Send Clarke Packing and Don't Pay Him!
Regarding Jim Mullin's column, "Brainteaser" (February 18), please keep the pressure on former Miami Northwestern High School principal William Clarke. His conduct and his superiors' lack of guts have cost Miami-Dade taxpayers enough.
I called Superintendent Roger Cuevas's office today, only to discover that Mr. Clarke has been removed as principal for the time being. He is now assigned somewhere else in the district.
Hiding him is unacceptable. He should be removed from the fairyland of employment, perpetuated by his pal Mr. Stinson. He should be placed where he will no longer cost the taxpayers another cent.
Martin Alexander
Miami
Good Advice: Keep Miami Away from Diplomacy
After reading Kirk Nielsen's article on the young businessmen trying to bring nightlife to Miami, "Miracle On 29th Street" (February 25), I understand why the city cannot get back on its feet: because it's constantly shooting them. The gentleman from the NET office (administrator Luis Carrasquillo) claims to be upholding the city codes, but try to get hold of him. He is never in his office. Calls and messages are not returned. Complaints are not investigated, much less corrected. He should be more responsive to the citizens and pay less attention to special-interest groups. I hope that Timba backers and Mr. Soyka (of News Cafe fame) are able to succeed despite the lame ambassadors for the city of Miami.
D. Miguel Moya
West Kendall
New Times: Insensitive Scum
Tristram Korten's article on Tony Martin, "Caught Sure-Handed" (February 4), shows how unfair and biased New Times's journalism can be at times. Korten's poor choice of words, "sure-handed" and "dirty bird," is a perfect example of how the media can convict a person before he is tried by a jury of his peers. New Times seems to be in the habit of crying fire in a crowded theater when there's only one cigarette burning. Your overzealous reporters need to be reminded that if everything sanctioned, accredited, or official was good, there would be no need for a Bill of Rights.
I know that headlines sell papers (and advertising), but I think that New Times goes to the extreme at times. As long as New Times continues to light the fires, I'll be standing by to put them out.
Manny Losada
Miami
DeFede: Eloquent Scum
I am writing to congratulate Jim DeFede on the excellent coverage of the Baba Sissoko scandal involving the Dubai Islamic Bank. The series of four stories was very well researched and wonderfully written. They included: "The Baba Chronicles" (September 24, 1997); "The Baba Chronicles, Part II" (November 3, 1997); "Bye-Bye, Baba" (November 25, 1997); and "Baba's Big Bucks" (July 28, 1998). My question is what happened next. What became of Baba? Did he flee the United States? Will the bank ever get back its money?
George Horsington
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
