Our Readers Speak — May 07, 2008

May 06, 2008 11:23 pm

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Registration and health screening a success

The Governor’s Kids First Initiative was the recent catalyst in pairing Fayette County Schools’ Kindergarten & Preschool registrations and screenings with the opportunity for well-child exams and immunizations.
Combining registration and preventive health screening allowed Fayette County Schools the opportunity to engage in a public-private collaboration with New River Health Association on four dates, in three locations within the county. This new, successful partnership and design provided parents a ‘one-stop’ opportunity to obtain the usual vision, hearing, and speech screenings in addition to well-child exams and immunizations while they registered their child for the 2008-2009 school year.
The success of this new venture would not have been possible without the assistance and cooperation of several agencies and many individuals. Fayette County Schools wishes to thank the following for their help and support with our recent accomplishment: Beckley Newspapers’ writers, Steve Keenan and Cheryl Keenan, New River Health Association representatives, Teri Harlan, Jennifer Boyd, Stephanie Hamilton, Linda Smith, Rita Blake and Jerri Hogan, Valley High School staff, Midland Trail High School staff, photographer Larry Fox; Pastor Jerry Bush and the Oak Hill Church of the Nazarene volunteers, WVUIT nursing students, Fayette Staring Points, A Place to Grow, Fayette County Schools’ elementary principals, kindergarten teachers and aides, preschool teachers & aides, speech language pathologists, school nurses, and central office staff, Serena Starcher, Nancy Price, Dawn Sedlock, Becky Lilly, Sharon Seay, Ben Pettry, Moses Shrubbery, Roger McComas, Max Fedukovich and Brian Potter.
The most important “Thank You” goes to all the parents who brought their children to our registration and screening sites. We sincerely appreciate your time, patience and the positive feedback you provided us. We hope to make next year’s registration even better.
With sincerest appreciation.

Margaret M. Pennington
Director of Elementary Schools/Assessment
Fayette County Schools

Forget animal tax, enforce existing laws

Once again I am reminded why I’m glad I don’t live in the city limits. The pet ordinance is a shining example. Somebody has way too much time on their hands.
It’s all right to keep all the dope you want or an AK-47, but not seven cats. A city council member must have a neighbor he doesn’t like. If cats are running loose, it’s one thing. But to tell a person what they can have or not have in their house is going too far.
It could get rather dicey if someone tried to control the animals in my house. The city would do well to enforce the laws they already have. Could it be the $1,000 fine they have their eyes on?
Living inside the town limits gives an opportunity to tax you to death. That is why downtown stores have moved into malls. The only time I ever go downtown is to the courthouse if I have jury duty, other than that I try to avoid it like the plague.

Ralph D. Marlow
Beckley