SPEAKOUT

I'D LIKE TO express my appreciation and thanks to those of Riverfest who were responsible for the handicapped parking. It meant a great deal to me and apparently to a great many others too, from the number of cars I saw parked there Friday afternoon. Again, we with the handicapped stickers thank you so much. I wonder if it would be possible to have handicapped parking for the fair? Thank you.

THANKS TO CAPE Girardeau for the great Riverfest, especially the boat ride, the outstanding mural, the beer code, and the bus rides from Town Plaza.

I APPRECIATED THE beer policy at Riverfest this year. Keep it that way next year.

I HAVE JUST finished watching the fireworks as I have for a number of years. It was the most pathetic excuse I have seen. It was supposed to last for approximately 30 minutes. It began at 9:30 and ended at 9:45, which is not exactly 30 minutes. At least in the past there has been one big blockbuster display to indicate that that's the end. This time the display ended, not with a bang, but with a whimper. If this is what we got for $6,000 perhaps next year we should bob for $6,500 or find a different fireworks company.

I AM EXTREMELY upset. I just saw on the family channel tonight some so-called preacher I'm not really sure who it was put down the Masonic lodge and degrade every member of the Masonic organization to where he was calling it the anti-Christ and everything you can imagine. Every male member of my family is a Mason. They always have been and they still are. That is so slanderous. I was wondering if there was any way possible that the entire Masonic lodge all over this country and all over the world could sue those people. I'm in Eastern Star, of course, because I'm a female. It makes me irate to think they can get buy with such slander of the Masonic lodge on public television. Thank you.

I WANT TO praise the city of Cape for doing such a good job picking up our garbage and keeping everything moving, keeping our local people working here.

I DO BELIEVE that people in television have gone nuts. I've never seen such movies as they put on TV today. Encore that TCI has is for the dogs, not for human beings. We're not animals, we're human beings. I can't believe that they can go out and do anything and everything on television. Thank you.

I'D LIKE TO speak about these parades they're holding for these Desert Storm troops. I'm all for commending these people for the job they did but I simply cannot understand. Washington had a parade and they said it cost $12 million to put it on. Now New York City is having one and they're going to dump tons of trash on this parade. What is this parade going to cost and how much is it going to cost to clean up this mess? The country is hurting for cash. The states are hurting for cash. Why are they throwing away money for stuff like this when it could be used for other things? Here in Cape County they claim that the financing is getting tough. I have a suggestion for Cape County so they could have more cash on hand. Let them roll back their large raises they got a couple of years ago. Let them do like the general public is doing: let them bite the bullet. People are not getting big raises as they used to get and stuff keeps going up. It's time our leaders show some faith and let the people know that they are serious. Roll back the commissioners' salaries. As far as the parades go, and spending money to pick up the trash, it's a bunch of baloney. Thank you.

I'M CALLING IN regards of the articles about smokers. I think everybody is right. I'm getting tired of reading about it. Let's change the subject and let everybody have freedom. Thank you.

I NOW KNOW why I see so many police cars patrolling on Sunday morning. People are not obeying four-way stops, signal lights and safety turns.

YOU PEOPLE WHO are so eager to recycle, how many of you are buying products made out of the recycled stuff so there will be a market for the recycled stuff?

I THINK THOSE bumper stickers that say "Parents of a Kelly High honor student" have to be about the tackiest thing I've ever seen. Does anybody else out there agree?

THIS IS TO THE person who said they heard Encore was going to be a family channel. First of all, I do not know where you heard this and second, there aren't many movies these days without words that you would not like your children to hear.

I THINK THEY should take that station Encore off of TV. I think it's a disgrace to the United States. That's what I think. Any time they show naked people, they don't deserve a rating. Thank you.

I THINK THE old fire station No. 2 would make a real good bus stop. Traffic would not present too much of a problem there during rush hour. Thank you.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE that there was only one soda booth in the whole Riverfest and all they sold was Coke. What's the deal with just Coke? I wanted Pepsi or Dr. Pepper. Let's get to the beer subject. You'd think the grownups were riding a ride. You have to show your driver's license, you have to buy tickets, and they put you in a confined area like in Romper Room. It's ridiculous. No wonder no one goes to it.

FOR MONTHS ON end, night after night after night, our local TV station at least offered to expose us to a long, extended television show called "MASH." Now that they have shown probably every episode ever filmed they are offering to expose us to another extinct dodo, "Head of the Class." Goody, goody. Don't tell me to use my off button; I know where it is and I intend to exercise it every night. Thank you.

SHOPPING FOR A piece of equipment today, I found one with the label reading assembled in Mexico with American parts. It takes little thought to see they cut out the American worker. I did not buy it.

THIS INSERT IS ABOUT the delegates coming into Cape Girardeau for the PEO convention, but none of the articles in this brochure or flyer, whatever you want to call it, explain what PEO stands for. It tells what it does and how it works but it doesn't explain what the letters PEO stand for. Is there anyway you could find out for us? Thank you.

What the initials PEO stand for is a secret known only to members.

I'D LIKE TO THANK Schnucks for brining it home. Their grocery sacks say Schnucks brings it home. We were there shopping and they had a bag that wasn't put in our cart. My daughter is a diabetic and they called us and brought it home to us. I'd like to thank them for being so thoughtful. Thank you.