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Letters to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: POW/MIA recognition (9/19/19)

Dear Editor, On Friday, Sept. 20, 2019, I ask you to join me to reflect upon the extraordinary sacrifices made on behalf of our country by the POW/MIAs. Sept. 20 is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. We honor our nation’s heroes who knew hostility of war and the anguish of captivity...
Letter to the Editor: Fitzgibbon memorialized response (8/23/19)

To the Editor, The recent letter to the editor from Terrie Westbrook Uhlmann made sense to me. While at least the original part of Fitzgibbon Hospital is/could be redeemed somehow, I feel it should at least be memorialized. It is history, after all — and it deserves its rightful place...
Fitzgibbon Memorial Park (8/16/19)

Dear Editor, Being born and raised in Marshall, it is with great dismay that I hear of the condemnation of the old Fitzgibbon Hospital. I do realize that old buildings such as this have a lot of sentimental value, and oftentimes are very difficult to resurrect or demolish in a cost-efficient manner...
Letter to the Editor: playground (6/28/19)

Dear Editor In reply to the complaints voiced in your June 26 edition: A completely new and modern park is bound to attract exploration of all kinds, but it soon settles down. There are always people like this when something as new and exciting as our new playground arrives. The old playground is completely neglected, and, in my opinion infinitely more dangerous aside from being blazing hot. Try the slide sometime...
Letter to the Editor: complaint forms (6/25/19)

Letter to the Editor, What I am hoping for is a form for complaints against city of Marshall officials — a form where complaints about city officials, like racial profiling, personal vendettas, confiscation of property (land, homes, vehicles, and more), nuisances like police coming on private property and taking pictures — putting pictures on the Internet — for public humiliation, and where you can complain about properties...
Childhood memories (6/17/19)

Letter to the Editor, Two brothers, Albert, the oldest, and Russell were raised in Nelson, Mo. Each married girls named Velma. Albert and Velma Mae had a daughter and named her Mary Ann. Russell and Velma B. had two daughters and named them Helen Virginia and Joyce Elaine. Mary Ann got Leukemia and passed away at the age of 3. Velma B. passed away from complications of tuberculosis...
Remembering family (6/14/19)

Letter to the Editor, Two brothers, Albert, the oldest, and Russell were raised in Nelson, Mo. Each married girls named Velma. Albert and Velma Mae had a daughter and named her Mary Ann. Russell and Velma B. had two daughters and named them Helen Virginia and Joyce Elaine. Mary Ann got Leukemia and passed away at the age of 3. Velma B. passed away from complications of tuberculosis...
Letter to the Editor: river traffic (4/30/19)

Dear Editor, What happened to barge traffic on the Missouri River? Wouldn’t it be nice to go to the riverfront and watch the Delta Queen or the Mississippi Queen go up or down the river, maybe with proper arrangement get them to stop and people get off for a short visit? Think about the monetary value of that. Men and women aboard dress like Southern Belles and Southern Gentlemen. Quite a sight, and economically has an advantage...
Letter to the Editor: City burn permits (4/24/19)

Dear Editor, As a resident of Marshall, I have concerns about issuing burn permits for those in the city. I don’t understand why this is allowed at all. First of all, we live very close together. I understand burning if you live in the country and your closest neighbors are not even in sight, but burning yard waste in your backyard in town — even if the wind is fairly calm — will affect your neighbors within many blocks. ...
Letter to the Editor: Maintenance and litter (4/19/19)
Letter to the Editor: county roads (4/8/19)

Dear Editor, I live in Saline County. A month ago I went to the courthouse to the Road Commissioner’s Office to complain about our road. They graded it on Monday, the 20th of March. My husband was told we would have gravel on the road and hill. It has been two weeks and still no gravel. ...
Letter to the Editor: litter (3/28/19)

Dear Editor, It seems like ever since David Kemm has gone to heaven, it seems like the whole town has done down hill when it comes to keeping the trash cleaned up around here. If I wasn’t disabled, I would get out and try to do my part. But I can’t. ...
Letter to the Editor: March 27 (3/28/19)

To the Editor, We are very pleased to see that Julie Schwetz is running for mayor of the city of Marshall. Julie was a member of the Marshall Public Library board at the same time that I was, and she impressed us with her in-depth questions about finances, as well as other issues with which we were dealing. Her opinions and ideas were well thought out, and she was a valued and respected member of the board...
Letter to the Editor: March 27, 2019 (3/27/19)

Letter to the Editor, I am going to vote for Julie Schwetz for mayor on April 2, 2019, and hope you will also. I have known the mayor and Julie Schwetz both for many years. The mayor is to be thanked for his eight years of service to our town. I believe it is time for a change. Julie Schwetz will bring a fresh viewpoint and a strong desire to bring about the much-needed changes that our community needs if it is to grow and flourish...
Letter to the editor (1/28/19)

To the editor, While many people have been focused on the shenanigans in Washington, D.C., lately, I have been more concerned about what is going on closer to home in Jefferson City. I have been appalled that the legislature is essentially thumbing their noses at voters while professing to be guardians of the Constitution. Anything the voters are in favor of, they seem to rush to reject...
Letter to the editor (12/21/18)

In your Dec. 17 issue, Mr. Ed Richards said I wasn’t from here, so what? I’ve been a resident and registered voter in Saline County for 15 years and felt Saline County should be informed of the redistricting “weakening” efforts to come. As a retired journalist, I failed to name sources: The Kansas City Star, New York Times and St. Louis Post Dispatch...

All letters to the editor must be signed by the author, provide contact information and the person's occupation. To encourage diversity, we will publish only one letter from a writer per month on a particular subject. However, we will allow one rebuttal if the author is challenged by another writer. Letters must be 350 words or less.

When submitting letters to the editor, we ask for your occupation as a way to give readers more perspective about your connection with the issue.

For example, if John Smith writes a letter about the benefits of running a gas pipeline through Saline county, you may view his opinion differently if he was a farmer or if he worked for the petroleum company.

Writers who don't have a current occupation sometimes use terms like "former football coach" or "retired railroad engineer" or "student." If you object or are sensitive to sharing your occupation, then you can use the term "undisclosed."

To submit a letter to editor

The Marshall Democrat-News welcomes your letters to the editor.

All letters must be signed and list a daytime contact number for the writer. For any questions, please call 660-886-2233 and ask for Sarah Reed, editor.

Once we receive your letter, we reserve the right to edit it for clarity and content.

Letters may be dropped off at the office from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday or mailed to: Editor, The Marshall Democrat-News, P.O. Box 100, Marshall, MO 65340.

We also accept letters via email. Please send them to sgray@marshallnews.com. When sending email it helps to paste the text of the letter into the message or send in Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf).

You may also use the online form.

Note: The Marshall Democrat-News is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings (except holidays).

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