Speakout 1/26

What is the problem at the AFDC office? A mother plants drugs on her kids, they call the kids' school and reports that the kid has drugs on him, she puts it in a tag flap in the back of his jacket so they're sure enough to find it. And then the state of Missouri tries to help her keep her kids? Come on. Get a life. Get those kids away from this mother. It's a pattern with her. She has already lost four other kids. The other three she has at home don't stand a chance. Come on, state of Missouri. Do something about this. Don't hand these children back to mothers who don't care. Please, if you've got any morals or respect at all, respect these children. Don't put them back in a home with a mother who doesn't have enough sense to raise children.

As a Lilbourn resident and state high school basketball fan, I would like to comment about the class acts of Anthony Bean from Bernie. It was very gratifying and nice to see him assume the position of temporary head basketball coach on Jan. 15 when the St. Louis Billikins played. It's nice to see such a fine citizen as Mr. Bean from Southeast Missouri in that position.

I was glad to see the city court records in the paper last week. It confirmed my suspicions. They no longer stop people for playing their music too loud in their vehicles. I thought this was the case and now I know it is since no one arrested for it was reported in the court records. The music has gotten terrible again. I guess the chief has decided with his dispatchers that our complaints are not worth listening to, or he would send an officer out to look. Is it still a law or not?

As a parent of high school students, it's pretty sad when all I hear from my child is about an affair that's being allowed to take place in a high school office between a school administrator and a secretary. Does this send a moral message to our kids?

Fed up

I can't believe Gov. Holden wants to raise taxes on cigarettes and gasoline again. What happened to all the cigarette settlement money? He blows all Missouri's money on parties and waste for other pet projects and has the gall to pass it on to taxpayers. What's next? Tax on booze? Tax on fat people? Tax on skinny people? Enough is enough. We can't trust our leaders.