READERS RITE: School air conditioning; public housing renovations; Odle Acres

About our stories (here and here) on the wait for air conditioning at Columbia Public Schools
Thanks for highlighting the air conditioning debacle in the CPS. It is beyond belief that our two major junior high schools are not yet cooled. I have no idea how teachers are supposed to cram "core curriculum" into twenty minute periods week after week. No other professionals would put up with the working conditions teachers in these buildings are currently facing. Please keep the pressure on. -- E.C., Columbia

 

Excellent points!!! I love the title of the article: Revenge of the Big Renege.
-- April Johnson, Columbia


About the growing crisis around Brookside Apartments
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/news/headlines/349-092612
They have built so so so so so so close to the street! No trees or landscaping planned????? Bad deal all around. -- Ellen Atkins, Columbia

 

 

I live on St. James street and the parking situation is terrible. I will be moving once the lease is up.
-- Kim Temple, Columbia


About assistant city manager Tony St. Romaine's poor judgment on the Tiger Hotel and other issues
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/news/latest/341-091412
You are not the first to question, as you state, "Tony St. Romaine's judgment." There are many in the community who have long questioned his judgment and of those, some who question his integrity. -- Name withheld by request


About artists working for free at City Hall
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/columbia-life/arts/95-art/322-082412
Unless the city forced those artists to work for free, that was their choice. Perhaps they did it because they wanted to do their part to spruce up downtown. Or maybe they saw it as free advertising. My point is that the artists made a choice to work for free. They, you and I are all self-employed professionals. I choose not to work for free. Some people choose to write Missourian columns for free. If the city can't find artists willing to work for free, it will find the money to pay them or do without. -- Tim Kridel, Columbia


About Columbia Housing Authority renovations
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/columbia-life/comoliving/295-072612
The only issue with the Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) is its own residents failing to live up to their responsibilities in keeping up with the latest news coming out of the Main Office; attending Resident Association Meetings; and making sure their Resident Advisory Board representatives get notes from the meetings, which are open to the public and on the CHA Web Calendar.

Ever since the citizens of Columbia screamed bloody murder over the Columbia Housing Authority Park Avenue renovation project, the new renovation project on Lincoln, Trinity and Unity Place has been in the works.

Columbia Housing Authority residents are going to get new homes on the government tax dollar (that is, your tax dollars folks) and the only thing they have to do is move for a short while and come back, to their new refurbished units, if they so choose. All of their moving expenses are also on the government.

One issue I see is "Entitlement Syndrome" and the potential fact some just might be too lazy to go out and actually look for a place once they get their Section 8 voucher. It is sad to see these CHA residents crying tears of wa wa wa, when instead they should be thanking God they have a newer and upgraded home after a short move.
-- Charles Dudley, Jr., former CHA resident and CHA Resident Advisory Board member


About Councilman Michael Trapp's ongoing conflict of interest
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/city-hall/city-council/331-090212
Thanks for printing my opposing view. -- Al Tacker, Columbia


About former Eagle talk show host Mike Ferguson's "cardiac event"
http://www.columbiaheartbeat.com/index.php/columbia-life/profiles/323-082512
Thank you for the kind article you wrote about me over the weekend. That was unexpected. It was very well-written and I appreciate your framing the story about my heart attack as a wake-up call for others who think they are at no risk for something like this to happen to them.

Obviously, I'm living (fortunately) proof it can.

I hope both men and women my age learn from my ordeal and get to the doctor for a checkup. While I'm not used to stories being written about me as I'm usually writing them about others, I'm happy that my story might be able to help someone else.

As I continnue to recover, I pray that your readers will take inventory of their health, both physically and spiritually, remembering that no one is guaranteed tomorrow.

Mike Ferguson
Program Director
KLJC FM News Director/Anchor
Missouri News Horizon