Speak Out 2/8/12

Mini Farm

dog beware

To the dog owners in Batson Mini Farm. If you are the owner of a large, brown Blood Hound, and care anything about him, you better keep it home. I am tired of it getting into my trash and scattering it all over my yard. Yes, I know it is that particular dog because I have caught him in the act two times.

Response

on suicide

It's been my understanding that in the past, the Daily American Republic did not print stories and reports of suicides, but as I look at today's (Sunday) DAR on the obituary page, one is listed and tells in detail about the suicide. To me that is horribly disrespectful to the family. There is no need for that to be printed and I am ashamed of your paper for doing so.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: You are right. We used to report all suicides, but the DAR stopped doing that when I became editor in 1990 out of respect to the families. However, there are two exceptions. One is if the commission of the incident involves the public. One example would be a murder suicide. The other exception is if the person is a public figure. In this case, a fire chief is a public figure.)