Hounds score more wins for the city than Frangos

Hounds score more wins for the city than Frangos

EDITOR:

Three years ago my wife and I experienced something I thought I would never see again. Thousands of people in downtown Youngstown. The city was alive again. Yes, it was the first night of Youngstown SteelHounds hockey.

Over the next three seasons, my family and friends enjoyed the experience of going downtown for hockey and staying downtown for the evening. This is all to the credit of one man and his vision: Herb Washington. I met Mr. Washington (Herb, to everyone he meets) at the hockey games many times. His wonderful personality extended to the entire staff of the SteelHounds (Tom and George, to mention two). Thanks to Herb, the downtown was alive again.

Thus it was with shock and dismay that I read about the action our mayor and the city have taken with the SteelHounds. Herb has taken a loss every season and stayed with the program because he loves this city and believed in his vision. Yet this is how he is rewarded. This is a shame and a disgrace.

On the other hand, the city backs up Mr. Frangos for the past three years and he has done nothing to the downtown. Let’s see if we can figure out this formula:

Herb + SteelHounds = Thousands Downtown

Now let’s compare that with the city’s formula:

Frangos + city support = Empty Buildings, Fenced Up Property, Falling Windows

I would like to know how fenced up buildings without windows is going to draw the thousands downtown that Mr. Herb Washington was able to draw. But our beloved city officials once again think they did the best thing for Youngstown.

I would like to invite the mayor, Mr. Frangos and all the city officials to come downtown in the evening this fall/winter ‘08. You won’t have to worry about the crowds; there will be plenty of empty spaces to park, but be careful when you get out of your car: You may get hit with a flying window.

TONY CATANIA

Youngstown

Impeach Bush, Cheney over misguided oil policy

EDITOR:

The Bush administration, especially Dick Cheney, routinely and flagrantly ignores and distorts truth to fulfill personal agendas. They benefit personally when oil prices rise. The rising of oil prices is well known (to anybody who reads widely, e.g., the unauthorized biography of George Bush among much other discourse) to be linked to the current administration’s foreign and domestic policies.

War money could be much better spent on a single-payer health program for all Americans. We’re tired of being in last place among industrial countries with respect to health care.

Let’s begin impeachment proceedings on the administration now.

JAMES SAULINO

Youngstown