SpeakOut 2/20

Call 471-6636

I'm complaining about the Veterans Administration hospital. You go in there and have to wait three and four hours to see a doctor, then you can't understand him. They're taking everybody now - it should be fixed now like it used to be - combat only. These boys who just served in the garrison soldiers and stateside don't deserve any special treatment. That was just a good job for them. The combat veterans are the ones we need the hospitals for; the ones who got injured. The way it is now, it's over crowded and nobody gets treated right. Call your legislator.

I am a 16-year-old member of the Boy Scouts of America. I would just like to thank everyone at the Standard Democrat for all the coverage of the troops we have in this area. It has been greatly appreciated by members of the Scouting community.

I saw in the Feb. 12 paper where the Red Pepper Committee gave a donation to the Depot. I didn't know we had a Red Pepper Committee. We only had one meeting and after that, we didn't have anything else for the Red Pepper Anniversary Committee. So how could we have had a committee?

With all the war threat and the stuff we're supposed to be getting ready and keep, where do you find a list or know what to do to put this stuff away? I see this on TV but they're not showing everything you need to know to be ready. Can someone help us, please?

According to U.S. Rep. JoAnn Emerson (R-Mo.), some sources advise that you have enough water and nonperishable foods to last for three days. Others also recommend that you have an adequate amount of necessary prescription medication as well as a first aid kit, a battery operated radio for updates, a flashlight and other tools or hardware materials. Finally, consider preparing similar kits for your home, car and office. For a complete list, visit the Department of Homeland Security Website at www.dhs.gov; the White House Website at www.whitehouse.gov/homeland/; the Missouri Office of Homeland Security at http://www.homelandsecurity.state.mo.us/ or contact the American Red Cross for a brochure.

I have found a household item that used to belong to Sondra Mayfield of Morley. She paid $442 for this piece of furniture. If anybody knows this person or how to contact her, leave the information in SpeakOut so I can call you back.

The old people in Morehouse were supposed to be given a discount on their trash pickup over a period of years. The county should step in and make the city pay those people back the money that they stole off of them.

I see where Peter Myers was elected to the farmers administration position in Jefferson City. Congratulations to you. I see where the biodiesel thing is making a big thing here in the Bootheel, but you and I both know we're going to need a big variety of fuel in this area and for the nation. They're supposed to be building an ethanol plant in Malden. Maybe you and Lanie Black can get it going up there in Jefferson City and get behind this project and push it. It will benefit farmers in Sikeston and the Bootheel. Sikeston has that big industrial park on the north side and you have enough pull up there, it looks like it would help Sikeston and the surrounding communities to get the farmers and everybody together and build a big ethanol plant right there in the industrial park by the railroad.