SpeakOut 4/30

Call 471-6636

This is in response to the news broadcast about Mr. Wilson and his trash. I may not agree with what he did, but if the city would worry as much about getting the city cleaned up as they did about getting revenge, it would be a lot nicer place to live. I have seen that much trash in people's yards. Morehouse looks like a graveyard for junk automobiles. If they would fine everybody, and re-fine them and re-fine them again, eventually the city would have enough money to clean this place up.

The generals, especially Gen. Tom Franks, are the ones to be commended for winning the Iraq war. Anyone with good soldiers, extremely good new equipment and unlimited amount of money for the latest modern war devices could hardly lose to a poor, undernourished country. All the President did was make a few speeches from time to time, and was never in danger himself. So how do you figure he won the war?

I wonder if they are going to do anything with the 18-year-old who raped the 90-year-old woman. He should be castrated and put in prison for the rest of his life.

I am calling about this town, electric bills and the Sikeston Board of Municipal Utilities. There are a lot of families here in town that just cannot meet these deadlines with these enormous bills. We get bills for $200 or $300 and they do not want to set up payment arrangements, or sometimes they just force it down to the last minute. Families here are on fixed incomes and some have three or four children. It is very cruel to tell someone their lights will be shut off in the morning even though they are honestly trying to get some money together. The customer may make an arrangement and promise to take the money by the first, and even sign their name on a piece of paper, and then you tell them if they don't have $240 by 8 a.m. the next day, they and their children will be sitting in the dark. That is just so hurtful. I am trying to help a family now who is in this situation. DAEOC is the only place in town that I know of that helps people with utility bills and you know that right now, they do not have any funding.

This is in response to the April 21 SpeakOut article regarding the Sikeston Eagles Club's treatment of senior citizens. The caller said the Eagles were forced to cancel the senior dances because of discrepancies from people running the program. Nothing of this was stated to any of the people who attended the dances. The dances were suddenly canceled and the matter was handled with a total lack of class. It is strange that the Eagles can't find trustworthy people to run their programs, but the American Legion and Elks can. I would bet anything I own that there isn't anyone on the present board of trustees who originally started the dances over 20 years ago because back then, the Eagles cared about the senior citizens. I used to go to the dinners the Eagles put on, and the majority of the people there were over 50. So we have been supporting them. The Eagles' motto must really be "people helping people as long as they're not too old."

I am looking for someone who may have a gas range with an oven that works and would be willing to sell real cheap. I know a person who needs one. This person is in poor health and on a lot of medication and is a diabetic and needs to have her food baked. If anyone can help, please call me at 667-9036.

Hey, Mike, why don't you drop some Lucky Bucks in the west end of Sikeston? We pay our paper bill, too.

We have and will again. We have had three winners from the west end.