Speak Out

Coverage lacking

THE COVERAGE by the media of the boil-water order left much to be desired. In the past, such orders have flashed across the bottom of the television screen on local channels. The public-access channel should also have had information on this. The map the Southeast Missourian had in the paper also was lacking. It showed Bertling ending at the river, which is does not. The map should have had streets and their names listed.

Nutrition lessons

SCHOOLS SHOULD not be held solely responsible for teaching children about nutrition. Banning birthday cake from the classroom is only a small step in taking care of the weight problem in this country. Take into consideration these same children who will go home and eat junk provided by the parents while they sit and play parent-provided video games for hours. Please don't add yet another parenting task to the schools.

No pork, no votes

MIKE JENSEN'S praise of U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill for not voting for any pork-barrel legislation is admirable and reassuring in the sense that it makes certain that McCaskill will be a one-termer.

Single working mom

I AM a single mother with two children. I don't get any assistance. I make more than $13 an hour. I usually work about 50 to 55 hours a week and am paid time and a half for the overtime. I don't get any child support. But guess what? It still isn't easy. The money is the thing that I couldn't care less about. How about some help getting the children ready for school and church, making sure they eat supper and doing their homework? Some help with discipline would be nice too. How about when they are sick and I'm scared to take them to the doctor because I need my job and the money I earn? How about rides to the places they need to go? Alone time? Parents with spouses have someone to help with the little things that most people take for granted. Though I don't need the financial benefits from the government, it is still not easy raising a child alone. I try to grin and bear it because I love my children.

Trashy city

IS CAPE Girardeau the city of trash? Is there no pride in your city? If my yard looked like some public places, I would surely get fined. Pick up the garbage and be proud. Don't depend on others to clean your neighborhood.

Higher taxes

I WOULD like to congratulate Cape Girardeau voters for their participation in the Tuesday election. 13.74 percent of registered voters voted. To all of you who did and didn't vote: thanks for raising my cost of living by increasing the sales tax again.

Unhappy wife

I JUST read a comment from a married woman complaining about how hard marriage is and how single moms have it easy because of welfare. Does this woman's husband know how unhappy she is? This woman's self-aggrandizing morals directly contradict the teachings of Christ, who called out the hypocrites in his Sermon on the Mount. He gave us the Golden Rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Forgive us our trespasses. He taught us to pray for forgiveness. I pray for this woman to have a happy marriage and for a proper relationship with God.

Helping hand

I LIVE on disability. It's hard to make ends meet. I've got to decide if I'm going to pay my gas and electric bill or eat. It's a day-to-day decision. People say there's no starving in America. I beg to differ. On top of this, the governor's wife is making a plea for the public to redecorate her home, the governor's mansion. I'd like her to help me with some of my home repairs.

Thank-you notes

MY HAIRDRESSER and I just had a conversation that we've had many times. We have 20-something relatives who get married and have babies. When they're given gifts, they never send a thank-you note. We came up with a solution: Give them gift cards that you can activate, but you won't activate them until you have received a thank-you note. Is there anyone else with us on this who've seen the same problem with the ungrateful attitudes of young people these days?

Bad decision

REGARDING THE bus incident during the big rainstorm: My grandson was on the bus. He had only been living in Cape Girardeau for three weeks and didn't know his way around. He had no cell phone and no place to go. He had to walk over a mile and got drenched by all the passing cars. He finally came to a bank where he called me. The woman at the bank gave him a blanket to sit on because he was so wet. I think the bus driver could have done her job and taken those children back to the junior high or at least someplace dry where they could have used a phone. The bus company is lucky no one got hurt or died. She needs to be more than reprimanded for what she has done. She made a bad decision.

Too much exposure

I'M TIRED of seeing a picture of Timothy Krajcir on the front page of the newspaper for doing what he has done. Everybody knows who he is. Take his picture off the front page. Let's put somebody on the front who deserves to be on the front page of the newspaper.

A better Olympics

THE OLYMPICS were a great idea for fostering the spirit of goodwill and friendship. But what the Olympics have become over the years is a disgrace, a forum for some nations to show off their pride and power instead of friendship and sportsmanship, a place to protest and demonstrate. When you have to install drug testing and background checks for athletes, there's not much truth and honor or fair play. If somehow we could get athletes together without their countries' egos interfering, it would be a great togetherness event, and friendship would prevail.

No bowl of cherries

I SUPPOSE a recession could lead to a depression, so it's not all cheery news. I suppose those who have these expensive homes and can't unload them are feeling a little depressed right now, so I think they may be in the depression. Try having your home up for sale with no buyers, and lovely homes at that. A lot of us are becoming depressed over the high gasoline prices. Grocery prices are going up. And then the electric company wants a rate increase. I say the rates are high enough. I'm getting more and more depressed each day. I don't want to imagine the Great Depression of 1930s. It's depressing enough, and recession certainly isn't a bowl full of cherries.

Keep the car

I HAVE traded cars nine times in the past 15 years, but after this and other tax increases I have vowed to keep my current car until the wheels fall off. It is four years old, and I have found it's doing well. I will keep it forever if I can.