SPEAKOUT

Thursday, March 20, 2014

A parking lot of snow

My question is why can't one of the very biggest chain stores in the country close their parking lot in the wee hours of the A.M. and have it completely cleared of snow for their customers, particularly their elderly patrons? Would any of these chains like to reply? Is it just money and no concern for your customers? Shame on you.

Closed for business

I was wondering if they were ever gonna go open up that new wellness center they have down in Matthews. It's been closed about two months.

If you can't stand the fire. . .

I get so sick of hearing about those ol' gals in the military that get sexually assaulted. They don't have to go in there, women don't. They know when they go in there that men are gonna hit on them. They do it voluntarily. Just like all these ol' gals out here when they get caught up with - 'he raped me, he assaulted me.' When you lay down and pull your panties off at your own will nobody is assaulting you. I know there is a lot of rape going on that shouldn't, but most of it the women consent to and when they get caught it's 'oh somebody assaulted me, get them prosecuted.' That's not right. Keep their butts out of the military. They know that's gonna go on.

Breast job

When I was younger and was living at home and my grandmother used to fry chicken, I knew what chicken breasts looked like. I bought a package of chicken breasts at our local grocery store today. I would love to see what the chicken looked like that these breasts came off of. It sure don't look like any chicken breasts that she used to fix. Isn't that interesting?

A job well done

Thanks for your article on the cabin fever issue. I want to commend all the safety, BMU and the street department for a job well done. We called Brian Dial, head of the street department, a week after the snow and ice on a place that had big clumps of ice at Murray Lane and Kingshighway. About two hours later we went by and it was all cleared off. Then the next day we called him on street that had snow with big ruts that our car was almost dragging on them. It was five o'clock that evening when the snow plow came and graded our street and made it 100 percent better. You were right, we were wrong. We had power throughout the storm while our city workers were out in the sleet keeping us safe. I commend all of them. We are lucky and blessed to have all of them. I am so looking forward to spring.

Going up

Renters beware. Landlords of rental property, if the school bond passes will also impact renters. In my case, my renters will probably see a $25 a month increase in rent. Those on fixed income may have to decide between food and rent.

A small price to pay

I would like to thank the Sikeston School Board for their vision. Our students have been stuck in nonfunctional schools too long. My taxes will going up about 50 cents per day. I will be voting yes on the bond. That is a small price to pay for our kids' futures.

Catty remark

Those people in Oregon they must all be nuts. If a couple of people attack their 7-month-old baby and they're not gonna do nothing about it, that whole state must be nuts when a cat is more important than a baby.

Yarn for you

This is for the lady that wanted the yarn who is knitting lap blankets for the nursing homes. She can call 472-6318. I have a lot of yarn to give away.

Can't afford more taxes

Mike, I can tell you are a die-hard Republican. You are just like McCain and the rest of them. They wanna give this money away to foreign people that hate America and just put it on our people. And this building this school, people aren't in their right mind who vote for that. You've got the money. You can afford it. All it's gonna do for the rest of us is make us have to sell out. We can't afford to pay anymore taxes. Mine are already almost $600 a year. I won't be able to keep my house. Everything else is gonna go up, rent and everything. I say vote no in April.

Give me a sign

If anyone has yard signs opposing this April 8 school bond tax, now is the time to put your telephone number in SpeakOut. I want at least 3 or 4 for my yard. Only the so-called Sikeston elite can afford this victimizing tax. How will it improve student grades, teacher performances or administrative efficiency? That's what we factually need. Vote no. And if you have yard signs opposing this ridiculous idea, put your number in SpeakOut so I can call you.

Speaking on the structure

I see that the Standard Democrat continues to be a mouthpiece for the power structure by presenting all this propaganda on the school bond issue. Don't believe it folks! The tax increase is too high for most of us to afford. And regardless of what they say, people do consider the tax rate before they move to your community.

Thanks for helping

I want to thank the policeman who called reinforcements and got the lady in the white mercury out of the snow/ice on Sunday evening. Also, the man, woman and child and second man who did the same on North Main. Bless you, bless you all!

Looking for family

Vera Jones was my aunt I have lost contact with her family. Would you give the family my information? Michele Jones-Woo, 2262 Penguin Dr., Sparks, NV 8944. Your help would be appreciated.

Have you no pride?

Where is the Sikeston pride? I am a graduate of Sikeston Schools and I am appalled by the negative attitudes being expressed in your newspaper. I am glad my grandparents after World War II decided that education was important and voted in favor of school bonds in the 1950s to build two elementary schools and a high school. Shame on you. Thank you grandpa and grandma.

Environment is vital

I guess according to some of your callers we want our kids to go to school in school buildings until the buildings fall in on them. Anyone who says that the surrounding school environment is not vital to learning is nuts. If that is so, I wonder why businesses are always building new buildings? If the old is good enough, I wonder why we don't use rotary phones anymore? I wonder why I traded that old Chevy last year? It was only a 1970.

A little at a time

This is in response to the school bond proposal - yes, if it passes it will definitely raise our taxes. The land and property owners will pay a substantial increase in their taxes. I think it is a sneaky tactic to try to lure voter support for the bond issue from renters and low-income individuals. If we truly need the new buildings, I think they should do a gradual improvement and do it through a sales tax increase so that everyone shares the burden.

The air that we breathe

I was gonna vote no on the school bond issue until my kids came home today and complained about the IAQ. I asked them what the heck was the IAQ and they informed me it was the indoor air quality that was the reason why they couldn't learn. I vote no.

Make do

I'm calling about the school bond proposal. I'm sure most of us would like to have the latest car, house, electronic gadgets with all the bells and whistles. However, we have enough commonsense to know we can't afford them so we do with what we have. Then we save our money and hope to be able to afford them in the future. Maybe the article that says it's only going to be a 20 percent increase needs to take a math course or maybe it's the new math. Anytime the tax goes from 21 cents to 99 cents, which is over four times in dollar cents, it is hardly 20 percent using our old time math. Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought that the school's primary purpose was to educate our children. Voters you need to realize when you vote that you are going to be paying over four times what you are paying for 20 years, not a small amount of money to most of us.

Concerned granny

I am a senior citizen and money is important to me. I have taken the time to visit the schools my grandchildren attend in Sikeston and I will be voting Yes. I cannot think of a better investment in our community than in our children and schools. I have done the math and the elimination of three old elementary schools to two modern elementary schools not only is economically prudent, but wise. I am voting Yes.

Cold shoulders

Let's say electric rates haven't gone up. Then electric rates are too high when you have people, the elderly included, wearing coats inside their homes. Sitting wrapped up in blankets with their thermostats set on 60 degrees and getting $400-$800 electric bills. For many people heat has become a luxury they cannot afford.