Speak Out 11/6/16

Van Buren

students better

[MAIL] I feel I must voice my concerns as a parent and as a taxpayer in the Van Buren R-1 school district. I am troubled by the recent findings of the board of education that the superintendent had directed the district to pay her stipends of $11,000 without school board approval. Even through the board is making the superintendent now pay back the unauthorized money, I have to wonder if other financial fraud has occurred in the superintendent's office? After recently passing a tax levy increase, I see no extra money being spend on the students, only huge raises for coaches and cheerleading sponsors. The district central office has admitted accidently paying certain staff members extra paychecks. Van Buren R-1 now employs individuals to teach classes that don't have college degrees nor teaching certificates. My three children and the district patrons deserve better than this hiring system of nepotism and the "good old boy" network. Maybe it's time for the state auditor's office to take a look at Van Buren R-1????

Bring back

paper bags

When are they going to bring our paper bags back at the grocery store? I came home twice from the Dollar Store and I had plastic bags with heavy groceries and bottom come out them both at both times. Please bring our bags back.

U.S. Flag at Post Office is ragged

Attention, Speak Out. I just came from downtown. I was at the post office. The flag in front of the U. S. Post Office in downtown Poplar Bluff are absolutely horrible! They're ragged, they're dirty and they're twisted. I'm so embarrassed and so ashamed of our country's flag in such a condition. PLEASE! Somebody take care of this problem. Thank you.

Why is there a

city vehicle tax?

Why is it if you live in the city you have to pay five dollars per vehicle city tax. It used to be for a city sticker. People that don't live in the city but work in the city don't have to pay it, too. This would generate more money for the city and they are parked in the city limits the time they are working -- some up to eight hours a day or more. Just wondering why the people in the city are penalized for living in the city and have to pay this extra vehicle tax and our taxes in the city are higher than county taxes. Does anyone know the answer? Just curious. Thank you.

Ticket dog owners

Yes, I'm calling to complain about the dogs that run loose in this town. Mailman has to fight 'em. Kids walkin' by 'em gettin' off from school. They run and knock people down. They knocked me down about three weeks ago in my own yard that dog did and I didn't know he was any where around. It's funny to me if you drank a few beers you get a DWI. If you go over the speed limit, you get a ticket. Smoke weed you get a ticket. Everything else they get money out of and tickets in this town is enforced except for the dogs.

I don't know what it's gonna take to get anything done whether it's calling Kathy Sweeney at Channel 12 is gonna be my next step if somethin' don't get done about the dogs in this town. Animal Control is off and the police officer has to come and he don't want to handle the dogs or be bothered with 'em. He leaves and you try and try to get somethin' done and you have to call his Lieutenant at the police station. Then when the police officer is sent back out there he's a smart aleck. I don't know who else to go to unless it's the news and start calling the prosecutorin' attorney here and about. Thank you.

Check parents dropping off kids

I can tell you one of things I see often in dropping my kid off to school is there's obviously a lot of parents who take very strong painkillers or using opiates in the morning because they have very sluggish reactions and they have overreaction for somebody who's driving their kids to school and jammin'! I think that if Poplar Bluff wanted to do something about their drug problems they'd be like shootin' fish in a barrel -- pull all them parents over who have their pandies on in the morning and do a quick sober test on 'em and they'd be in the pokey. Have to have their special snowflake male pick 'em up that afternoon. Thank you.

Remember when

Hey does anybody remember when the Republicans of Bond and Ashcroft came out against Todd Akin? Yeah, they give us Claire McCaskill. I'm just sayin.'