SpeakOut 8/28

Call 471-6636

President Bush and the Republican Party like to pretend they are friends of the military. Now, according to the Army Times, we learned that the White House fought a proposal to double the $6,000 gratuity paid to families of kids who die in active duty, and it wants to roll back recent increases in imminent danger pay from $225 to $150 and the family separation allowance from $250 to $100 for troops in combat zones. The White House budget proposal for 2004 has voted a half-billion of the $9.2 billion military construction request, assuring that a lot of military housing will remain substandard. Other cuts are also proposed from income designed to support education and military personnel.

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Ex-President Clinton had the good sense not to get involved with the Mid-East, foreseeing it as a deep quagmire, which it is, whereas Bush got greedy when he thought of the oil. It would have been less expensive to work on hydrogen or some other fuel for cars and convert it, which we're going to have to do anyway. These Mid-Easterners can hold out for 50 years.

I live out of town and am interested in finding a person who lives in Sikeston. He has done a lot for organizations but I don't know how to locate him. I know his last name is Green and he works with the NAACP. How can I locate him? I have called churches and have been unable to locate him. If anyone knows how I can contact him, please put the number in SpeakOut so I can contact him.

Elder Anthony Green is former president of the NAACP and is still active with the organization. You can call him at (573) 651-3771.

This is in reference to the prosecuting attorneys in Mississippi, New Madrid and Scott counties. I feel if you don't have substantial evidence about a suspect, if the evidence doesn't add up to the crime, there is no need for you to hold people in jail. It is unconstitutional and it is not right. Our police enforcement and judicial system should really take a look at the situation when charges are brought against someone. You need to really investigate and get out and do your work. We are taxpayers and pay our taxes for you to investigate crimes thoroughly. Don't just piece together a crime because you don't like someone and just want to keep someone off the streets. It's not fair.

Does anyone have any purple hull peas for sale? If so, please leave a number or information in SpeakOut.

Have you tried the Farmer's Market, conducted each Saturday in the Depot's parking lot in dowtown Sikeston?

You had a story awhile back about a dental clinic coming to Sikeston. Is it for everybody or just certain patients and do they accept Medicaid?

We ran the story on Aug. 4. The Elks Mobile Dental Unit will be in Sikeston Aug. 25 to Sept. 4 at the Sikeston Regional Center, 112 Plaza Drive. Services are provided for handicapped and crippled children, mentally retarded and developmentally disabled children and adults throughout the state. In addition to mentally retarded individuals, including educable mentally retarded clients and developmentally disabled and crippled children ages 3-21, residents of Scott, New Madrid, Mississippi and Stoddard counties who are referred by the Bureau of Special Health Care Needs or a Regional Center for the Developmentally Disabled are also eligible. This does not include clients with learning disabilities only. Individuals in extreme financial distress who have found it impossible to receive dental care anywhere else may be eligible as time permits after the two priority groups are taken care of, but must be referred by the Elks Lodge screening committee. For more information, call Barbara Cushman, program manager, at (573) 690-6603.