SPEAKOUT

Won't buy anything from schoolkids

ANOTHER SCHOOL year has started, and the streets are full of little children selling pies, cakes, pizza and nuts. Prices on these are $4.50 and up. One first grader told me she must sell 30 items so she can have an afternoon off from school for a pizza party and play games. This is ridiculous. I will not buy a thing even from my grandchild.

Good kids deserve positive publicity

I WOULD like to commend you on your coverage of "See You at the Pole." It's very refreshing to see the good kids get some news time. Not only do the kids get frustrated, but we as parents find it frustrating to keep having to reassure them that, even though the bad kids get no repercussions from their actions at home or at school, the good ones will win in the long run. I also agree with the parent of a Scott City athlete who called. I too am very displeased with the actions of our elected officials. I think they're finding out that those few did not speak for the majority. I also urge you to let them know how you feel. You may also want to remind them that there are more of us, and we will be voting in the upcoming school board election.

Good words for doctor's efforts

PLEASE PRINT this because I want this doctor in town to hear it and realize how I feel. The most important doctor here in town, Dr. Mark Kasten, he saved me and my son back in 1984 when he took my son by cesarean section. If it hadn't been for him, I or my son would have died, if not both of us, and he doesn't realize just how much he means to me knowing that he took so much care and interest in me and my son. So please print this, and please let him know just how I feel.

Years of collecting were destroyed

TO WHOM it make concern, and you know who you are. When you trashed the home of the Mickey Mouse lady, you not only violated me but did a disservice to a lot of people. A collectible show was coming in November to film my Mickey Mouse collection. Now there's not much to film. Fifteen years of collecting and enjoying one of the largest Mickey Mouse collections in the United States was destroyed with your hours of sadistic pleasure. I hope the good Lord will forgive you, but I never shall.

Property owners interested in upkeep

I WANT to comment to whoever wrote saying that the landlords got off easy and they keep their property up just enough to stay within the law. I own real estate in Cape that I rent out, and I try to keep it up. Most people I know are going to try to keep their property up. They're not going to take property that's valuable property and let it run down. That takes an idiot. People who want to put a lot of regulations on rental property, look at St. Louis. They tore down South Broadway and the Mill Creek District up there, and you know what you're got now: federal housing projects. Maybe that's what we need here in Cape, federal housing projects. When you put so many restrictions and so many laws on the average person who's trying to buy property and rent it, there won't be any more property built or rented around Cape, and then we'll have to have a housing project. Look at how many houses are being built in Cape. There's nothing under about $200,000 being built here. How can these people working for minimum wage afford a $200,000 home? Even these $75,000 homes.

Don't study, just put up the signs

IN REGARDS to the neighborhood wanting to put up stop signs at Caruthers and Louisiana streets. I see where the city fathers are doing the same double talk: Let's appoint a committee, let's get the police involved, let's do a traffic survey, let's take it before the council, let's, let's, let's. You're going to spend hundreds and hundreds of man hours in taxpayers' money. Why don't you just appease these people in the community? All they want is a stop sign to feel a little bit safer about their kids crossing that street. I live in the neighborhood, and that is a race track through there. If the price is important, call me. I will pay for the signs and pay for the installation also.

Diversity is more than African American

JUST WANTED comment on what the university is doing regarding diversity. As far as I'm concern, diversity doesn't just mean African American. I don't see any vice presidents being hired to drum up Asian student support. Am I missing something, or are we just trying to draw African Americans instead of Hispanics or Asians or people of other descents? Why is it we don't see Asian students clamoring for more free scholarships or more free tuition? They don't have to go through remedial classes. I don't understand when diversity came to mean African American.

Abstinence is answer to safe sex

I AM almost 68 years old. I had absolutely no problem abstaining from having sex until I got married at the age of almost 21. So what's the problem today? Abstinence is the only sure-fire way of not becoming pregnant, but it seems like our children are having problems today. So is it condoms, is it abstinence or just a lack of morals?

Veteran probably had pride

THIS GUY over in Kentucky who's a veteran, family of five, whose smallest child died. I don't think it should be murder. The man probably had pride, and I applaud his pride. I'm a disabled veteran myself, and right now I'm not getting any kind of pension. But I have been fighting for 20 years trying to get one. Maybe he should be charged with negligence, but not murder.