This will be a good year to have behind us, so I wanted to drag out this dead horse and beat it a little — consider it my New Year’s gift to our readers, feel free to agree or disagree as you individually see fit.
Letter: Textbooks inaccurately depict Islam
Angela Casey
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor:
Parents should be aware of a growing problem in the social studies and history textbooks currently used in St Johns County high schools and throughout the United States; one of the worst being “Pearson’s World History”.
Add “gender identity” to protected class
Jessica Windisch
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor,
I would like to bring to your readers’ attention to Monday night’s regular meeting of the City of St Augustine commission, when there will be a second reading and public hearing of Ordinance No. 2012-15; an ordinance of the City of St Augustine, Florida, related to housing discrimination.
After five or six years of overbearing, even abusive behavior, by St Johns Commissioners deemed to have bullied members of the public who have come before them with concerns and complaints, the new commissioners seem interested in what the public has to say.
Guest Column: Thoughts for the Holidays
David B Shoar, Sheriff
St Johns County, FL
We are coming up on one of the most festive times of the year for families with the celebration of several holidays. During this time, many youngsters receive motorized gifts and then don’t know where they can be driven.
Guest Column: Gopher tortoises
Susan van Hoek
GTM Research Reserve Environmental Educator
Marineland, FL
According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, the gopher tortoise is the only land tortoise native to the United States, east of the Mississippi — its population is rapidly declining; they are listed as “threatened” in Florida and are candidates for federally “endangered” status.
Letter: Recent bike fatality
Heather Neville
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor,
My heart hurts this morning for the loss of yet another cyclist, and to a hit and run again.
I can only imagine the horror of the witnesses as they saw this person’s life lost.
Letter: Improve neighborhood notice
Rhey Palmer
St Augustine, FL
Dear Editor:
The current process for notifying the public of hearings and issues affecting neighborhoods has proven to be insufficient to allow for the timely and intended public input.
