Don't Meth With the Chief

As a 21-year veteran fireman and retired chief of our local volunteer fire department, I have had extensive training on meth lab mitigation (Life Sentences, "That's Methed Up," by Scott Harrell, Nov. 1-7). Not nice places to go into the hard way. But why is it that when I buy store-brand Sudafed from our local Wal-Mart pharmacy, I have to be placed on a police watch list? I'm told by the people there that the cops come in regularly to check up on how much I'm buying. I'm really, really, really glad there are no other crimes being committed and that all crimes on the books have been solved. When I was fire chief ('98-'01) the sheriff (actually a very competent and capable fellow) told us that at any one time there were two labs cooking in the county. Now there are six. And they're hassling me. This seems to me to be a failure of law enforcement and not an allergy problem. EVERY time, I tell the clerk I don't appreciate being put on a police watch list. I don't get hateful about it because it's not their fault. I just make the statement and go on. Why don't we all? Thanks for the editorial. Keep up the good work.

John Coon
Fire Chief (ret), Pottsboro, Texas

More Hardware

(Re: Urban Explorer, "Independent Living," by Alex Pickett, Nov. 15-21) In Seminole Heights, we have a very interesting independent hardware store, the Tampa Bay Hardware Store on Nebraska Avenue, north of Hillsborough. So there are two in Tampa, not one.

David Banghart
Via website

The Value of Voeller

Thank you for covering this year's Gala Corina ("Corina, Corina," by Megan Voeller, Nov. 8-14). We loved Megan's story and thought she did a great job capturing the pre-show drama. The Creative Loafing article helped make this event the best ever. We had close to 6,000 guests opening night.

Dan Rojas
Gala Corina

I always pick up Creative Loafing to read Megan Voeller's take on the latest art event ("Back On Track," by Megan Voeller, Nov. 15-21). She's descriptive, funny, insightful and really seems to have a handle on the art scene linking artists and venues together, giving just enough background to make the connections relevant and interesting. Thank you Megan for the excellent work you do — I'm already waiting for next week's column!

Kathy Gibson
Via website

Meteor Sightings

Silver Meteor Gallery ("Back On Track," Nov. 15-21) gave Jobsite opportunity when no one else would. Even once we moved to the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Jobsite managed to have almost all of our afterparties and fundraisers there. The Murphys are about as close to godparents as we ever had. I'd love to see SMG have a rebirth and start making a lot of noise down on that sleepy corner of Ybor.

David Jenkins, Artistic Director, Jobsite Theater

He Shall Overcome

It is completely incomprehensible that once again Mark Leib ("Abridged Laughter," review of All the Great Books (abridged)," Nov. 8-14) has shown his bias for Jobsite Theater (non-professional theater) at the expense of American Stage (professional theater). I don't know what American Stage (which has been voted as the best theater by Creative Loafing's readers for more years than I can remember) did to offend Leib, or what Jobsite has done to enhance his opinion of them, but it is transparent that Leib isn't in tune with the theater-going public. I look forward to his review of Jobsite's production of Great Books. I'm sure that in Leib's petty mind that they will find a way to "overcome" the weaknesses that he found in American Stage's production.

Ryan Jennings
Via e-mail

Editor's Reply: American Stage and Jobsite have come in for equal parts praise and criticism from Mark Leib. The bias argument doesn't hold up. And give Mark credit for bravery: He goes under the critical knife himself next week when his latest play, Art People, opens at New York City's Players Theatre for a three-week run beginning Nov. 30.

This article appears in Nov 22-28, 2006.