Your Viewpoint Letters to the Editor

Keep city safe

In regards to Bro. Leroy Kipp's letter we agree with him one hundred percent. We are also parents, grandparents and great-grandparents. We don't want our families to have to deal with the results from the sale of beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages openly in our city.

We pay city taxes because we own property in the city but can't vote on this issue since we live outside the city limits. We do shop and eat there though.

Let's keep our city as safe as we can for our children. I pray there are enough people in our city that will vote against this issue. As Bro. Leroy said there are a lot more important issues here than the "big money," profits the businesses and city is supposed to receive.

We have existed as the beautiful "Jewel of the Forest" without the sale of alcohol for many years. Please keep our city free of the problems that exist from the open sale of alcoholic beverages.

JEDCO board does good work

I want to applaud the recent actions of the JEDCO board in turning a portion of the sales tax over to repair streets and highways instead of keeping it all for "economic development."

"Economic development" in Jasper has meant giving millions of dollars of loans and grants to disreputable individuals and bogus companies. Can anyone forget Explorer Aircraft or Platinum Silk? Those people skipped town with tons of sales tax money while our streets rotted away.

Now there is a different wave of free loaders. They say "economic development" is funding their personal pet projects which always seem to put money in their pockets. What a surprise.

This is why there has been no "economic development" success in Jasper ever. And we continue to throw sales tax money down a hole by paying DETCOG $2,700 dollars a month for a JEDCO office. I've been out there twice and nobody was even there. Why can't JEDCO have an office at city hall for free? They used to.

It is past time these same individuals stop profiting from sales tax under the guise of "economic development." The whole city has to win. Thank goodness we finally have real leaders who will stand up to this. Besides, what could be better for real economic development than modernized streets and highways?

Program grows

Mt. Olive's Men Day Program has been in the spirit of love for 29 years. We started off with no more than two loaves of bread.

Now we have to order our food to serve our friends. We have been blessed and it has grown. We served more than 153 guests the third Sunday in January and are proud.

We have never had as much coverage by Mr. Kerr as was given. The Jasper Newsboy was at Mt. Olive and we say thank you in the most humble way we know how.

I still maintain that Jasper and its community for a job well done. We know how to come together, yes we do. Thank you and let love continue and we look forward to next year.

Letters' criteria

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.

"Thank You" letters will not be published and will be transferred the the advertising department for an advertisement. 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