Speak Out 11/23/14

Bagby plus 5

and Kaplan 0

The City Manager, and for that matter, every one that works for the city, are public servants. The public here in Poplar Bluff, more than any other priority need jobs. For many years, Poplar Bluff has had an eroding manufacturing base. It lost Florsheim Shoe factory, then the Box factory, Essex-Franke, Russell Stover, a plastic factory, Rowe Furniture, and now NORDYNE. In addition the downtown areas of every town this size seem to have a unique problem. Every business, since they are small, depends on the customer base of every other business for their success, so, when one business close, it hurts everyone. The more that close, the harder for the others to succeed. It's not Mr. Bagby's or Mr. Kaplan's fault that Poplar Bluff has lost so many factories and small businesses. However, it is to Mr. Bagby's credit, that during the last year or two he should be rated by the public as a very effective city manager, and here are five good reasons, CVS Pharmacy, Hobby Lobby, the new hospital, Menards, Harps, and others. To put it another way, a new city hall, police station, better equipment, paved gravel streets don't matter much to a family that's wondering how they're going to live on unemployment while they retain or relocate.

Sometimes, Poplar Bluff, you don' know how good someone's doing their job until someone else is there to compare to. This negative atmosphere here is not Mr. Bagby's fault, but it may put a damper on the business momentum that he had built up. I'm only one "public", but my score card reads Mr. Bagby five plus, Mr. Kaplan, zero, and if things don't turn around soon the people of Poplar Bluff needs to have a single recall petition for Angela Pearson and the other three new council members.

Had it with

dog owners

I've had it with dog owners that let their dogs run everywhere. The dogs urinate on my flowers, poop in my yard where my grand children play, chew up my newspaper, and come into my garage and carry my boots out.

This morning I went to the grocery store and bought my deer hunting supplies. I unloaded them into my garage, went into my house to put up a few items with the intent to place the remaining items back into my truck. When I went back out a few minutes later, my supplies were ate, chewed and drug all over my yard.

I'm declaring war on all free roaming dogs. They will start disappearing when I catch them on my property!!!!!!!!!!

No ifs and buts about it.

Invite 'em to

White House

Hello, Speak Out. Perhaps since President Obama has become and expert on infectious diseases and is reprimanding more or less the governors in some of the states that want a 21 day quarantine period for healthcare workers coming back from those areas in Africa and he doesn't like that. Perhaps he should invite those people to spend a couple of days in the White House with his wife and children and see if he is still that convinced that it's safe to be around those people coming back from there. If you have never read Frontline News you need to get a copy. It's very important for your children. I hadn't read it until just recently it was given to me. You can order it by calling Frontline Voters Guide, PO Box 37054, St. Louis, Mo 63141 and ask for a copy of their paper. You need to learn about your children and what they are learning in school especially the poor. They're teaching so many different things now that we have never heard about before.

So, please, please, if you are interested in what your child is learning in school get this newspaper and read what they are teaching now. Thank you.

Owner's right to light up or not

I'm a smoker. I've been smoking for 66 years. Though I'm not braggin' about it. Yes, I believe that a person that has a home or a business it's their right to have it non-smoking and it should be respected.

During the 60s and 70s I was traveling, driving or flying, all the time and at that time if a plane was late they would give you free coffee, free drink and you could smoke on any plane. I don't know if I worded this right or not.