Speakout 1/16

Whose responsibility is it for the striping on the road leading to the four-way stop to Wal-Mart? I have nearly been hit several times by people straddling what was the white line. I'm not sure where the white line stops and starts, but it was at one time striped. Can you please answer this question for me?

The intersections are striped by MoDOT.

Thank you Mr. President for tickling the idea of granting working status to millions of law breaking illegals. I'm sure your fat-cat buddies love the idea of keeping the minimum wage as low as possible. As if it is bad enough you allow our good jobs overseas. Now you want to bring cheaper help in to do the jobs that are left? I agree, Mr. Bush. Who wants to work for $5.15 an hour? Maybe the people are trying to tell you something.

This is for the elderly people who think they need help. You may as well move in with someone who doesn't want you. That's what I had to do. I used to live on Stoddard Street in the housing for the elderly, but I had to move out because of the people they let move in. See, when I moved in, the office people at the Housing Authority said it was an elderly site, but it seems they changed their mind after I moved in because they moved a lot of young people in. I had to move out due to the things the young people were doing. I saw drug sales in my back yard, they stole my lawn furniture off my porch to sit in and drink their beer and whiskey and left their empty bottles and trash where they sat in the yard. Loud music played all night, keeping me awake. I don't think this is considered an elderly site, but a "party" site. When you call the office at the Housing Authority, they said they would take care of it, but nothing ever happened to change it. I think if they would not move young people in the elderly sites, then most of these problems would be solved.

I would like to commend the South Scott County Ambulance Board of Directors for a job well done. When the Ambulance District went from the hospital to a rundown old building and basically started from scratch, there was some question about its future. The employees are some of the highest paid emergency medical technicians in the surrounding area with attractive retirement and other benefits. While other districts are losing employees and revenues, Sikeston has grown into a well-rooted service. They have four brand new reliable ambulances equipped with the latest medical technology. EMS workers should not have to worry about ambulances breaking down while transporting patients. They have just completed their new building and are getting ready to move in. I am sure their employees are very appreciative of the board's constant willingness to keep South Scott County Ambulance growing and improving. They have laid a strong foundation. EMS employees basically live in the ambulance building while they are on duty, at least 24 hours at a time. A bright clean environment has to improve morale. Employees appreciate board members who are on the board for the improvement of the district, not to cut and jeopardize the district. Hat's off to the Scott County Ambulance Board of Directors for focusing on the employees and citizens of South Scott County and working so hard to improve emergency medical care in our area.