OpinionJuly 29, 2007
Speak Out 7/29/07
Dining apparel; Highway design; City investment; Power wheelchairs; Hush-hush on juvenile; Distressing changes; School calendar; Paying teachers; Lost vacation?; No advice is best; Farm subsidies; Rental property; An institution now; Top performance
Dining apparel
ON SATURDAY my family and I were at a local restaurant having lunch and in walked several women and young girls in their swimming suits. Please do everyone a favor and cover up. It's dissatisfying to try to eat and see women in swimming suits. It's one thing for the children, but it's another thing for the adults. Please have enough respect for the others eating and cover up.
Highway design
EVERY DAY I drive through the new highway construction on Highway 34/72 (West Jackson Boulevard) and my blood pressure goes up. I hope the person who designed this highway has been let go. I thought phase one was bad with how crooked it was, but phase two is even worse. Why you couldn't the turn lanes be longer instead of wasted concrete making larger medians before turn lanes? Maybe phase three will be better designed.
City investment
OF COURSE the best little town in America is not in Wisconsin. It is Cape Girardeau. No street is more beautiful than Old Cape Rock Road in Cape Girardeau. I'm sure there are other pretty streets, but this is the street that I see most, and it's so gorgeous. To have a beautiful town, there are some taxes you must pay. They've rewritten the pool tax plan and made it smaller and more palatable. You have to invest in your city if you want to have a beautiful place.
Power wheelchairs
I WAS just wondering if anyone else is having problems I've had lately. I was shopping, and someone in a power wheelchair just about ran me over and made me fall. On another day I was getting ready to back out of my parking spot and a woman in a power wheelchair, came zipping down the street behind. If I had been backing out, I don't think I would have seen her. Is this going to be a common thing we're going to have start watching out for? I don't think those things are licensed for the street.
Hush-hush on juvenile
I BELIEVE residents of Cape Girardeau County deserve to know who the juvenile was involved in the shooting of another teen two weeks ago in Jackson. Who is he and why is this so hush-hush? Laws are for everyone.
Distressing changes
IT'S INTERESTING that Jackson and the new mayor are so enthusiastic about the destruction they're going to create on Oak Street for the walking trail. Many of us remember the fight the current mayor put up some years ago when there was a proposal about property changes near her residential street. She fought it tooth and toenail, and she won. We who are living on Oak Street aren't so fortunate, and we're going to witness much destruction of our area before the city is through. It will not be an improvement. It has become distressing for the property owners, and we can't do anything about it.
School calendar
KENTUCKIANS ARE always fooling around with the school calendar and a four-day school week, Madisonville, Ky., went to year-round schooling. But the best school is five days a week as it is now. Missourians have good common sense. Leave the school calendar alone.
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Paying teachers
HIGH SCHOOL teachers would get two prep periods and a 40-minute lunch break under the proposed extended schedule. They aren't working nearly the hours the elementary teachers work each day. I hope the school board will realize who needs to be making the most money for the jobs they are required to do and pay the elementary teachers accordingly.
Lost vacation?
I WAS just reading "Longer school year" in Speak Out. I assume that the person who made this comment has no children or grandchildren. These hours and days would cut into a lot of vacation time. Give us a break.
No advice is best
I AGREE with the critic of Ann Landers and would say in addition that the only good advice is to give none. If you are compelled to give advice and don't want to lose the presumed friendship of the person asking for it, make absolutely sure that before you give the advice you know what the person wants to hear.
Farm subsidies
SOME DEMOCRATS are fighting to reduce the farm subsidy payouts. Good for them. The worst of this subsidy program is not necessarily that the wealthy and large industrial farms businesses have been receiving most of these funds to the tune of millions of dollars. People living in some areas of cities like Beverly Hills, Washington and New York are eligible for and receiving farm subsidies. Believe it: People who are not farmers receive subsidies to not plant crops. For a program that began during the Depression to help poor farmers and grew into a plan to pay farmers to not grow crops, the only reason we can see that it is being held onto by politicians is garnering more votes from a special-interest group. It is time for the farm-subsidy program to be means tested and to be eliminated for homeowners who are not farmers.
Rental property
IF YOU are going to rent property, it is your job to make sure the place is kept up and in good condition. I understand landlords cannot control everything, but they own the property and can make sure the people living in their rental property are keeping it in good condition.
An institution now
TIGER TIME may have been added to Central High School's schedule as a result of a mistake, but once there it took on venerable institution status and can in no way be deep-sixed.
Top performance
I WOULD like to congratulate the young lady who sang "Unchained Melody" at the Jackson Homecomers Wednesday night. While she was not chosen as one of the top six acts to advance, she made an outstanding performance, which I think was the best of the night. I do not understand what the judging was based upon, and while there were several other great performers, I cannot believe that this young lady was not chosen as one of the top, if not No. 1, acts. She has a beautiful voice and sang the entire song with perfect pitch. She definitely deserved one of the top six spots. I must say that the judges got it wrong this time.
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