It must seem paradoxical to many of your readers to see the increasingly regular cautionary messages concerning substance abuse (from the Health Enhancement Services and other sources) surrounded by the usual plethora of advertisements promoting alcohol consumption (often depicted as inseparable from romantic or sexual engagement).

Considering that substance abuse of some kind appears to have played a role in most of the recent deaths and serious injuries occurring within our own student population, I have found it disappointing to note that the “dining” feature in your regular Thursday “Huskie Weekender” section appears to exclusively promote the local bars, where food is also served.

We are actually pretty fortunate for a town of this size to have some genuine variety in our local restaurants, and two of these, which also happen not to serve alcoholic beverages, offer some real alternatives at modest prices.

I think it would be a great idea for your reviewers to introduce your readers to the culinary delights of Marie’s Lebanese and American Sandwiches and Specialties (at the corner of Lincoln Highway and Fourth Street), and Jitlada (on Lincoln Highway at Carroll Avenue). These restaurants merit serious attention in any local “dining” column, which has caused me to wonder whether it wasn’t another one of those persistent typographical errors that has been misrepresenting your intentions of presenting a weekly “drinking” column.

Robert Fleisher

Associate professor

Music