Decision on Peace Race curtailed participation

Decision on Peace Racecurtailed participation
EDITOR:
I came to the Youngstown area in July 1989. At that time, I was the Marine Corps recruiter downtown in the Phar-Mor Center. To make a long story short, this is my fourth year running the Peace Race. From what everyone tells me, this event has always been something Youngstown residents could be proud of.
Last year someone came up with the idea that if you are not from the United States, you are not eligible to win the purse. Because of this idiotic decision, most of the professional runners from other countries did not attend the event this year.
Whoever made this decision didn't even have enough nerve to explain to the public why they did this. I can only speak for myself. Meeting those world class runners was like being an amateur golfer and meeting Tiger Woods or Arnold Palmer.
The second reason this decision bothered me so much is the fact that this race has been here for 29 years. It is known as the & quot;International Peace Race. & quot; Peace is something we want worldwide. Not just here in the United States. What message are we sending?
Only a small percentage of the runners run for the purse. Most of us are recreational runners who run for fun, team building, health or other personal reasons. If you are a professional runner, ask yourself: Do you want the field of runners cut down to enhance your chances of winning? Or do you want the challenge that competing against world class runners will bring?
Make this an International Peace Race again! I would like the public to have a chance to make this decision.
DONALD GANT
Youngstown
Don't waste more moneyon unneeded civic center
EDITOR:
Certain Youngstown leaders proceeding with the convocation/civic center project should be held accountable for destroying taxpayers' money, even to the extent that legal action is necessary to stop this project.
The proposed convocation center will do nothing to help the Valley. No arena should be built solely for sports teams, especially for teams that do not even exist at this time. Plus, these projects are associated with low-paying jobs for the stadium workers, they don't utilize the skills of current Valley residents, nor do they promote a more educated workforce. In addition, the jobs tend to be seasonal. How does this help the economy?
Leaders in other metropolitan areas (including places in Ohio) have realized that the & quot;build a stadium and they will come & quot; mentality is the wrong one.
Furthermore, this arena is already being built in a manner that violates simple rules of commercial real estate development. It appears from the outside that appropriate environmental studies have not even been conducted on the site -- ridiculous considering that it was a former industrial site. And for city officials to have paid $1.5 million for that land would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that those funds came out of residents' pockets.
The officials making these decisions on & quot;behalf & quot; of the people of Youngstown should be held accountable. The focus of Valley leaders should be in attracting real jobs with real longevity and real career prospects for future generations. The city would be better off building a mixed-use development that could house 500 employees and giving it away to any company willing to bring the jobs rather than selling people on a beach with no water.
ANTHONY PAOLONE
ERIC PLANEY
New York City
XPaolone and Planey are former Youngstown residents now living in New York, where both are banking executives.
Early detection is importantin dealing with breast cancer
EDITOR:
As a board-certified plastic surgeon practicing in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, who regularly works with breast cancer survivors, I strongly urge support of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month by reminding the women you love to schedule regular cancer screenings.
Early detection through self-examination and medical screening are key prevention methods. For the estimated 211,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, advancements in treatment therapies including lumpectomies and skin-sparing mastectomies, which provide better long-term cosmetic results, as well as breakthrough legislation, have helped make such devastating news easier to bear.
Improvements in post-surgical therapies, including several breast reconstruction options, are helping allay the fear of disfigurement from mastectomy. Typically, plastic surgeons make recommendations based upon a patient's age, health, anatomy, tissues and goals. The most common procedures include skin expansion followed by the use of implants, or flap reconstruction.
Equally important to breast cancer survivors is the 1998 passage of the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) that mandates insurance coverage for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. Board-certified plastic surgeons, such as myself, see how breast reconstruction improves a survivor's self-esteem and confidence after a mastectomy.
The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) was a major supporter of the WHCRA, and is proud to have been part of the effort to stop insurance denials for this important surgery. Now almost every woman who loses her breast to cancer has the option to have it rebuilt through reconstructive surgery. Discussion about this can start immediately after diagnosis. Breast reconstruction procedures increased 147 percent between 1992 and 2002, with 73,026 women choosing the surgery in 2002.
Dr. ARVIND PADUBIDRI
Warren
Change clocks and batteriesin smoke detectors at home
EDITOR:
This is a letter that can save lives in our community.
The simple yet powerful act of changing batteries in smoke alarms when you change the clock back Oct. 26 can double a family's chances of getting out of a house fire alive. As a 26-year veteran of the fire service, I have witnessed the tragedy and devastation of home fires. It is even more heartbreaking when a young life is cut short. On an average, nearly three children die each day in house fires. Overall, roughly 80 percent of house fire deaths in this country occur in homes without working smoke alarms. The most commonly cited cause of nonworking smoke alarms: worn or missing batteries.
The peak time for home fire fatalities is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when most people are sleeping, and considering that residential fire deaths peak in the winter, it makes good sense to change your smoke alarm batteries each fall.
MICHAEL A. DURKIN
Fire Chief
Liberty Township Fire Departmen
Gambling can turn intoan obsession for some
EDITOR:
As many may know, Las Vegas is a big tourist vacation spot for those with high hopes and money on their mind. But for many, gambling turns out to be more than just a game. It becomes an obsession.
People with these obsessions are sometimes called compulsive gamblers. These gamblers usually loose more money than they make and make visits to slot machines and card tables almost every day. Because of this, many end up losing jobs, going bankrupt and even becoming alcoholics and druggies.
Think about it, do we want these alcoholics, homeless and druggies on our streets? Most likely the answer is no. So the next time the issue of gambling in Ohio comes up, think of the negative effects it has on you, your community and the world.
ALYSON CADMAN
Lowellville