OpinionOctober 6, 1999
SPEAKOUT
I CANNOT believe some of the streets that the city is resurfacing while letting others go. Just this week they resurfaced Olive Street from Chestnut to Fountain streets. The stretch of road from over the levee past Sloan's Creek Bridge is broken up and busted, and it's almost impassable without shaking your car to pieces. ...
Repair streets that need it most
I CANNOT believe some of the streets that the city is resurfacing while letting others go. Just this week they resurfaced Olive Street from Chestnut to Fountain streets. The stretch of road from over the levee past Sloan's Creek Bridge is broken up and busted, and it's almost impassable without shaking your car to pieces. It seems to me the city would look at the streets that need repair the most and take care of those. This has been a bad spot for years, and they simply refuse to do anything about it.
Voters need to be educated
I WOULD like to comment about the political election process. I think we need to change it, since there are so many people who are ill-informed about the candidates. If we could go back seven or eight years and inform people about Bill Clinton, how many people would have voted for him if they knew that one of the first things he was going to do in the first 100 days in office is open the doors for gays in the military? Evidently, there are so many people who are ill-informed. Maybe in order to vote, citizens have to take a test. Anyone who makes less than a C-minus, can't vote. It's our lives that we're playing with.
Damaging mailboxes is federal offense
DON'T THE felons who are damaging the mailboxes know it's a federal offense and could cost them a big fine? I suggest that their parents tell them what's going on.
Street crews deserve appreciation
I WORK for the Cape street department. I read the complaint about the street department. I believe it was an unfair statement made by an individual who doesn't know what we do. As far as blocking off the streets to repair them, we need lots of equipment. We need backhoes, trucks and lots of men. Just like any other job, they referred to us not as street crew but the standing crew. We get breaks just like any other job. We get a lunch. We don't have a break room to go to. We take breaks there on the street. We don't have a lunchroom. We eat out there on the street. This person who called in, I'm wondering if he is one of the same people who come through our "Do not enter" signs and endanger us and other vehicles with people in them and themselves, the same type of person who gets angry when we have to turn them around once they enter a "Do not enter" zone. It was a very unjustified attack on the street department, and I didn't think it was deserved. I'd like to know where this person is at in 2 o'clock in the morning when we're out cleaning the streets when it's snowing or when it's 110 degrees outside and we're out there on our knees striking off concrete or pouring asphalt or whatever. As far as a patch that's been left for three or four days, there's always some reason. We don't ever just leave a patch. If there's a patch open, it's been left open because there's water work to be done underneath it or something else. As far as the street department goes, we perform a very difficult job for the city, and it's not very nice to be underappreciated.
Students suffering from noise, dust
I READ your article in the paper about how the new superintendent of Cape Girardeau School District has been taking steps to build better relations with the teachers. For example, in September he gave them their checks on Friday when they wouldn't have gotten them til Monday. And they all have matching shirts that say something about the district's creed or goal. That's really nice, but what is he doing to make amends to the community and to the students? Today, for not the first time this year, my son was sent home from school with an allergy problem because of all the dust from the construction at his school. The air conditioning was never in place in time to be used. The noise outside his classroom is horrendous. The dust is horrendous. There are constant interruptions in class because of workmen working so loud that the teacher has to stop. How much educational time is being lost and how much are our children being hurt by this? We've been paying increased taxes for over two years now, and this stuff is still not done. Our children are suffering and I'm getting kind of tired of this. The superintendent has no reason to have to appease these teachers. Paying them a day early didn't mean squat. But my child's education is being damaged because these buildings were not done on time. How is the superintendent going to appease the children and the parents of this district? You may have another bond issue you want passed. You might want to remember that and start working on us instead of on your teachers. They're already too spoiled.
Factories are crushed by government
ONCE AGAIN, the wackos are coming out of the woodwork, badmouthing the free-enterprise system. Factories aren't leaving because they're greedy. It's because they're being crushed from government regulation. From so-called environmental laws to the minimum wage, restrictions are choking our country to death. Some of these factories have perfectly good creeks and streams right in their own neighborhoods, yet they're forced to pay tremendous fees to bury their wastes far away. And all these safety rules. In the old days, if a careless worker lost a couple of fingers or a hand, you could just fire him. Now business has to find some other job for him or pay him disability. No wonder our honest businesses are fleeing overseas. Luckily, our good congressmen and senators are working to remedy this dire situation.
Some sidewalks are blocked
THE CITY is concerned about the condition of our sidewalks in town. I just wonder if the city is also concerned about sidewalks that are blocked so that people have to go out in the street to get around. There is a pile of mulch that is always blocking the sidewalk in the 700 block of Bellevue, and a large tree limb has been blocking the sidewalk for the past month in the 200 block of North Ellis.
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Neighbor doesn't want juvenile center
THIS IS in regard to the juvenile center they're wanting to build on Clark Street. That's in my area. I do not want it in Cape. Let them put it in Jackson. That is the central location. We do not want it in Cape and not on Clark Street especially.
Use the money for education
ISN'T IT just outrageous that Clinton can just erase billions of dollars owed the United States by many countries, yet our country cannot provide a government-sponsored education to every qualified high school student. It's about time all those billions go to fully educate the children of the United States.
Running event was handled well
ONE OF your callers called in to complain about all of the runners out on the road on a recent Sunday morning. They are in the way of cars. Can you imagine that? Well, that run was started at 7 a.m. precisely so that the runners could run and then afterwards have time to go to church. It was a very well-run event, and thanks to the organizers and thanks to the police for helping to escort it. Yes, it could be done a little better in the future and maybe the runners could all run on the left side of the road, but it was very well-run and nobody got hurt, and I enjoyed it.
Put priority on attracting business
WITH ALL the companies in the area closing, and people being laid off of work, you would think that the city council, the mayor, and members of the chamber of commerce would be more interested in trying to attract new businesses to this area to help the economy instead of spending all their time on the university River Campus project -- which the voters already voted against.
Put postal satellite on west side
THIS IS in reference to the Oct. 1 front-page article entitled "Expansion of postal center will double size." That's great. I'm really glad that the postal employees will have a good job and a longlasting one. However, thinking of the customers? How about establishing some sort of satellite post office on the west side of town? It's ridiculous to have to drive all the way from the mall downtown to mail a small package. Please consider this request.
Important to show respect for flag
THE TIRADE against Tiger Woods in Friday's Speak Out is based on a false idea. When listening to the national anthem, it is totally acceptable to stand with hands by your side or to put one hand over your heart. This is a matter of personal choice. The important thing is to show respectful attention.
Neighbor was trying to burn trash
TO MY good neighbor on County Road 444: To clarify the situation, I was simply burning our trash in a burn barrel. I am thankful to you, my supportive neighbor, for pointing out my mistake in the newspaper. You obviously do not understand the terror I felt when trying to fight the field fire alone. You should be thankful that you have not made any mistakes in your adult life for your good neighbor to bring to your attention. On the lighter side, consider yourself invited to my next bonfire party.
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