Speakout 4/5

Call 471-6636

I've been watching the news about the lady who drowned her five children and all of a sudden everybody is superior. I can't see any difference between this and them and I really feel sorry for those little kids who lost their lives. But let's put it in perspective. A woman who has an abortion does the same thing. Murder is murder, whether it's in a doctor's office for an abortion or a lady who takes it upon herself to drown her five kids.

Can you tell me why the Sikeston arrest reports and court proceedings are no longer in the paper? They haven't been in there in a long time.

We have requested them but have not received them from the court.

I am calling in response to the person from Sikeston about the New Madrid cheerleaders. Yes, we have participated in state championships since 1991 and we have placed at various times, including, this year when we took fifth in the small co-ed division. But, yes, we have been there and yes, we have placed.

You can't drive a mile in Sikeston without spotting a church. I would also bet that 99.9 percent of them have wonderful caring people that would love to have you join them. My opinion is that if you actually went to different churches twice you would find one you like. So get off the phone and stop in at any of the many churches that are not only in Sikeston but every town in America. I may even go someday myself.

Have any of you ever heard of Jimmy Page? Well, he is one of the best musical geniuses of all time - ever. Just listen to "Stairway to Heaven."

What is going on with our sewer lines all over Sikeston? I live on Louise Drive and ever since they put in the new line, it has only made things worse. You would think if they were going to spend all that money, they would get big enough pipes to handle the water. It is messing up all our storage sheds and everything. Could the city be held accountable for the mess and damage this is causing? I know we are in a flood zone, but before the new lines were put in, the water never stayed around like it does now.

We called Sikeston Street Department Superintendent Vance Raines with your concern. "The problem has nothing to do with the new lines. The ditches are full because of all the rain we've had in the last few weeks. The drainage ditches are backed up south of the city and is out of our jurisdiction, but we've gone down and checked the ditches and sent guys in john boats to check the ditches as well. The major problem is that the ditches are full and there's nowhere for the water to go. The water moving down here from the north has also added to the problem."

It's wrong for parents to not be able to punish their kids, but when they go through the court system, they punish our kids. This happened to me. My wife and I disciplined our daughter and were called on by the child support service. Something needs to be done about that because this is happening all over the world and whoever invented that law, they need to change that law.