SPEAKOUT

Proud of Jess Crawford

I THINK that one of the people who needs to be noted whenever sports heroes or figures in the area are mentioned is Jess Crawford. He played on Central's team that was undefeated, untied and unscored-on. Then he went on to be second-team All American at Cape State. Coach Brinkopf said he probably should have been first team. He then was a coach of Mayfield's high school team and led them to a state title when there was only one title. And also was general manager of a minor-league baseball team in Mayfield. I'm very proud that Jess Crawford is my uncle.

Stretch students' minds

THIS IS a comment on the person who said he didn't think his children were getting value for their money at SEMO. I have a daughter at SEMO, and in one of the hard science classes she took the students were told at the beginning of the class that if they attended every class they were automatically guaranteed a C no matter their performance on the tests or actual knowledge of the subject. On the other hand, I also know from personal experience that the students and the parents get extremely upset when they get anything less than an A or a B if they do any work at all. The grade inflation is unbelievable. I resent it as a parent of a child whose mind should really be encouraged to stretch. Instead, they have plenty of time every night to watch TV and hang out with their friends.

Bush for president

WHOEVER CALLED in the comment on "Read my lips" has to be a narrow-minded Democrat. I wonder if he knew what the military coup in Pakistan was until this thing came out on George W. Bush. President Bush did a great job as president, and so will his son. Better than this adulterous president we have now. All he does now is give away money that should go to pay our country's debts.

Crime is everywhere

THIS IS in response to the comment on "Where's the shooting?" First of all, I live off of Lexington Road in Cape. When I moved to Cape 11 months ago, I chose where I wanted to live, not my Realtor. Read any newspaper in any town. Crime is in all neighborhoods, not just the downtown areas. Just because I live off of Lexington doesn't mean I don't lock my doors, close my garage door or lock my car. Again, crime is in all neighborhoods. If you feel that your area is being misrepresented, what are you doing constructively to make a change.

Cycle riders singled out

THIS IS about our Holiday of Lights Christmas Parade. We're with the SEMO Hog Motorcycle Club and want to know from the police department why we were singled out, almost like they didn't want us there. I have some questions I'd like the police department to answer. We were told we had to wear our helmets in the parade for safety reasons. We understand that that is the rule. At the same time, the other floats had people standing on trailers, in the back of pickup trucks and driving unauthorized vehicles that were not street legal. They had children on top of the floats standing up. That's very dangerous also. We had some of our members pulled over and told that they could not ride without a helmet. Could the police department give us some reasons why, and did they check everybody to make sure they had their seat belts on during the parade.

Need better trash schedule

I LIVE in Jackson, and I think a week and a half to pick up your trash is unreasonably long. Could they post a schedule of when all the holidays are, because most people don't normally get off the day after Thanksgiving. I realize that some people do, but I didn't know it was a city holiday. I lugged my trash out on my normal day because I thought they'd come to pick it up. Now I've lugged it out on Monday again, thinking they're going to pick up. Now I'm being told it's going to be Tuesday. I've gone exactly a week and a half. My trash can't sit inside turning into something I don't want in my garage. If I pull it outside, the dogs are going to tear it up. So some consistency would be appreciated.

Flower-loving cats

COULD SOMEONE please tell me how to get rid of cats? I've got two of them in my flower bed all the time. Other than killing them, if there's anybody who knows what to do, please answer.

Not all presidents are builders

TO THE caller who asked about how many houses Mr. Clinton will build for Habitat for Humanity after he leaves office: I imagine the number will be about the same as Mr. Eisenhower, Mr. Nixon, Mr. Ford, Mr. Reagan and Mr. Bush. Pornography at the library

I'D LIKE To speak to the parents of Jackson and Cape. If you let your children go to the library, which most parents do, beware. The Internet is there. I was there, and I saw pornography from some pervert on the Internet. If told to the librarians, they will make them get off. But I think parents need to know that the access is there, and there is no monitoring. So you really need to watch your children. Be with them and watch those who are there, because there are a lot of people there out to hurt children. Beware.

What about Hillary's anger.

I'D LIKE To comment on how the news media is taking this deal of John Mc

Cain's anger and trying to use it against him. If we want to show anger, let's show some of Hillary Clinton's anger, like when she found out about Monica Lewinsky. When she found out it was true, I heard she slapped her husband so hard it left a mark on his face, and a makeup artist had to cover it up. And there was the other scandal where she threw plates in the oval office.

Attack drugs, not smoking

WHAT A lot of hogwash, going after cigarettes instead of the hard drugs. What a smokescreen cover-up for the real killer that they haven't eliminated. If Clinton warred on drugs like he warred on countries and made the drug war his No. 1 priority, America could get cleaned up. What a fraud impostor he is for a president. Good riddance when he's gone.

Money is the magnet

CLINTON CONTINUES wasting taxpayers' money by flying all over the world, trips that don't amount to anything to places that are none of his business. In Oslo, Norway, Clinton met with Arafat and the prime minister of Israel and gave them large sums of taxpayers' money to meet with him there. Otherwise they wouldn't be there. He wants Israel to give up land so there will be peace. This is against the will of God for Israel. It states in the Bible how God will take care of Israel. Clinton wants to have this as his great legacy, as a great peacemaker in a land where there will be no peace until Christ returns. They have a Feb. 1 goal set, and Clinton said "we might have a summit patterned after the 1978 Camp David negotiations." Secretary of State Albright will travel to the Mideast several times before Feb. 1. Mideast envoy Dennis Ross will visit the region every couple of weeks. He gives Arafat and Barak millions of dollars to get together for meetings, and that's why they meet.