Justin J. Jackson, according to his parents, was a good kid who had made some mistakes ... multiple arrests by the time he was 18.

Seems today most times when a kid gets in trouble with the police, family and friends say the same thing "he was a good kid" -- but then the facts come out.

Seems like it's overdue that parents take responsibility before or after the first mistake.

SAL GRECO
Hampton

---

The Post-Gazette should use better judgment in selecting photos, such as "Honors for Aulf" May 11, to be used on its front page.

It's sad that a police dog was killed in a shooting incident. But showing the pageantry of the dog's funeral on the front page tends to take attention away from the real tragedy here: the killing of a young man.

And it was not just a big picture but a big color picture. And it was not just on the front page, but it was partially above the fold.

All of this skews the salience of the events and how they are to be interpreted. More exactly, it tends to make the dog's death center-stage instead of Justin J. Jackson's.

Front-page placement above the fold of big color pictures of funerals should probably be reserved for soldiers killed in war, governors, heads of state and the like.

Please get your sense of proportion back in order.

GEORGE YOCHUM
Squirrel Hill
Editor's note: The writer teaches classes in media at California University of Pennsylvania.

---

Last week, Pittsburgh hosted more than 700 international experts at the 7th Annual Conference on Carbon Capture and Sequestration. Carbon management is an important topic because the world gets more than 80 percent of its energy from fossil fuels, a situation that will not change for many decades, so managing the carbon dioxide created from fossil fuel use will be part of an overall strategy for dealing with climate change issues.

Unfortunately, the Post-Gazette reported almost nothing that occurred at the conference other than the political theater performed by a handful of local anti-energy activists ("Coal Reps, Protesters Clash at Conference," May 7). Your coverage was a disservice to the scientific, engineering and policy experts who participated in the meeting as well as to the city of Pittsburgh as host.

Within the next five years, the world will add 300 gigawatts of additional coal-fired electricity to its energy mix. That's equivalent to all the coal-fired power plants in the United States today, which supply half of our electricity needs. These new plants will consume an additional 1 billion tons of coal annually.

Like it or not, the world gets its energy from fossil fuels. Readers of the PG would have been better served if they had read a report on the participants' views of progress being made in carbon management instead of a report on the hot air served up by a local political theater troupe.

THOMAS F. HOFFMAN
Senior Vice President External Affairs
CONSOL Energy Inc.
Upper St. Clair

---

This past weekend I watched with exquisite irony the UPMC letters being hoisted atop the USX Tower, as one symbol of the robber barons yielded to another.

Is it not time to redefine health care as a public trust at least as important as natural gas, electricity or cable television, and at least as in need of regulation? Shall we finally resolve to ensure that every American has access to care, or will we remain "the richest third world country?"

JOSEPH W. GREIBER
South Side

---

I'm writing about your story about the sootiest cities ("Welcome (Back) to 'Smoky City,' May 1). I'm an employee of the Clairton Coke Works and it makes me mad that you would put that picture on the front page because the mill has put millions of dollars into improvements to help solve this problem.

But if you go upriver a few miles to a nearby power plant, you will find some of our problem. That plant burns coal as we do and on any given day you will find gray smoke pouring out of the stack. But no one publishes those pictures and/or a story about emissions from this plant.

The picture you have of the Clairton mill is not accurate; what you think is the white smoke is steam from pouring water over hot coke, not smoke.

Again, it makes me mad because my family and the families of 1,300 other hard-working men and women depend on this mill and you make it out to be the problem for all of Pittsburgh.

DOUG HRABOSKY
Elizabeth

---

I read with great interest Teresa F. Lindeman's excellent piece on the frustration endured by Whole Foods of East Liberty relative to its expansion attempts in the Pittsburgh market ("Still No Expansion in Store for Whole Foods After Six Years," May 6).

Whole Foods, throughout its rather short time in Pittsburgh, has been an outstanding corporate citizen and has enthusiastically provided Child Watch with donated food for our Children's Court Snack and Story program. Our program provides free, nutritious snacks, a juice box, story hour and a book to children who may wait for hours for their case to be heard before a judge or hearing officer.

Most of these children are in the courthouse through no fault of their own and often have come without breakfast. This support by Whole Foods assists us in providing diversion and comfort for children whose families are involved in the legal system.

While we wish Whole Foods continued success in all their endeavors, including expansion, the notion that Pittsburgh is somehow disappointed in this valuable corporate partner would be totally incorrect.

GERRY COLLIER
Project Coordinator
Child Watch of Pittsburgh
North Side

---

Unremarked in your May 9 editorial ("Food for Thought") on the comparison between the number and size of Whole Food stores in Pittsburgh and Cleveland is the fact that Ohio allows wines and liquors to be sold in grocery stores.

Cleveland also boasts three large Trader Joe's selling among other choice wines their "Two Buck Chuck." I maintain that these companies have put a cap on their commitment to Pittsburgh primarily based on these restrictions.

When will Pennsylvanians realize how we are being hog-tied by clinging to our state liquor stores, and how this restriction is limiting our access to the better things in life?

JOAN MORSE GORDON
Oakland

---

Upon reading the article concerning the fights at Woodland Hills High School, my slant on it is most likely much different from others ("DA to Assess Fights at Woodland Hills," April 29). I am truly glad that the administration at the high school is aggressively addressing a problem that exists in many other schools. Woodland Hills is at least attempting to find root causes for the violence and hopefully solutions.

It would seem like many other schools with similar problems look to bury their collective heads in the sand to avoid any negative publicity.

JAMES SCIULLI
Forest Hills

---

The April 27 front-page story "Putting the Pomp Before the Final Exam: Many Seniors Are Donning Caps and Gowns, Even Though They're Credits Shy of a Degree" is another blatant example of where we are and where we are going as a society.

We are departing from the values of our past, be it in religion, marriage, family or education. We are blurring the beginning and ending points. The what-is-right-and-wrong concepts, commitments, the lines in the sand which should not be crossed are being eroded. The drive for instant answers, immediate gratification, wanting the fruits of labor now and not after such is earned are the driving points of today.

For those who favor the Slippery Rock University approach, you represent the change in values from the past.

If I had children entering college today La Roche College would be a college I would recommend due to its values. As stated near the end of the article: "Some schools including La Roche College take a firm stand on the matter: No one walks without first finishing a degree."

You may be surprised to find out how many don't complete the degree requirements after having donned the caps and gowns, walked across the stage and been in the official program.

HARRY A. FLANNERY
New Castle

---