There’s more to boosting community life than paving roads

Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 4, 2009

I applaud the Warren County supervisors for readying a list of road improvements in hopes of receiving much-needed federal funding as reported in the Dec. 30 edition. But why can’t we do more? Other communities are planning for more ways to revitalize.

President-elect Obama’s plan isn’t just about getting people back to work, although that is a large part of it, it is also looking to improve old systems, going green and thinking in a new direction. How wonderful it would it be if in Warren County, instead of lowering expectations, we actually dreamed of improving our economic base and keeping our property values up by providing sewage treatment in the county, bidding out trash pickup and requiring those companies to recycle. Dream a bit further and we could have bike and walking trails that not only improve tourism but help improve the health and well-being of citizens.

These types of infrastructure improvements help people already living in Warren County but also help draw people here. Employers look for communities where their employees will enjoy living, communities that provide families with transportation, entertainment and housing options. They want to invest in communities that are providing for the future and protecting their environment. They want to be able to enjoy their lakes, streams and rivers rather than fear the pollutants that foul them now.

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So let’s do more than just propose what we have been working on for years. Let’s really embrace change and dream a little. Call me crazy, but we can pave all the roads we want, but if we don’t give people a reason to come here, the roads will be like the infamous “bridge to nowhere” — a waste of taxpayer money and, by the way, you’re going to need an even bigger jail.

Connie Soballe

Vicksburg

Legalize pot to fight meth

In response to the editorial of Dec. 28, “Meth is a nightmare that won’t go away,” Government is partly responsible for America’s high addiction rates to honest hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin, due to its discredited prohibition of cannabis (marijuana).

The question isn’t if, but rather what percentage of America’s drug problem is due to prohibiting the relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis?

How many youths and adults try cannabis and realize it’s not nearly as harmful as taught in government environments? Then they think other substances must not be so bad either, only to become addicted to deadly drugs.

Prohibiting cannabis, which is safer than beer, wine or whiskey, places the plant’s sales in the hands of the same people who often sell highly addictive and deadly substances, which undoubtedly causes increased addiction rates.

Cannabis even has a history of helping people escape hard drug addictions, which makes it valuable; that’s an argument for it’s legalization in itself.

Stan White

Dillon, Colo.

List the alternatives

It would be a great service if you could list the mail pickup locations in Vicksburg for when it is not possible to go all the way to Pemberton Boulevard to post a letter.

M.L. Nosser

Vicksburg

Dealers fear legalization

The meth lab is the moonshine still of the 21st Century. If we allowed adult citizens of Mississippi access to the same amphetamines that we give to Air Force pilots to fly long missions, Mississippi would no longer have a meth problem.  The solution to meth and meth labs has been in front of you the whole time.

The war on drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and  immoral domestic policy since slavery and Jim Crow. Drug dealers only fear one thing: legalization.

Howard J. Wooldridge

Education specialist

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

Washington, D.C.

Computers run public schools?

I am a concerned parent. The last nine weeks have really changed my mind on the school system’s new ways.

My daughter is a sophomore at Warren Central High School. She is an A-B honor student. Last year she was cheated out of being in Beta Club because  another student’s initials were the same. This year, the computer had a malfunction and gave wrong grades on her progress report.

I have missed three or four days from work at my job talking to principals, secretaries, at the administrative office, to teachers and others in high positions. All told me someone would get back with me. I am still waiting.

Other students along with my daughter had to retake a test on which she made an 82 and a computer said she made a 49. She made a 90 the second time, but the computer still had a 49 along with incorrect grades from the last nine weeks. My daughter said why should we try if no one is going to listen or fix the error?

Whatever happened to the simple way — the grade book?

Carmi Major

Vicksburg