Speakout 1/12

I would like to SpeakOut about dogs being out at night. People question why some walk at night. This is America. We're allowed to walk anywhere, any time. Has this changed? I never turn my dog out at any time, day or night. Animals get run over by cars, especially in the dark. Be kinder to your pets.

I am Speaking Out about the Jan. 5 edition about the Charleston Bluejays basketball program. The program is up right now. I am a former alumni and have been watching it for the past five years now. It's getting better, but it could be better. It was a tie, which is in a period of all Southeast Missouri teams and 3A or 4A basketball teams. It's tough in scheduling the state titles in Missouri with time in and time out. I have three state titles. The only time I didn't win was in my sophomore year. I won in '89 and again in '90. I missed '91 and came back in 1992 and we won, so my record was 87-13 in my four years at Charleston High School. When they let McFerren go and then coach Spencer decided to step down, the program took a hit. They couldn't get a better teacher than those two coaches. The administration caused them problems. That's why I don't like the Charleston basketball team.

If this President, with his stimulus package, is doing what he did before three months after he took office, he is firing votes for 2004 now with the public's money. You'll live to see the day you'll call him what I do - a political dictator.

To the people who said that people shouldn't be out walking at night. That may be true for people who have vehicles, but not everybody does. They shouldn't have to worry about dogs if they choose to walk at night or walk at night because they have no choice. It's not like they were walking in the people's yards. This is when dogs are chasing them down the street.

There are still several potholes in consecutive order on North Ingram. When they fixed the first potholes, why didn't they finish the whole road? Some of those potholes are quite large and cause serious damage to cars.