Speak Your Piece

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In addition to the telephone and the U.S. Mail, The Mountain Eagle accepts comments to Speak Your Piece by electronic mail. Our address is: mteagle@tgtel.com

To all residents of Heritage Drive who have pets: How would you feel if you had no animals and had to clean after the neighbors' animals constantly? The messes in the yard, the cat tracks on my car, the garbage constantly being carried all over the yard. You are the most selfish people I ever saw. The big black dog, a gray cat, and a big black cat are going to go to animal control. I am tired of cleaning after animals that don't belong to me. You should not have an animal if you can't keep it from being a nuisance to everyone else. This is not a threat, this is a promise.

Danielle, you are a very beautiful woman.

God bless America again. That is what I keep hearing in songs and phrases. What kind of God do you believe in who would bless what was once a truly great country but has now become so corrupt from the top on down to the evangelicals? And the bias when a family member does something bad but you make excuses for them and when your neighbor does the same thing, he or she is a terrible person. A good example is the guy who killed two young girls while fleeing from the police and had been arrested 70 times, yet his mother said 'he is a good boy'. Does this ring a bell? I am not perfect, but I am not blind or deaf.

Hey, by the way, I messed up on a person's name this past week. Instead of Kathy it was Traci. Sorry about that, Barry Miles. Now onto other matters. People passing by see a certain woman burning clothes. If you want some of them, try asking. That will work better, don't you think? I do. Thank you, Stanley Pack.

Well, I heard they got the horse trail started on Little Shepherd Trail. We were all for this horse trail when a citizen came to us telling us about his intentions of having a safe place to ride horses. But there are a few things I don't understand. How does the Wildlife Management give permission to cross privately owned land that was given for game reserve? It's not right for a judge or citizen to try and tell the public they can't cross or ride on a public county road. And to one certain citizen: Who the blazes do you think you are, calling people up and threatening them not to be on the horse trail and if you catch them on it you will turn them in? Was it not you who sat right here on Big Cowan at the store and said the horse trail was a good thing to get started and that you wanted it to be for four-wheelers, too? You started a good thing and turned right around and lied to the people. And for your information, where you are claiming there was an old wagon road where you are making your horse trail isn't an old wagon road in the first place. You don't know what you're talking about. So you think you can threaten people and tell them not to cross a public road. Boy, you have bitten off more than you can chew. You have turned the people against your horse trail. All your effort you put into getting this horse trail is now wasted because of your own mouth.

Is there any law in Letcher County? We see them driving up and down the road but what are they doing? If you report something to them, you never see anyone patrolling the area you have called about. One major problem we have in this county is fourwheelers and dirt bikes on the main road. The fiscal court is making trails for four-wheelers. This is a waste of money. Roads such as 931 (Cowan Road) and 1862 (Thornton Road) are traveled by four-wheelers from one end to the other. You can report this to our 'law enforcement' and you never see them. The state government needs to allow these on the roads legally. One needs to license his or her four-wheeler and get insurance on it as well as we do for the vehicles that we drive. Law enforcement will not do anything about the problem so the state should get the revenue from the vehicles.

Some of the gas company people aren't nice people. They are people who want to cross your property for nothing and will try to buy you for nothing. Your land is worthless after you sign that little old three-dollar piece of paper they hand you. So be cautious. Go see a lawyer. Don't let them cross you for nothing. Don't let them treat you unjustly.

I also enjoyed reading the two articles in The Mountain Eagle's August 6 edition — the remembrances back to age 12 and a hot classroom being better than a hot job. We are so spoiled today. We really have no idea what hard work and hard times are. I am a single mother of six children myself. Four children are still home. My two older children are grown and on their own. To me, the greatest modern convenience is the washing machine and dryer. Although, on warm and breezy days, if I have time, I will hang my clothes out to dry. Not only do they get dry and smell cleaner and fresher, but it's free. It doesn't cost anything and helps save a little on my electric bill. When I do get to hang clothes outside I often think about the days before my time. We all take so much for granted. I am sure it was hard work doing those things back in the day, but when thought of it was so simple. God is Who keeps me going. Thank you, Lord. I also would like to wish my cousin Junior of Whitesburg a happy birthday. From your cousin in Front Royal, Va. And no, I don't have any horses yet. I wish I could be there. Maybe someday I'll get to come home.

Okay America. Let's keep showing the Arabs and Exxon who's running the show. Try to keep driving half as much as you used to and let's keep bringing those gas prices down.

To a certain woman: You're supposed to be a Christian, but Christians don't keep people's Social Security checks. I wish you would start giving my sister her money every month.

If I see a certain person burn any more clothes beside the creek on Big Cowan I will see what I can get done. Other people could use all the clothes you and your family burn. You are so dirty you had rather burn those clothes than see if anyone else could use them.

I just have a question for a certain attorney: I just saw you walking through town with a pretty brunette. I was just wondering if that was your wife or if that was your girlfriend or if that was your sister. Just let me know if you're single in the next Speak Your Piece.

I think the Jenkins Police Department needs to do something about two or three vehicles in No. 1 Bottom at Burdine and make them put mufflers on. They're aggravating people day and night, in and out.

This is from the guy in the black Chevy: Just wondering where you saw me. Send me another message. I look forward to maybe meeting you.

Happy birthday, Jason Lee. August 20 was always a very special day for you. Wish you were here with us to have celebrated your 27th birthday, but God had other plans. We love and miss you. The Haynes family.

My dear friend, one wonderful thing about the gospel is that it is personal. When others fail or do not even try to exercise faith to help one in a time of need, the individual needing help can still get what he needs and wants if it is at all covered by the promise of God. One must learn to make it a personal matter and see to it that he is meeting the conditions of the gospel. The conditions are not great and the benefits will not fail when they are met. Think about this, and God bless you.

Indiana University announced it has signed Tom Crean to a $23 million contract for 10 years. Granted, he's had a good record against the University of Kentucky, but $23 million for 10 years? Bill Self of Kansas University has signed for $30 million for 10 years after winning the national championship. So when University of Kentucky President Lee Todd and Athletics Director Mitch Barnhardt get ready to put Coach Billy Gillispie's contract in writing, Gillispie will have a lot of leverage.

Wherever you live in the mountains, coal severance tax is based on the tonnage of coal mined and shipped. A portion of the tax is sent back to the coal counties from Frankfort to be distributed through the local governments by politicians. But that's not what my beef is. My beef is this: Last week's Speak Your Piece column had a comment from a person watching a lot of trains leave the mountains with large amounts of coal on them with the money not being distributed back. The people in cities such as Louisville and counties such as Jefferson pay much more in real estate tax than do the folks in the mountains. The coal severance tax pays for a lot of things vital to the people of the mountains. The caller who was complaining shouldn't be pointing fingers. After all, the people of the mountain could be paying a lot more in property tax. That could be a worse problem.

Normally I don't take pain medication. I save it, because I've got back problems and arthritis. But after seeing the county judge's list of how the county will spend the coal severance tax, I had to go to my medicine cabinet and take some. I got a headache from finding out, thanks to The Mountain Eagle, how they are going to spend the severance tax. It's very sad. The money could be spent in better ways.

I would just like to say a word or two to these old white-haired grandmothers: Ladies, get a grip on and let somebody pick your hair dye for you. Don't keep putting baby blonde on your hair. You know, your body does give your age away. Quit the baby blonde and stick with silver gray. You'll look a lot better.

I'm a gentleman who is particular about my women: I like mine tall and lean with a pretty smile on their face. Those brunettes are hard to beat.

It looks like a certain guy on Copperhead Road at Craft's Colly would realize that the Letcher County Water and Sewer District is not going to pay him so that a water line can be placed across his property. Please call the water company and tell them they can put the line on your property so that we can all get good water. Your neighbors sure would appreciate it.

This is in response to the caller who called about the young person cursing a parent one day and then praising the Lord onstage another day: The caller asked how this young person could do that. Well, they can probably do that the same way an adult can call in and criticize them. Wrong is wrong.

To the editor: I just want to put this firm and to the point. I live in the last house in the hollow. They didn't blacktop my road and they didn't give me any gravel. I pay my taxes and I do live in the last house. Why don't they call the house in the middle of the hollow the last house and come in from both ends and not give them gravel either? This is stupid. I pay my taxes, I should get gravel. Understand this: I speak my opinion, and my opinion is right in my mind.

God is waiting to bless you. Yes, He is waiting to bless you. But if you keep thumbing your nose at Him I don't believe He is going to bless you.

It seems like they only get half the drug dealers in Letcher County and let the other half get away with it.

To the person who called me last week and asked me about stalking: You can get a warrant for these people and, believe me, they'll leave you alone then. Good luck, sister.

My comment is about the natural gas companies working in Letcher County and taking over people's property — just basically taking the land away from the people without paying them what it's worth. The gas companies pretty much control our county officials now. They put a judge in office they backed a hundred-percent and put a lot of money into his campaign fund and so forth. A lot of the magistrates are also for the gas companies for whatever reason. The people of Letcher County are the ones who the judge and magistrates are supposed to be supporting in this county, not the gas company. If the people in Letcher County want to stop this is to band together and take action.

Mountain Breeze has gone to the dumps lately with all the thieves, liars and backstabbers. I wouldn't live in a three-bedroom if you paid me. Then again I could move in up there, break up a home with a husband, make him leave his kids, then take him in and make him take care of mine. Then again, what kind of man would leave his kids and go take care of someone else's?

I think water meters should be like city stickers. The law should be enforced to make every home that's lived in have a meter. There are homes being lived in here with filth and animals and so on while the occupants bum what water they can carry from whoever will lend it to them. What a life.

To some skanks around the hill: If I catch that little redhead cutting through my yard again you will regret it. I don't have a fence put up for nothing. It's not a short-cut. Thank you.

To the person commenting on InterMountain Cable and its services: For one, you must be too lazy to get off the couch and drive to the company's local office and find out that way. If they can't provide you with that information then get satellite.

Howdy folks, it's the maroon drunk again. If this ain't beerdrinking weather I don't know what is. And yes, I've got a belly full right now. I just want to say that me and my beer-drinking buddy don't like liars, thieves, pill snorters or druggies of any kind. We work and pay our taxes while some skanks want to make us be bad people. We have power, water, TV and phones. Gotta go. Going to have one more before I go to bed.

I do thank God for one thing every time I pray — that it won't be you or anyone else in Jenkins judging me. If it was, I know where I'd go — to the deepest pits of hell. But thank God it will be God coming back as His son Jesus manifested in the flesh to judge me. And I will have a chance.

If anyone is missing an aluminum ladder in the Jenkins area I know where it is. The people who have it didn't take it, but I know who dropped it off. He is known to be a thief, and him and her have a bad drug habit. It's a ladder-for-pills deal. I know. Reply if you're missing a ladder.

After a day of either hand reaching into my pocket for cash, it is probably not the morning for me to put in writing how I feel about these daughters and S.O.B.'s. Here I am hours later still struggling to get out my head, caring less about who is dead or if my mind is damaged. Tossing and turning, neck's in a cramp, almost wanting to say I don't give a damn. Night, night. I finally got it right.

I buy The Mountain Eagle just to read Speak Your Piece. Would you please quit wasting paper printing things from a moron drunk?

Judas sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. I wonder how much a man just out of rehab got to sell his family out. It is a shame that a family is fighting for its homes and their brother turns against them. I wonder where he's going to live? Not Roxana.

To a certain woman: Sounds to me like your mama is after your man.

This is concerning the last house in the hollow people: I live in the last house in the hollow and there are five or six other houses before me. I think we should get treated just like them. Thank you.

Dear Speak Your Piece: Did you know that doctors here in Letcher County will not give you pain medicine after you've had surgery? We need some attorneys who aren't crooks who will sue doctors for not helping patients with pain after surgeries.

This is to Rose Ballard Durham: I am from Letcher County and I read your column every week. It is wonderful, as are Oma's and Emma's and the others. But it seems like anymore you are down. I know things are hard, but lift yourself up. You are an inspiration to everybody. Thank you.

I am calling to put everyone straight about who I was talking about on Goose Creek working all the time. One of the two ladies lives at the head of Goose Creek and the other lives at Lower Goose Creek. Keep up the good work, ladies.

Thank you, Mountain Eagle, for providing all the readers with a very well put together and informative newspaper. I was just wondering what ever happened to those Bentley girls who used to live up on Pert Creek back in the mid sixties. They were a really fine family. Their father was John Henry Bentley and their mother is Jeanette Bentley. The girls were Brenda, Norma and Reba. They attended the old Pert Creek School. If I remember right their mother Jeanette used to fix the cornbread every day for all the kids, and they all loved it so much. They sure were a fine family. Just wondering if anyone knew about them. I had seen them singing in that film of the old Pert Creek schoolhouse in "Christmas in Appalachia."

The other day I went outside after a rainstorm and the smell of the outdoors reminded me of Granny's smokehouse. I am missing the mountains of Kentucky. Hope all my family is doing well.

D.J., I'll probably answer that call to L.C. soon. Thanks for mentioning it. Keep up the writing — everyone is really enjoying it! K.J.

It is a shame that they would allow drinking in Whitesburg and still have nothing for the kids to do. Just like the old Craft's store — they could have put in a bowling alley there. What is wrong with you people? These kids need something to do around here. I live in Whitesburg and I met this lady from out town who said she couldn't wait to get here because she wanted to see Whitesburg because it is so pretty. I told her that she wasn't missing a thing, because there is nothing to do here but drink a beer. I pay city and county taxes and they don't even fix my road. Look at the road behind the two banks. It is so bad and needs to be paved. They also need to pave Church Street and Pine Street. This town needs to be cleaned up and something done for our kids. I am going to go over the heads of everyone to get something done. I hope this hits everyone in the face, because something needs to be done.

(Are you aware that the Letcher County government is planning to spend $6 million for a recreation center, with emphasis on children and teen-agers, in downtown Whitesburg?)

I thought that people came to a funeral to 'pay respects,' not to pass judgment on how others are dressed.

It amazes me how some people think they can do whatever they want to others and not suffer any consequences. Well, I have a little surprise for you and you know who you are. If you ever so much as look at this certain person again, talk to this person again, or even think you are about to get near this person again, the best thing for you to do is run as far and as fast as you can. How dare you put your hands on someone and think it is OK? I know what happened and you know what you did. I was around that night and saw what all was going on. No one knows that I was in hearing distance, but guess what? I was close enough to know what was said and close enough to see you leave. It will only take but one wrong look from you and I will tell it all. This time you will not get out of jail so quickly as you have in the past. Your last name is not going to influence a jury in the least little bit. Just remember I am always around and I know who you are and I know what you sell, so watch out. And do you want to know what the best part is? You have no idea who I am, but you keep doing the things you are doing and you are going to know me.

Education is a powerful factor in creating a wholesome, productive lifestyle. It is also a powerful defense against the forces that would exploit and use people in evil ways. Lack of education — ignorance — has prevented the area we live in from being one of the wealthiest in the nation, and has caused it to be at the other extreme — impoverished. It has also caused other people, some from the outside and some from this area, to take advantage of this educational vacuum, and amass tremendous fortunes by taking advantage of the local people. Ignorance caused the greatest loss of wealth, over a century ago, when landowners sold their birthrights to industrial scavengers from outside, and to opportunists from inside, for pennies. This led to a century of exploitation, during which the exploiters were aided and assisted by unscrupulous, generous courts and politicians. Ignorance has allowed this situation to be sustained to this very day. Ignorance also causes people to work for contractors or other employers as contractors themselves, even though they may be paid by the hour, thereby foregoing retirement payments and medical benefits — exploitation from the cradle to the grave. Ignorance has caused people to let their land be made over from one of the most beautiful places in the country, into a series of moonscapes and unnatural looking, grass covered hills, which causes any talk of having a serious tourism business to be pathetic. The scars are too deep. On a more personal basis, ignorance allows people with valid complaints to be turned away easily by units of the law who don't want to be bothered by them. These evils are so ingrained there doesn't appear to be any remedy, not for generations, anyway. One thing for sure — young, bright, energetic people should not be encouraged to stay here, but to get out where they can make a decent life for themselves, and not be hindered by the twin evils of avaricious industry and politicians with no conscience.

The calls and letters to Speak Your Piece have a hard ring of truth, authenticity, and credibility, which could only be conveyed by someone who has 'been there.' Some may be a little more articulate than others, but they are all straightforward and easily understood, and they aren't filtered through an editorial writer or reporter. They tell an accurate, comprehensive, and sad story of long term oppression and intimidation, by industry, business owners, and public officials, all of whom appear to be linked by a common goal — to take advantage of the common man and woman. Everyone who has experienced this, and I think it likely that most of Letcher County has, should take advantage of an almost unique opportunity to express themselves, and they should certainly appreciate the opportunity The Mountain Eagle has provided.

I would like to wish my sister Michelle a happy 31st birthday on August 30. We love you, Sis.

I would love to say congratulations to Brittany on the arrival of a bouncing baby girl, Carly Shae.