Letters To The Editor

Letters from readers are invited and should be sent by regular mail to Times Newsweekly, P.O. Box 860299, Ridgewood, N.Y. 11386- 0299 or by e-mail to info@timesnewsweekly. com. All letters must be accompanied by the writer’s full name and address, which will be withheld upon request. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. All letters are subject to editing. The opinions expressed in each letter are not necessarily those of the Times Newsweekly.

Pleased with vets bill approval Dear Editor:

Now it has been reported that the Department of Education has purchased the property on Metropolitan Avenue and Tonsor Street in Ridgewood (“Drug Store Site Sought For School,” Times Newsweekly, Feb. 11, Pg. 1). I would like to ask them to consider putting a junior high school there instead of an elementary school.

We do not have a junior high school within walking distance of P.S. 153. Children from that school have to take the Q58 bus to I.S. 73. If there was a junior high on Metropolitan Avenue, then the city would not have to provide MetroCards or school bus service for these children.

The parents would also not have to spend money for car fare for their children if there was a junior high school nearby. Parents could also keep a better eye on their children if they were nearby.

We have two elementary schools within three or four blocks of this area. This junior high school could just take the children from P.S. 153 and P.S. 71 who do not live within walking distance of I.S. 73 and I.S. 93, respectively.

I hope the DOE and the School Construction Authority considers my suggestion.

Charlene Stubbs

Maspeth

Editor’s note: To clarify a point in Ms. Stubbs’ letter, the Department of Education has only reached a tentative agreement to purchase the site in question, 55-20 Metropolitan Ave. The plans must be approved by the City Council in order for the deal to be finalized. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled to take place prior to Community Board 5’s meeting next Wednesday, Feb. 24, at Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood. See the story on this page for further information.