SPEAK OUT

Democrats were silent

WHILE THE electoral votes were being officially counted and recorded in the U.S. House of Representatives, 50 Democratic U.S. senators remained silent instead of challenging the official tally of Florida's 25 electoral votes. I urge those in this area to follow their Democratic senator and respectfully recognize George W. Bush as our president.

Thanks for purse

I WOULD like to thank the person who found my purse in a shopping cart at Shopko and turned it in at the store. Thank you so much. God bless you.

Examine the record

Before we talk about Franklin Roosevelt's taxes, let examine Ronald Reagan's record. At least after FDR I had the money to pay the taxes and did so willingly.

Throwing it away

THERE SEEMS to be a lot of waste in Missouri government, such as Mrs. Wilson's new portrait. If someone's only in there a couple of months, you hardly need a portrait of them. And two swing bands at the Holden inauguration seemed a little excessive. Think of all the people who could be fed. There are people in Missouri who are hungry. They could use financial aid. It's a shame when money is just being thrown away.

Plenty to do

IT WAS refreshing to read Peter Hilty's letter praising our park system and recreational facilities. People who can't find anything to do here simply aren't looking. While the editorial on hog manure wasn't exactly refreshing, I also appreciated it. The effort to change the smell of hog manure could better be spent trying to convince us all to eat less pork. We'd be more healthy. The same effort should convince us to eat less beef.

Poor pet care

WHY DO people have dogs if all they do for them is put them in a pen, pay no attention to them and give them frozen water?

Finish Broadway

I SEE the road crews are tearing up Broadway again. I don't know what in the world they're trying to accomplish by all this. If it's anything short of the final result being the entire length of Broadway being paved with gold, it has not been worth the trouble at all. This has been the biggest inconvenience. It's gone on months and months and months. It's dangerous too, and I'm sick to death of it.

Delightful letter

I WAS delighted to see Peter Hilty's letter to the editor. It makes me miss being in his class. Dr. Hilty was my poetry professor when I was in college. Reading that letter makes me wish he wrote a regular column for your paper.

Cross country winners

I HAD the privilege of going to the Cape Central cross country banquet. What a wonderful team and wonderful organization Coach Hahn and Coach Myers have put together. They not only have winning athletes, they won the varsity girls and boys conference meet, they won the junior varsity boys and girls at conference and the ninth-grade boys and girls at conference. They have put together a group of 50 athletes who are learning more than just athletics. They're learning how to run to be fit for life. They're learning how to love and respect and take care of each other. And they all love their coaches. We saw lots and lots of athletes and parents hug the coaches after it was over. They do care for each other and take care of each other. It's a wonderful program. Thank you, coaches.