I agree with the letter written by Mr. Doug Upchurch in Sunday’s paper. I travel U.S. 61 from the south each morning and am amazed at the resources the police department has allocated to catch speeders on the mile-long stretch that is inside city limits before you get to Interstate 20.

Vicksburg certainly does not have a lack of opportunities for policemen to stop real crimes, as opposed to wasting taxpayer dollars trying to catch someone traveling a bit too fast on his or her way to work.

It baffles me that we cannot find something more important for our police force to do. I, too, am very thankful for all of our public servants, but we should review our priorities. Would we rather bust someone for traveling at a whopping 55 miles per hour or bust someone for breaking and entering? I have not yet received a citation from these officers, so this isn’t just some angry violator blowing off steam. It just seems illogical to me to waste our valuable resources in such a manner.

James Armstrong

Vicksburg

A strategy for compliance

Regarding the frustration expressed by Warren County officials relating to developers’ spotty compliance with county subdivision ordinances, this is not a difficult problem to solve.

Here is what they do in Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee: A land transaction cannot be recorded in the courthouse until the approved subdivision documents are on record in the chancery clerk’s office.

Every developed tract of land in Shelby County requires engineered design drawings that address parcel layout, utilities, storm water, access to public roads, roadway design standards and other compliance issues. The completion of these improvements must also be bonded by the developer.

All of the required paperwork is reviewed and approved by county planning department personnel who then notify the chancery clerk of the status. Then when an individual parcel is sold in that subdivision and the transaction attorney files to record the deed, the chancery clerk’s office reviews the parcel sale to see that it is in an approved subdivision. If it is not, the transaction will not be recorded. 

Once a few parcel sales are thwarted, it won’t take long for developers, Realtors and contractors to assure that subdivisions are properly designed, approved and constructed.

This process of bonded improvements also assures that developers install subdivision roadways and utilities in compliance with engineering standards, all at the expense of the developer, assuring that county residents do not foot the bill for substandard work, and allowing for eventual county takeover, which is normal in a properly constructed subdivision.

Paul Ingram

Vicksburg

Fight federal abortion law

The Freedom of Choice Act will be coming up again in Congress. First introduced in January 2004, the bill is designed to “codify Roe vs. Wade” and “repeal the Bush-backed Federal Abortion Ban,” referring to the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act.

If passed, FOCA would invalidate every restriction on abortion before the stage of viability, even those previously found consistent with Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court, such as parental notification laws, waiting periods, requirements of full disclosure of the physical and emotional risks inherent in abortion and the partial-birth abortion ban. This act would challenge the right of religiously based hospitals or clinics to refuse to perform abortions, and it could possibly force the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which restricts the use of federal funding for abortions.

Please begin contacting your U.S. senators and representatives now and voice your strong opposition to FOCA. Sign the petition called Fight FOCA sponsored by the pro-life organization Americans United for Life.

The 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade legalizing aborton was Jan. 22. Since that time 51 million babies have been killed. We shall all be accountable to God for not doing our part to stop this dreadful act of violence to our precious babies. You and I are the only voices these innocent unborn babies have. Are we going to let the babies keep dying or will we stand up and be counted? We all have a moral obligation to help our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Above all praise God’s name, then pray for His help and guidance and one day this will all be behind us. Believe that when you pray, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is good men to do nothing.” Are we going to be among these men and women? We know that good always comes out at the end and then one day we can stand before God Almighty and offer him our eternal praise.

Delores Coomes

Vicksburg

Honored with stolen flowers?

In the last four months, I have had flowers stolen from my family members’ grave sites at least four times.

I wonder what a sorry, low-life creature who steals these flowers from our loved ones’ final resting places at Cedar Hill Cemetery does with the flowers that are stolen?

What makes me upset is that flowers do not cost very much and you can buy them anywhere for as low as a dollar. I can only imagine the thoughts of the person who received these stolen flowers. To show them love, honor and respect they were given stolen flowers. How proud they must be!

I have parents, brothers, grandparents, aunts and cousins buried in the cemetery. I try to keep flowers on all their graves. But if someone is stealing flowers as fast as you can put them out, it is very disheartening.

Mrs. A.L. Lee

Vicksburg

Baseball picture brighter

Vicksburg has always been known more as a football town than a baseball town, but those of us with little boys growing up here know that this town has a lot to offer our little-leaguers.

Those players can now look forward to playing in a new and improved program once they reach the high school level because the new Warren Central coach, Josh Abraham, has worked diligently to bring back to life what had been a run-down program.

Viking Field looks phenomenal with new paint and green grass and a refurbished scoreboard. The players’ parents, working through the WC Baseball Boosters, have gone well beyond the call of duty by donating their time and materials to restore our fields. Coach Abraham has already gained the respect and friendship of his players and their parents. We expect this to be an exceptional season for our boys and plan to kick it off with our own “Meet The Vikes” night at 6 p.m. Friday at Viking Field.

We hope that the community will come and support us this season, and people will see for themselves what a positive difference Coach Abraham has made so far.

Dottie Lee

Vicksburg