Reader: Police dogs could keep drugs out of Wilmington

Police dogs could beat the drugs out of Wilmington

A few weeks ago, I talked to someone in the Wilmington Police Department regarding the use of dogs in our schools to detect drugs. The response was that they didn't have enough dogs to handle the issue. 

After thinking about it, I came up with the idea we should share other states' dogs with us, and we should do the same for them. After all, we are in a national crisis on drugs. 

Have the dogs do surprise searches in the schools. Maybe grants could be given to train more dogs. Ge the mayor and governor on board to support the cause.

Let's beat the drugs out of Wilmington by use of our four-legged friends.

I have taught over 35 years in five different states and never once was asked to have a drug test. Background tests, yes. People who deal with children and the publich should be tested. This should include our politicians, law enforcement people, doctors, etc. We get tested for TB, but not drugs. 

Thank you to law enforcement who have opened their stations to encourage the kids to know that they're tere for their friendship and help. It's great to see what they are doing on the news. And it appears to be working.

Now if we could get the churches to each get five volunteers to work with kids that need a mentor (like the Big Brothers and Sisters program) Wilmington would be praised for its activism against crime.

—Mary Lou Callahan, Wilmington

Anti-immigrant fervor is sad

What has happened to the United States? It used to allow foreigners from everywhere and make them citizens. My husband came from Poland in the '20s. 

Now no one is allowed, thanks to Trump and Congress.

—Betty Kalinowski, New Castle

Please keep the Elsmere library

The public library in Elsmere is under consideration for closing in the effort to balance the county budget. Again, it is a less prosperous community that tops the list for losing something in order to save money for the rest of the population.

Other communities in New Castle County have received new, expanded libraries during recent years, and I love them. But Elsmere did not receive a new library. I wonder why.

My guess is that it is because the citizens of the Elsmere community do not exert the political clout of the communities with the newest libraries. 

Elsmere Library is patronized by much foot traffic, a fair number of bicycle riders and people both young and old who generally do not have automobiles or other modes of travel. The Elsmere Library is the only place where many local people have access to computers and students go for access to study materials, whether in books or through computers. And it is a safe place.

It is a well-run community service. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable, very helpful and offers programs from chess to story time for toddlers to aid in tax preparation for those who qualify, and a variety of other activities in between.

Libraries are important community assets, and especially important to communities of people who otherwise lack access to stores of information, whether in hard copy or through today's technology. If we must close a library, why not consider one where the patrons use their own automobiles to get to ti? Could they not easily drive to another choice while we keep our library in Elsmere?

—Ocie Bernstein, Wilmington

DiVincenzo's stats equal basketball greats

Another rarely reported record of Donte DiVincenzo's historic performance in the recent NCAA Basketball Final is the fact that he shares "30 points in 66 percent field goals in a title game" with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of UCLA, Bill Walton of UCLA and Jack Givens of the University of Kentucky. 

Obviously, Jabbar and Walton got their points a little closer to the basket.

—Guido R. Schiavi, Wilmington