Speak out 11/29

Border problems

WE HAVE millions of illegal aliens in our country. When will our borders become secure? This is a danger and a disgrace. It's draining our resources and our welfare system. The influx of illegal aliens, drugs and terrorists is a serious danger. It's out of hand. This is more of a threat to our country than Saddam Hussein ever was. The politicians look out for the vote. We need a fair, legal entry to our country, and Mexico does nothing to stop it.

Demolition eyesore

WHY DOES the city permit people to demolish a building and then leave it? There's been a building demolished at Pacific and Independence streets. It's been lying there for months. This is supposed to be cleaned up in 45 days. This is seen daily by hundreds of people. The city needs to refuse to issue permits unless the applicant is bonded and insured and has the equipment to haul this stuff away and the finances to pay to have it dumped. This is an eyesore.

Too many stops

I CANNOT understand why the city placed a stop sign at Main and Independence streets. It removed the sign from Main and Roberts Street and placed it at Independence and Main. I travel this route three and four times a day. Since the city put the stop sign at Main and Independence, I have met a total of two motorists at this intersection. In my opinion, this stop sign was not needed. I think the city should remove it. You stop at Broadway, Themis and Independence now on Main Street. Stop, stop, stop. Cape Girardeau is getting to be known as the traffic-light and stop-sign city.

District boundaries

MY HUSBAND and I are looking for land outside of town, but we would love to stay in the Cape Girardeau School District. I called the district office to ask about the district's boundaries. The woman told me she couldn't answer that. I called the Jackson School District office and said I wanted to stay in the Cape Girardeau district. The woman was able to answer my question with no problem. I'm shocked that no one in the Cape Girardeau district could tell me what I needed to know.

Fix everything

I'M IRRITATED about the construction work on this highway in front of the Missouri Veterans Home. The highway department shut down the highway to repair every few feet, but they didn't fix the little potholes which are going to be big potholes by spring. Why don't they fix it all while they're fixing it?

Leaves in the street

I'D LIKE to make a comment to all the leaf rakers in Cape Girardeau. Why is it that you think you have the right to rake all your leaves into the road? I've got a suggestion. Why don't you put them in your yard? And why do you think the city has to come around and pick them up? Why do you want to cause taxes to go up? The city has to maintain those vehicles to pick up those leaves. The city has to pay for gas. The city has to pay for wages for the workers to pick up the leaves. These homeowners are not ticketed for putting leaves out in the road to obstruct traffic. The other day I wanted to make a turn where leaves were piled up out in the road. I mean these are way out where they shouldn't be in the first place. I wanted to make a right-hand turn. I couldn't see the curb. I blew my tire and damaged my rim. Who's responsible for tearing up my vehicle?

Too good to be true

AFTER READING your contest recipes, I want to know if Wes Tripp is available -- and does he do windows and floors?

Enforce noise laws

HEY, JACKSON police officers, please do something about the excessively loud cars and trucks that are running around on the streets. I too can hear them from blocks away as I sit inside my home. Read the noise-nuisance laws and start writing tickets. Then maybe it won't be so much fun for these junior racers to put the loud pipes on their vehicles. Some of us taxpayers don't appreciate the noise on our streets.

Smokier alternative

TO THE person who doesn't want to go to heaven if it's not smoke-free, let me say this. The alternative is going to be a lot smokier.

Noisy vehicles

I AGREE with the person who is tired of the noisy cars and trucks around town. I am a younger guy, but I have respect for the people in the area where I live. I would not think of driving with loud pipes on my car. There are laws against these loud vehicles. I don't know why the police in Cape Girardeau and Jackson do not stop these drivers and give them tickets for excessive noise.

Revenue from noise

I MUST agree with the caller who complained about the loud and noisy vehicles. Who knows why the local police will not crack down on these drivers? I'm sure the noisy drivers are breaking the law by modifying their vehicles with the louder mufflers. With all the loud vehicles out there, this could easily be a better revenue machine than trying to catch all the speeders.

Dangerous street

I AM disgusted every time I have to use the exit out of the Town Plaza shopping center on South Plaza Way and William Street. I can't help but wonder if anyone with authority in the city has to drive over that gigantic hole. This falls under the responsibility of the city, not the shopping center.

More votes for peace

WHEN YOU add together all the pro-war votes of the Southeast Missourian's online poll, the pro-peace folks come out ahead 60 percent to 40 percent. That's a somewhat surprising but remarkably sane result for this area. However, will our politicians heed the call? Ours are so locked into currying corporate favor that they have never been able to see sanity or the will of the people.

Too high a price

RACIAL PROFILING is never acceptable. This is true in the case of African Americans who have to live with it all of the time or Middle Easterners who are the latest victims. This is an erosion of the Fourth Amendment. Who wants to be safe but live in a country where we have lost the Constitution?