Speak Out 08/09/04

Glad to see murals

I'M GLAD to see the murals on the floodwall. I advocated painting murals on the floodwall when I first came to Cape Girardeau in 1986. At that time the bureaucrats said they couldn't allow that because the paint might hide cracks in the walls that might let water come through when the river rises. I'm glad to see that has been worked out.

An act of kindness

THANK YOU to the employee at Saint Francis Medical Center named Jeremy who noticed me helping my mother get from our car to the entrance of the hospital. He observed that it was physically challenging for Mom to walk in the heat and not only offered to get her a wheelchair but personally chauffeured her into the lobby. His act of kindness was greatly appreciated.

Murals: Well done

I HAVE been a resident of Cape Girardeau County for more than 15 years. I have been to downtown Cape Girardeau to see the floodwall more in the last three months than I have since I moved here. I take my children and explain to them the significance of each new frame of the mural. I have noticed and heard that there are more people downtown than I have ever noticed before. While I am there, I also venture into the local establishments for ice cream and shakes. This is becoming a weekly tradition in our family. Well done to the artists and those that funded this attraction.

Uncomfortable ban

WOULD THE residents of Cape Girardeau be allowed to vote on a tax proposal for Sikeston? Of course not. However, hundreds of thousands of Missourians voted to ban gay marriage. Is it possible that we have severely underestimated the number of gay and lesbian voters in Missouri? I doubt it. Is it possible that about 70 percent of Missourians thought they would spend too much of their time turning down gay marriage proposals if the ban wasn't passed? I doubt that also. It seems to me a lot of people voted to ban something that doesn't apply to them in any way, other than making them uncomfortable. If we are going to ban things that make some of us uncomfortable, let's take a look at blathering conservative idealism. That sure makes me uncomfortable.

Get wise on water park

NOTE TO the person who asked why there is no water park in Cape Girardeau. You must be new here. A few years ago the voters of this community decided not to have a water park. Please continue to attend the water park in Poplar Bluff and spend a lot of money there. Maybe if more people did that, someone would wise up.

Take a number

I WOULD be interested in knowing what percentage of a doctor's day is spent with pharmaceutical reps. It seems like every time I go to see my doctor, my appointment is delayed while he's meeting with one. They should have to schedule an appointment with the doc just like me. Why should their time be more valuable than mine?

Safer mail delivery

I RECENTLY got stuck behind the mail carrier on Highway 34 who was very considerate in pulling off to the side as far as possible to deliver mail. However, with all blind spots from the hills, it took several minutes before I could safely pass him and be on my way. I noticed that some homes have their own mailbox at each of the driveways, and there are some that are clustered together. I've also noticed residents having to cross the highway on foot to get their mail. Would it not be a safer situation to have the boxes on the same side of the highway as their home but perhaps clustered with their neighbors?

Caution on detour

REGARDING THOSE affected by the road construction in Jackson at the intersection of Route D and Farmington: As you detour through Rosewood Estates, your neighbors would like to remind you that this is not a racetrack. Slow down and be aware that our community has many young children playing outside and riding their bikes and people walking their dogs. The children in our neighborhood have been well trained by their parents to be responsible and to keep an eye out for cars. However, traffic has increased significantly, and many of you have been seen flying around corners on two wheels. How about you hot rodders either set your alarm clock for a few minutes earlier to allow for the detour?

Summer is too short

I AM a St. Louis transplant who is old enough to remember when school always started the day after Labor Day and ended the first week of June. I don't think the summers of today are long enough for children to feel refreshed and ready to tackle the new school year.

Blind followers

MAYOR JAY Knudtson isn't the only person in charge who doesn't want to be questioned about decisions. I have found this same trait among church leaders, school leaders and other small-town leaders. The people in charge want to make all the decisions, and the rest of us are to blindly follow. That is unfortunate.

Local logos

IT HAS come to my attention that Southeast Missouri State University's new Redhawk logos that were on the front page of the paper a while ago were designed right here in Cape Girardeau. To be more specific, a former student who played a sport and graduated from the graphic design program at Southeast designed those logos. I thought the logos were amazing, but it is even more amazing that someone locally designed them. I think it would be great for Southeast to choose the logos that were designed right here rather than choosing logo designed by a big company that has never set foot in Cape Girardeau. It just shows that the heartland has some talented people working here.

Things stay the same

WHY DO our criminals have so many rights, excellent health care, an opportunity to further their education, balanced diet, color TV, air conditioning in summer and heat in winter? They should lose their rights when they choose to be a criminal. Our school funding is being cut back. Our elderly can barely buy medicine, and our veterans get little recognition. Why vote? Things are not going to change.

Messy interchange

I WOULD like to make a comment about the Scott City interchange on I-55. That is the ugliest and most littered and weedy interchange I've ever seen.