the least the city owes him and his cronies is to drop these charges altogether, forgive whoever may have forgotten to buy a license and apologize for the indecency of this action, I know that, in any case, my father is a trouper and a winner. Let his spirit and selfless energy be an inspiration to the young and mature as they have been to me for 58 years.
And please, city authorities, spend your money and time on fighting the real crime in Youngstown.
PATRICIA ZITELLO HRIPKO
Laguna Woods, Calif.
Suspension isn't correct punishment for tardiness
EDITOR:
I am writing to question why when a student is late for school so many times that they get suspended? When I went to school, you got detention after school for being late. And were told it was better to come to school late than not at all. What happened to that rule?
My granddaughter has been suspended from school three days twice this year for being late, through no fault of her own. Someone has to drive her to school, and there are times when there's a problem getting her there on time when we have one car and three people who use it to get to work and school. We live on Tyrell at the end of Salt Springs Road and Chaney is at the end of Hazelwood, all the way on the other end of West Side. They expect these student's to walk all that way because they don't have enough buses to transport them. Yet they have enough buses to transport students from different sides of town. It's not safe to have kids walk that far to school these days. We walked that far and farther, but in those days we didn't have the drive-by shootings, vicious dogs, and rapes as we do today.
We need to look at this bus situation and suspensions to those who don't deserve it. They get enough vacation time. Suspending them only gives them more free time. Even if they are grounded and doing homework during that time. Staying in school and having detention seems more like punishment to me.
BRIDGET McGINNIS
Youngstown
Be kind to animals:Control your antifreeze
EDITOR:
It's antifreeze season! Recently I was taking my 5-month-old puppy outside to put her in her kennel, to get some air. Suddenly she broke loose from me. I was running after her, but she ran to a neighbor's driveway. There was a puddle of antifreeze in the drive. My heart sank when she ran to it and licked it.
I knew it only takes a small amount to disable or cause death. I finally caught her and immediately put her in the car and took her to Girard Emergency Animal Hospital. I was devastated because I knew her chances were slim. Antifreeze is deadly to all animals -- pets or wildlife. Through fast action of the doctors at Girard Emergency Animal Hospital, 36 hours of treatment and tests, she came through with no ill effect. Also with follow up care at Ebert Animal Hospital. We were very lucky. Ninety-nine percent of pets and wildlife that ingest antifreeze die or have permanent kidney damage.
This is a reminder to please be aware of leaky cooling systems. If yours is leaking, have it fixed and keep this toxic fluid off the driveways, streets and parking lots. It might save someone (even you) the heartbreak and expense it causes. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what my puppy and I went through.
JEAN FANDOZZI
Youngstown
It sounds like some folks can't stand it when someone else has fun
EDITOR:
I have some observations on the article in Oct. 29 Vindicator, "Trustees regulate businesses."
You people in Boardman or any other town who can no longer stand the noise associated with everyday life should move to a nice quiet retirement community. Think back when you weren't so old and miserable. I'll bet every one of you made your share of noise. You probably threw parties, attended concerts and raised all kinds of hell. You may have even had delivery jobs that required you to make deliveries late at night. When it was your livelihood, it was all right.
Now that you're old and retired, you expect a whole town to change to meet your boring, dull, quiet lifestyle. And the shame of it is, you usually get your way.
Remember when you stopped stock car racing at Canfield Speedway because you got old and couldn't stand the noise anymore? When you were young and liked it, it was OK! Now that you don't like it, my children and my children's children will never get to watch stock cars at Canfield Speedway.
Remember when you stopped Canfield Fair from using the sound tower because you got old and didn't like the noise anymore? I'll bet you used that sound tower plenty when you were young. But now that you're old, my children and my children's children will never hear the sound of the famous "MEET YOUR PARENTS AT THE BIG ROCK" from the sound tower.
Now you want to try and stop the outdoor concerts at The Bull & amp; Bear in Boardman. Get a hobby!
You people all wear hearing aids, but as soon as you think a group of people are having fun, you seem to all of a sudden have better than average hearing.
Maybe we should build a giant retirement community out in the middle of the wilderness so you can all live out your lives in peace and quiet. But, that probably wouldn't work. You people would have the poor squirrels evicted for cracking their nuts after 9 p.m.
I'm glad my 98-year-old Grandma isn't like that. Even though she's old, she still respects young peoples' right to enjoy life.
BUTCH BAKER
Struthers