Speakout 1/12

Thursday, January 12, 2006

I'd like to speak out about Wal-Mart. Every time I go in there, I am a disabled person, there is never a cart, one of the riding ones. I have a broken hip and I'm gonna have to have hip replacement and all. There is no riding courts ever. And what riding carts there are, they got signs on them where they ain't no good or something. I don't understand. I thought Wal-Mart catered to the disabled people. Then I look around and I see people on the carts that don't even look disabled. It's terrible. I can't shop. I have to stay home a lot. Why doesn't Wal-Mart get good carts? Why are they letting people ride in the carts that ain't even disabled. Wal-Mart, you need to get some carts in there. Somebody needs to complain or do something about this.

I am writing in regards to the elderly lady's comments in the SpeakOut column Thursday, Jan. 5th, commending the Oran cop on the job he is doing. A lot of people do not object to what the cop is doing, but how he conducts himself towards the people in Oran. Howard Stevens was the cop in Oran for 30 years and is respected by many people there. He gained that respect by showing respect to the people of Oran. I graduated from Oran and have been here for 20 years and did not realize we had such a bad drug/alcohol problem. If you live where there is a lot of riff raff and druggies, I suggest you move and quit whining like a baby. Since you do not live, interact or pay taxes in Oran, maybe you do not know what are rumors and what are facts. I drive a lot everyday and I'm not sure a person with a few drinks can't drive better than some of you elderly people can.

I'm calling concerning an article in SpeakOut Jan. 4th. I sure agree with that taxpayer. We are paying more for taxes. Our roads have potholes. The are like washboards. They are giving more and more to the schools, more and more to the teachers' salaries. They are building fancier school building. But when you look at the roads that these taxpayers have to drive on to pay for these taxes to go to the workplace, it's a shame. They spend a lot of money on keeping wheels lined up, buying new tires. I think these teachers and county and city officials need to quit getting raises and put this money on these roads. Thank you lady for speaking out.

To the caller that called about the roads. I do agree that potholes and washboards do take a toll on our vehicles. However, in response to fancy schools and teacher's salaries. I haven't noticed a fancy school around here. Buildings must be maintained for the safety of our children, but fancy is not a description. As for salaries of teachers, do you even have a clue what teachers make? Do you realize that our profession requires constant re- schooling that we must pay for out of pocket? When I began teaching five years ago, my salary was $24,000 a year. When you deduct the price of student loans, supplies teachers buy for out of their own pockets for our students and basic cost of living, that leaves very little for things we desire to enjoy. Instead of sitting around complaining about something you know nothing about it, come and sit in a classroom and observe what teachers do. Maybe then, you would better be prepared to decide what we should be paid.

I had read somewhere in SpeakOut that some had located a Charleston class ring that had engraving on the inside. Mine was silver tone with a light blue stone, on the inside of the ring was the initials DMH. I was wondering if someone had found this ring they could call 573-683-3554.