Apr 25, 2002 4 min read

Dear Editor: I am writing this on behalf of the Head Start of Fayette County bus drivers.

It seems as though people do not understand what it is like to pick up or drop off children that are only 3, 4 and 5 years old.

Apparently people driving on a back road find it just horrible when they see those yellow then red lights flashing that mean they must stop for a bus that is picking up or dropping off children. It must take too long for them.

I witnessed this first-hand on Thursday, April 11, when I rode the bus. Some of the people who stop either give these bus drivers appalling gestures or their mouths just keep moving angrily.

Some words that are mouthed can be read and are awful. The gestures that I’ve seen can and sometimes are seen by the children on these buses.

Whenever the bus is stopped to pick up or let off children, these people must believe that the driver is just talking to the parents to make conversation and waste time.

That is not the case. The parents must initial a form acknowledging that they put their child on the bus, and the child must be sitting down and buckled in the seat belt before the bus can move. While this is going on yes, the parent and bus driver, may talk about how the child is feeling or how the weather is on that day.

When the children are taken home, the same procedure goes as parents must initial a form that they got their children off of the bus. Sometimes these small children fall asleep and must be awakened before they can be unbuckled from their seatbelts, and the child may walk a little slower getting off.

So, drivers out there, please be patient. After all these are small and very young children and are not out to waste your time and make you unhappy or upset.

Brenda Frey

Markleysburg

Democrats hurt themselves

Dear Editor:

It is apparent that the “Democratic Dynasty,” particularly in Southwestern Pennsylvania is suffering from severe nerve root exposure. This can be the only explanation for the consistent wailing, whining and moaning over the redistricting “issue.”

If the quality of Democratic representation has been reflective of the concerns of the constituency, there should be no fear of diminished service; however, it seems that what concerns Democrats the most is not the actual business of representative government, but continuing efforts preserving their personal power and control.

In districts containing over 650,000 people (drawn 10 years ago by Democrat judges), the difference between the largest and smallest district was 63 people. The current plan (thrown out by Democrat judges) shows a difference of only 19 people. Is the real concern equal representation?

If the current Democrat congressman is an “effective leader,” why run against another “effective leader” of the same party?

While it’s nice to know what others in the media think, why don’t these current Democrat leaders seem to care what the people think?

Perhaps in the spirit of bipartisanship, we shouldn’t be too harshly critical of a party suffering from obvious, serious compound fractures.

In a sympathetic sense of reality, however, we should be aware that all of these wounds have been self-inflicted and, more importantly, tax-paying citizens are truly the innocent victims.

Hopefully, voters will look beyond the Band-Aid tactics of political palm greasing and listen through the noise of inflammatory doubletalk.

Only then will the people realize that while Democrats are consuming us and one another in their own lusts, Republican leadership has and will continue to serve the true needs of the people.

Chuck Swope

Spraggs