Speakout 8/24

If the Standard Democrat makes its customers pay their bills on time, why can't it make sure they get their papers on time, especially the ones who get their papers in the mail, instead of after three days? On Wednesday you get Monday's paper.

The newspapers for mail delivery are taken to the Sikeston Post Office every afternoon (Monday through Friday) to go out with that day's mail.

I just want to compliment the person who worked on my daughter's car at Mack's Auto Repair. God bless you and thank you for a job well done. I appreciate your kindness and honesty.

I won't be able to attend the Mississippi County meeting on the taxes, but I can still voice my opinion. No more taxes for Mississippi County or East Prairie either!

I wish the owners at Garden of Memories would pay more attention to the upkeep of the graves. I think the vases should be turned in when they have no flowers in them; it would make the graveyard look much better. Also, I think that when graves have flowers on them, that have obviously been put on there many, many years ago, they should be removed. It's easy to which graves have been attended to recently and those that have not. This would improve the looks. Please don't take items off graves you know are being taken care of by loved ones, especially a child's grave. That is the only way people can show their love in a tangible way. It is important to be able to do that. Please have sympathy and compassion. Maybe a civic group could take this on as a local project and check out the graveyard on a quarterly basis. Just a little time and love is what our deceased loved ones need.

You can call Garden of Memories at 471-4089.

I would like to thank the staff of the second floor nurse's station, the surgical team and my doctor for being compassionate, kind and gentle when I had a colonoscopy and EGP on Aug. 13 at Missouri Delta Medical Center. May God bless you all.

To the mayor and board of aldermen of Miner, like the song says, "What part of 'no' don't you understand?" If you think we're not capable of voting no again on issues until you get tired of putting them on the ballot, you need to remember, we've done it before and we'll do it again. When we say "no," we mean "no."

I read the article from the humane society about the vet going out to euthanize animals because of overpopulation. This is really a shame but I have a question. I could have called the Humane Society, but I really didn't want to go that route and I know SpeakOut is good at getting answers. I was told that the animals they have to adopt out are spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter. How is that paid for? Do they have donations that the vet offers their time, like a volunteer service? How do they go about spaying or neutering an animal from the shelter? Maybe they could start some kind of campaign that people would have pets spayed or neutered, which would help cut down on the population at the shelter.

When a pet is adopted, the new owner gets a packet from the Sikeston Bootheel Humane Society which includes a certificate for an office visit to a Sikeston veterinarian. Also included in the adoption fee is the cost of having the pet spayed or neutered and the new owner signs a contract stating the animal will have the surgery performed within a specified time frame. The new owner also receives a $10 gift certificate to the Market Place for pet supplies along with information about pet care and pet insurance. According to Executive Director Gabby Evans, "The shelter does not get free spay or neuters and pays for the surgeries, however it is at a reduced rate. As usual, money only goes so far, but with the proposed budget cuts and costs going up daily, the money to run the shelter is less and less. That is why we are always in such desperate need of funds."

On Aug. 14, a SpeakOut caller said in "Notice to drivers" that they will report you if your license plate is expired. That is one nosy person who does not have a life. I'd like to know what they do in their spare time.

Sikeston, beware of our new snooper trooper. I would hate to think that all I had to do is ride around Sikeston or surrounding areas and look for expired license plates. I feel sorry for your poor neighbors. If you work in a place, I feel sorry for the people who work around you. I would hate to know that I was that nosy. Yours truly, lawbreaker.