Better water, not better desks

E-mail factorfiction@semissourian.com or call Speak Out (334-5111) and identify your call as a question for "Fact or fiction?"

Q: "Is it true that the water system administrators all have new offices, desks, computers and conference rooms, but we taxpayers still don't have better quality water?"

A: I put your question to Tracey Glenn, public information officer for the city of Cape Girardeau:

"The answer to the question is no, it is not true. There are no new offices, desks, computers or conference rooms. There is, however, a new state-of-the-art laboratory for assuring water quality. The quality of the water was not an issue the water plant expansion addressed, therefore the insinuation that the 'taxpayers of Cape still don't have better quality water' is incorrect.

"The main objective of the water plant work was to increase production capacity and storage, which were problem issues as a result of the hot, dry summers. The plant now has the ability to produce much more water and better quality, softer water than before the expansion and upgrade."

Q: In the American media it seems that America has lost between 700 and 800 who have died since the war began. I'm wondering how this compares to the number of Iraqis who have died.

A: There is no official information source about the number of Iraqi deaths. National Public Radio interviewed Mark Burgess of the Center for Defense Information in an April 15 story. Burgess said the task is complicated by ongoing fighting and by the lack of an official government in Iraq. That story can be listened to by going to npr.org and typing in the search term: Iraqi deaths.

A private group is trying to count the number of civilian deaths through media reports. Located online at iraqbodycount. org, this organization estimates the number of deaths between 9,000 and 10,200. Their methodology explanation also includes this warning:

"We acknowledge that many parties to this conflict will have an interest in manipulating casualty figures for political ends. There is no such thing (and will probably never be such a thing) as a 'wholly accurate' figure, which could be accepted as historical truth by all parties."

Q. Why does the Southeast Missourian have Sen. Peter Kinder on the payroll? Isn't this a conflict of interest? -- Robert M. Aubuchon, Jackson

A: Hurrah! Finally, a question about the Southeast Missourian, which won't necessitate waiting on hold or other delays. Thanks for the question, Robert.

Peter Kinder has been an employee of the Southeast Missourian or its parent company since 1987, five years before he was elected to the Missouri Senate. Before joining the media company, he worked for Drury Industries as a lawyer and real estate adviser. He is currently assistant to Gary Rust, chairman of the Rust Communications board. Kinder is not involved in Southeast Missourian newspaper management or operations.

The current president pro-tem of the Missouri Senate, he has written a regular newspaper column for many years. Since he is now involved in a contested election, however, this column has been placed on hiatus similar to the newspaper's practice in prior election years. He is still welcome to write a guest column about legislative issues from time to time, as are other public officials. His last column was Jan. 24.

Jon K. Rust is co-president of Rust Communications.