OpinionJune 4, 2001
SPEAK OUT
HEIDI HALL wants service from her postal department. She needs to come to Jackson, Mo. The clerks are more than courteous. They put a capital "S" on their service. THE ROUNDABOUT is perfect the way it is now. If we widen it, people will drive too fast and will be hesitant to yield to cars already in the roundabout, causing more accidents...
Capital-S service
HEIDI HALL wants service from her postal department. She needs to come to Jackson, Mo. The clerks are more than courteous. They put a capital "S" on their service.
It's just right
THE ROUNDABOUT is perfect the way it is now. If we widen it, people will drive too fast and will be hesitant to yield to cars already in the roundabout, causing more accidents.
It's about attitude
TO THE college grad who thinks the Republicans don't want him to succeed: I can see why you have income and success problems. It's your hate attitude and socialist viewpoint. Those who have guts and determination don't blame a political party for their failures. The Democratic Party has brainwashed its supporters for years. Self-reliance and responsibility aren't in their vocabulary.
Leave a little earlier
THIS IS for the person who said it takes too long to get down Mount Auburn Road and about the four-way stop at Hopper Road. If he would get up a little earlier, it would be a lot easier for him and everyone else. It's people like him who cause wrecks.
Reagan switched too
YOU REPUBLICANS are plumb sick. You're making a big deal out of U.S. Sen. James Jeffords because he changed parties. What about that Reagan that you worship? He changed from Democrat to Republican. So cool it, will you?
Hard-working board
IT IS beyond my realm of imagination why anyone would choose to serve on the Jackson School Board. I can't think of one other group of dedicated community volunteers who have suffered more attacks on their personal character and integrity. Surely no one thinks these people serve on this board for power and prestige. There's not a more scrutinized group in Jackson. I hope and pray that those who reside in this school district, with its fine reputation in Missouri, would stand up and support these servants. Please, let's not let a negative, suspicious fear damage the good that this board strives to accomplish for our children. That is the goal of all of us, isn't it? A favorite quote of mine is by a man named Peter deVries: "We were put on earth together not to see through one another, but rather to see one another through." Please, Jackson residents. Let's help our school district and its board through the difficult task of providing quality public education.
Pretty agreeable
I AGREE with the mayor about the roundabout. I think it's OK. It does need to be widened. I think people are too quick to complain on this thing. I also want to say that I think Richard Eggimann and Jay Purcell are right in asking that the law be enforced. There's no point in these people walking down the middle of the street and making noise at night. This can and should be stopped.
Hopper Road rights
SOMEONE KEEPS calling and complaining about the four-way stop at Mount Auburn and Hopper roads. The people on Hopper Road have just as much right to drive as the others, so get over it.
Just three choices
CITY LEADERS, let's get down to the facts in a roundabout way. The city has a choice of one of three workable solutions. No. 1: Make the radius of the roundabout larger by expanding the outer part of the circle. No. 2: Make it a four-way stop. No. 3: Put in traffic lights.
It's a free country
I'D LIKE to speak out about the comment about sticking with the party. We are in a free United States. We're not in Russia or someplace like that. I think that if you want to switch parties, you should be able to. This is supposed to be a free country.
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Beliefs don't change
I APPLAUD James Jeffords for switching parties. When you elect a leader, it should be based on his beliefs, not based on parties. Jeffords' beliefs on key issues remain the same, no matter what party he's a member of. If President Bush wasn't making such horrible decisions and putting the agendas of big business ahead of those of the American people, Jeffords wouldn't have had to take such drastic actions.
Automatic tax increase
I JUST received my property-tax assessment, and the newspaper was right. It did go up 11 percent. That means all the schools are automatically getting 11 percent more from me from my taxes, and that's without a tax-rate increase. Please don't vote for a tax-rate increase. They're already getting 11 percent more. They have enough money. Spend it wisely.
Visit Chaffee, Anna
RECENTLY I drove through the Chaffee, Mo., roundabout and the Anna, Ill., roundabout. Both are very large and functional. Perhaps our city leaders should take time to visit these two and figure out why our little-bitty roundabout won't work.
Farming dangerous too
I AM not a heartless person, but I'm getting tired of individuals thinking we should donate to families of firefighters and police officers who are killed on the job. The families get financial aid from their jobs. My husband is a farmer and provides food for you. Are you going to provide for me and my children if he gets killed? I wouldn't want you to. I would go out and make a living like the rest of the world. You choose your profession and the dangers. Statistically, farming is more dangerous than your jobs. Also, get life insurance. Quit thinking your profession is better and more dangerous than the rest of us.
Fresh air outside
THIS IS to the Speak Out caller regarding bingo and smoking. If they want smokers to sit outside and smoke, they should put the people who don't smoke outside. They're the ones who want the fresh air. Let the smokers stay inside.
Cost justification
I'VE BEEN involved with construction all of my adult life, and I can tell you that the city's claim that it would cost $111,000 to remove the roundabout is preposterous. If I had that contract, I guarantee that I would walk away with at least $75,000 profit. It's obvious that the city's giving this inflated figure as a means to justify keeping this traffic obstacle.
Fix West End Boulevard
IT INFURIATES me to see this city fix streets that are good. They leave the bad ones bad. Now, they have to fix the roundabout. How much will that cost? I challenge the city council, the engineers and the street people to start at Capaha Park and go south on West End Boulevard. Do they ever drive on this street? Probably not. It has holes, patches and bumps. It never gets fixed. What is up with this?
Barbecue brownout
I'M CALLING in response to Tara Miller's letter. Can you imagine what the air in Cape would be like if everyone went outside at 7 p.m. on June 21 and fired up their barbecue grills? Not to mention what it would do across the country. It would probably block the sun. It might harm lots of animals. Leave the energy crisis to the experts.
Good conscience
I CONGRATULATE Jim Jeffords. He ran in Vermont on a platform, not just on a party name, contrary to what some Republicans think. His platform coincided with that of more moderates and Democrats, so he did the logical thing and changed his party affiliation. I applaud his conscience.
Right on the fence
BEFORE I sat down to read the June 1 Southeast Missourian editorial, I found myself wishing that the editorial staff would refrain from sitting on the fence on so many issues. At that time, I had no earthly idea that the editorial would be about fences.
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