LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Thanks From The

Hoffman Family

This holiday season, Kyle Martin, a staff writer for the Hernando Today, highlighted a family in dire straits as they attended the Jericho Ministries Christmas Eve luncheon. I wanted to take the time to thank Kyle and those who support the recovery of the Hoffman family.

We can be down, but with the sense of community in Hernando County, we are never out.

Thank you to Jericho Ministries, Devereux, the Hernando County Association of Realtors, Valerie Pianta, Seating Constructors, Mid Florida Community Services-Hernando Continuum, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, Early Learning Coalition and Chic-fil-A. Special thanks to St. Vincent DePaul and their donors. A friend in need is a friend in deed.

Mr. Hoffman is a fiber optic cable installer and is still seeking steady employment. He is ready, willing and able to work. Those who responded through Hernando Today wishing to make donations can do so through the St. Vincent DePaul Store on Kass Circle, pledged to the Hoffman Family.

We helped one family get out of the woods when there were no other resources. The need going forward for many families will be great. The residents of Hernando County are an inspiration. Thanks again.

Rosemary Atkins

certified housing counselor

Neighborworks

What Were They Thinking?

One often hears complaints about the quality of local government, and I suspect that the announcement in today's newspaper will generate more. The powers running our local solid waste and recycling division have graciously permitted us to drive some 20 to 30 miles up to the U.S. 98 dump site to dispose of our unwanted prescription drugs.

I have no idea what sort of volume we are talking about, but it would seem to me that if it is desirable to keep these items from being flushed down the toilet and, therefore, out of our water table, it would make more sense to put a disposal bin at each of the dump stations, if not at each pharmacy. They already have such disposal bins for tires, fluorescent bulbs, oil, etc. at the dump stations, why not for unwanted drugs?

These chemicals are dangerous and already are appearing in our ground water. The cost to the waste division would be minuscule compared to the collective costs to the taxpayer for all the trips to the main dump, if that is what the taxpayer will do with the drugs. I suspect that they will go into the toilet or be otherwise improperly disposed of in the regular trash rather than incur the costs in time and money of a trip to the dump.

Wouldn't it be nice if the folks who are making these decisions actually gave some thought about the options available, the costs of those options and the consequences of their decisions?

Paul E. Ouellette

Spring Hill