Sunday, March 25, 2007
Off-duty OSHP officer comes to rescue of injured driver
EDITOR:
On Jan. 17 I was in a very bad automobile accident that happened in front of Capt. James Holt, commander of the Warren Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He was off-duty and heard the crash. I was hit from behind and the back window had flown forward and hit me in the back of my head, splitting it open. My car was a Honda Del Sol which is a small two-seater.
Capt. Holt came over to the car, and I guess I was trying to get up, blood was everywhere. He was concerned I was going to injure myself further and he could tell I was in shock. He put his fist through my drivers side window, climbed in the car with his feet hanging out the window and laid over me keeping me still and keeping me warm until the ambulance arrived. Capt. Holt came to see me in the hospital. I saw his black and blue hand from smashing my car window.
I feel that police officers do so much and get very little credit for it. This man in my mind saved my life. I had staples in my head, blood on my brain and a swollen brain, along with whiplash. If he hadn't stopped me from moving and hadn't kept me warm, who knows what could have happened. I would love to see this man get some kind of recognition, not just for being a compassionate and caring police officer, but also a compassionate and caring human being. He jeopardized his own safety to protect me. He is my hero.
This world needs more people like Capt. Holt.
ANGELINE AMBROSINI
North Lima
Students should be given the right to choose
EDITOR:
The 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights states that Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion and or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech.
The 1st Amendment is the most important amendment of all. Yet you are not even allowed to say God in the Pledge of Allegiance or a teacher who pays taxes and is a citizen of the United States cannot talk about God or they can get fired. That is definitely not freedom of religion or freedom of speech.
In public school, you cannot talk about Jesus or bring a Bible, but you can bring books on witchcraft, such as "Harry Potter, & quot; which is considered a religion too. Also, you are not allowed to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but they do celebrate Halloween and hang witches, ghosts and skeletons on the hallway walls. Why is it offensive to say "Merry Christmas & quot; and "God Bless You?" To forbid this is against the 1st Amendment.
We are in sixth grade at Youngstown Christian School. Our teachers start the day with prayer. Throughout the day we are taught Christian behaviors that help the students not to fight, bully, or tease each other. Because God is allowed in our school, we know our friends and teachers will pray with us if we have a problem. This is a good feeling. It makes going to school a lot easier.
We strongly believe that if God were in the public schools there would be a lot less threats, fighting, weapons, vulgar language, abuse of school property, stealing, drugs, suicide and cliques.
I (Brittany Ward) have experienced a public school. It was so terrible that my mother took me out of that school and put me in Youngstown Christian School. I am very thankful to be able to go to a school that is a safe environment and a good Christian education.
At our school no one is forced to believe the Bible. If you do not want to pray, you do not have to. Our question is, why is the government taking away the students' right to choose? Every student should get to hear what the Bible says and choose for themselves.
CAMI CHICKONOSKI
Struthers
BRITTANY WARD
Canfield
Justice is delayed and denied
EDITOR:
When does the victim get a break? When, if ever, is justice served? Why are there so many appeals allowed by the courts? Did Kenneth Biros give Tami Engstrom a reprieve? Did he let her live another 15 years? No, he did not.
His attorneys speak of cruel and unusual punishment in execution, but what about the very cruel and totally inhumane treatment he did to Mrs. Engstrom? Was that fair? Of course not. She did not ask to be murdered. He chose to do it, now he needs to pay the piper and give closure to Tami's family who have been waiting for 16 years for justice.
Kenneth Biros has had 16 more years than he allowed Tami to have. The same goes for Danny Lee Hill. He's had at least two decades to live more than he let the poor little Fife boy have. He (Hill) claims to be retarded but yet he's outsmarted every judge he's been up against.
It's time to end this nonsense of appeal after appeal for years on end. These families deserve the justice.
And what about the taxpayers? Why do they have to support these brutal murderers year after year? Not to mention paying for the lawyers.
FRANCES WAGNER
Boardman