I would like to voice a problem that is becoming increasingly prevalent. Each morning as I wait for the TTA bus to go to work in Raleigh, I and other passengers are constantly harassed by panhandlers asking for money, cigarettes, or simply invading personal space to create a disturbance. They are often intoxicated and do not hesitate to become abusive and threatening when I refuse to give them money.

Case in point: I rode the bus home two months ago, was having a private conversation, and a panhandler poked me sharply in the side demanding Percocet. I asked him to please not touch me. When he exited the bus at the ABC store stop he proceeded to use obscene language to me. This morning a shelter man came up to me saying that he was a preacher and was going to marry me to the person I was speaking with. This is not humorous. I politely told him I was having a conversation with my friend, not with him. He still continued to invade my private space. I told him I was going to call the police to which he responded, "I don't care. Call them. It won't make a difference."

This type of behavior is becoming the norm in Chapel Hill. I did speak with the Chapel Hill Police Department, who said they could not increase police presence at that time of day since the officers would be in briefings at that time of morning and the only thing I can do is dial 911. I find the claim on the web page of Chapel Hill being a "Southern part of Heaven" difficult to substantiate when the community is blatantly allowed to be abused while in public as they are trying to be a productive part of society.

Courtney M. Parker

Carrboro

Testing for sludge runoff a no brainer

Appropriate and ongoing testing of tributary waters flowing into the Cane Creek Reservoir, a primary drinking water supply for Chapel Hill and Carrboro should not be an issue ("County won't do sludge study," CHN June 3). This should be routine and done on a systematic basis to ensure that runoff from sewage sludge applied farmlands does not impact the quality of the drinking water. Simple.

All farmers accepting sewage sludge sign an agreement allowing state and local officials to take soil, surface and ground water samples for testing as necessary or needed; so the county already had the farmers' agreement. The question is, what is the problem?

Farmer should want to know that sludge applied to his/her land is safe and causing no harm. The County Environmental Health Department should have set up a routine sampling of the soil, surface and ground water to ensure no contamination of the Cane Creek Reservoir and University Lake for all tributaries feeding the water supply through sludge-applied lands. Good public health measures and reassurance for the farmer that his soil and water is not contaminated should be the goal.

Do the people of Chapel Hill and Carrboro deserve to know if drugs, chemicals, or toxic metals are running into the reservoir? Water treatment does not remove these pollutants. Or is this a "Don't ask, don't tell" type of arrangement?

Let's think very carefully about this and think about why we have an Environmental Health Department. Don't you think that its obligation extends to all citizens of Orange County to protect public health from controllable adverse environmental impact?

Nancy Holt

Mebane

Fight now for true health care reform

American citizens should not have to be elected to Congress in order to get good health care. A serious illness should not cause the financial ruin of a family. There are too many people who cannot access health care. How can we allow the health insurance companies to dictate who shall receive live-saving treatment -- and who shall not?

The health insurance lobby is powerful. They don't want to give up their high salaries; they don't want to see the end of a for-profit health care system that has benefited them but cost the rest of us.

We must hold our elected officials accountable. We must be the health care lobby. We must defeat those who promote "triggers," giving the insurance companies yet another chance to delay "fixing" the system. They have had their chance, and we have paid the price for that. Let's all work to bring about health care reform in our lifetime!

We must work for a sound health care plan that includes:

-- A good, Medicare-like public health insurance plan with high quality, affordable coverage for those who need it.

-- Freedom to choose one's own doctor and hospital.

Let us help Congress and our president create a real health care system -- one that is comparable to those in every other industrialized country in the world. Write your representatives and senators. Tell your story. Get your friends to do the same. We will never have a better chance to get real change. This time we cannot afford to fail.

Susan Spalt

Carrboro

Thanks to those helping the YMCA

During a time when there are daily if not hourly reminders of the most challenging economy our country has seen in decades, there are heroes among us who need to be recognized for their commitment to the entire community. I'm talking about the people and organizations supporting the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA's annual Strong Kids Campaign.

As a volunteer board member for the YMCA, I'm honored by the contributions of organizations like the Strowd Roses Foundation to the YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign. Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina Foundation has been extremely generous in its support of the YMCA, along with other partners such as DSI Comedy Theater, SunTrust bank, Duke Energy Foundation, The Redwoods Group, MEY Corporation, Fenwick Foundation, Endurance Magazine, and so many others including hundreds of individuals.

As a matter of policy, no one is turned away from the YMCA for an inability to pay, and we expect to receive requests for financial assistance to total more than $220,000 this year alone. Everyone who seeks to be a part of the YMCA is welcome.

Thanks to all of our donors, financial help is there for many of our friends and neighbors who need it. Plus, 100 percent of all monies donated to the annual Strong Kids Campaign are reinvested in people who live and work here.

Thank you! Thank you to the hundreds of people who have given freely to help others in this difficult time for many of us. It's easy to give when the economy is robust and money is flowing freely, but we're truly honored and grateful for all of our donors who know that the services we offer are needed now more than ever.

Christopher Limerick

YMCA Strong Kids Chairman

Chapel Hill

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

The Chapel Hill News welcomes letters and columns from readers. Letters are limited to 300 words, columns to 550. Writers are limited to one letter a month and one column every three months. All submissions become property of The Chapel Hill News and McClatchy Newspapers.

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