Speakout 3/22

Every time I call about my newspaper you say to call the post office to see what happened to it. They tell me to call the newspaper. How can a newspaper get lost in the mail when everything else that is loose comes on through and gets put in the mailbox. It seems funny that you think an awful lot of newspapers and your customers that you have, but you don't bother to find out what happens to the newspapers or put them in something that can be mailed and shipped through the mail so your customers can get what they pay for.

The mail delivery papers are taken to the post office daily, Monday through Saturday. After that, it's out of our hands and up to the post office to deliver them to our subscribers. Call the Circulation Department at 471-4141 (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) and double check to be sure we are sending your paper to the correct address.

In response to the person who wanted to know about the Stone Age and who created cave man, you need to read Genesis 1 because God made man before he made cave man.

The New Madrid County Commissioners should be commended for reducing taxpayer spending for the County Extension Office. It would even be better if taxpayer funding was eliminated altogether for this outmoded and nonessential office. The County Extension Office out billed its usefulness years and years ago. It has been continued over the years as more of a habit than a necessity. Farmers and the general public have almost unlimited sources for information. In the distant past, county extension offices were considered essential to their operations. Also, youth programs are readily available in the county. No doubt there will be quite a clamor from a handful of die-hard extension supporters, but this action by the commission is long overdue. Stop squandering taxpayer money for no good reason.

It's so sad the city cares so little about the west end of town. We have lived here a long time and have paid our taxes, but the city allows this end of the city to be trashed. Come down Ruth Streets and other streets with vacant lots and you'll see the trash on these vacant lots. It just keeps piling up. There should be some way to teach people not to throw their trash out on the street. These people should be taught, as I was, to put a plastic bag inside your car to put your trash in, instead of throwing it out onto the street. I've lived on the west end of town for a long time and it's embarrassing to have my friends come out here and see these trashed empty lots. If the city owns these lots, the city needs to clean them up. If not, they need to make the owners clean them up or fine them for every week they leave them trashed. This would not be allowed in the north end of town but they let it go on out here. I would like to see the city take charge for a change and make a difference. You need to check on West Malone Avenue too. There is a lot of trash stacked up on these streets and it needs to be cleaned up.

Why won't the Sikeston hospital let employees park at the new dialysis building? They let nurses and the patients park there. I don't think the Sikeston Jaycees know this (they built the unit). I'm sure if they did, that they would have a say in this. I sure would like to see the hospital take a stand on this.

"There are a limited number of parking spaces at the dialysis unit and we feel it is appropriate to have those spaces available for patients," said Sharon Urhahn, director of marketing for Missouri Delta Medical Center. "We have designated areas for employee parking."