SPEAKOUT

SPEAK OUT: THIS is the first time I've ever written Speak Out but I saw something that really touched my heart about a month ago. We were parked at Wal-Mart in Jackson. A very nice lady came pushing a wheelchair lady out who seemed to be paralyzed. She carefully pushed the button to let the lift down on a van. She pushed her so carefully in the van and shut the door. It brought tears of gratitude to my eyes to see her concern over this lady. Thank you, whoever you are, and I know the Lord will reward you for your deed. Thank you.

WOULDN'T IT BE great if everyone could work nine months, get a balloon check in June, and have three months off? Come on, teachers, get real.

WITH SO MANY people facing layoffs and the high price of food and medical bills, I feel this is no time for the senior citizens to get a $220,000 tax for a meal and a place to socialize. I feel if there is to be transportation, give it to Nip Kelley's taxi service, which will benefit all senior citizens. A tax was voted down for the park, which would benefit all generations to come. Shame on those for thinking give-me, give-me, give-me. This tax will benefit only a few. Thank you.

I LISTENED TO Bush's speech before the joint houses. I was thoroughly disgusted. He stood there smiling and waiting for everybody to adore him, and said darn little about the those coming home in body bags, whose families lives are forever changed. The whole thing was thoroughly disgusting. He should be down on his knees praying to God and country for forgiveness. Thank you.

IF THE JAYCEES own the golf course, how come the city spends so much money making the improvements? Shouldn't the landlord improve the property, not the tenants?

No. Operation of the golf course is the responsibility of the city under terms of a long-term lease with the Jaycees.

SINCE THE Jaycees own the golf course, why doesn't the city just stop leasing the golf course and save the taxpayers here in Cape Girardeau a lot of money? Let the Jaycees run the golf course. Thank you.

PEOPLE KEEP TALKING about some people not being patriotic. Well, maybe these people should think why. If you have to see your children go to bed at night hungry, wear hand-me-down clothes and be unable to take part in school activities, maybe they wonder if their country is patriotic to them and their family. There are three sides to the issue: your side, my side, and the right side. I'm tired of hearing this. How about the rest of you?

I'D LIKE to comment on the police brutality thing in Los Angeles. I'd just like to know what the man did to get beaten like that, and why the liberal media is picking up on it so much. Would they have picked up on it if the guy had gotten shot? Thank you.

I READ A lot of comments in Speak Out about the things that Peter Kinder says and things Peter says that people don't like. Whether he is right or he is wrong, the column in the March 7 paper, where Peter makes comments about his knowledge and the type of person Dr. Clark was, is to be highly commended. I think it's a wonderful comment and a wonderful letter that Peter has in his article. I think it needs to be noted when someone does something good. I think Peter has a very wonderful statement here about Dr. Clark. Thank you.

BRAVO TO THE Show Me Center's Board of Managers. Thank you for deciding no on beer sales at concerts.

THE MISSOURI STATE House has voted to spend $5 million to construct a sports stadium in St. Louis. I hope the Senate sees the unfairness of this since state aid to education remains at the same low figure and higher education funds are decreased. I think they have their priorities all wrong.

THERE'S A BIG difference between murdering Saddam Hussein and aborting or murdering an innocent baby.

I JUST WANT TO say congratulations to Coach Ron Shumate and his Southeast Missouri basketball team. We've enjoyed another successful season. Thank you.

WELL, SEMO, YOU'VE done it again: you have literally priced the middle class out of your local college. It seems like almost every year you raise tuition, saying that will take care of expenses for years to come. Please don't call me anymore for your alumni contributions; I need a contribution of my own. Signed, Disgusted.

I WOULD JUST like to say that if the people of Cape Girardeau really want to see some fantastic basketball, they should come to the Show Me Center on Friday and Saturday night and support our Southeast Missouri Otahkians. Thank you.

I READ IN the March 6 Southeast Missourian that both Cape County representatives are not endorsing the new convention center in St. Louis. I find this almost unbelievable. I'm retired and have plenty of time to read, and have followed this proposal since its inception. This is a 100-percent winner for the entire state of Missouri. More than that, additional taxes will be generated to offset the payments, and thousands of people will be employed. I live in Scott County. Thank God both of our representatives are 100 percent in favor of the proposed convention center.

I WOULD LIKE to commend Cape Shrine Club for bringing us a professional rodeo May 3, 4, and 5. A PRCA-sponsored rodeo is major league to cowboys. This function will bring entertainment to many in the area and added business to the community. Good going, Shriners. Good luck. Thank you.

THE NELL HOLCOMB school board has a new challenge in finding a superintendent to fill Wayne Presley's shoes. Chaffee has gained an experienced superintendent who will do what's best for their children. Now, we parents challenge our Nell Holcomb school board members to find an experienced superintendent who will do what's best for our children. Thank you.

IF THE TEACHERS are so concerned about the school allowance, how come they spend our tax money to take a day off and go up to Jeff City and lobby for more money? Thank you.

I HAVE A SOLUTION to the Mideast problem. Why not take a strip of land away from the Iraqis about the size of Kuwait and give it to the Palestinians as a homeland next to Kuwait? Then, move the Palestinians from the Gaza Strip and West Bank, which would create a buffer zone between the Iraqis and Kuwaitis. Iraq should not object because they said they were fighting the war for the Palestinians. If this strip of land doesn't have any oil wells on it, then we should drill them some in order for them to be self-supporting.

I WOULD LIKE to know whether it's proper or indifferent for the announcers on TV to not address our president as president whenever they are reporting something about him. I, myself, was raised from the old school and had a touch of military life, and I feel anyone who has acquired a title deserves to be addressed that way; certainly our president of the United States. I'm not even a basic Republican, but I do feel that it would be very kind if they would speak of him as president. Thank you.

I HAVE A solution on the unemployment problem in this country. They're running out of benefits to pay the unemployed during this recession. My solution is to let the Saudis and the Kuwaitis reimburse the United States for what we just did for those countries over there. Let them put money into the unemployment fund in this country for these people who are out of work. At the time our country is in an economically depressing situation, we're over there fighting the war for them. These are the richest people in the world. It's time they pay the United States back. Thank you.

CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL class of 1966 is planning a reunion Aug. 2-3-4. If you are a member of this class or know someone of this class who has not received their information regarding this event, please write to Class of '66 Reunion, c/o The Mail Box, 1005 North Kingshighway, Suite 111, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701.

I WANT TO send my deepest condolences to the Caruthersville Fire Department on the loss of their firefighter. My prayers are with you all. Thank you.

I SAW ON the news where the fire department had come through the Spanish Street area about a year ago installing smoke detectors, but for some reason the Probst family, whose home burned Friday, did not get one. I've lived in this same neighborhood with the Probst family for 11 years now, and the fire department has never been to my house to install a smoke detector. Could it be that some of the places were overlooked? How would I find out how to get a smoke detector? I'm on a fixed income, disabled, and cannot afford one, but I do need one. I would also like to express my heartfelt sympathy to the Probst family. They're fine people. I'd just like to say my thoughts and prayers are with them. May God bless them.

Installation of the detectors was a one-time service of the department. Although the service no longer is being offered by the department, we suggest you call the fire department for guidance.

ANYONE OUT THERE know how you can buy a brand-new car when you're on welfare and food stamps? I know a party who did. Don't anyone investigate these parasites? Thank you.

THE POSTAL SERVICE asked for and received an outlandish postage increase, yet they don't even give the service they are paid for. I dropped two pieces of mail off for local delivery in Cape at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, yet this mail was not delivered on Monday to the local Cape address. The postal service says they check the boxes frequently until 7 p.m. daily. So why were these items not delivered on Monday after being in the pickup box for at least five-and-one-half hours? Thank you.

Cape Girardeau Postmaster Mike Keefe said collection and processing of outgoing mail on Sundays is not required under a policy established by the postal service about two years ago. He pointed out that mail is not collected from every deposit box every day, and the times of collections are posted on each box. Keefe said, however, that the post office here on Sundays does process local-delivery mail deposited at the post office on Sundays. "We don't have to, but we do," said Keefe.

I WOULD LIKE to make a comment about the recent increase in postage rates. For the service we are getting it is strictly not worth 29 cents to mail a letter. Taking three-and-one-half months for a book to get from New York City to Cape Girardeau is an insult to parcel post. When it takes a week or more to receive a letter from Chicago, then why are we paying 29 cents an ounce for first-class letters? The higher the postage rates the worse service we receive. Thank you very much.

Postmaster Mike Keefe said he couldn't explain the delays, which he described as unusual. "Normally, parcel post from New York to Cape takes seven days and a letter from Chicago to Cape takes two days," said Keefe. "Those are exceptions and not the rule," said Keefe, who explained surveys show 92 percent of mail from Chicago to Cape Girardeau is in Cape Girardeau within two days after it leaves Chicago.

I HAVE A QUESTION. Over the last three years I've called Speak Out twice, both times relative to public safety. The first comment dealt with a particularly dangerous intersection. The second call mentioned the ditch along a narrow city street that was hazardous, especially for wider school buses that passed. Both comments were short, businesslike and to the point. Neither was printed. My question is, why do you ignore constructive comments like this and then turn around and print other comments more appropriate to bumper stickers and wall graffiti?

We don't ignore such comments. The only comment Speak Out has received recently concerning a ditch is published below, and it was called in within the past two weeks. We don't know which intersection your earlier call dealt with, and, therefore, can't tell you why it was not published. Feel free to call the comment in again.

NELL HOLCOMB School deserves a person who has a positive track record as superintendent. Board members, get your act together. Thank you.