Letters to the Editor: 07.31.97
Acknowledge Debts
Amagansett
July 25, 1997
Dear Helen,
As a former weekly newspaper editor, I have marveled at the generous amount of space you allot to your readers' letters. Now I would like to take advantage of that generosity myself.
First I want to thank The Star for noting in such a nice way the death of my husband, your faithful reader and, as Sheridan Sansegundo put it, your sometimes cantankerous reviewer, Edwin Diamond. Next to still being alive, he would most of all have enjoyed the acknowledgement he has received for his efforts to improve journalism, and his achievements in that area and his contributions to it through the hundreds of his students who are now active, hopefully to its betterment.
I want just to note how very much he loved being out here. We discovered the Hamptons late. Although we lived for some 20 years in Sands Point on Long Island, we only came here to visit our daughters at Camp Blue Bay, until 1978, when we sold our house at Manhasset Bay and cast about for another way to be around water. (Transplanted Midwesterners, we loved the ability, once East, to keep ourselves a hop, skip, and jump away from some body of water.) And we found it in Springs, near the lovely little Barnes Hole beach, and we have spent a lot of time here for the past 20 years.
I want very much to acknowledge those wonderful folks who have taken care of that house and yard and us for all that time because without them neither Edwin nor I would have enjoyed being here nearly as much. And I would urge everyone like us who has benefited from the help and services of similar people to remember them, their needs, and their important contribution to the good life here, when planning for the future of this area.
It's one thing when I go to the store and spend a half hour getting to where I am going, another half hour seeking parking, and at least another half hour to pick up one more unnecessary tidbit for a party I could survive without giving. And it's a very different thing when someone is working here all day and remembers they need diapers, or a bottle of milk, or razor blades and has to try and run that errand on the way home or at lunch and, heaven forbid, in addition, it's Thursday, Friday, or Saturday during "the season."
Anyway, I want to acknowledge our debts to the wonderful and wonderfully helpful people who are responsible for making it possible for us to enjoy life here so much.
I will continue to enjoy the benefits of all these people and places. Edwin unfortunately will not. But from the bottom of my heart, I will always say "thank you" for adding as much to his life, and to our life together, as has the ocean, the special light, and the open space.
ADELINA DIAMOND
Walk Barefoot
Naples, Fla.
July 21, 1997
To The Editor:
As a former Long Island resident now residing in Naples, Fla., I am thoroughly appalled at the condition of the beaches. I have been spending my days at Wiborg's Beach and find there is total disregard for the clearly posted law regarding dogs. The owners allow them to roam freely, leaving their feces all over. Whatever happened to concern over the cleanliness and beauty of these beautiful beaches? It takes a cooperative effort by every resident and observance of the rules. Unless some action is taken, the beaches will eventually lose the appeal for which they have been recognized as among the best in the world.
The blatant disregard for the village's laws make me wonder how serious the Village Board was in passing them, since no effort is ever made to enforce them. The local police appear to drive from beach to beach merely to check on parking permits.
Hopefully, when I return next year, I will be able to walk barefoot without having to look down with every step I take.
Sincerely yours,
TERRI LOKPEZ
Maimed Beach
New York
July 21, 1997
To The Editor:
The East End is so very desirable mostly due to its beaches, its raw beauty, and its summer community atmosphere combined with its proximity to New York City. One beach in particular, Main Beach, is quickly becoming a blemish on an otherwise beautiful canvas.
The glaring problems are as follows:
1. Instead of being a quiet, restful, peaceful beach, the beach manager is turning it into a recreational playground.
a.She put a permanent volleyball court in the middle of the beach.
b.She put a basketball hoop in parking lot number one (the parking lot people pay extra for!).
c.Although the rules clearly state "ball playing in designated areas only," she allows it all over the beach; there is no designated area.
2.Instead of being a clean, beautiful, natural beach, the beach manager is turning it into a party garbage pit.
a.She never cleans the sand. Unfortunately, rude, nonthinking people use the sand as an ashtray. As a result, almost wherever one sits, there are cigarette butts at one's feet. Most beaches use a strainer-like apparatus on a machine to sweep and clean a beach. At Main Beach, they only empty the garbage pails. That's it for cleaning up. The actual sand is filthy. Even the natural seaweed washed up is not cleaned and should be.
b.She allows the lifeguards and their friends to "hang out" in and in front of the shed. The doors are wide open, and the messy inside is totally exposed to everyone. There's even an old ratty lounge chair in there that is sometimes pulled out and put next to the stand.
c.The floor in the snack bar is always dirty; french fries litter the place. The benches and areas around the tables are greasy and unkempt.
3.Instead of hearing only the ocean and the birds, the sounds one hears are harsh and irritating.
a.Police vehicles are constantly going from Main Beach to Georgica, zooming on the sand, making tracks, driving near blankets, making noise and pollution. Why? This was never done before. There is no emergency every day. If they want to go to Georgica, they should use the road.
b.Radios, especially on the weekends, are blasting. How about barring them, except for use with earphones?
Why can't the Main Beach get better and better, instead of worse and worse each year? It used to be so nice. The only change that brought improvement was the covers put on the garbage pails. As it is now, Main Beach should be called Lame Beach or Maimed Beach or Defamed Beach. Bring back the beauty and the serenity!
Sincerely,
MARILYN BREGMAN
For All To Share
Montauk
July 24, 1996
To The Editor,
My husband is a surf fisherman and enjoys fishing at Ditch Plain Beach. He is always well aware and quite polite to all the surfers there. However, mutual respect is not always given. This past weekend, my husband found a nice open spot to cast and directed his line far away from the surfers on his right. After a handful of casts, a new surfer swam out across his path and positioned himself directly in the way. As a result, my husband stopped fishing for the day. He didn't want to set his hook into a person.
The beaches are here for all to share, and we all should make concessions to each other so everyone can enjoy their own sport of choice.
RIKKI KUEHN
Ticketed At Church
East Hampton
July 22, 1997
To The Editor,
Guilty! I confess, my check is in the mail. No need to prosecute. One minute late for the 10 a.m. services at Holy Trinity, and I broke the law.
Had I been aware of my thoughtless behavior, I would have parked in one of the free spaces in the church parking lot. Instead, I jumped out of the car and proceeded the 50 odd feet to the corner, where, being the only pedestrian, I thanked the crossing guard for stopping traffic, crossed the street, and entered the church. Now two minutes late.
When I left the service and approached the intersection, I could see what the crossing guard must have seen while I was parking and, for that matter, over my shoulder while being thanked by yours truly for stopping traffic. I had parked on the sidewalk. Guess what else was visible? A summons for illegal parking adorned my windshield.
Good Judeo-Christian behavior would have called for this crossing guard to point out my infraction as it was taking place. As a matter of fact, I intended to interview some of our Jewish brothers and sisters as the basis of this letter.
Then it struck me! This was more a question of common courtesy than anything else. We year-round residents like to take shots at the larger summer population for bringing their city driving manners to our beautiful community. Maybe we should take a better look at the face we show them upon their arrival.
I have never before seen a car ticketed at church services.
Sincerely,
DAVID T. FETTES
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