Criticism of Austintown apartments went overboard

Criticism of Austintown apartments went overboard
EDITOR:
This is in response to a letter last Sunday. First of all, not everyone in Compass West is a single mother. There are lots of hard working people who live there, like my parents. Not everyone is bad in Compass West, like the writer of the article would have you think. Most are good people just trying to make a living. It's low income housing, not a city slum. I have lived in Compass West for the past 12 years. There are 200 units with at least 800 people living in Compass West. It's all on approximately 20 acres of land.
The fence is also not in that bad of shape. He asked for a adequate barrier. We live in federal housing, not in a federal prison. It's more like leaning over than on the ground and it's not even on Compass West property. No kid on a three wheeler can use that fence as a ramp to get onto his property. I have seen the fence myself.
The letter blew everything out of proportion. We do not have a heated swimming pool. We can only use it in the summer and have to pay 25 cents to use it. While we do have some crime, it does not all happen in one day. Granted it could be better, but it really is not like the South Side of Youngstown. The landlord is not a slumlord. The property is well maintained, there is no trash on the lawns. In addition the units go through an inspection several times a year. It's very safe also; we even have cookouts on Sundays.
I am 19 years old and attend Austintown Fitch High School, where I am a senior and have a GPA of 3.8. I am going to the vo-tech school for 2 years for Horticulture and Computer Graphics. I plan to be a weatherman one day on Channel 27 or the Weather Channel.
CHANCE METZ
Austintown
Fallen soldier's family received community support
EDITOR:
On behalf of Army Sgt. Robert M. Carr, we would like to thank the entire community for the outpouring of love and prayers, cards and letters, phone calls, flowers, food, donations, support and encouragement that has been shown through out this difficult time.
We deeply appreciate all of the help and support from our family, friends, volunteers, churches, area retailers, military, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, towing services, ambulance agencies, veterans and honor guards, news media, Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and the Airbase, Governor Galleries, and Anderson busing. Special thanks to Sgt. Tim Murphy, Jarrod Kane of Shafer-Winans Funeral Home, Dugan Cemetery, Fowler Trustees, Joe Augustine, Steinway Piano Company, Pastor Joel Dickson, Pastor Bill Carter, Fowler Community Church, Fowler Methodist Church, Believers Christian Fellowship Church, Woody Whitacre, Patriot Guard Riders, and all others that supported us during this time. We are very touched by the generosity shown by everyone, and Rob would have been so honored to see the love and respect that was shown towards him.
His service to our country has made him everyone's hero, especially ours.
JEFF and CATHY CARR and family
NINA, JULIE, RACHEL and JENNIFER
Cortland
If red herrings could fly
EDITOR:
The letter, "Politics by the numbers" in the April 1 Vindicator is rather fascinating. The author blames the drop in the population of the Mahoning Valley on the idea that the area is dominated by the Democratic Party. I believe the name for the logical fallacy that uses data and arguments unrelated to the thesis to prove that thesis is ignoratio elenchi.
Frankly, I have never seen a situation where the party label decides the performance of the politician when in office. Usually, when a Republican did get elected in the valley, the performance in office wasn't any better than that of the Democratic predecessor.
And what have the Republican members of the Ohio General Assembly accomplished? Some good things, but they have also passed crook-friendly legislation dealing with charter schools and predatory lenders, among others.
A true and effective two-party system would be highly dependent on a large percentage of independent swing voters. That would make the politicians toe the line.
As far as the Valley's decline in population goes, I do remember seeing the obsolete Bessemer converters still in operation at Youngstown Sheet and Tube back in the 1960s. You figure it out.
JEROME K. STEPHENS
Warren
Humphries' heavy hand
EDITOR:
Having just finished your second article on school district consolidation, I have a big question to ask. At which election did the voters elect Tom Humphries as our spokesman and grant him authority to speak for us on this issue? And where does he get off threatening to have the state pass legislation to force consolidation if we do not succumb to his persuasion?
The taxpayers within the current districts do not seem dissatisfied with their school taxes and the quality of education their schools offer. If they did, they don't need Humphries to tell them how to fix it. They do it through their local boards and at the ballot box when board members or levies, new or renewal, are voted on. Loss of local control can lead to lowering the quality bar. Then the tax flood gates open as money is thrown at underperforming districts.
For example, when I left Cleveland Heights to come here it was the premier school district. Now it is at the bottom of the performance chart statewide and spends 17,000 per student per year -- 5,000 more then Youngstown and 10,000 more then Canfield.
Humphries should leave schools alone and stick to businessmen associations. Tell them how to run their companies.
DANIEL VICTOR BIENKO
Canfield
'One' works in Florida
EDITOR:
While all the local superintendents tell us why a single superintendent per county won't work, I thought I'd tell you about Florida's Miami-Dade County school district.
They have a metro population of just under 2.5 million, over 10 times the size of our county. Miami Dade County Public Schools are operated by an independent elected school board. A professional superintendent of schools manages the day-to-day operations of the district. He is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the nine member school board.
We are now having our local superintendent use all the old bugaboos to keep us apart, from trotting out the race and sex education cards (listen for the words "local control") to the normal delaying tactic -- "'it needs a lot more study."
JANE PATTON
Poland
Effort pays off; Ivory is home
EDITOR:
On March 18, after just arriving home from buying a new German shepherd puppy, the dog broke loose and ran into the woods across from our home. Joe and Diane Nobile along with many other neighbors and North Jackson police helped us look for our dog for five days. On March 23, a gentleman from Lake Milton spotted Ivory and drove to the North Jackson Police Department and they assisted him in catching Ivory.
Thanks to all these people who went way beyond any of our expectations, we now have our dog back home with us. Off duty North Jackson Police Officers were out in the woods with us every night helping to look for our dog, they were also looking for her when they were on their regular patrols through out the township. Our many thanks to Chief Orrin Hill and his wife along with Officers Crum, Snyder, and K-9 Officer John Lyons for the many hours that they spent in the woods with us looking for our dog.
The word traveled fast that Ivory was missing and just as fast when she was found. Now that she has been home, people from the surrounding area have been calling us to say that they are glad that our dog is back home safe and sound. We also want to thank Todd Clark of Lake Milton who saw a dog with a leash running loose realized that she was in trouble and needed help.
We have lived here for only 31/2 years, but it feels as if we have been citizens of this community all our lives the way our neighbors and new friends have helped us this past week.
DAVID and PATTY JAMES
North Jackson