Letters to the Editor - Feb. 10

<p><b>Recycling setback</b></p><p>Waste needs to be diverted from Florida landfills and recycling is a high-priority goal. </p><p>The goal of the Florida Energy, Climate Change and the Economic Security Act of 2008 is to achieve 75 percent waste recycling by 2020. Alachua County currently recycles approximately 32 percent, only slightly above the collective state average of 28 percent.</p><p>This lofty goal of 75 percent will be achieved by obtaining the support and involvement of local governments working in cooperation private entities and the public. </p><p>I am impressed by the county's goal of reducing landfill waste by attracting recycling businesses to Gainesville. It is easy to envision a regional recycling center serving Gainesville and surrounding areas.</p><p>However, The Gainesville Sun has reported that this goal may be jeopardized by Emerald Waste Services, which seeks to undermine Alachua County by opening its own waste transfer station. </p><p>Alachua County is ultimately responsible for garbage collection, and it should strive for cost-effective garbage disposal. Over a decade ago, Alachua County opted for a transfer station to facilitate recycling and waste recovery. The goal now is to attract recycling businesses to Gainesville by developing a resource recovery park.</p><p>Public input on how Alachua County can move toward maximizing waste recovery and reuse — and also compete against the company it hires to collect garbage — might be helpful.</p><p><i>Diane Forkel,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>Neglecting our youth</b></p><p>I have been a Gator fan all my life. I congratulate Coach Urban Meyer for all of the new recruits coming to Florida.</p><p>However, I have a bone to pick with The Gainesville Sun.</p><p>On Thursday, The Sun's front page story read "Best Class Ever?" The front page of the sports section read "Signature Day," with a picture of a signee from California. Pages 4C and 5C had all of the signee pictures with a writeup about each one.</p><p>The local high school signees had a small write up at the bottom of the paper with a small picture of two players going to The University of Miami.</p><p>We as parents and adults ask our students to study hard, stay out of trouble, get involved in school activities and it will pay off. The local students did just that, and yet more attention was given to students who don't live in the area and probably never will once they complete their education.</p><p>Keeping their grades up and playing a sport is quite a task for a teenager, yet that is just what they did. Why not give the local signees two pages in the local paper.</p><p>If our students were involved in something negative it would be on the front page of the newspaper. We should do better by our young people.</p><p><i>Bettye Stoney Allen, </p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>County priorities</b></p><p>Last week the Alachua County Communications Office issued a press release for a food preparation class offered by the Alachua County Extension Office. The topic of the course was "Pressure Cooker Tips and Recipes."</p><p>On that same day I happened to speak with a senior officer with Alachua County Fire Rescue who talked about how their office has had to balance their budget by allowing 18 positions go unfilled. That tells me that the county is down 18 firefighters but we're up at least one cook.</p><p>Recently deputies received a small cost-of-living raise; however they had to give up holiday pay plus other salary benefits. I applaud Sheriff Sadie Darnell for smoothing out her budget in an effort to avoid laying-off deputies.</p><p>A sampling of press releases from the Alachua County Web site revealed the folks at the Extension Office have been very busy offering classes on butterfly gardens, making bread with a food processor, preparation of a Thanksgiving dinner and Pre-marital Preparation. Now we can add pressure cooking to the list. </p><p>Perhaps it's time for the County Commission to explore how tax dollars are being spent and decide that in time of limited budgets, public safety and infrastructure are their priorities.</p><p><i>Larry Freedman,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p><p><b>What pro-life is</b></p><p>It is interesting that Tim Tebow became the focus of the debate between pro-choice groups on the one hand and pro-life groups on the other.</p><p>There are many ways of being pro-life: avoiding the death penalty, opposing torture, raising questions about euthanasia, saving endangered species and protecting the environment. Of course, none of these things can be done without compassion and charity.</p><p><i>Corbin and Carol Carnell,</p><p>Gainesville</i></p>