JEERS: To all these people complaining about train noise! The trains have been in the same location for how many years? You didn’t have to buy the house or business in that location. Sell and relocate. Worried about no one buying it because of the noise? You bought it. These trains bring jobs, necessities we use daily and maybe tax money to our town. The train whistle saves lives. Maybe yours or your kids. Pray for an answer to your problem and thank God for your home or business. I don’t think the trains and whistles are leaving.—P.C., Texarkana, Texas



CHEERS: To the people who have slowed down their vehicles due to higher gas prices. They not only get more miles to the gallon but save gasoline as well. Jeers to those who have not slowed down and still drive like they’re on a race track. They must like to pay over $3 per gallon. Needless to say they get less miles per gallon than those who have slowed down. Obviously they must have more money than time to continue to drive at the same speed as before fuel prices were so high.—D.M., Texarkana, Ark.



JEERS: I would like to ask our city officials on the Arkansas side one question: How can you expect anyone to want to move to Texarkana, Ark., when 90 percent of the residents here now have to wear ear plugs to sleep at night to drown out the loud freight train whistles? We can’t even keep the people we have now. Several of our prominent civic leaders have recently moved to the north side of the interstate to get some peace and quiet and I suspect even more will be doing so soon.—R.S., Texarkana, Ark.



CHEERS: To Miller County Sheriff Linda Rambo for her efforts to straighten out the Miller County Jail, despite the opposition by other county officers. If this one is built shoddily and can’t hold prisoners, use it for something else and build another jail. This time build it right—we don’t mind using the taxpayers’ money.—T.B.S., Texarkana, Ark.



JEERS: To the Arkansas School Board. You have done it again. Hired a superintendent and given them a contract that you have to pay off even if they resign. Please tell me why teachers, bus drivers and the other people who actually do the work do not have such contracts. The next time you hire someone for the highest position in the system, please do not give them a contract that you have to pay off if they are not successful at their job. The taxpayers need more for their money and to finally have some respect for the school board that has long been lacking.

I am under the impression that any other position in the system does not have such protection unless it might be in the athletic department and I do not see why the superintendent is any more important than any other position, when he has so many “assistants” to actually do the work and give him the credit or blame, whichever.—J.T.M., Texarkana, Ark.

 

JEERS: To the city of Texarkana. Whatever happened to the library being a place to go and read a good book or to study? Now it just seems a place to just hang around outside or just sit in your car all day. You would think the police would do something about it since there are “no loitering” signs outside for everyone to see. I would not even think of going and just sitting outside all day and harass people as they walk by. I, for one, think something should be done to solve this problem.—N.W., Texarkana, Texas



JEERS: “That’s interesting. I hadn’t heard that—I know it’s high now.” Quoting President Bush’s reply when asked his thoughts on $3 per gallon gasoline and prospects of $4 per gallon by summer. As a former supporter, I must say I’m afraid the man is completely out of touch with reality and needs to pull his head out of Africa, Arabian areas and out-sourcing and take heed of the situations facing the population here in our U.S.A.—L.T.I., Texarkana, Ark.



JEERS: To the city of Texarkana, Ark., for practicing classism and racism. The powers that be are willing to accommodate the demands of people in affluent neighborhoods where zoning is concerned. The latest example is Sugar Hill Road. These people knew they were moving near a freeway and freeways attract commercial development. But when it comes to poor, long-established neighborhoods, the city will allow any kind of noxious, unappealing noisy industry. In a democracy, all people should be treated with equality and dignity, and in a manner in which you would want to be treated.—M.M., Texarkana, Ark.



JEERS: To the two teen-age girls who decided to stage an all-out brawl at the mall Saturday afternoon. Apparently it was a planned event due to the number of other kids who gathered to watch as if attending a sporting event. It was very scary and quite unnerving. Many of the shoppers in the store with me were afraid to go out for fear of who knows what would happen next.

Cheers to the men who jumped in and broke up the fight. That gave shoppers a little sense of security and allowed us to at least get away from the area safely.—C.M., Bivins, Texas