Speak Out 06/21/04

Proud of scholars

I AM so proud to see all the names of the people who made the dean's list this last term. It really made me glad there were that many kids that made it.

Storm debris

THE STORM that came through Jackson recently took down my fence and a tree in my front yard. I had the tree cut up and put in piles. I called the city of Jackson to see if it would pick it up. I was told the wood has to be in 4-foot bundles and tied. I have cerebral palsy and am not able to cut it up. So does the brush from the storm stay at the roadside, or will the city write me a citation for piles of brush? I give Cape Girardeau five stars. Anytime the city of Cape Girardeau sees a brush pile along the road, it picks it up.

Careful about banning

IT IS sad that in the last couple of weeks someone has gotten killed by a tractor, then a child by an ATV and now a state highway patrol trooper injured by a motorist. Are they going to ban tractors, ATVs and cars? I am not trying to be cruel. My prayers are with these people. It just scares me that supposedly intelligent people ban fireworks because it was a firefighter's house that got burned. Do you see my point?

Another change

ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE uncovered tropical plants in the upper part of the United States. Dinosaur remains have been found. At one time this was tropical country. History tells us that we also had an ice age. So things have changed back and forth. To think they are not ever going to change that way again means somebody isn't thinking.

Wrong location

I'D HEARD about the new pedestrian bridge that was coming to the south end of Cape Girardeau and thought that would be a great idea to have a bridge to connect the two parts of town separated by Highway 74. But when I drove by, I saw the bridge is only one block away from the traffic light. That's kind of silly since everyone is climbing over two blocks away. I don't know why anyone would think pedestrians will walk one block instead of two when they wouldn't do it before. I think the pedestrian bridge is probably going to be a waste of our good money that could be spent in other places.

Disappointing coverage

I AM very disappointed with the newspaper for giving bingo gaming front page coverage. This is gambling, and too many people are addicted to this form of so-called entertainment.

Sleep for safety

THIS IS in response to the complaint about the truck drivers. I'd rather see them pull over and sleep than drive tired and have an accident and kill someone.

Split up the money

I DON'T see why the city officials don't take the $29,000 they're going to spend on the consulting firm and divide it equally between all the firemen and policemen. This would give them a nice little bonus. Then they could let the city manager do his job and figure out the budget.

A good example

LET'S DON'T go down that roundabout road again. Go to Sprigg Street and Bertling Street and look at that intersection. That is the correct intersection to have in Cape Girardeau. City officials need to realize that's the right intersection to put in.

It works just fine

PEOPLE OF Cape Girardeau need to get over the size of roundabout at Gordonville Road and Silver Springs Road. I drive a SUV and go through it twice every day. I don't have a problem navigating the roundabout. So, Cape, get over it.

Card experience

LET ME tell you a little bit about our experience with the Medicare discount cards. First, the card company sent me a letter saying I was denied because I was out of its area. My husband's card company said he didn't qualify for the card either, but it had his Social Security number wrong. The company said it would take another four weeks to get the card. I took the new card to the pharmacy Monday. The pharmacy said the card company's computers were down. I went back Tuesday and computer was still down. It has been two days I have been without my medication. Check your card and make sure it has the correct name, address and Social Security number.

Why not exile?

WHY COULDN'T Saddam Hussein be given exile to a country like Japan, a neutral country in all of this mess? After all, we accepted the shah of Iran into our own country. It's not like his sons can rise to power anymore. So why not exile for Saddam Hussein?

Let them ask

I THINK everybody, especially a juror, should be allowed to ask any question of the attorneys. Sometimes attorneys deliberately do not give information the jurors want.

Thanks for help

THIS IS to everyone who helped with the accident the night of June 12 at Highway 74 and West End Boulevard with my new daughter-in-law and my son. It was right after their wedding. They were hit head-on. Both girls are doing fine. And thank you to the police department and everyone who helped.

Deserved snub

TO THE person who complained about President Jacques Chirac: Would you go to the funeral of someone whose family is a neighbor of yours and is a bad neighbor, calls you names, gives you all sorts of trouble and denigrates your culture and your ways of doing things? Before the Iraq war, both our president and our Congress were aggressively uncivil toward the French.

Let city hall do it

I'M READING a lot of comments about the hiring of outside consultant to look into the salaries that city employees are being paid. Much of this is due to the tax recently passed. I think there's a much deeper thing involved. Cape Girardeau doesn't have any people with this ability. It is disturbing that city officials would decide no one here is qualified to do things that need to be done. You'd think this could be done within the city government itself.

Pay attention

THE CAPE Girardeau School Board members need to start paying attention to community members when a problem is brought to them. If a parent or group of parents is so concerned about an issue that they're willing to raise a stink, knowing that their child might be retaliated against, the board needs to listen. They need to remember that they're there to meet the needs of the students, not to coddle staff members who aren't getting the job done. If we need a new superintendent and a new administration, then so be it. But it is time that this board be accountable for what it does to the taxpayers and to the parents and students of this community.

Forgiveness is available

IN RESPONSE to "Conservative lifestyle": Rush Limbaugh is a Christian. He does not claim to be perfect. When he fails, Jesus is there to forgive and to pick him up so he can try again.

Sign abuse

THE PLACEMENT of political yard signs in Cape has gotten out of control. There are signs within 3 feet of fire hydrants contrary to fire codes in the city. There are signs on state highway right of way contrary to highway rules. Authorities with jurisdiction over these areas should enforce their regulations. The people erecting these billboards should be made to pay for their lack of ability to follow laws and regulations. Doesn't this say something about how they would act if they were elected?

Throwing money away

THE QUARTER-CENT sales tax is passed one minute, and the next minute the city is throwing over $29,000 away. I cannot believe this. The city council must think the public is stupid.

No one follows it

THE MANIFESTO of conservative beliefs was impressive. Sadly, I can't think of one politician who consistently acts upon them.

Good information

THE MISSOURI State Highway Patrol has done a good job of keeping everyone informed on Sgt. Brad Lively's condition. Thank you for doing such a great job.

Inattentive motorists

THE TRAGEDY that occurred to Sgt. Brad Lively shows that people do not pay attention when they drive. Law enforcement officers are out there every day putting their lives on the line to try and make this a safer place to live, but motorists who do not pay attention and drive too fast makes their job even harder. We do not pay our officers enough for what they do, and this tragedy just goes to show it.

Keep up with safety

AFTER READING about the gun incident at the Scott City gas station, you can bet your life that woman didn't complete the conceal-carry weapons class or pass muster with the state and FBI. It all goes to show you that the bad person is always going to have a weapon, so it only stands to reason that others are equally protected. A regular refresher course should be mandated. Like anything else, knowledge, unless used, is lost over time. My advice to all of you who have successfully completed the course: Go to a range frequently and practice what you have learned and reread your manual so you are a safe gun handler.