While we applaud the Town's efforts to reduce deficits at the Amphitheatre, a few important facts were missing from your Oct. 14 story, "Amphitheatre shrinks its deficit."

Why is the town trying to run an entertainment venue for professional artists? Isn't that for the private sector?

The region already has an oversupply of such facilities such as the RBC Center, Walnut Creek, Carter-Finley Stadium, Stewart Theatre, Raleigh Convention Center, Durham Performing Arts Center.

Perhaps it is time to consider converting the amphitheatre into a "normal" park, mothballing it, or even selling off the facility.

The amphitheatre is one of a number of non-essential facilities and services that are costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars each year, adding to our mountain of debt and debt service, yet benefiting only a small number of residents.

Ray Czarnecki and Kent Misegades Cary

Thank you for the votes

My sincere appreciation goes to all voters and candidates involved in last week's Morrisville elections.

Their hard work and unwavering commitment to our community serve as reminders that residents of Morrisville and neighboring communities want and deserve a place at the table that is local government.

They made it clear that fiscal responsibility, promotion of sustainable growth we can afford and a cost sharing plan to address our traffic concerns are your top priorities.

I am ready to begin working on those priorities.

To those who supported a different outcome on Nov. 3, I offer this: Our community is one of diverse points of view and those differences will be respected and welcomed.

My door will remain open to all as we move forward.

Jackie Holcombe Morrisville

The author is the mayor-elect of Morrisville

Enough with the Girl Scouts

I'm all for recognizing the achievements of our youth in these organizations ["Notable," Nov. 4]. But enough already with the Girl Scouts.

There are just as many deserving Boy Scouts out there.

Whoever writes this stuff needs to stop with the promotion of their kids already. I can count on one hand the articles about Boy Scouts, while the Girl Scouts receive accolades for "camping" at the Hilton.

Robert Campbell Cary

The benefits of taekwondo

I started Taekwondo in September, 2006. The first few months it was very hard for me to understand the forms and I didn't enjoy it.

After a few months I started looking forward to going to taekwondo classes and testing to go to the next rank.

Taekwondo helped me concentrate on things that I'm doing at home and school.

I can focus on finishing my homework every night without getting distracted.

When I became a bodon belt I could read a 356 page book in three days.

Also, I got more perseverance because in school if I got a math problem wrong I would keep trying to get it right. I got more flexible because I can stretch longer than before I started. If I was in a Taekwondo stance and someone pushed me, I wouldn't fall because I would be balanced. It helped me control myself by breathing slowly if someone made me mad.

Taekwondo taught me how to defend myself if in danger. Getting my black belt will be a reward after all of the hard work.

Shafraz Rahman Cary