Your Viewpoint
Letters to the Editor
McClurg finally earns a paycheck

By WINCY WALKER Jasper

Results are what you expect, and consequences are what you get. - Author Unknown

In a recent letter to the Newsboy, "County, city owes thanks to McClurg," Stephan Myers wrote, "McClurg...is a humble man who reluctantly takes credit for his great accomplishments, preferring to recognize the contributions of others, instead."

Reality is, the city owes Tom McClurg a paycheck and for the first time in years, McClurg earned his paycheck! So, thank you, Tom McClurg, for doing what you get paid to do.

It would be appropriate for McClurg and his merry band of supporters to recognize the actions of three city councilwomen who had the backbone to do what should have been done long before they did it.

In January 2006, Gayle Meigs, Gloria Monzingo, and Diane Pace, in a city council meeting voted to dissolve and replace members on the JEDCO board, where incompetence had reigned supreme. For too long the JEDCO board had not done what boards should do.

There was no accountability. The board did not hold McClurg accountable; the board was not accountable to the city council. Many people wanted an election to let people vote to keep the sales tax and JEDCO - or to vote it out.

Re-organizing the JEDCO board was an effort to put some accountability and public confidence into an organization that had "hit rock bottom."

A Newsboy article by Kari Ellis, describing the actions of the three city councilwomen, "Monday Night Massacre," (1/11/06) ends, "The dismantling of the JEDCO board and the uncertainties about operations come on the eve of a visit from a company that has narrowed its location choices to Jasper and two other cities. According to...Tom McClurg, Jasper is among the top three locations for a large dinosaur museum... would bring muchneeded jobs, tourism and a resulting tax base increase and economic boost to the area."

Safe assumptions because Meigs, Monzingo and Pace stepped up - 1) we're hearing about Tigers instead of dinosaurs; 2) Kari Ellis, now McClurg's assistant, pays for her own shoes!

Good results and consequences happen when people do what they're supposed to do. Family wants dogs to be given back

By CYNTHIA GREENWOOD Jasper

Recently (approximately Feb. 20), my two grown Rottweilier dogs went missing from around my home, located 10 miles south of Jasper.

I don't know who did this to my family but they've not only taken my pets, they have taken a part of my family. I understand that unscrupulous people steal full-blooded dogs and resell them on the Internet for their money or they use the larger dogs as bait dogs for their Pit Bull dogfights that are occurring.

I have a $500 reward for their return to my home unhurt, no questions asked. I hope you will feel a twinge of conscience and return them to us. My son and I have cried ourselves to sleep and we have put our fliers and drove many a mile looking for them.

Please bring them back - our lives seem so empty.

They have no particular markings other than the black and tan markings of a Rottweilier and did not have any collars but I would recognize them if I saw them.

Letters to editor criteria outlined

The Jasper Newsboy would like to publish your thoughts and concerns about issues that are important to you. All Letters to the Editor should be accompanied with the writer's name and daytime telephone number for verification purposes.

Phone numbers will not be published, but the author's name will be. Under no circumstances will the author's name be withheld. All letters are subject to editing for newspaper style and clarity, without changing the meaning of the content.

Letters should be limited to 300 words. Letters endorsing or opposing political candidates are considered political advertising and will be forwarded to the advertising department.

Deadline for letters is 10 a.m. Monday to be published in the following Wednesday's publication.

Mail letters to: The Jasper Newsboy P.O. Box 1419 Jasper, Texas 75951-1419 or e-mail to: jgalvan@jaspernewsboy.com