http://www.hannibal.net/section/Letters hannibal.net delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest top stories, weather, entertainment, politics and more. Thu, 23 May 2013 12:43:35 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130511/OPINION/130519823/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Sat, 11 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130511/OPINION/130519823/1009/NEWS
Residents in and around Bear Creek Basin would like to share some serious concerns about the invasion of ATV use south of the train tracks and west of Ely Road.
An extensive area of land, which includes the old limestone quarry, has become a crisscross of trails created by unauthorized all-terrain vehicles. These riders have already severely scarred the land. As many as 20 to 25 riders at a time can be seen there days and sometimes very late at night.
The roar and [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130511/OPINION/130519825/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Sat, 11 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130511/OPINION/130519825/1009/NEWS The line
In today’s political area, we see so many subjects.  Sequester, immigration, tax hikes, tax cuts, programs cut or expanded, gun control, and many others.
I know that my vision is probably overly simplistic, but really the answers to our problems are very simple.  Do the things that we should, when we should, according to our laws.
The first and largest problem is the government – all governments – local, state, and federal- have to [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508853/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 9 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508853/1009/NEWS
Sequestration: Is there currently a more hated or overused word in America? Unlikely in my opinion, but if it is not the most despised and overused word, it is certainly in the top five.
You may recall that all last year everyone in Congress and the administration were adamant that sequestration would never be invoked, that a resolution would be reached because we could not, as a nation, ever allow this to happen. Their plan failed. All of a sudden, and contrary to [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508854/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 9 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508854/1009/NEWS Martin’s legacy:
a better town
It is with deep regret we learned of the passing of John "Jack" Martin. Jack served on the board of F&M Bank and Trust Company for 26 years. We will miss his wise counsel, loyal service, unwavering attitude, and virtue.
More important, Hannibal will miss this long time dedicated business and community leader with unparalleled service to our greater community. His volunteer service to Boy Scouts, Hannibal YMCA, Hannibal Chamber [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508855/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 9 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508855/1009/NEWS
The American Family Association is urging people to encourage their state legislators to pass a Student Religious Liberty Act.  I agree completely.  A bill which protects students, teachers, coaches, and staff who exercise their constitutionally protected religious liberty while on school property.  It also disentangles school administrators from the task of policing the so-called "separation of church and state" that has been thrust upon them.  Too often [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508856/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 9 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130509/OPINION/130508856/1009/NEWS
Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s trial reveals the nasty business of abortion. A Google check will give you the grizzly details. Why is it that when President Obama recently spoke to Planned Parenthood he never mentioned the "A" word, but only talked about "choice" and mammograms?  "Choice" sounds so good, so American, so wholesome. We don’t want to hear the details of this trial because abortion is intrinsically evil and it is too awful to think about.
The test of [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509276/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Tue, 7 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509276/1009/NEWS
President Washington declared a National Day of Prayer, as did President John Adams when France threatened war, President Madison during the War of 1812, President Tyler when the previous president died, and President Taylor during a cholera epidemic. President Buchanan proclaimed a Day of Prayer to avert civil strife, as did President Lincoln during the Civil War, President (Andrew) Johnson when Lincoln was shot and President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. In 1952, [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509277/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Tue, 7 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509277/1009/NEWS
I was intrigued by the "Canine Complications" story that recently made front-page news in the Courier-Post. I do not know the Taylors, nor have I met their dog, Moose, so I am nothing more than a spectator of events here. What I do know is that people can love their pets to a fault. I have personally witnessed this imbalance of human reasoning when dealing with some pet owners. It seems to me the imbalance is greatest in pre- or post-children pet owners.
If one’s [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509278/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Tue, 7 May 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130507/OPINION/130509278/1009/NEWS Jim Allen recently wrote a letter to this paper saying that "They are just OLD BUILDINGS," and it doesn’t matter if the Crossing tears these buildings down. When I was five I was helping my dad around our house. He said to me, "Bob, we don’t really own this house." I said, "What do you mean, I thought we owned it". Dad continued, "Well yes, we’re buying it but we also have a responsibility to take care of it. We need to be good stewards of this fine old house and [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130416/OPINION/130419244/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Tue, 16 Apr 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130416/OPINION/130419244/1009/NEWS
I want to personally thank Pastor Randy Drish and his congregation for stepping up and saving our historic theater at 5th & Broadway. Last week many of us read the front page story about the (planned demolition of) two adjoining historic buildings to the east, 421-423 Broadway. The theater and these two wonderful buildings are in the Central Park National Historic District. They are listed in this national registry because they contribute to the historic fabric of the [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130405/NEWS/130409099/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Fri, 5 Apr 2013 17:29:17 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130405/NEWS/130409099/1009/NEWS
Jeff Reed is the producer of Focal Point on the American Family Radio.  He and his wife attended the March for Life rally in Washington, D.C in January, just days after the inauguration.   They attended a Students for Life youth rally that overflowed with young people.  The day of the march, 650,000 people were there in support of the Right of unborn babies to live.  Led by men and women personally affected by abortion to the steps of the Supreme Court, [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130403/OPINION/130409466/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Wed, 3 Apr 2013 23:16:48 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130403/OPINION/130409466/1009/NEWS
Kudos to the Missouri Department of Transportation for moving quickly to be ready for construction of a new Mississippi River bridge at Louisiana once funding becomes available.
There’s just one problem – it would be a two-lane structure. This is unacceptable, and shows a tremendous lack of foresight.
Perhaps, traffic counts at this point don’t warrant a four-lane span. But I imagine the same at one time could be said of bridges at Burlington, [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130403/NEWS/130409468/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Wed, 3 Apr 2013 23:15:12 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130403/NEWS/130409468/1009/NEWS
I just saw the election results. I wasn't surprised. Hannibal is quite easily the most apathetic and sloppy town I've ever had the chance to try to establish a residence. I moved here to try and restore a home for my parents. We did that. We now have "the best home on the worst block." My dad fought so hard for a school crossing on Broadway, just to help our kids. So much for that. Local police do not enforce.
When I first moved here, I thought this was a really nice town. [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130322/OPINION/130329635/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Fri, 22 Mar 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130322/OPINION/130329635/1009/NEWS Barta, Dobson
participated
in city forum
Invitations were sent to all candidates of the March 14 mayoral and council debate, and the only two to agree to participate were mayoral candidate Lou Barta and city councilman candidate Michael Dobson, which in my opinion shows that they are perhaps the only serious candidates as they cared enough to come share their "vision" and answer questions. I am a registered voter and have lived in Hannibal all my life, Unfortunately, [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130322/OPINION/130329636/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Fri, 22 Mar 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130322/OPINION/130329636/1009/NEWS I applaud the efforts of the Central Park Neighborhood Association and its co-sponsor, the Courier-Post, in working to develop a debate as an annual forum for Hannibal voters to get information to assist in making the best decisions in electing City officials. The debate was handicapped by the decision of some candidates not to participate. As moderator, I tried to frame questions that would help me and other Hannibal voters in making a good decision in this election. The following [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329621/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:25:12 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329621/1009/NEWS
President Obama commented that the Federal debt is not an immediate pressing crisis. Guess who agrees! Speaker of the House John Boehner agrees. The Republican budget guy, Paul Ryan, also said he agrees. These are astounding confessions. Two of the guys who have, for more than four years, taken the lead in using every device short of a flamethrower to set your hair on fire with fear about "our national debt crisis" have now publicly confessed that, not only were they yelling [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329622/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:23:19 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329622/1009/NEWS
I want to congratulate the Missouri Department of Transportation for making sure fewer dollars stretch farther, particularly with the U.S. 61/Avenue of the Saints project.
As a board member of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce, I was interviewed this week by a Pittsburgh consulting firm that’s looking at how communities along the road from St. Paul to St. Louis have been impacted by a four-lane freeway in their backyards.
The impact on Bowling Green since [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329623/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Thu, 21 Mar 2013 23:21:40 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130321/OPINION/130329623/1009/NEWS I have known Mayor Roy Hark for over 20 years and I am very grateful for the countless times he has made himself available at any hour when I have had questions or concerns. Mayor Hark has always stepped forward to help everyone in Hannibal, regardless of how busy he is, and adds a big smile while doing it.
He has earned the respect of the citizens of Hannibal, and is one of the most honest people I have ever known. Mayor Hark is the only candidate dedicated to the citizens of [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130317/OPINION/130319134/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Sun, 17 Mar 2013 0:01:00 +0000 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130317/OPINION/130319134/1009/NEWS Paternalism
vs. liberty

The issues in this Mayoral Race boil down to the age old battle of paternalism vs. liberty. Whether it is advocating socialized trash pick-up or an approval mandate for downtown home improvement, candidate Lou Barta seems to think that the government, albeit a local one, knows better than you.
A letter to the editor by a Quincy Alderman lauds the type of person Mr. Barta is, stating, "They have a history of positive improvement in [...]]]> http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130306/OPINION/130309230/1009/NEWS?rssfeed=true Wed, 6 Mar 2013 20:42:15 http://www.hannibal.net/article/20130306/OPINION/130309230/1009/NEWS President Obama should stand up and be a leader instead of blaming Republicans for the sequester.   He claims that he wants a balanced approach to the nation’s budget problems but he does not propose any ideas that address the real problem.  Our federal government is currently spending 3.8 trillion a year but only collecting 2.5 trillion in revenue.  Our president does not want to cut any spending except military spending and he does not have the courage to [...]]]>