Too much traffic, bad referees and free money
Every few weeks, we like to share what folks are writing in to their council members. Here's a selection of the e-mail for the past two weeks or so:
I live in the Quaker Run Subdivision just off Horsepen Creek Road in District 4. More and more high density building is being approved
creating absolute chaos for those trying to get access onto Horsepen Creek Road during high peak traffic hours. Visibility is limited coming out of our subdivision due to the curve just north of Quaker Run Drive. With the opening of a school on Drawbridge Parkway and several other schools along Horsepen Creek Road, which is only two lanes, you take your life into you hands just trying to get out of our subdivision. Yet approval was made for massive townhouse building on the west side of the curve and now more townhomes will be going in to the east just south of the Montessori School. Yesterday morning alone, with only 5 cars ahead of me, it took 6 minutes for me to make a right hand turn onto Horsepen Creek Road. Then upon reaching Drawbridge Parkway, I ended up inching up past Caldwell
Academy while over 300 cars wait to drop their children off at school, without so much as a center turn lane so those of us travelling to work have to wait on every car as it turns into the school.
Why do you folks keep on approving more and more building when the road cannot accomodate the traffic as it stands now? When was the last time any of you travelled along that road during peak traffic hours? I bet if you were faced with the dilemma that those of us who have lived in that specific area for the past 10 years, you would put your foot down and say, "NO," to more development without first assessing if the roads could handle the traffic.
Sincerely,
Nancydee Maxey
(Note: This rezoning case is scheduled to be heard by the council at their Nov. 16 meeting.)
I have no idea if I am contacting the correct person but I am extremely upset about a football game that was played last Wednesday October 13, 2004 at Trotter Center in Hester Park. The game was played between the Trotter Tigers and Lewis Black. The referee made bad calls the entire game and ended up calling the game with 4:55 left in the game. The game was called extremely one sided the entire came. The boys on the Trotter team were completely devesated by the game being called early. They were playing a good game and the referee completely overstepped his duties as referee for these 10 - 12 year old boys.
Even the coaches of the Lewis team felt the last call that ended in the referee calling the game were totally surprised by the call and the sudden end to the game. The last call that ended the game, the referee charged the Trotter team with a 40 yard penalty for pushing in the back field. I have just found out tonight that the Head Coach, Mr. Finch, has been suspended for one game and nothing at all has been done to the referee. If they suspended the coach without even hearing his side of the game, the referee should have been suspended as well.
I am white and I feel stongly that this is a racial issue. Coach Finch is black, the referee and head coach of the Lewis team are white. It has been a while since I have witnessed anything this one-sided and totally uncalled for. I am not the only parent that has a problem with this game. It is my understanding that one of the directors in the Parks and Recreation department had 40 minutes worth of voicemails on Thursday morning regarding this game. For the Parks and Recreations department to handle this the way that they did was totally unsatisfactory. They are taking the word of a consession stand worker who was not even near the field over the word of several parents.
I would appreciate some help from you or some direction you can give me to help make sure this doesn't happen again.
Sincerely,
Shaleena Simpson
(Note: The council referees a lot of disputes, but it's unlikely they'll step into this ref dispute.)
Logan Stewart
2624 Laburnum Ave
Charlotte, NC 28205
704-537-6680
I am with Geddings & Phillips Communications in Charlotte, and one of our engineering clients is interested in making political contributions for upcoming elections. Can you tell me when the next mayor and city council races will be, and what candidates will be running?
Thank you!
(Note: All of the city council seats are up for election a year from now. Inside Scoop is unsure whether any council members responded to this message in the affirmative.)