Long Beach letters

On Memorial Day, show your colors

To the Editor:
Memorial Day will be here soon. This is the only day when we are instructed to fly our nation’s colors at half staff until noon. The U.S. Post Office diligently flies our nation’s colors at half staff until noon every Memorial Day. On Monday, please raise your flag to full staff at sunrise and then solemnly lower it to half staff. Raise your flag to full staff at noon. Do this at home, and share this information with your employers or employees and inform your school districts. Do this to recognize all who served, died or are serving to protect our nation’s freedom and liberties.

Suggests some beach rules

To the Editor:
I applaud the City Council for maintaining the beach fee structure in which visitors pay more than locals that have season passes. However, as we get closer to beach season, I think it would be nice if the city did something that it hasn’t done in a while: review the rules for beachgoers.
As a resident, I think the people that behave badly are usually not residents but out-of-towners, and the beach I live by draws probably the most visitors since Chauncey’s closed, other than the beach down the block from the train station. I do not think we should make it a no-fun beach like Fire Island, but I think we should create an environment where people can relax and be respectful. Here are a few suggestions to start.
* In the days of iPods, limit radios and boom boxes to personal stereos. n Increase the fines for drinking alcohol and post signs saying what the fines are at the entrances to deter drinking in the first place.
* Ban the paddle game kadami, the version played with a hard rubber ball, in which the noise echoes off buildings and creates a real uncomfortable environment for anyone in earshot.
* Ban smoking on the beach, once and for all.

Todd Niemy
Long Beach