SPEAKOUT

Information about burning limbs

WE TRIMMED our tree. We were told we could not burn the limbs. The neighbor across from us cut two trees down, and he burned all the limbs, leaves and wood. We had to pay to have all our limbs removed. I wish you would put in the paper who is right. He had the whole neighborhood so smoked up you couldn't breathe. To me that is polluting the air.

REPLY: A spokesman with the Cape Girardeau Fire Department said vegetation -- leaves, garden trimming, limbs and brush -- collected on an individual's property can be burned between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. daily. A permit is required when the pile attains the size of approximately 5 feet by 5 feet or if the property owner feels the fire may produce a lot of smoke. The permit is free and alerts the fire and police department to the location of the fire. City and state laws prohibit burning of construction and lumber products, all plastics and paper products including cardboard. Cape Girardeau residents may take limbs, brush and other yard waste to the compost holding area on Third Street just off LaCruz during the fall cleanup Oct. 13-18. The compost holding area will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Heart handicaps aren't visible

I'M CALLING about this person complaining about the people with the handicap licenses. You don't have to be walking around with oxygen in your nose or walking with a cane or walker to be handicapped. There are a lot of people who are heart handicapped. They don't have to show any visible signs. I think they're rather unkind when they're talking about that.

May be best to keep pen capped?

I'D LIKE to offer a thought to frequent correspondent Ray Umbdenstock. To paraphrase an age-old question, is it better to keep your pen capped and appear to be a fool, or take the cap off and remove all remaining doubt?

Bikers should observe safety rules

THIS CONCERNS the bike riders on Route C. At quarter after 11 in the morning, we were traveling south on Route C. As we approached the first bridge and came around the corner, there were in the neighborhood of 20 people on bicycles. Some of them were children. This was bad enough that they were in the lane ahead of us and had the right of way, which we gave to them. But I do not think it is necessary that they spread out over both lanes of the highway, because directly on the other side of the bridge is a very sharp curve and a truck coming around that curve and down that hill would have been right on those people before anyone would have been aware of it. So these people have the right to drive and ride on our highways, but I would ask that common courtesy be taught to these people so that they not only respect other people but have respect for their own lives as well, because they too can become a statistic by not observing safety rules.

Let SEMO students park at Show Me Center

WHO SAYS those college students pay taxes? All they do is pay taxes on their food and booze, but they certainly don't pay property taxes. All they do is vote in things here in Cape Girardeau that they have no business voting on. I say they should all be routed to that Show Me Center parking lot. They don't have things going on there during the day, during college hours. Shuttle them over there to that parking lot and get them out of the park so our kids can go to the park.

Men should demand custody rights

I'M CALLING in regards to a father's right to have custody of children. I believe individuals need to write their congressmen to let them know that fathers do have rights, they want to have rights and they're not getting the rights they deserve under the present judicial system. Many judges will find in favor of giving children to mothers simply out of tradition. This is not right, and I believe we need to pass laws to protect fathers, because justice is supposed to be blind, and judges should not be basing a judicial decision on sex. It's discriminatory. It's something that women have been fussing about for years, being discriminated against, and I believe that in the modern era men have the tendency to be more nurturing. They are more caring of their children than the way things used to be.

Family enjoys fair every night

EVERY EVENING, my wife and two high school daughters would walk from our neighborhood and cross Maria Louise Street to attend the SEMO Fair. We enjoyed every night. And thanks to sweet Al, working at the exit gate at Maria Louise, who was so extra nice and friendly to my family.

Parents have a right to know

I'M A young woman who lives in Jackson. I'm unable to have children but perhaps I may adopt some day. I certainly do hope so. I'd like to commend the Southeast Missourian for printing the names of the sex offenders. I was surprised to learn that three or four names were familiar to me, although I don't know them personally. One of the respondents in "Talk on the Street" said he had mixed emotions. He fears that releasing the names might be a detriment to the sex offender getting a job. My response to that is the sex offender ought to have thought about that before he committed his crime. While this doesn't affect me personally at this point in time since I'm not in charge of any children, it may well could in the future. I don't have to know children to know that they're hurt by this. I don't have to know parents and families of the children to know that they suffer, and I would like them to know who's moving in next door to them. So I applaud wholeheartedly, and I hope that you're able to keep it up.

Thanks for having Statler Brothers

THIS IS to the fair board. A big thanks for having the Statler Brothers at the fair. Please try to get them back again and again. The show was excellent. Thanks again, fair board.