It appears there is a lynch mob attempting to destroy Sherry Curtis, chairperson of the Upcountry Community Council Highway 88 Safety Committee (Jan. 23, "Authorities say child's alleged death near school never happened") because of her TSPN interview (www.tspntv.com/local-/move-the-school-sherry-curtis-upcountry-council-member-1-6-08.html). I find that Ms. Curtis is being bashed over the use of the word "there." What was she attempting to do? You be the judge.

I personally believe she was referring to the Pine Grove-Highway 88 corridor in general, while trying to promote a great plan for Pine Grove and its elementary school, mainly because of the school traffic safety issues. The project would potentially be accomplished at no expense to the school district or the county. Why would anyone want to try and hamper the efforts of creating a new K-8 school facility for upcountry children with a real and effective Safe Route to School Program? What I find appalling is how the apparent lynch mob had nothing to say about the intent and concepts she presented, while using front page space to crucify someone donating her time while helping an intended great cause.

It is an absolute fact that a child was killed crossing Highway 88 in Pine Grove in the past. In an e-mail, Ledger Dispatch reporter Scott Thomas Anderson said he was at the time a personal friend of the child and knew about the unfortunate event. I must question why, then, was the fact that a child having been killed on the westerly side of town while attempting to cross Highway 88 not mentioned in that recent article for clarification? Why was the death of a man attempting to cross Highway 88 in front of the town hall also not mentioned? Both of these unfortunate events occurred in the past when traffic was less in volume.

The support of the conceptual Aqueduct Development Project by Ms. Curtis is freedom of speech on her part. She is not connected to our proposed project in any way, nor is she being compensated.

Our current offer to donate the land for a new school location is being made in good faith. In 2005, then-school district Superintendent Mike Carey, along with another official, approached me. They informed me that they needed a new site for a new Pine Grove School and that it had a number of issues that a new facility at the Aqueduct location would resolve. There were several subsequent meetings on the subject through 2007. I would assume that those "issues" are still plaguing the existing facility. The concept of moving the school to the Aqueduct area would not be my/our project. It would be the school district's project on land received through donation. The school project would be adjacent to our Aqueduct development project.

My two brothers and I are very proud to have attended Pine Grove Elementary School and we feel that moving the school to the Aqueduct area is a very responsible and logical way to help cure a large portion of the Pine Grove-Highway 88 corridor traffic problems.

The only other possibilities presented thus far to cure the traffic issues are a bypass around Pine Grove and a five-lane widening project through the middle of town. Everyone has their opinions and everyone has the right to them without being ripped apart in the local newspaper.

I encourage all other concepts for a Pine Grove-Highway 88 safe traffic management plan to be brought forth. Soon there will be town hall meetings held in Pine Grove and Pioneer on the specific subject of Pine Grove-Highway 88 corridor traffic. I believe Ms. Curtis also has the desire to have fair and open discussions relating to any and all traffic safety proposals for Pine Grove. All who are interested should certainly attend and become actively involved.