Speak Out 10/13/05

Ethanol boom

THERE'S BEEN talk about building an ethanol plant in the Cape Girardeau area. If this happens, they will need lots of cattle. There will be 100 million pounds of cattle feed as a byproduct of making ethanol. There's going to be lots of extra meat for people to eat. There's going to be lots of ethanol around to make gas cheaper. And there will be lots of new jobs and construction. It will be huge if this happens. The area needs to get ready to back it.

Paying the light bill

WEDNESDAY NIGHT I drove around Arena Park and noticed all the lights were on at the ball fields and tennis courts. But there was no one playing ball or tennis. I ran some errands and came back through about 30 to 45 minutes later. All the lights were still on. Who is paying for these lights to be on all these hours at night? How does that work? Who's paying for that?

Favorite T-shirts

MY HUSBAND worked as a night watchman for a company in Cape Girardeau. The company gave him some really large T-shirts for our grandchildren. They wore them to sleep in for years. They said they were soft and comfortable. They're grown now. My granddaughter is in college and still has her T-shirt after many washings. The shirts are so full of beautiful memories. I'm an old grandma but still cherish the beautiful memories of the large T-shirts.

Don't judge quickly

I RECENTLY had major surgery and have a temporary handicapped parking card. Last Monday was the first day I was driving myself again. I stopped at a store where there were several handicapped parking places open, and I took one. There was a couple about my age walking toward the store. The woman commented, "Look at her. There's nothing wrong with her." She kept watching me all the way into the store. As soon as I fully recover, I will not need nor use the handicapped parking card, but right now, I do need it. People should not judge others on age or the way they look.

Care for our own

WHY AM I not surprised by the flow of immigrants, both legal and illegal, into New Orleans taking jobs from our own people? What do you want to bet they and their families take up residence when the work is done? Sure, they work cheap. This is their way of getting into this country. This work should have been given to the residents who are without work due to Hurricane Katrina. This is an outrage that our elected politicians allow this to happen. Let's remember them in the next election. We should take care of our own first.

Developing ideas

I RARELY have much to complain about, because I love living in Cape Girardeau. But when I saw the front-page article in the Lifestyles section of the Sunday paper, I had to comment. To state the obvious, Cape has a huge population of medical professionals. It makes sense for developers to market subdivisions of $500,000-plus homes. What about the rest of us? There is a huge demand for homes that are about half that price or less and no supply. A developer could make a killing with a subdivision and home plans targeting that lower-income group. Or maybe Old Town Cape could target people in that income bracket. That would be another way to reinvigorate the downtown. It is nearly impossible for couples who are just starting out to get on their feet in Cape Girardeau. Cape needs to think about these people. This is part of the reason why people are relocating to Jackson and surrounding areas.

Deserve respect

MANY CALLERS have suggested that people working for minimum wage are uneducated and unmotivated. Though I'm a college student, I'm offended by this. What will you do when nobody comes to pick up your garbage? Will you complain when your favorite restaurant has been shut down? Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Every working citizen deserves respect.

Driving too fast

I LIVE on East Main Street in Jackson. It amazes me how much traffic travels this road. But what really amazes me is how ungodly fast the police drive. They are a crash waiting to happen.

Neglect concerns

I ONCE called the child-abuse hot line and was astounded at what I was told. A mother and her live-in boyfriend plus several other women were all meth addicts. Her children, 14, 7 and 5, ate cold pizza for breakfast, watched porno movies and lived in filthy conditions while the adult women were usually gone or zoned out. I was told that drug abuse by parents was not a legitimate concern, that as long as the children had something to eat and a teenage daughter was with them, these children were not considered abused, neglected or endangered. Until we get firmer about what may be considered child abuse, bad things will continue to happen to the children.

Meet with teachers

PARENTS, TAKE advantage of the opportunity to attend parent-teacher conferences. It is your way of knowing what is going on at school. All schools are having them soon, Cape Girardeau schools are having conferences Oct. 20.

Cut the funding

PLANNED PARENTHOOD is not my idea of good heath care. A threat about what will happen without them is idle, too. Stop using that tactic to gain funding. My idea would be to withhold all funding and let it go the way of other businesses: bankrupt.

Band fairness

I READ the article about Central High School's marching band. As a former Bengal Lancer, I am disappointed that auditions are required to be in band. What happened? I'm glad the band is doing so well, but what about those kids who have been in band since they were able to be in band and want to continue to be in band? Are they supposed to give up their enjoyment and music scholarships? Keep up the good work, but be fair to all.

Turning down work

GOD SAID that if you don't work, you don't eat. Bumming and panhandling aren't work. If I see a guy with a sign saying he will work for food, I tell him my yard needs to be mowed or raked and offer $25. The guy walks off.

Still judging

WHEN BILL Clinton was president, the Democrats whined, "Don't judge lest ye be judged." President Bush has been called every name in the book and blamed for every negative thing that has happened in the world, even the weather. When is "Don't judge lest ye be judged" applied to him -- or is it reserved for the liberal propaganda?

Movie tips

IF THE movie theaters are having a hard time pulling in customers, maybe they could try some new promotions. Cape Girardeau needs weekday matinees and shows that appeal to the over-50 generation. I'd love to see "Gone With the Wind," Bing Crosby and other classics on the big screen.