SPEAKOUT

Keep Scott City nice

WHERE DOES our money go? Scott City does have the highest property tax, because I am a taxpayer in Scott City. Also, none of the streets have been repaired. There's a bad pothole after you go around the corner of Park Lane onto Forest, and you can't keep from hitting that every time. Also, at the corner where Park Lane ends, there's a yield sign. It should be a stop sign. Young kids and adult both fly through that, and they don't yield. There are a lot of little kids in that neighborhood who could get run over that rides their bikes and things around, and I think that needs to be taken care of. Scott City is a nice little town to live in, and we would like to keep it nice.

Friends of Clinton

I KNOW if and when my very close friends are in deep trouble. I can't understand when the Clintons wouldn't know when they're very close friend, Mr. Hubble, is in deep trouble. Doesn't that surprise you? It surprises me.

Cape is a clean city

I DISAGREE with the caller who stated how dirty the city of Cape is. Before we agreed to a job transfer into this community, we came to view the area. We were very impressed with the cleanliness of Cape. The previous caller may remember a cleaner time but has no clue how Cape favorably compares with others.

President is a good man

THE PRESIDENT'S already working on the welfare recipients: Give them jobs, good jobs. Clean up the White House, give them priority on jobs. He is a good president. He's putting his ideas where his mouth is, something the Republicans don't do. They mouth off about getting the people off welfare, but they want to starve them after their off. This man is a president and a half. We're fortunate to have a leader like him, and I only regret he can stay in four more years like Franklin Roosevelt, I'd give him four terms.

Don't put down fat people

THIS IN response to the smoker offended by fat. First of all, I would like to say this person must have the intelligence of a cockroach. I am very offended by this. Just because people are overweight doesn't mean they're not intelligent or sensitive people. I don't like smokers, but I don't go around saying that they're gross or anything else. And I would appreciate if he wouldn't take my health, which I'm in perfectly good health, and say he's doing good for us because he's not. He's doing nothing but putting us down and showing his lack of intelligence.

Was Maya Angelou paid?

MISSED MAYA Angelou today. Could you please tell me what happened to her speaker's fee? Was it all forfeited or did she get a retainer anyway? Even though the weather detained her, it was out of our control.

REPLY: No fee has been paid to Maya Angelou, who was unable to get to Cape Girardeau last Thursday because her flight was delayed. Planners of inauguration activities at the university are considering options. One would be to invite Angelou to come to the campus at a later date. Another would be to use the money for other purposes. Still another would be to refund the money raised for her visit to the donors. The donors themselves will be consulted about this.

A forgetful response

THANK YOU for entertaining us with another letter from the comic genius of Ray Umdenstock. This time when challenged to support his opinion, Mr. Umdenstock falls back on the Nixon-Reagan era foolishness of "I fail to recollect." Mr. Umdenstock should know that the claims of what he thinks but can't recall why he thinks it, but trust "I'm older than you" is less convincing than it is dogmatic. Should we trust the opinion of Mr. Umdenstock? Clearly not. He can't even recall why he thinks what he thinks.

Hillary's joke

I WANT to comment about Hillary Clinton making a joke about people who believe there was a conspiracy involving her, her husband and Webb Hubble. She's equated them with Hale-Bopp cults and people who see flying saucers. Well, if Hillary can read them that good, how about telling the truth? That would put an end to it. Like how did those papers get on her bedroom reading table? I mean, did they just suddenly appear? If she'd tell the truth about some this stuff, maybe it wouldn't be so hard for us to believe when she does say something.

Watch where your dog goes

THIS IS to all the dog owners in Woodland Hills Subdivision who walk their dogs and let them do their duties in other people's yards. Please don't. Be more considerate and use empty lots for that. I really resent it when I see someone let their dogs go in my yard and I have to pick up the stuff before I mow. If I wanted to do that, I'd have a dog of my own. So dog owners beware. If I see you, I may have to just put it in a bag and bring it to you yard for a deposit.

No national anthem

I WAS overwhelmed with joy when SEMO inaugurated its new president. The pomp and splendor associated with inauguration kind of brought tears to my eyes. As an alumnus of SEMO, it made me proud to hear the new inaugurated president's remark about higher education and how important it was. It was a great day, there's no doubt that. Too bad it was tarnished though. How you may ask? The ROTC color guard presented our nation's flag with honor and dignity. It's too bad that our national anthem wasn't played or sung. I was brought to tears when it was omitted. I certainly don't approve of it's omission. I have mixed emotions for what happened, but I want to commend the ROTC color guard. Well done, well done.

Thanks for comet viewing

I WANT to publicly thank Bob Adams and Ken Aldrich for the comet viewing session these past few evenings at Cherokee Park. They gave freely of their instruments, their time and their talents to enable many of us to view and enjoy Hale-Bopp. The view of the comet nucleus as seen through the telescope was wonderful. The comet as seen through the huge tripod-mounted binoculars was awesome. Thank you, gentlemen. You gave a new meaning to the comet.