SPEAKOUT

It's old news

WHY HASN'T the Missourian published anything about that earthquake fault that was discovered south of Cape and which the Post-Dispatch published on its front page? I saw it in another paper as well. Are you guys trying to hide something from the public?

REPLY: The Post-Dispatch's copyrighted story, written by that newspaper's science editor, was exactly the same information reported by the Southeast Missourian last May when geologists announced their findings about the fault line that passes through Benton. It isn't clear why the St. Louis paper waited so long to report those finding -- or why it copyrighted a story that had been previously widely reported.

A snow job

AS A businessman, I am really irked by the local broadcast media every time snow is in the forecast. These announcers are competing with my advertising, and I'm losing. I run ads trying to get folks into my store, and these radio and TV people keep telling them to stay home. They constantly exaggerate the severity of the storm. Like this last time. You would have thought we were going to get two feet of snow -- and even though we got less than two inches -- you would have thought we actually got those two feet of snow based on what these jerks were reporting.

REPLY: Both radio and TV look for ways to stand out in the crowd -- there are dozens of broadcast choices available here -- which means they tend to hype stories so viewers will pay attention and listeners will tune in. Unfortunately, it isn't just the weather that gets this treatment.

Presidential timber

HAVING HEARD President Atchley address the chamber members at the First Friday Coffee, I don't understand why the university is going through all the hoops to find a new president. What's wrong with the guy we already have?

REPLY: There have been plenty of comments in the community suggesting that Dr. Bill Atchley should stay on as president once the current search is completed. Although he is not a part of the formal evaluation process, there is nothing to stop the search committee or the board of regents from picking someone who has demonstrated on-the-job qualities that they are looking for.

Committed candidate

IN A recently published letter to the editor, a Mr. David Goncher asked us to imagine what would happen if Republican candidate for president Steve Forbes urged that all annual incomes under $1.65 million be tax exempt. Space does not permit me to list all the things I imagine might happen, so I will confine myself to what I would consider to be the two most likely results: 1. Mr. Goncher would be happy. 2. Mr. Forbes would be committed.

Leadership issues

NOT ALL the problems of the Cape Girardeau School System are the fault of the former superintendent. The deterioration of our buildings and lack of public trust and respect for school officials began long before Dr. Clark ever came to Cape. We taxpayers have been shortchanged for years by weak and questionable leadership in some of the administrative positions in the system. It's time we spoke up. The present school board members must work hard to win back public trust and confidence. Their job will be easier if they begin by filling each administrative vacancy with an individual whom the public can trust and respect. So far, they have done this with the appointment of Dr. Tallent and Dr. Bollwerk. However, there are two more top administrative positions to fill. The positions of principal of the high school and assistant superintendent are very important positions also. The people of Cape deserve to have individuals in these positions who meet the educational requirements, work well with the community, have good moral fiber and are role models for our children. We cannot afford to play politics in choosing school administrators. The credibility of each school leader must be beyond question. The future of our school system depends upon this. The people of Cape Girardeau are not going to vote in favor of any bond issues unless they feel comfortable with the school leadership.

Funeral leave

GRANDPARENTS aren't immediate family? So I'm told by my employer. Recently my grandmother died. I was pallbearer for her funeral and was absent from work that day. The company I work for gives one day of funeral pay for immediate family, but I didn't qualify because it was my grandmother. I don't want the pay, just the policy changed. Without a backbone, we won't survive.

THE UNIVERSITY wants to increase their enrollment, especially commuter students. In the very same paper there was a commuter student who paid $80 to park in a commuter lot which had a spots taken up by non-paying commuters and couldn't even use her $80 parking permit. The university has a real problem parking, especially if it wants to increase commuter attendance. I see cars parked over on West End Boulevard and all directions. If they want to increase that, they are whistling Dixie. There's no place hardly for the students who are commuting to park, let alone more. So unless the university intends to address the parking problem, they're not going to get anywhere with increasing enrollment of commuter students.

REPLY: Part of the planning process at the university has included the development of a master plan for facilities, including the parking crunch when enrollment hits 10,000 students. It is estimated an additional 1,500 parking spaces will have to be added by the year 2000 to accommodate increases in enrollment. Sounds like the university is very aware of the problem and the future needs.