Speak out 05/20/02

Bike path concerns

REGARDING THE proposed Jackson bike-pedestrian trail: This path will cross private driveways every 50 to 75 feet all along the way. Property owners will have to back all the way out onto the highway to leave their homes, because MoDOT is taking all the frontage for the trail, leaving property owners no room for a turnaround. These drivers will be looking for a break in the traffic so they can get on the highway. The bike riders will be coming from either direction and at any speed they choose. MoDOT is just plain wrong when it says this path is safe for our kids. Put the trail on the back of the property. This will keep kids and cars apart and will leave room for people to turn around and drive onto the highway in safety.

Elderly rudeness

EVERYONE COMPLAINS about teen-agers being rude, but I have never had a teen-ager be as rude to me as the older people of this community. I work in a professional office. The older people who call are so rude they almost bring me to tears. I was always taught to respect my elders and look up to them, but there is no reason why I should let them be absolutely horrible to me at my job. Not all seniors are this way. I plead to those who are: Please stop acting like a child. You can get more accomplished by being nice than by throwing a tantrum. You do not want anyone to be rude to you, so don't be rude to them. The next time you are about to yell at someone over the phone, please remember me. Remember that I am only doing my job and I sincerely want to help you.

Taking our pets

I'D LIKE to speak out about people who take other people's pets. Two weeks ago I had a pet disappear. On Mother's Day we got a call saying they might have taken our pet to Oklahoma. My wife and my 9-year-old girl were pretty ecstatic. We drove almost 10 hours to get the pet. We got there at 2 o'clock in the morning. The point I'm making is that the people who took the dog were sorry, but I'm glad they called after two weeks. I'm glad God finally put it in their hearts to call us and give us our dog back. Keep an eye on your pets. One day they're in your yard. The next day they're in Oklahoma.

Mowing help needed

WE LIVE on the corner of Victoria and Kingshighway. I would like to know what you have to do to get the city to mow the side of the road and the bank here. We kept it mowed last year, but we're in our 70s and not able to mow it this year. It really looks bad here beside of our house.

Buyout for Dutchtown?

IT IS quite interesting that one of the reasons given for building the levee at Dutchtown was to save the highway. Instead of helping the town, why not buy out the town as the federal government has in other areas and let these people move to higher ground? Dutchtown should not be treated any differently than the people in the other flood-prone areas.

Students help out

AS A resident of Dutchtown fighting the rising waters, I have been amazed with our volunteers. I'm especially proud of the young people who are giving their time. I worked with members of the Jackson football team and a few girls who played basketball at Delta. We hear a lot of negative stuff about our young people, but I assure you that watching these young people in action changed my mind. Good luck, young people, in your chosen sports. May God bless you.

Enjoyable production

I REALLY enjoyed seeing the production of "Beauty and the Beast" at Central Junior High School. I want to compliment everybody involved in that production: the cast, the crew, the parents, the staff members. Everybody did a great job. They put a lot of hard work into it, and it came across really well because of it.

Horse is faster

I LIVE down in Benton, and I'm going to start riding my horse to work in Cape. At least it's faster riding a horse in the grass than being stuck in this traffic.

Great SWAT team

KUDOS and congratulations to the Cape Girardeau Police Department's SWAT team. I don't know the full story, but it sounds to me from what I read in the paper as if they maintained remarkable control and discipline under extreme provocation. Having a good SWAT team is like having a good insurance policy. It's comforting to know that you have one, but it's always best if you don't have to make a claim.

Grades come first

I'D LIKE to congratulate you on putting the article in the paper regarding the Scholar Bowl. That's great that those kids can do that. I think grades should come before sports. I come from a big sporting family. Both of my children were very active in sports, but they always knew that the grades came first. I think that should be the idea that parents instill in their kids these days.

Traffic-jam tax break

I THINK Missouri should take the tax off of our fuel in Southeast Missouri due to the fact that we have to sit in traffic jams for hours on end, burning fuel. They should at least give us some kind of tax break.

Make a contribution

SOMEHOW I need to apologize to those I've hurt. I've hurt them by not being a good friend and not being there to help or just listen. I apologize to my wife, my mom, my nephew, my nieces, my aunts and my uncles. I've let people down, and I don't know how to make things better. If any of you are like me, please don't wallow in self-pity. Contribute something to mankind before it's too late. I'm still searching for what I can give back to you all.

Thanks for the help

I'M A resident of Dutchtown. I would like to thank all the people who helped sandbag down here for us, especially the Teen Challenge people. They really helped a lot. I can't thank them enough.

The wrong image

IT'S A shame when some of our city management forget their duty to show compassion in helping residents with problems caused by the city's poor judgment, poor planning or poor workmanship. Instead, they make excuses, passing the buck to another person or another department, don't keep appointments without so much as a phone call, avoid contact or give your the cold shoulder. It gives our city and employees -- most are great and decent folks -- a bad image.

Ridiculous concept

THE CONCEPT that the taxpayers of Cape Girardeau would help to pay for a luxury home development is ridiculous. No one else's home has been paid for that way. Soon the development will want the city to widen Bloomfield Road and contribute to that expense.

Path's safety is issue

REGARDING THE Southeast Missourian's editorial, "Jackson bike-pedestrian path aims at safety." There are a couple of businesses that have big semi trucks turning all the time. Those places are going to affected. It is going to be a safety hazard for children. We don't want the bike trail because it's not going to be safe. MoDOT doesn't want to accept the fact that the people don't want it. I don't live in that area, but I pass it a lot, and I'm not happy about the circumstances at all.

Funding for education

GARY RUST recently wrote a column showing that state spending for education is going up, implying that the spending for education goes up for all districts. This is untrue. The state spending is merely an attempt to equalize the funding between the rich and the poor districts. The rich districts are increasing their spending and will continue to have their kids well-educated regardless of the state spending. Local education is mostly reliant on local property taxes. Even conservatives agree that the solution to raising the poor from tax leeches to contributing taxpayers is through education. When it comes time to put their money where their mouth is and support raising the poor through education, the funding for education is the first place they look to cut.