Speak Out 7/9/06

Changing lives

I JUST read the op-ed column by Harry Martin, "The ability to trust and be trusted: the key to recovery from drug abuse." I thought it was very well-written. Mr. Martin has a pretty good handle on things. I've battled with drug and alcohol abuse in my past, and I've been living a clean and living-for-the-Lord life for the last 3 1/2 years. People can change if given the right help.

Waste not

A FEW days ago I was at a reunion with a couple from Oak Ridge, Tenn. They said the national lab there, which has been working on biofuels for years, has developed a process whereby after a mass of garbage is mixed together the lab can run a rapid test to tell which enzymes are necessary to break down the garbage to form the sugars can be fermented. This can be done with garbage, wood chips and other things like that. They said that the process is moving ahead. It's to the point that the lab is running small scale but getting ready to upgrade to production scale. The production of ethanol from the wood chips and things like that can run up to 80 to 100 gallons per ton of material. This idea of using something like corn for ethanol production is silly. There are other things, even garbage. The day is coming when we will waste not and want not.

Rest-stop repairs

I TRAVEL back and forth on Interstate 55 every day to Perryville. I usually stop at the rest area at the Oak Ridge exit. The sidewalks look like they had been broken up for some digging and not replaced. The sidewalks are really bad. The truck parking lot on the southbound side is so bumpy that sometimes, if you don't know the holes are there, semis hit them and look like they might turn over. I wish the Missouri Department of Transportation would repair some of this stuff.

Small-town values

WHEN IS the city council going to realize that Cape Girardeau is a city of certain values and habits? These dictatorial council members think they are some kind of elite group, and they're trying to shape Cape Girardeau into New York or Chicago. God forbid. The picture of the police taking away a garage sale sign from a Cape Girardeau resident represents the brave new world. This council is taking away your rights, little by little, and it seems like there's nothing you can do about it. It's time to let the members of the city council know that is a small town with small-town values.

Beautiful yards

WOULDN'T OUR city be beautiful if all the yards in Cape Girardeau would be as beautiful as the Duncan yard on Robin Hood Circle and the Boren yard on Sherwood Drive. These yards are not done by professionals by the gardeners living in these homes, which is hard work, especially when our weather is hot.

Playing through

WHY DOES Cape Girardeau's downtown golf course have to be restricted in use to an annual event? It should be open for play virtually year-round.

Political pitch

POLITICAL SPEECH (campaign signs) is much more legally and constitutionally protected than commercial speech (signs advertising garage sales). If you're determined to try to get around the restrictions of Cape Girardeau's ordinance, I would suggest trying out a sign like, "Vote for Joe Blow because he's coming to the garage sale at (insert place) on (insert time and date)." It might fly.

Cell-phone session

GOV. MATT Blunt is omnipresent on the radio expressing his concern for the welfare of Missourians. He is to be commended. However, now that it has been proven as dangerous as driving drunk, Blunt should call a special session of the legislature for the purpose of passing a law prohibiting the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle.

Mail the notice

LET'S SEE. You get 10 days to comply with a written notice that your sign has violated the sign law. My guess is by then your yard sale will be over. Tell the police to mail you a letter. And by then the sale will be history.

Take charge

NO MATTER how often I hear and read it, I still have a difficult time swallowing the fact that others are being held responsible for the actions of students and parents. Administrations and teachers can only go so far. After that, it is the parents' and students' responsibility. My son would have been a dropout had I not intervened. Its was up to me as one of his parents to take action and work hand in hand with those reaching out to him. I had to fight him by pushing him, but I did it for his good. He now lives with regrets that he didn't make the effort and respond by putting more effort. Nonetheless, the administration did all it could. Stop trying to force administrators to hold the hand of the rebels and force them to do what parents should be doing.

Life on the line

I READ the article on the Memorial Day incident in Oran involving chief Marc Tragesser and John W. Melton. Tragesser put his life on the line and did an excellent job, yet the system let him down. I am wondering how many Oran residents are going to criticize him for this incident.

Bad for our image

I CANNOT believe the amount of trash along the interstate between Route K and Center Junction. It's the worst I've ever seen it. I don't know what people from out of state think about Cape Girardeau when they come through Missouri and see this.