Vox Pop

Vox Pop, voice of the people, publishes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Submissions are limited to 100 words. To call in a comment, dial 829-2900 or 1-800-547-2909 then enter code 8008. To e-mail a comment, write to voxpop@brainerddispatch.com. Comments, which must meet the newspaper's standards of fairness and good taste, may be edited for clarity, length and libel.

Accident waiting to happen

Now that Baxter has become a concrete jungle, and it only seems to be getting worse with the so-called bypass going right down the center of this mixed up mess, we need to have some walkways going out over the highway like St. Cloud does, not to mention something done with the insane design of the service drive. This is an accident waiting to happen.

Road closed signs

It is absolutely amazing that when the city does work on a street and they put up "Road closed" signs and cones, that people don't understand what that actually means. It means that the road is closed to through traffic but yet people like to enter at their own risk so instead, the city might want to invest in signs that say "Road work ahead. Enter at your own risk." I can't imagine how many people can't apparently read in the state of Minnesota. Aren't we one of the highest states in education?

False claims

Bob Olson keeps falsely claiming he saved the city $200,000 to fix the fountain in Gregory Park. How dumb does he think the people in Brainerd are?

Easily confused

While it comes as no surprise that decisions in this country are determined by the wealthy and powerful, it is still disturbing to see it in action as we did at the Baxter Planning and Zoning meeting last Thursday night. Most people who are not as politically involved want to believe that we live in a democracy, and do not like the idea of armies of suits putting deals together with city staff without public input. A citizen observer at the meeting might have easily confused Baxter City Planner Todd Holman with a Wal-Mart public relations person.

Wants questions answered

I have some questions. Aren't there laws against barking dogs, cats running everywhere, unlicensed cars in yards, piles of garbage in yards and buildings that should be torn down in neighborhoods? I think some people who work for the city are not doing their jobs but are still collecting their paychecks, which come from our taxes.

Don't let Wal-Mart win

There is absolutely no logical reason to have a Wal-Mart superstore located in Baxter. Please, for the good of the environment, for the good of the people of Baxter and Brainerd, for the well-being of other small businesses in this area, and just to let Wal-Mart know that it is a leech upon every community in which it thrives, do not let the superstore win.

New spot for Wal-Mart

Surely Wal-Mart can find a better location for the superstore. Such a monstrosity on Glory Road and Highway 371, right next to residential and lakeshore land, just doesn't work. Find a better spot or just use the current store. Perch Lake residents didn't move there to have a 24-hour giant store (and 24-hour traffic) built in their back yards. Save Perch Lake.

Youth and moral, religious values

In lieu of the recent survey regarding teens and sex, a few comments are necessary. In the youth traveling sports program, most tournaments include Sunday play. Many parents, family members and teams are ready for play on Sunday morning. How many will take time to attend their church's worship service? Statistics show that children raised with traditional religious values and regular church attendance are less likely to engage in teen drinking and premarital sex. When will our youth learn moral and religious values and teachings? Remember, keep holy the Lord's day.