My Granny, as I called her, told me, "When that whistle blows you better be in the house or the policeman will get you." I was so afraid if I didn't get home before that curfew blew, I would wind up in the pokey.
During the schools months it blew at 8:45 p.m. and during the summer, at 9:45 p.m. Now it blows at 9:30 all year round.
I salute Canonsburg for keeping this tradition. The kids probably don't pay attention to it, because kids these days have no fear.
We don't have a curfew in Houston; at least I never heard of one being enforced. Maybe we should. What would it hurt? Where I live, I see kids walking all hours of the night when they should be home; little kids as well as big kids.
I, my husband and our children were not raised like this. As a result, we turned out to be pretty good people. We are proud of our children. They are grown and my son and his wife have a little boy. They, too are raising him to be a fine young man. We are proud of them.
Parents, do you know where your kids are? Their lives are so precious and it is up to us to protect them.
Linda Bell Wachtler
Houston
Police-report delay causing problems
My daughter, a young mother, whose husband is serving in Afghanistan, had her parked car heavily damaged by a drunk driver 17 days ago (as of this writing on June 10) in Washington. Why is it that she cannot get the necessary information to have her car repaired, and have a rental to drive?
The arresting officer doesn't seem to like to do paperwork, or return phone calls, and was too busy with private duty of the filming of a movie in the city last week, and now vacation this week. His superiors can't even seem to get this patrolman to do his job. All the above persons have been repeatedly called in the last two weeks for help in this matter.
In the meantime, without a vehicle, and having to produce her deductible, because we don't have the driver's insurance information, she is truly the victim, not the driver who was cited for DUI, and her passenger who left the scene with the vehicle! Both are walking around town, not being inconvenienced at all.
The lesson learned here is when the police arrive to "help" you, you must take matters into your hands as well, get all your information while it's happening, ask questions, get answers.
I wonder if this patrolman will be reprimanded for this lack of performance in his job. If I didn't do my job, I believe I'd be facing consequences.
Susan Ventura
Washington
Washington County courts are anti-dad
Washington County's court system is pro mom. We have good fathers being kept out of their children's lives by the courts. How is every other weekend with Dad fair to the children?
I'm not talking about the good mothers that do encourage their children to be with their fathers also. There are mothers that use the court to keep good fathers away - almost a form of payback, using their children. And the judges of Washington County let it happen.
We need change. Judges need to start to support children and allow equal access to both parents.
Raelene Sochor
Washington