Public's wishes being circumvented

Editor:

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- When Wheeling Coin LLC attempted to open a Hot Spot club in the Cheat Lake area of Morgantown two years ago, residents in that area voiced their opinions loudly and clearly. "No." They learned the process to oppose a Hot Spot and addressed the issue through appropriate channels.

Now there's a reapplication for that Hot Spot license, along with a shell game. The application, for the same address, has been made by Lakeview Café LLC, which oddly has a Wheeling postal address. Hot Spot establishments require that operators obtain a license from the West Virginia Lottery Commission, but not before they also obtain a license from the Alcohol Beverage Control Administration. Since the ABCA denied the license application, the applicant made an "end run" through Ohio County Circuit Court, which ordered that the license be granted for the location several counties and approximately 90 miles away.

People in the Wheeling and Morgantown areas, and statewide for that matter, should be furious. How can an applicant continue to abuse the system after license denial? ABCA indicated that the proposed location -- close to several neighborhoods, a number of churches and, yes, within a few miles of two other Hot Spot locations -- was not suitable for a private club. Homes are located within 100 feet of the proposed location.

Hot Spots have slinked their way into West Virginia neighborhoods for long enough, many times when it was too late for nearby residents to have a fair say. That is not the case this time. Residents did their homework, went through proper channels and are still somehow in for a fight.

By the way, statistical data shows dramatic increases in crime, alcohol-related offenses and attention by police forces that could be tending to real law enforcement. Should people circumventing the system for monetary gain have an advantage over people invested in areas where they live?

Patrick Gregg

Morgantown

NRA hat insults all Americans

Editor:

Some time before the election, I made a contribution to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA), to help support candidates with my attitude. I opted to receive an NRA-inscribed ball cap as a "reward," to show my affiliation and belief.

So, on Dec. 13 a box arrived with ball cap. Opening up, the cap looked OK. (How much can you do to a ball cap?)  I looked inside for the union label or "made in USA" tag, and what do I see? A tag that says "Made especially for the NRA, MADE IN VIETNAM!"

The more I looked at this, the more steamed I got. This is a direct support for a communist country, which is an insult to every American life lost there, every family that had a member there. I proceeded to tell the NRA this, and that I had serious difficulties supporting them in the future. They are talking a good game (which I support), but they are not walking the walk!

George McKinney

Hurricane

Pentagon must share cuts

Editor:

West Virginia Quakers met with staffs of each West Virginia senators and representatives on Nov. 16 to urge an equitable distribution of funds in the expected federal budget realignment. In light of the coming fiscal crisis and our nation's escalating debt, the Pentagon should not be immune from cuts while programs for teaching, nutrition, job retraining, child welfare and repair of our infrastructure are targeted. The U.S. government must invest more in peaceful prevention of deadly conflict by tackling the root causes of conflict and violence and less in military intervention.

The Pentagon budget needs to be cut. Our military budget has doubled in the last 10 years -- not counting operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of 2010, the U.S. military budget accounts for nearly 48 percent of global military spending, more than the next 17 countries combined. Pentagon contracts have a history of cost overruns, contractor abuse, quality failure and redundancy. In one year, the Pentagon loses, wastes or misspends over $100 billion.

 Charleston Friends Meeting (Quakers) asks concerned citizens to write their senators and representatives to support meaningful cuts in Pentagon spending. Our web page (charlestonwv.quaker.org) has a section with materials from the Friends Committee on National Legislation for those wanting more information.

Susan Wellons

Charleston