Speak Out 9/8/07

Great opening

BRAVO TO Tyson Wunderlich for a great opening performance at the River Campus. The recital hall was beautiful, the acoustics great and the music magnificent.

Taxi concerns

IF A cab company has been established in town for many years, supposedly gives good service and follows all the proper guidelines, how can someone "throw some magnetic signs" on a van and start hauling people -- and be successful? I hope this whole deal about taxi requirements is not designed to eliminate competition. It smells that way. Those of us who use these services should be speaking up.

Cowardly hit-and-run

A COWARD hit my dog on Route C on Aug. 31 and didn't stop to ask anybody whose dog it was. Motorists shouldn't be driving 60 mph on this curvy road.

Feel-good donations

READING THE article of the donations by Laura Norton Dye and Rochelle Steffens to the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri and Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary made me feel good. What a wonderful thing they did. They also brought attention to the needs of animal shelters. I am a supporter of Safe Harbor, a no-kill shelter. The needs of cats and dogs for food and medicine and loving care by volunteers are constant. These large donations will help fill the needs of each shelter. Even the smallest donation can add up to be a great help. If you love cats and dogs, make a feel-good donation of $1 or even 50 cents. It will all add up to loving help for animals at the shelter.

Local experts

I HAVE a question I'd like for somebody with the city to answer. Why would Cape Girardeau spend $85,000 for an outside expert who knows nothing about the internal workings of Cape Girardeau and the community? We elect council members and a mayor to run the city. The chamber of commerce has many experienced people who know what it takes to run this city and the county. They have vast knowledge that covers a period of 50 to 70 years that could be used to create a comprehensive plan. Why in the world did we not utilize those resources before we hired an outside interest?

Quiet chimes

THIS MESSAGE goes to Hanover Lutheran Church. The new chimes are beautiful, but they are too low. You can hardly hear them. Please turn the chimes up so we can enjoy them.

We're not thugs

I WOULD like to know where the question "Have you been drinking tonight?" from police officers originated. You see it on TV shows and on public-service announcements. I find that offensive. Couldn't it be phrased differently and more politely, as in "Have you had any alcoholic beverages tonight?" Many people drink in a civilized manner. They don't necessarily have to be asked if they have been drinking like they were thugs.

Unsafe buses

CAPE GIRARDEAU school buses don't have enough space for everyone who rides them. Students are having to sit in the aisle sometimes. That is not safe. Please do something about this problem.

Special workers

I WAS looking at the eight people who were nominated for doing their jobs well done, and I have to agree, especially about Paul Mackey. He is wonderful. We have many, many special health-care workers in Cape Girardeau. We're blessed. Don't forget everybody else. Give a smile next time you go in. If you're sick and have a problem, don't yell at the person who answers the phone. Thanks.

Milk prices

I WENT to the grocery store, and a gallon of milk cost $4.50. What are people with children going to do?

Running stop signs

CAPE GIRARDEAU has a problem with motorists running stop signs on side streets. People don't think stop signs mean anything in Cape Gir­ardeau. I'm talking about stop signs within the community where small children play and ride their bikes and people walk. The police cannot watch all of these side streets. It's up to citizens to enforce this. If you see somebody run a stop sign, get the license number and turn it in so the police can follow through.

County Web suggestions

THE CAPE Girardeau County Web site is in dire need of improvement. There are links that don't lead to anywhere and outdated news stories, and the information isn't pertinent enough to deserve front-page attention. There should be a separate section devoted to historical sites in Cape Girardeau County. Put more of the things that would be of interest to the community in general on the front page. It took me half an hour to find a map of the Cape County Transit Authority bus route.

Purchasing grades

THE CAPE Girardeau School District is a good school system. However, it needs to enforce a code of ethics so grades cannot be purchased. It is a detriment to children and families who cannot afford extra school supplies. We still have teachers students can earn bonus points for bringing more supplies. The school board needs to look at this and a make a policy.

Using the center lane

I WOULD like to know what Jackson police expect you to do when you have to make a left turn onto Jackson Boulevard. You wait and wait until the two lanes in front of you clear momentarily, but there might be one or two cars coming in the two lanes across the turn lane. If you can't stop for a moment in the so-called turn lane, are we supposed to zoom into traffic and possibly get hit? Whatever happened to common sense? Who designated the center lane as a turn lane only?

Lying about rape

AS A woman who has seen one too many instances of women crying rape and watching men be persecuted for something they didn't do, I think these woman should have to serve the sentence that was given to the accused rapist. If it's an honest mistake, that's one thing, but some of these women blatantly lie.