Speakout 4/18

Thursday, April 18, 2002

Call 471-6636

I am responding to recent SpeakOut comments about why people who aren't wheelchairs park in handicap parking places, how dangerous it is for people with weak legs to be driving and also about elderly shoppers. One caller said they normally don't buy anything and get in the way of younger shoppers who do shop. First of all, people in wheelchairs actually don't need the closer spaces as much as those who have trouble walking because they're sitting down already. I know because I used to be married to a man in a wheelchair. I've been disabled due to polio for 53 years and I'll match my driving skills with yours any day. And for the third issue, I'm a retired disabled senior who worked for 30 years. I finally have more income to shop with than those younger working people, so you might as well move over because me and my scooter are going to be out there shopping.

A lady recently bought my Kirby vacuum cleaner in answer to my newspaper ad, and I think some of the wrong attachments went with it. I would like this person to call me at 481-9903.

What gives you the right to print the hurtful article about G.C. Harrell and the allegations against him? Don't you know the man is already dead and the family is in enough pain as it is? Why keep contributing to that pain? Why can't you people just let it go and let the family carry on?

We sincerely offer our condolences to the family of Mr. Harrell. The sheriff's department issued a press release concerning the case and, as with all press releases concerning suspected criminal activity of any kind, it was our job to publish the information.

I heard that Coach Gene Bess is retiring from Three Rivers Community College and that former New Madrid County Central Coach Lennies McFerren is taking his place. Is this true?

No and no.

This is to the person who stabbed a white male cat and then poisoned it after it survived the stabbing. Maybe you don't like cats, but you can scare them off your property without doing harm to them. We live somewhere around Coleman or Branum Street and the cats keep the rats and snakes out of our yards. Also, they are wonderful companions.

Let's all give the Post Office three cheers today. The hospital in Memphis mailed my medicine on March 29. Today is April 11 and I haven't received it yet.

There was a drug bust two weeks ago and about 12 people were involved. Their names were never released in the paper. Why hasn't this question been answered in the paper?

The most recent drug bust we received information on was published April 12. In many cases, information is not immediately available to the press.