Speak Out 08/12/04

Potholes are repaired

I WANT to thank and commend the street department for fixing the potholes on Water Street north of Broadway. This is much better. I hope someday the city can find the funds to pave the street for another block. That would be nice and would look nicer by the wall. But thanks again for taking care of this pothole situation.

Appropriate honor

I WOULD like to thank the SEMO Council on the Arts for naming the new gallery downtown after Jean Chapman. In my opinion, no one in the arts community is more deserving of this honor. I'm really proud to call Jean my friend as well as my fellow artist who is very encouraging to all of us in practicing our craft. Thanks again to the arts council and to Jean.

Tips for safe driving

A COMMENT was made about Jackson traffic that I think needs a response: What happened to staying in the right lane except when passing? The answer is that the left lane is not always a passing lane, especially in cities. Good drivers position themselves well ahead of time for a left turn, for example, which avoids fast lane changes. Pacing yourself with the traffic, getting into the proper lane early and avoiding recklessly fast lane changes and speeds provides predictability, which helps us all get to our destination safely. Slow down and show courtesy. You and a few other people might live longer, or at the very least cut down on the fender-benders.

It's out of style

ANYONE OF faith cannot divorce that faith from his political views. It worked for the Founding Fathers, and it will work again for us, if allowed. Religion in politics is not outdated. It's just out of style.

It's a local issue

HOW INTERESTING that voters in St. Louis, where there are riverboat casinos making money for the city as well as the state, voted against allowing Rockaway Beach to have the same. Why should the entire state be voting on such a local issue anyway?

Does not compute

I RECENTLY called Alma Schrader Elementary School to find out who my kindergartener was going to have for a teacher. Before I could identify myself, I was told if I had looked on my child's end-of-the-year report card, it would tell the teacher's name. But this is my child's first year.

Tickets for everyone

I WAS just reading in the paper that the woman who was driving the car that hit the trooper is being charged with speeding 5 mph over the limit. It's common knowledge you have to be running over 75 normally before highway patrolmen write tickets. If they're going to give a ticket to this woman, they ought to write them to everybody.

Enforce speed limit

IT'S A Saturday morning and motorists on Mount Auburn Road are zipping up and down the street and violating the speed limit by quite a bit. But there are no police. This happens every Saturday. I'm sure the police will be here in two weeks when Central High School goes back into session. Quit targeting our kids and enforce the laws seven days a week.

Downtown ideas

I JUST want to say that I love the development ideas for downtown Cape. All would be fabulous and would be an absolute boon to Cape Girardeau. I hope we do every one of them.

Let teachers teach

AS A Cape Girardeau resident who teaches reading in a different school district, I am absolutely disgusted at the recent school board decision to hire reading coaches to coach teachers in how to teach reading. We know how to teach reading. If there are teachers who don't know how to teach reading, fire them. Let the teachers do their jobs and quit coming up with a new program and a new plan every couple of years because it's the newest thing to come down the pike. Let these people go back to what has been proven effective.

Drive carefully

With all the street work going on and school about to start, please remember to drive carefully and save lives. Thanks.