By Staff
Ziemba right
on the mark
To the editor:
I agree with Craig Ziemba ("Vanishing childhood," The Meridian Star, Oct. 20). There is too much pressure on children. Studies show that anyone can study and retain information in short periods. Too much information in too long a period just sends your mind elsewhere and you do not retain the information given.
Raising children is a blessing that parents need to take more time to enjoy and teach your children the joys of life. I am guilty, too, getting caught up in the "have to's" and losing time with the fun things. I see that more now that I am a grandparent. If we could shorten our days at work and school, we could enjoy the blessings life has for us. like the sunset, the full moon, the birds in the trees, the cool breeze and the rainbow.
Take a moment today … turn off the TV, the video game, leave work early and just enjoy your children today.
Peggy Sanders
Quitman
Business community
at war' with trial lawyers
To the editor:
Mississippi's business and medical community is at a crossroad for jobs and economic development. We are at war with the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, whose members include the plaintiff lawyers that we see advertising on TV and on the back of phone books.
We can either have a pro-business climate in this state with economic growth and jobs, or we can allow a few plaintiffs lawyers to destroy our state's reputation with its "jackpot justice."
Some of us in the Mississippi Legislature are trying to bring fairness and balance back into the courtroom, but we need your help. We need to elect judges who are fair and balanced. Mississippi would not be the "nation's jackpot justice capital" had Mississippi's trial and appellate judges done their jobs. Mississippi has the best judges money can buy. Anyone can look at the contributions in these judges' races and see the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association candidates.
The poster child for the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association is Supreme Court Justice Chuck McRae, who was labeled in a 1995 Reader's Digest as one of the 10 worst jurists in the United States. His son-in-law is the immediate past president of the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association, and he is at the Capitol lobbying every day to continue Mississippi's "jackpot justice."
We do not get to vote on Justice McRae. We are dependent on the voters of South Mississippi to retire him. Should he win, he will become Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court. What an embarrassment for the state that would be and it would stifle economic development in the state for years to come.
We do, however, get to vote in the District 3 Mississippi Court of Appeals race between Kenny Griffis of Ridgeland and Jim Brantley of Madison. All judges have to run nonpartisan, so we cannot look to their affiliation as a guide to help us select them.
I can say that Kenny Griffis is a former Republican and is supported by the business and medical community, and Jim Brantley is a former Democrat who is a past president of the Mississippi Trial Lawyers Association and is supported by the same.
We also will be electing circuit and chancery judges Nov. 5. Please check out the candidates and go to the polls and vote. We need to have fair and balanced judges so that Mississippi can compete with other states for jobs and economic development.
State Rep. Gary A. Chism
Columbus
22nd Avenue lanes
need new paint job
To the editor:
It took a call to Councilwoman Henson after which I received a letter from Mayor Smith which stated if nothing was done in 10 days to let him know, after which I called him about 15 days later. About two months after my initial call to Councilwoman Henson the traffic lanes on 45th Avenue were repainted by the Public Works Department.
On Oct. 7, I contacted Mayor Smith personally regarding the repainting of traffic lanes on 22nd Avenue South which is located within the city limits of Meridian, and since I was coming out of his office he asked me to talk to a representative of the Public Works Department who was nearby. I advised him that the yellow and white traffic lines needed to be repainted. In a light rain it is almost impossible to know if you are in the right traffic lane or even if you are on the road since the white lines on the edges of the road have not been repainted in years and in some places white lines are not even visible.
This is a main artery into the city of Meridian and the traffic lanes need repainting NOW. I hope we do not have to wait until someone has an accident due to the fact these traffic lanes have not been repainted and the city of Meridian ends up with a lawsuit due to this fact.
I have done all I can as a citizen and have notified not only the Public Works Department people but the mayor as well. I sincerely hope we don't have to wait two months to see these traffic lanes repainted on 22nd Avenue South.
Jim Knowles
Meridian
Speed kills
To the editor:
I wonder if the person who ran over my dog and killed it on Oct. 22 had any concern for me or my family. They sure did not stop to offer assistance or tell us. With the open road in front of my house, this was either an intentional act or the person did not care. I am aware of your ignorance and lack of concern.
I hope this attitude does not come back to haunt you.
Rose Alexander
Meridian