Speakout 5/13

I wish I knew who to contact for the best teachers. New Madrid and Lilbourn have the best teachers I have ever known. Her name is Pearl Hicks and her husband is Mr. Hicks. They are two good teachers; he is a principal and she is a teacher. She taught me in 1980. I used to live in Benton and now live in Sikeston. I wish whoever honors teachers would contact Pearl Hicks. I would love to see her honored because she is one of the best teachers between here and heaven.

I would like to respond to the comment "Hat's off to road crew" of New Madrid County. If you read the paper, you'll see what's happening. There is an election going on and these commissioners are fighting tooth and nail to pull the votes in. That's why they're doing this work in the northern part of the county. When the election is over, wait and see what happens then.

I would like to Mike Jensen's editorial, "Some residents will never clean it up." This is very true. I've lived in Sikeston all my life. I grew up on William Street and still live on William Street. Back in the 1950s and '60s, it was a wonderful neighborhood. The yards were clean and neat, the neighbors were nice and the flowers were just beautiful. Now, when I look out my window or drive down the street, I just want to sit and cry. I see houses that are badly in need of repair, yards that need mowing and see areas that are just lined with trash. Just across the street, there is a residence that has five junk cars with the hoods raised up, there are old tires leaned up against the fence, all kinds of junk just all over the yard. They have a small business right in their yard; it's called a junkyard business. I also noticed they drug a carpet out the other day and noticed their animals had messed all over the carpet. Then they stood it out in the back alley. When I took my trash out, I could smell that carpet. The stench is just terrible. Something needs to be done. If you want to see uncivilized, just drive down William Street and see what I have to deal with. I mow my yard and I keep my house nice and clean. But these neighbors make the whole neighborhood look terrible.

Have you contacted Code Enforcement? The number at City Hall is 471-2512.