Speak Out 8/18/04

Tax bonanza

THIS IS a big thank you for our sales tax-free weekend. People were coming out to shop in droves. They were excited and enjoyed having a tax-free weekend. It shows you that everybody understands what taxes cost us.

Inconsiderate cycling

WHILE DRIVING on Route V north of Cape Girardeau recently I came upon a situation that just blew my mind. This is a narrow, hilly road with lots of curves. Coming down one of these hills and rounding a curve, I came upon a bicyclist going the opposite direction, barely making it up the hill. Behind him were two trucks plus a pickup, all traveling slowly because there was no room to pass. I know bicyclists have a right to ride on these roads, but couldn't they be a little more considerate and pull over? Please use a little common sense if you insist on riding on these roads.

Send him to jail

WHAT TYPE of jerk believes he's a homosexual but gets married twice and has children by both wives, creating two families? That jerk is the governor of New Jersey. And then we find he's paying his homosexual lover with taxpayer funds by giving him a state job. That man deserves jail.

A poor decision

AS THE parent of a student in the Cape Girardeau School District, I've been reading all of the comments and information about the new reading coaches. The bottom line is those people are administrators. They're not working directly with the students. Again our district has made the decision to hire more people who are chiefs and not people who are Indians working directly with the students. My daughter's school no longer has a full-time counselor, and it lost some of the special-services teachers. There's been an increase in class size, yet we have more administrators hired. I think this was a very poor decision.

Coaches help reading

I'M CALLING about the reading coaches for Cape Girardeau. I live in the Jackson area. Reading coaches are helpful especially if you have a child who is a very good reader but has comprehension problems. I know they helped my daughter, and it's not because the teachers aren't doing the jobs. The teachers are doing their jobs. It's just my daughter needs extra help. Her grades have improved in reading.

Let them pay

TO THE person who says to go to the developers to build a water park in our city, I would say that he should go to the business owners downtown and have them pay for their own revitalization.

Send a message

THE JACKSON School Board has decided to ask for another tax increase. I'm on a fixed income, and there's a limit to how much more I can add on to my taxes and keep my home. The board is forcing people out of this community and into areas where taxes are cheaper. And I urge all the people who are on fixed incomes are trying to hold onto their homes to deliver a strong message to school administrators.

Thanks for watch

I WOULD like to say thank you to the person who found my watch at J.C. Penney and turned it in. May God bless you.

Music gone bad

WHAT IS with today's music? One of the Beatles said the music of a culture can control a culture. Listen to the music on the radio and television. Most of this is two-bar repetition. Dance mix is a popular choice. No one listens to classical music. By definition, rain dripping on a hubcap in a junk yard is music, and I would prefer that over today's sound. The young people have ambition, but they haven't paid their dues. They must accept discipline. Today a guy gets on stage and hollers. This is not music. This is bad vibes. This is a very sad day.

Highway request

THIS REQUEST goes to the Missouri Department of Transportation. Between the 98 and 99 mile markers on Interstate 55 southbound there's a hole in the road that is getting worse by the day. MoDOT needs to make repairs, because it's going to cause an accident.