Letters to the Editor

The following are letters to the editor that appeared in the Nov. 11 print edition of The Peninsula Gateway. To submit a letter, e-mail gatewayeditor@gateline.com. Please keep letters submissions to 250 words.

Officer Mock’s departure will be a loss to entire GH community

I have been pulling my hair out ever since hearing that the City of Gig Harbor will be laying off Community Service Office Lynn Mock in 2010.

Lynn is an awesome asset to the youth and parents of our community.

Her organizing seminars on parent/child relationships and educating the community on the problems of drug and alcohol use is invaluable to every citizen in the area.

As a member of the Real Estate Commission, she has taught us invaluable skills in dealing with safety issues, especially for women who sometimes find themselves showing homes alone and occasionally putting themselves in awkward and dangerous situations.

And her education on the signs of meth labs has given us all an awareness of what to look for so we can alert authorities to hopefully rid our community of these dangerous drugs.

If you are a parent, a citizen, a Realtor or someone who is concerned about crime in the Gig Harbor/Key Peninsula area, I urge you to contact the City or Police Department and complain about losing one of Gig Harbor’s most valuable officers.

Linda Dodds, Fox Island

Closure of Narrows Landing restaurant comes as a shock

Those of us young people who find our way back to Gig Harbor after graduating from college or traipsing around the world maintain an abiding affection for our hometown.

You can count on this tight-knit community, the good people in it, the beauty of the surroundings, and the uniqueness of Gig Harbor life.

It never lets you down.

We all have our favorite spots around town. For me and my friends, the Narrows Landing restaurant at the airport is high on our list.

The fellowship of breakfast together, punctuated by a whirring propeller and flash of sunlight on a landing plane is something we always look forward to.

We were shocked then, to recently find the restaurant closed.

Hal and Dossie Barker have been running their wonderful restaurant for several years, but current economic woes coupled with Pierce County’s bungling of contract negotiations forced them to shut their doors.

We hope that in short order, the county will follow through with a renewed lease agreement to ensure that this restaurant makes a strong comeback.

The hometown qualities so unique here are due in large part to the vitality of local enterprises that showcase the best of Gig Harbor.

Our area is dependent on private businesses and the dedication of their owners.

We should all do what we can to support small businesses like Narrows Landing restaurant, remembering their value to our community.

Here’s a big thank you and best wishes to the Barkers and their employees.

Spencer Hutchins, Fox Island