Speak Out A 07/17/02

I AM from a big city. I have friends from other big cities. They all complain about driving in Cape. I know one girl from Chicago who refuses to drive any farther than my house because she can't stand the driving here. Driving is a requirement for my job. A bike would sometimes be preferable to playing Russian roulette with the rest of the poor drivers out here. I would wager that I could get on my bike and hit the La Croix Trail from Lexington to Shawnee Park and make better time than in a car.

Woefully wrongheaded

WILLIAM O. Green's wild and withering attack on MoDOT for bypassing a pet project he favored was woefully wrongheaded. MoDOT has made a sensible proposal to concentrate on I-55, U.S. 60 and many small roads and bridges in Southeast Missouri. It is somewhat sad but still sensible that, at least for the foreseeable future, Green will not be able to get his kicks on I-66.

Instrumental role

I WAS thrilled to read that the Marquette Hotel has been sold and, as a result, saved from demolition. This is exactly the shot in the arm that Cape's downtown needs. However, your article covering the news neglected to give credit to a person who was instrumental in this achievement. Jeremy Wells, who graduated from Southeast's historical preservation program this year, was the person who originally spurred his fellow Southeast students to action on behalf of the Marquette. Wells encouraged a group to attend a condemnation hearing in November 2000 before they ever met Carol Bullock. Wells also co-wrote the National Register of Historic Places nomination, And he led the charge in the development of a marketing and feasibility study which he presented to the city council in an effort to halt demolition. Seeing him mentioned in your article as just "another student" was appalling. Give credit where it is due.

Darn good politics

DAVID LIMBAUGH'S attempt to deflect the reason for the decline in consumer corporate confidence from the crimes of corporate CEOs to the Democrat Party was dastardly and despicable but pretty darn good politics.

Failed attempt

MAYBE IT'S just me, but David Limbaugh didn't seem to have his heart in his failed attempt to defend President Bush against charges that he is a tool of corporate America.

Paying for urban needs

PROPOSITION B is another costly tax on the rural areas of our state. Why should we pay for St. Louis and Kansas City roads? Wake up, folks.

No hiring freeze

THE SEMO administration has taken the meaning of a hiring freeze right out of the Bill Clinton play book. It depends on what the meaning of "is" is in regard to a hiring freeze. If a hiring freeze means that there are no hires over an extended period of time, that is not what we consider to be a hiring freeze. If it is what we say a hiring freeze is, then it is a hiring freeze. There is no hiring freeze at SEMO.