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Blackberries a Gift from God to Children
Dear Bay Weekly:
Please tell Vivian Zumstein how much I enjoyed her Reflection about blackberry picking [Vol. XII, No. 31: July 29]. I have taken children to water parks, carnivals, magic shows and toy stores — but if you want to get children really excited, show them where the blackberries are hidden on a hot summer day. The blackberries are a gift from God to the children, even as the children’s berry-stained smiles are a gift to me.
—Hanne Denney, Churchton:
President, Anne Arundel County Family Child Care Association
Bill Burton’s Right on Menhaden
Dear Bay Weekly:
Thank you Bill Burton for bringing up another topic that needs to be discussed. Menhaden [Vol. XII, No. 30: July 22] are the base of the food chain for many more traditionally valuable species like rockfish. Anecdotal stories about too many rockfish threatening the blue crab population may have more basis in fact than I thought. The oily menhaden is much more nutritionally valuable to the rockfish than crabs are. But like many species, rockfish will substitute other prey when their favored food isn’t available.
At the May meeting of the Lower Potomac Tributary Team, we had a briefing on the menhaden fishery. Mr. Burton hit the nail on the head with his comments about the company involved. And to top it off, they have a permit from the state of Virginia to discharge lots more nitrogen than any wastewater treatment plant in the Bay.
A further thought is that menhaden are filter feeders. The mission of all the tributary teams is to promote ways to reduce the inflow of nutrients into the Bay. Plankton takes up these nutrients, which are in turn eaten by filter feeders. So the menhaden fishery gives us a double whammy, ruining a good fishery and taking away a natural nutrient reducer. And let’s not get into the odor associated with the rendering plants.
—Bob Boxwell, Solomons:
Chair, Lower Potomac Tributary Team
Annapolis’ Driving and Parking Problems Soon to Be Over
Dear Bay Weekly:
This letter is in response to your article “Laying Siege to Annapolis [Vol. XII, No. 31: July 29]. In the article, Louis Llovio noted the congestion and lack of parking in our city due to construction on a main entrance into our town and the completion of roadwork in the historic district. Within the next month, all of the transportation and parking issues will be in the past. A new transportation system will be in place with shuttles transporting visitors into town from the stadium parking lot. The Navigate Annapolis wayfaring signs will be erected and ready to direct travelers to convenient parking. And the final segment of the West Street development will be completed, brick by brick!
Welcome to Annapolis, the progressive capital city where we promote the past, present and the future!
—Stephanie Duncan,
Annapolis & Anne Arundel County Conference & Visitors Bureau
