SPEAKOUT

Cape Rock donations

AMERICAN Legion Post 63 is still collecting donations for the Cape Rock Park cleanup. The post has been responsible for cleaning up the park and putting up the flag and flag poles there. An earlier Speak Out talked about the project and where money could be sent, but it left out the P.O. Box number. Without it, the post office won't deliver the letters, and several checks have apparently been returned. If you're interested in donating to fund, please send donations to: Cape Rock Park Flag Fund, American Legion Post 63, P.O. Box 531, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.

Congressional health

WE HEAR over and over the necessity of cutting Medicare and curbing Social Security entitlements. With all the cutting and slashing of funds, I wonder if the senators and representatives ever consider the drain of their hefty pensions and whether the free hospital and doctor care at Walter Reed Hospital could possibly slashed. Seems to me budget cutting should be for everyone.

Glass recycling

WHAT IS the name of the place and the location that recycles glass in Cape Girardeau?

Reply: The city of Cape Girardeau collects all colors of glass bottles and jars at its recycling center, 120 N. Broadview. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. until noon on Saturdays. Lids and caps must be removed, and all bottles and jars must be rinsed clean. Glass recycables can also be picked up during the weekly residential recycling pickups.

Paying for love

I'M CALLING in regards to the Baby Richards and Baby Jessicas in the country and these parents who give them up for adoption when they're born. If the courts and the judges made these biological parents reimburse the adoptive parents for all the love they've put out and the expenses that they have given these children whom they've adopted, then I wonder how many of the parents would pursue the case to get them back. The adoptive parents are the ones who are losing all the way around. The children are losing too, but if the real parents were made to pay the adoptive parents back I just wonder how would pursue their case.

100th birthday

THANK YOU, KFVS-TV, for putting Edna Hopkins on television for her 100th birthday. Happy birthday, Edna.

Transit system needed

THIS CALL is in reference to the poor showing that's been occurring at the transportation meetings. If you will notice, several people did show up at the first few meetings and expressed the need for some kind of transit system within the Cape Girardeau area. But this apparently was not want the fathers of Cape Girardeau wanted to hear. They wanted to hear more about how much concrete it would take to extend Lexington Avenue or deal only with a few people in town. A transit system could benefit the elderly, the poor people, the college students, those without any type of transportation, and we do feel there is a need for this. The Southeast Missourian asked the biggest competitor to a transportation system what they felt about this, which was pretty ironic.

A+ for editorial

I'D JUST like to say that I agree with the May 10 editorial on the A+ Schools program, "A+ program sets mediocre standards for school reform." I would suggest that everyone cut that article out and write "Amen" across the top of that and send to school board members, because it is right on. If we don't speak up and do something, then nothing will be done.

A peek inside

I READ with interest your article about the old Kage School. I passed it, accidentally, a couple of weeks ago and was fascinated by the place. I would be much more interested in adding money for preservation of the building if it could be toured. This applies for old buildings around here. They're really neat to look at but why should put anything toward preserving them if we can't go near them. I would love to see the inside of the building instead of just the outside.

Timing of story

I HAVE two comments about the response to the Thursday comments on the Missourian's timing of the story negative to the University. First the Missourian did not acquire the story on Friday, the day before graduation. The survey was in the reporter's hands perhaps two weeks before publication date. Secondly, the headline was far more negative than the story, which again brings into question the newspaper's motives.

Reply: You are misinformed about when our reporter received the survey results. He had a copy of the survey questions two weeks prior to the story, but the results weren't provided until the afternoon before the story was published in the newspaper.

Democrats and Medicare

A BI-PARTISAN study concluded unless something is done Medicare will be broke in seven years. The Republicans are working on a plan to ensure the survival of Medicare and have asked Democrats for input. Do the Democrats offer any ideas? Of course not. They simply responded with their same old worn out rhetoric and scare tactics designed to get them votes. This only proves that the Democrats are more concerned about their own political hides that the welfare of our country.

Sports award lesson

I ATTENDED the sports banquet for Cape Central High School on Tuesday night. I witnessed a young man being overlooked for an award that I feel he justly deserved. The young man's name if Chris Lee. Chris excels in soccer and football, as well as track and field events. He is currently making a great contribution to help Central High School be No. 1 in track and field. When he participates in relays, it is amazing how fast he can move his legs to help his team win. He represents the school very well and has strong family support in his activities. Besides being gifted in sports activities, he also does well academically. His grade point average is 3.1 out of a 4.0. I feel this young man was deliberately and intentionally overlooked for the Lou Muegge award. My message to Chris is, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Hold you head high and continue on. You have experienced a lesson of real life. Learn from it and grow. Continue to do your best. Let no one destroy your inner man. There is a person much higher who sees and knows and rewards justly.