CHEERS: To the car attendants at College Hill Elementary School, Mr. Caudle and Ms. Robin. At 86 years old, Mr. Caudle is an inspiration, and he’s there every morning to greet our children and say some small something to get their day off to a great start.

Last week I saw something that brought tears to my eyes. As I was waiting in line, a little girl got out of a vehicle and greeted Ms. Robin with a bear hug, and I immediately thought to myself, “You know, for some children, those words Mr. Caudle greets the kids with and that hug may be the highlight of their day and something they do not get anywhere else.”

So cheers to Mr. Caudle and Ms. Robin. Those few quick happy words and hugs play a great role in getting the children’s day off to a great start—for some it may be the first positive thing they encounter each morning. God bless you.—S.R., Texarkana, Ark.



JEERS: to those who accuse me of being a racist, just because I am not voting for Barack Obama. I am voting against him for the same reason I voted against Hubert Humphrey, George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and John Kerry. All were very liberal and Senator Obama is much more liberal than any of them. Senator Obama’s views are too close to socialism or Marxism for me.

It has been 44 years since a Democratic presidential candidate has received the majority of white votes in a November election. Most white voters are not as liberal as the lefties in the Democratic Party.

Also, jeers to those who make so many nasty remarks about Sarah Palin and her family. Some remarks are very, very sick.—J.H., Texarkana, Texas



JEERS: To Texarkana, Ark., and Texas city governments as well as Miller and Bowie counties for not allocating money for spay and neuter programs for dogs and cats. The average charge at local vet clinics is $150. Other cities and counties offer “free and low-cost” spay and neuter programs. It should be appalling to city and county officials to know over 170 animals were euthanized recently and only 36 adoptions.

Churches and civic groups should help support such a program as well as local vets. Our animals need help.—D.B., Texarkana, Ark.



CHEERS: To the Texarkana Bicycle Club for their 2008 Tour de Possum ride. About 70 riders showed up to participate. There were folks from many parts of the Ark-La-Tex. This ride is a great way to showcase the hometown hospitality and unique ambiance of Texarkana, along with our beautiful rural landscapes.  The folks from the bike club did a great job of support and promotion. These folks did Texarkana proud.  Cheers for the time, money and efforts they put in to make an enjoyable tour.—S.H., Hooks, Texas



CHEERS: To the sanitation and street department workers in Ashdown. Hurricane Ike caused massive damage to trees and other property. A person not experienced with Ashdown’s city workers would have rightfully expected the mess to be around for weeks. However, our fine folks were immediately out cleaning up our great city. I saw street department crews out on Sunday cleaning up downed trees, I saw sanitation crews working hard and long hours to pick up the massive piles of broken limbs and trees us citizens had piled by the street. I personally watched the crew come down my street picking up tree remains and after they would load the limbs, trunks of trees, etc., one of the crew would get a rake and sweep up the trash on the ground! What a tremendous service and dedication to their city and neighbors. A sincere thanks to all of these fine City of Ashdown employees—C.L.M., Ashdown, Ark.



JEERS: In response to the Jeers wondering what language is taught at Texas High School because a sea of teenage fans were cheering “Who You Wit’?” at the Bacon Fry for their Texas Tigers, I found it amusing that someone would take the effort to write a letter about this. Having been a teenager myself, as I’m sure every adult in this city has been, I know all too well that they come up with their own “language” to give themselves an identity and keep them bonded. I think it is better to notice the fact that a group of teenagers were there cheering in unison (Black, White, Asian, European, Hispanic) and supporting their team. Go Tigers! (And by the way, the cheer is actually “Who Ya Wit?”)—D.D., Texarkana, Texas



CHEERS: To Animal Control, Texarkana, Ark.,-side police and all the people who helped rescue our dog, Missy, on Sept. 13. Your kindness is greatly appreciated.—D.H. and M.H., Texarkana, Ark.



CHEERS: To Wake Village Works Department for the work performed on Sept. 13 as Hurricane Ike blew into town. Despite the high winds and heavy rain, they left the comforts of their homes and reported to work. They cleared the roadways of downed trees to ensure that medical and other emergency vehicles could pass if needed. So many times these men are overlooked as being the true first responders in times of natural disasters, such as the ice storm in 2000 and Hurricane Ike. The citizens of Wake Village can be proud of this group of men who do their job no matter the danger involved. I know that as their foreman, I have never worked with a better group of men, nor have I been more proud of the way they performed.—D.B., Wake Village, Texas



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