OpinionDecember 4, 2006
Speak Out 12/4/06
Prosecution issues; Saddened by death; Father's message; Paying support; Do the job; Limit parking; Still needs work; Lots of administrators; Delightful person; Subjective scoring; Stormtrooper cops; No raises for judges; Snow and ice; Raises for deputies; Paying judges; Choosing schools; Proud of Cape; Awesome displays; Jackson's parade; Bright holiday; List is working; Ride to church; Christmas kindness; Christmas spirit; Art for sale; Burning odor
Prosecution issues
HAS IT occurred to anyone else that perhaps Judge Ben Lewis should recuse himself on all of Morley Swingle's cases also? If I were a defendant being prosecuted by Morley Swingle, I might be a bit nervous. Swingle contributed to Lewis' campaign, even though it might not have been monetarily.
Saddened by death
I AM deeply saddened to read about Derek Hale. My daughter was a classmate of his in their younger years, and I also know his mother. I certainly hope his wife pursues a lawsuit. My sympathy goes out to his family.
Father's message
MY EX-HUSBAND pays child support because it's garnished from his paycheck. He does nothing but complain about how much he is forced to send. But when it's summer and he's supposed to have the children for only four weeks, he doesn't take them. Why? Because he can't handle them or he only wants to do what he wants to do. And what kind of message is he sending his children? That his needs and wants are more important than theirs.
Paying support
I'M A single mom with three children. Pay me what you would pay a baby-sitter to be responsible for three children 24/7 for 30 days in a row, and then you can complain about the child support you have to send me. What you pay is nothing compared to what I do to raise our children. And if you don't like paying so much, why did you tell the judge you didn't want custody and wanted only minimal visitation?
Do the job
THIS ISN'T junior high school. You can't pick someone for your team or take your ball and go home because you don't want to play. It's time for Judge Ben Lewis to do his job. Hear the cases and do the right thing. There's no place for a childish attitude in a court of law.
Limit parking
I LIVE on Park Street and can't find a place to park in front of my house during the school day. It is filled with Southeast Missouri State University students. I think the university should ban freshman from having cars like they did when I went to SEMO.
Still needs work
I AM a resident of Scott City. I realize that one of the purposes for the new traffic lights at the I-55 and U.S. 61 exchange was so Kelso residents wouldn't have to wait so long and keep from creating traffic jams. Apparently that's worked great for them, but this situation still needs to be looked at a little more closely. If you're going west out of Scott City and stop at the first stop light by Burger King and intend to go straight, that light takes forever to change no matter what time of day it is. I take my kids to school and go through that intersection every morning. On a normal day the traffic is backed up to Rhodes, and I have seen it backed up all the way to Tank's convenience store. Apparently we've fixed one situation, which is a good thing, but we've created another one just like it. Can someone please take another look at this intersection?
Lots of administrators
I'M A retired principal who served 31 years in public education. I am appalled at the number of administrators at the Cape Girardeau School District's central office. There are two people in charge of curriculum, one for food, one for insurance, one for maintenance, one for transportation, one for grants, one for secondary, one for elementary, one for special education and many more too numerous to mention. What do we pay the superintendent to do?
Delightful person
IF EVERY business had a person like Jo Rogers, who is employed at the Missourian, at their front desk, the world would be a better place. She is a delight.
Subjective scoring
I AM a teacher who has scored the MAP test. No matter what anyone says, the scoring is subjective. After sitting through hours of training to score only a handful of questions, it is still subjective. The freedom to teach how you want is going out the window. I understand being told what to teach, but I didn't go to college for seven years to be told what to say and how to teach just so kids can pass a pointless test.
Stormtrooper cops
IN RESPONSE to the story "Cape native's death questioned": We are increasingly becoming a police state. Cops have a license to kill, and they use it with impunity. It's happening more and more. Then they lie to cover their butts. Stormtrooper cops have nobody's respect because they don't earn it. They have our fear, but not our respect.
No raises for judges
GIVE ME a break. Judges are overpaid. No raises for the judges who are making $100,000 a year and more until the average person makes that much.
Snow and ice
I'M READY for cold weather, including snow and ice.
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
Raises for deputies
THANK YOU, Cape Girardeau County commissioner Jay Purcell, for standing up for the sheriff's department. I voted for the tax increase to increase the pay of the sheriff deputies. Maybe if presiding commissioner Gerald Jones and commissioner Larry Bock took a pay cut down to the salaries of our deputies who put their lives on the line daily, they would realize those officers can barely pay for the basic necessities. I hope the commission will give the sheriff's deputies the raises that they were promised.
Paying judges
THIS IS in response to the article about pay raises for judges. It seems judges are compensated quite a lot for the type of work they do. I'm a state employee, and I have to live on $29,000 a year. If judges can't live on $108,000 a year, they need to try to budget better or learn to live within their means. Some judges do not protect the state's interests even though they work for the state. Maybe they need to do their jobs a little better. The workers who should get raises are the state employees who are out in the trenches.
Choosing schools
IT IS obvious that some public elementary schools have better test scores than other public elementary schools here in Cape Girardeau. I would suggest that parents should be allowed to take their kids to any public elementary school they want as long as they pay for all their own transportation and the district has room at the school they want to move into.
Proud of Cape
I'M PROUD to live in Cape Girardeau. I enjoyed opening the Southeast Missourian today. The Christmas ads of Old Towne Cape brought the kid out in me, and my heart was filled with yesterday. Then came the Opinion page all about Rush Limbaugh III. My husband said it all: "Rush is just like O.J. Simpson. They both broke the laws of the land, and they like to keep their names in the headlines." Need I say more?
Awesome displays
TO CAPE Girardeau County Park North and all who are involved in the Christmas lights and decorations: You've done it again. Awesome.
Jackson's parade
JACKSON SHOULD have it's own personality. The parade starting 2 p.m. is just fine. Cape Girardeau already has the Christmas Parade of Lights covered. I think it's good for business when people are downtown when the businesses are open. I can't see how it helps the business district at all when there's a parade at 5 p.m. I think the purpose of parades in the first place was to help businesses. Jackson, stick to what you're doing, because it's working.
Bright holiday
I WOULD like to thank those who've gone to the effort to put up Christmas lights. They are enjoyed, especially on Cape Rock Road. I especially like the blue snowflakes and the blue snowman. Homes in Jackson are beautifully decorate. I want to thank people for their efforts this holiday season and let them know their efforts are making my holiday brighter.
List is working
A RECENT editorial questioned the effectiveness of the existing No-Call List. For our family, this has been a blessing. I recently told someone who was being hounded by telemarketers how great list is. We only receive calls from businesses we currently are associated with or not-for-profit organizations. Those who question it's effectiveness are possibly receiving calls from organizations they have contributed to. The list has benefited more Missourians than anything our Missouri government has done in years. Thank you, Attorney Jay Nixon. I wish you luck in adding the automated political calls to this list.
Ride to church
THIS IS to the person saying that they called a church to get a ride for their mother and the minister said they didn't provide a service. The First Pentecostal Church of Cape Girardeau would be more than happy to pick up your mom and take her to church.
Christmas kindness
THANK THE Christmas angel who found my Macy's shopping bag at the J.C. Penney store and turned it in to lost and found. A blessed holiday to you and yours.
Christmas spirit
PLEASE REMEMBER as you shop during this holiday season to thank all of the people who are in retail who have stressful days but give of their time.
Art for sale
WHOEVER MADE the comment about buying art for gifts apparently doesn't know art work was available at the Arts & Crafts Extravaganza. Artwork by a variety of artists is available year round at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri downtown. This month the Christmas tree covered with small paintings for $15 and under by artists with the Visual Arts Coop is featured.
Burning odor
AT LEAST the smell of burning leaves is temporary. The smell of wood burning is daily. It is a sickening smell.
Story Tags
Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:
For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.
Related
OpinionDec. 12
Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
