ATLANTA POLICE

Officers who helped

at Komen walk praised

I was among those who participated in the recent Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walk. The volunteers, the cyclists, and others who helped in this effort were all exceptional. However, I felt the need to single out Atlanta’s wonderful police officers.

We walked through Atlanta on a Friday afternoon, and all day Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, after walking more than 20 miles from Stone Mountain, we were weary — and we missed a crucial sign leading us to the Georgia World Congress Center. A wonderful Atlanta police officer came and rescued us. He said he had missed the same sign, and he wanted to make sure we were on the right path. What a wonderful guardian angel! We saw the same officer throughout the weekend, and he was always encouraging, and so polite. This was the case with all of the Atlanta police officers.

These were long days for them, but you would never know it. They were extremely polite, cheerful and unfailingly encouraging to the weary road warriors. I wanted to recognize their efforts — which (all too often) go unnoticed.

TAMMY WELCH, AVONDALE ESTATES

SCHOOL TEST RESULTS

Skepticism tempers

good news on scores

Regarding “45 metro schools saluted” (Metro, Nov. 1), I read with interest the encouraging report on metro schools. However, thanks to the Atlanta Public Schools scandal, one now cannot help but question the validity of the results. Skepticism of any report pertaining to any school system is yet another fallout from the inept and corrupt leadership fostered under Beverly Hall’s tenure.

MICHAEL L. SHAW, STONE MOUNTAIN

POLITICS

Economic crisis calls

for bipartisan effort

Bipartisanship has always been an integral part of the American psyche.

We recently saw bipartisanship at work, as President Obama and Governor Christie of New Jersey worked together in ascertaining the damage that New Jersey was facing from Hurricane Sandy.

It is great to see this happen in that emergency, but it is unfortunate that the same could not have happened with the emergency our economy was facing when President Obama took office.

Now, seeing the example of the New Jersey governor working with the president, perhaps others will follow that lead — and go forward in solving the many problems that are still facing America today.

DAVID CLARKE, BUFORD

HURRICANE SANDY

If you build on sand,

expect to lose it all

Hurricane Sandy has reaffirmed once again a truism that people forever ignore (that is, people who build their lives on ocean frontage and barrier islands). Barrier islands are not terra firma — they are merely temporary land. Storms reconfigure them over time. They reconfigure beach frontage as well.

Yet, many in the Northeast have apparently lost their homes on such land on the Eastern Seaboard. Basing your lifestyle on the pluses of ocean frontage should be worthwhile only if you can afford to lose it all. Private insurance will not cover such dubious construction, so we have federal flood insurance.

Those of us who think our way into the future must pay for those who choose to live their lives on sand.

BOB EBERWEIN, ATLANTA