SPEAKOUT

Where's Notre Dame?

I THINK you owe Notre Dame an apology. There wasn't anything in the newspaper about their graduation Friday night. Just because that big mouth went to school at Central, is that why it was all over the front page of the paper when everybody pays for the paper around here? After all, our children goes to Notre Dame, and I think it's time you respect them too.

REPLY: There was a photograph of Notre Dame seniors preparing for commencement as well as a portion of the story devoted to Notre Dame High School in Saturday's edition. We regret that these Notre Dame parents were offended by the way the coverage was handled.

KFVS has better news

THIS IS in reference to Marc Powers' column bashing our fine local television newscasts. I'm not sure which newscast he was referring to, but I'd just like to say that KFVS television provides better coverage of local community events than the Southeast Missourian ever does, and I appreciate getting my news from KFVS. Maybe if Marc Powers spent less time watching television and finding things to pick on and more time out and about, then the Missourian could beef up its news coverage.

Kill the snakes

IN REGARDS to the person wanting to save the snakes, I have a question. What about the little kids who are playing outside, see a snake and are scared to death and don't want to go back outside anymore because they have a snake in their back yard. Well, their parents are going to kill it to protect them, because we don't want our kids touching any kind of snake because that's when they're going to touch something that they shouldn't have, if it was a poisonous snake. So I say kill snakes if you see them.

No minimum-wage taxes

I AGREE with the essence of the caller who 90 cents should be given in taxes instead of raising the minimum wage by 90 cents. As a matter of fact, I believe that those earning minimum wage should have no withholding tax and pay no federal taxes at all and possibly give them a state break too.

Person of ideas

A SAFE bet, I think, would be that no more than one family in 100 had "Meet the Press" tuned in this past Sunday morning. Hopefully, many of these families were worshipping our Lord at that time. But for those of you who did see our speaker of the House, Mr. Newt, face to face with Tim Rusher and Lisa Meyer, you were privileged to see a person of ideas, understanding and commitment.

Jackson's wrestlers

IN SUNDAY'S paper, Jamie Hall had an article on the highs and lows of the high school performances. He forgotten to mention that Jackson's wrestling team also finished fourth in state. They won their conference, lost district by a few points and were 8-0 in duos.

A statue for FDR

TO HONOR FDR with his statue, I believe it should be the two sides of Mr. Roosevelt. One side of the wall should be him in a wheelchair, and the other side should be President Roosevelt standing with a cane. That way it would show both sides of FDR and that he was in a wheelchair but he was also a man of stature. This would honor President Roosevelt and his life.

What about the big raises?

MR. GINGRICH and Mr. Dole are not concerned in the working class people on minimum wage. I wonder how come Mr. Dole and Mr. Gingrich and all the other Republican senators and congressmen who oppose a raise in the minimum wage, didn't make a stink when they got their raise. I think it is wrong, and I think it's a shame and disgrace. No one can say that they're Christian if they're against the minimum wage. I'll tell you another thing, how would you people like to work for that?

No motorcycle police

WITH THE issue of police and motorcycles, my concerns have unfortunately come true. The bikes are difficult to see and hear, even with the lights and sirens operating. Put the officers back in their cars and keep them there before someone gets killed.

TBY and Ron Farrow

I'D LIKE to tell you that TBY is a very interesting little tabloid, and I enjoy Ron Farrow's work in it especially.

Provide litter bags

IF I have to pick up after people who discard their soda cups, candy wrappers, beer bottles and cigarette butts along the roadway in front of my home, then who do they have to pick up after? I suggest fast food and quick-stop shops produce litter bags and suggest to their traveling customers to take use of them. Take pride in our city and help keep it clean.

REPLY: Not too many years ago -- probably during Lady Bird Johnson's highway beautification effort -- it was quite common for service stations and other stores to give away litter bags. Maybe this could happen again.

Questions are tough

REGARDING Jack Stapleton's column in the paper about the 10 questions that are going to be used for the Outstanding Schools Act. At the very last, he asked how many of our critics of today's schools could answer the 10 questions listed. I wonder how many high school seniors could actually answer the 10 questions asked. Probably not very many. After watching the programs on TV, probably one out of 10 could get it right. Something definitely needs to be done about the schools.

Government owns too much

I'M CALLING in response to the biodiversity project mentioned in the paper. I own some land in Wayne County. This was tried years ago with the Scenic National Riverways Act for the St. Francois and Castor rivers. I will tell you now that the government owns too much land as it is. This is the people's United States, not the government's. They will not buy my land. They will have to shoot to get me off my land.

Let's talk straight

IT IS reported that Bill Clinton is telling falsehoods to senior citizens just to get their votes. That's putting it mildly. He's a blatant liar, and I'm sick of all his lies. Let's send this turkey back to Arkansas in November.

Gas prices coming down

I UNDERSTAND this high-dollar gas is coming down now. I sure wish the farmers could set their prices on cattle or crops that they sell, just like the gas situation. Now that Memorial Day weekend is over and the farmers have most of the crops in, I can understand why it's coming down.

A variety of topics

I WAS calling in regards to the Speak Out on "Dogs and murders." I want to congratulate the Southeast Missourian for taking a stand on many issues that they put on the front page. There are many issues of public interest that people are concerned about. I'm glad that it doesn't matter if it's animal rights, disability rights or people's rights for the street closing, I feel like they do a nice balance of publicizing other things besides murders on the front page. It's nice to see human-interest stories on the front page. I just feel like the Southeast Missourian's been doing a good job. When animals are put on the front page is showing in compassion for all God's creatures.

Coverage of speakers

WE WERE very fortunate in having two national figures come back to their alma maters for commencement exercises. One made the front page, and if you had blinked your eye you couldn't have found the second one. I think both speakers should have been covered, and I think both ideas and concerns they give to the graduates should have been also printed.

Eggimann's views on Jasmine

I'M GLAD the city council saw fit to go ahead and pave Jasmine Street. I'm curious about Councilman Eggimann's comment that publication in newspaper articles doesn't matter. This makes me believe that Councilman Eggimann doesn't believe that we should read the newspaper. If all this stuff that you have printed in the newspaper is incorrect, why do we bother reading it? If Councilman Eggimann knew during the time that we were getting ready to vote that the information was incorrect, especially on Jasmine Street, why didn't he take steps to correct it? If he knew what was in the city's document, why didn't he change what was being published in the paper?

Extra mile for students

THE CHILDREN tell us that you read the paper daily. On behalf of the students at Washington School and their parents, I want to say thanks to Miss Lori Hanebrink for taking that extra mile with our children. She will one day be one fine teacher.