The Times Herald from Port Huron, Michigan • Page 9

SATURDAY, MARCH 17. 2001 TIMES HERALD. PORT HURON. MICHIGAN 9A i Members of trie Times Herald el tora! board: EDITORIAL BOARD Opinion Chuck Wanninger president and Thomas 0. Walker opinion page eaior Holly Ouaine saes manager Oenise Richter e-ecu! ti Shawn Starkey Garth J.

Kriewall ttaties Michael Basha. Janice Lrtllefield community merooers To contact any members of the editorial board or to request a meeting, call Tom Walker Opinion Page editor, at 989-6278 OUR VIEW THE NOTIONAL SCENE Opinion by Matt Davies YOUR VIEWS a. Firrr-)t-MrrTu -2- mm 1 1 BP Harsens Island bridge would spark unwanted development I am not in favor of a bridge. Harsens Island has been my home since 1970. My wife and I I raised two children here.

Harsens Island is a unique place and should be preserved as a place where nature and people coexist in harmony. I think a bridge will be the beginning of more development rather than preserv ing what little is left. The bridge as proposed will have a negative impact on navigation. It will limit any medium or larger sailboats from using this waterway. The icebreakers would be restricted to the South Channel to relieve ice jams and reduce the potential of flooding that frequently occurs in this area.

Icebreakers would be unable to assist this problem in the North or Middle Channel, as previous history has deemed necessary. This affects not only the island, but also many com- -munities above Lake St. Clair, along the St. Clair River. I I do not feel the aesthetics of this structure will be a compliment to the area.

The structure, as proposed, places many support piers in the river. This will increase the potential for water-craft collisions. The piers also will hamper ice flow, thus raising the potential of more ice jamsi Many dollars were spent on Dickerson Island to build dikes and piers for dredging of the channels for the freighters. This would no longer be accessible for the large dredging ships and barges we have seen in the past. The structure will also have a negative impact on many private residences in the immediate area.

I do not feel the structure is being built in the best interest of the majority of the people who live and use this area for recreation or the shipping interests that are so vital to our state's economy. TONY SKUDRNA Harsens Island, March 15 Community columnist is right to promote discussion on race I appreciated the positive, proactive approach to combat racism that was proposed by Mary Coulter in her column "Public discussions of race are uncomfortable, but necessary," in the -March 8 edition. Thank you for the thought-pro--voking ideas and healthy viewpoint presented. PAT SCHOMAKER' St. Clair, March 10 You see, it ivas Laura's (Flanigan Eastwood) father and my close friend, the late Ronald J.

"Vie Prince" Flanigan, who helped start the first St. Paddy's Day parade back on March 17, 19S6. Ron died on March 15, 2000, two days before he and I were to march side by side in the parade. Ron Flanigan is gone, but his spirit guides St. Paddy's Parade It's back to where it started Pine Grove Park.

I'm talking about the 16th annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Port Huron today. Last year, the Irish American Club of St. Clair County, the parade's new organizers, thought it would be a good idea to start the parade from the parking lot behind the old Desmond Theater confines of a local saloon. If you want a parade on St.

Patrick's Day before spring, then you've got to reach back to the spirit of what you are celebrating. That's what Ron said, and he was right. I could see it in Laura's pride for her father. Oh, I was still cold. But the spirit of the moment and the memory of my friend Ave Temps seem to be working for Algonac KEY TOPIC: Education School district has an answer to substitute teacher shortage Algonac School District leaders probably won't do a lot of bragging about their new answer to the substitute teacher shortage.

But contracting with Kelly Services seems to be working. Since the district contracted with the Fort Gratiot employment agency in December, its pool of substitutes has grown from 12 to 35, and temporary openings are being filled at a higher rate. The idea of a school district using a temporary-jobs service is a bit unsettling. Substitute teachers may be fill-ins, but they are required to have at least 90 credits from a four-year college and the ability to conduct a classroom that provides students with valuable instruction in their teacher's absence. But Kelly Services doesn't just provide warm bodies.

The substitutes it provides meet state education standards; they are trained to correctly review a teacher's lesson plan, instruct students and keep order in the classroom. So far, the district is happy with the arrangement. School administrators can pay attention to policy instead of covering for absent teachers Critics may regard temps who shape young minds one day and process data the next unfavorably. Ideally, substitutes probably should be loyal to their craft. But in a few years, Michigan will be coping with a teacher shortage.

Baby boomers will retire in great numbers and school districts will scramble to fill those jobs. The need for substitutes is likely to become acute. The Blue Water Area's substitute pool already ebbs and flows. Although some school districts are enjoying relative stability, not long ago, many were increasing the money they pay substitutes because they were becoming hard to find. The district pays Kelly Services $10 to $12 for each substitute teacher it places.

The substitutes start at $70 a day, which increases the longer they work for the district. Assistant Superintendent Bill Foster said the cost of contracting with the agency is no greater than paying someone to call substitutes and having another teacher fill in. Nobody said the arrangement was perfect. For Algonac, temps seem to be get-' ting the job done. U.S.

cars improving The latest Consumer Reports magazine survey contained good and bad news. After 20 years, U.S. automakers still trail their European and Japanese competitors in vehicle reliability. But the good news is the American auto industry is closing the gap. General Motors Corp.

went from 108 reported problems per 100 vehicles in 1980 to 24 last year. Ford Motor Co. improved from 107 to 21. DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler division went from 91 to 23. American cars are making remarkable progress.

That's good for the industry, good for consumers and good for America. JOHN F. BROWN MY TURN THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: and Harrington Inn on Military Street, then march north through the downtown on Huron Avenue to Glenwood Avenue. It had to be a misinformed leprechaun's decision, that's for sure. A leprechaun "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the tree exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances." First Amendment to the Constitution ol the United States who must have forgotten about the March wind that whips in from the north off Lake Huron.

I remember 4 walking north in the parade last year into that bitter cold wind on the Ronald J. Flanigan and his seven grandchildren will carry the memory of a special Irishman in their hearts today as they walk along arm in arm at the St. Paddy's Day parade. Somewhere today dressed in my Irish green, my green top hat firmly in place and my genuine, blackthorn shillelagh under me arm, I'll be toasting "The Prince." And this is what I'll say before the jar touches me lips: Ron, your dignity and love lives on. You reached into our hearts and left us with a rainbow of memories.

Thank you. And I think it's time for all of us to thank the members of the Irish American Club of St. Clair County for its incredible Celtic Fest 2001 this year, which culminates today with the St. Patrick's Day parade. George "Sandy" Duffy, Terri Nolan and Pat Cogley, you made It happen.

Your Irish ancestors would be proud. We are. GRAND MARSHALS: The grand marshals who have led the Irish parades in Port Huron are: Johnny Needham, 1986; Jack Keegan, 1987; Lawrence J. Cogley, 1988; the Rev. John R.

Hogan, 1989; Hannora Man-dana Ryan Conlen, 1990; Jerry Emmett Lynch, 1991; Annabel Victoria O'Hare Kinnee, 1992; Michael Patrick McCartan, 1993; Patrick James Carey. 1994; Peg Wittliff, 1995; Julia OHara and Ron Cooley, 1996; Jean I. Mara Ryan, 1997; Raymond James Gleason, 1998; Jeremiah Patrick O'Connor, 1999, arid John F. "Jerry" Brown, 'tis me-self, 2000. AN IRISH KISS: Three of Ireland's leading tenors Tom Cregan, Ciaran Nagle and Anthony Norton, who have enchanted audiences worldwide, will be in town Wednesday for a one-night engagement at McMorran Place.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are still available for the Three Irish Tenors. John F. Brown is a retired Times Herald writer, reporter and columnist. Write him at P.

O. Box 5009, Port Huron, 48061-5009. Ronald J. Flanigan pushed me forward. Today, the Irish parade pays tribute to Ronald Flanigan as its honorary grand marshal.

And saints be preserved, the wind promises to be a step behind and at the back of the parade's marchers. It's an Irish blessing you know may the wind be always at your back. You've heard it before, haven't you? The grand marshal for the parade 'tis herself, Lida Mary McGorry Cross Jones of Port Huron, who will celebrate her 92nd birthday in July. Lida also exemplifies what the Irish parade is all about families, friends and neighbors welcoming back spring with a singing walk through the heart of the city. Ron, 66, was a former St.

Clair County prosecutor and law instructor at St. Clair County Community College. Our friendship began in 1966, when he moved here from Mount Clemens with his wife, Margaret, and their family. Ron's former law partner and good friend, retired Circuit Judge James T. Corden of Port Huron, often walked the Irish parade route with Ron.

"They didn't come any better than Ron Flanigan," Judge Corden said. "Ron's family, friends, law practice, community and Irish heritage were his life." Ron was also an organizer of the People's Law School at the community college, and he was chairman of the St. Clair County Indigent Committee. Ron's widow, Margaret, and his children, Laura Flanigan (Danny) Eastwood; Maureen Flanigan (John) Salyako; Sharon Flanigan Walker; and JOIN THE DISCUSSION We welcome your comments on editorials, columns and other topics in the 77mes Herald or on any subjects important to you. Only submissions that include name, address and day and evening phone numbers and that are verified by the 77mes Herald can be considered for publication.

Letters to the editor of 250 or fewer words and opinion columns with a maximum of 600 words and a minimum of 500 words have the best chance of being published. All submissions may be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. Letters to the editor, opinion columns and articles submitted to the 7mes Herald may be published or distributed in print, electronic or other forms. BY MAIL: Send all submissions to the 77mes Herald, P.O. Box 5009, Port Huron 48061-5009.

BY PHONE: Call our TalkBack line any time at 989-6297 with your comments. You also can use that line to dictate a letter by including your name, address and day phone number. BY FAX: Our fax number is 989-6294. BY ELECTRONIC MAIL: Our Internet address is tmshrldic.net. We will publish a letter by the same author no sooner than 14 days after his or her previous letter.

Military Street Bridge and feeling sorry for myself. I had to hold onto my green top hat and close my jacket collar tightly against my neck, as the icy cutting wind attacked us as we walked. Then, I saw Laura Flanigan Eastwood walking proudly, not letting the cold wind break her stride. You see, it was Laura's father and my close friend, the late Ronald J. "The Prince" Flanigan, who helped start the first St.

Paddy's Day parade back on March 17, 1986. Ron died on March 15, 2000, two days before he and I were to march side by side in the parade. Seeing Laura reminded me of what Ron said to me when plans for the first annual Irish parade were made in March 1985. He noted that March is always cold. A winter parade, even on St.

Patrick's Day, would test the mettle of anyone, especially an Irishman or Irish colleen, who could celebrate the day with a jar in the warm ladybugs. They don't even have any reverence for the chnrch. Plus at home, if you have an uncovered drink sitting there, you better check it first before you take a swallow. And don't yawn, because they're going to fall right into your mouth. So, please help, somebody." Don't kill 'cm.

They arc beneficial insects. Get out your vacuum cleaner, suck them up. then release them outdoors. And remember: As soon as the weather warms up a hit, they will head back outdoors on their own. worst roads you can drive down.

It looks like a roller' coaster road because you've got bumps and holes all over the place from Gratiot to Big Hand Road. It is terrible." Randy from Deckerville: "Your paper did a nice job of covering the Sen. Dan DeGrow's Quiz Bowl, and Port Huron Northern High School as Class A champions and Port Huron High runners-up. However, I don't believe you reported that Deckerville High School was the champions in the Class CD division and wanted your readers to be informed of that. We're very proud of those students that get involved at Deckerville High School." We're sorry we didn't get the story in the next day, but we did report on Deckerville's win on page 4A in Tuesday's paper.

LI Ed from Port Huron: "Regarding any possible north-south routes across says they promise to keep the place clean and neat. They need something soon. If you have a spot you could volunteer for this wonderful cause, please give me a call as soon as you can. I'll pass the messages along to Ms. Crowe.

Now, to the phones: Tiny from Adair: "On March 13, at approximately 4:30, we had an electrical pole go down, and 18 hours later, we still had no power. These poles here are older than the hills, and we pay some good tax money out here. Can we get something done around here? We don't have ditches that are proper around here; the roads are always in bad shape. What do we pay taxes for?" know one thing. Tiny: Your taxes don't have anything to do with utility lines.

Gina from Richmond: "They've had money in escrow to have Arlington Road paved. It's one of the the canal going to the end of 10th Avenue, I checked with the U.S. Veterans Administration, and they said that as long as that veterans cemetery is there, the state and the city of Port Huron cannot legally go through there because that cemetery is protected under federal law. What they should do is widen Gratiot Avenue to put in a second bridge." John from Algonac: "Maybe you can get the state police to answer some of my questions. How many people would wear seat belts if they weren't forced to? Why don't they report how many people are still killed wearing seat belts? And how many lives would be saved if they started cracking down on the crazies who think these speed limits are for everyone else and everyone should get out of their way?" There are a lot of bad drivers out there, John.

That's why we all should buckle up. Jeff from Goodells: "I saw the picture on the front page of the paper of Fred Fuller walking across the property by the Edison plant in Marysville. It's a very appropriate picture. I see he's got his hands in his pockets and he's looking down, the same thing he's done for the last five years. If you want to see a result of what Fred Fuller has done for the residents of southeastern Michigan, take a ride up on Van Dyke, north of Imlay City, and see the several carrot farms that have filed bankruptcy and gone out of business now.

That's the result of dragging your feet and putting your hands in your pockets, Mr. Fuller, instead of taking care of business, as vou were elected to do." Ericka from Burtchville Township "I really would love to have some of your readers lirow out some ideas on getting rid of these Leader Dog group needs meeting spot Carolyn Crowe raises puppies to be Leader Dogs for the Blind. She and a half-dozen people like her in this area need a little help. They are looking for a place to meet for a couple of hours one Saturday a month for dog-training classes. Ms.

Crowe is looking for some place in the Port Huron area, which is centrally located for the others in the program. They need an empty, enclosed space, about the size of half a basketball court, with flooring that can withstand active dogs. It could be a warehouse, a gymnasium, a large classroom anything that can be closed to keep the dogs from running off. And Ms. Crowe GARTH KRIEWALL TALKBACK 989-6297 TalkBack is the newspaper's version of a radio talk show.

The opinions are Garth's and those of his readers. The TalkBack line is open 24 hours. CALL TALKBACK The TalkBack line is open 24 hours: (810) 989-6297 Toll free: Call 1-800-462-4057 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

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