Leopold Makes a Good Public Servant

Dear Bay Weekly:

Your recent editorial on County Executive John Leopold [Vol. xv, No 33: Aug. 16] showed the essence of what makes a good public servant, a politician if you will. John Leopold, as any politician is, was elected to serve his constituents. He was elected to serve those who voted for him, and those that didn’t. In the end, a good public servant should be listening to his constituents. 

As your editorial points out, John Leopold has definitely done this. What we must ask now of all of our elected officials is to please act accordingly. Each and every politician should realize that they are public servants, and are elected to serve those that live in their district. Serving the people — and standing up for what founded our county, state and country — are the most important roles of our leaders.

Let us follow in the footsteps of some great public servants and actually care about our constituents. It is what’s best for the future of Maryland.

—Victor Henderson, Glen Burnie

Dale Thomas Makes Good Reading and Memories

Dear Bay Weekly:

I want to express my pleasure for Michelle Steel’s article on Dale Thomas [Knowing What to Hold onto and When to Let Go: On — and off — the job with antiques collector Dale Thomas: Vol. xv, No 33: Aug. 16] Good pictures: He looks really wonderful and 74 to boot. Dale and I have been friends for a very long time. I’ve been to his lovely place there on the Bay lots of times, and it is truly beautiful there. His peacock Indigo is such a beauty, and I do know the old kitty, Advent. Did my heart good to know she is still with us.

Before Dale placed the dish there for the swans, we had a nice big party a while ago, and he asked me to bless the place where they were to be by doing my Tai Chi form on that spot. Of course the swing is a must; it’s a real thrill.

—Sharron Oliver, Port Republic

Continuing the Blue Crab Dialogue

Dear Bay Weekly:

I just read Lynn Simarski and Guy Guthridge’s Blue Crab Dialogue in the July 5 issue [Voyages of Discovery: Vol. xv, No: 27]. This is one of the most interesting Bay articles I’ve read in some time. I am writing to ask if you might allow me to reprint the article in the next issue (of Virginia Water Resources Research Center’s newsletter, Virginia Water Central. The newsletter goes out to about 2500 readers, and we post all issues at our Web site at http://www.vwrrc.vt.edu/WaterCentralIntro.htm.

—Alan Raflo, Blacksburg, VA

Editor’s note: Permission granted.

Good Samaritan, Unrequited

Dear Bay Weekly:

I thought you’d like to hear the denouement of my story on the Jet Ski operator, hopelessly lost, panicked, drunk and out of gas [Letters: Vol. xv, No. 31: Aug. 2].

I met the kind lady who staked him $10 (and whose mailing address I made sure he had to return it). Most of a month now and she’s never heard a word from him. So much for being a Good Samaritan.

Watch out! He’s still on the Bay looking for a new disaster.

—Kent Mountford, Lusby