Downtown Valdosta is not the heart and soul of this community. Do the best you can with what you have and stop wasting money on it. In most of the country, downtown’s day has passed. Sad, but true.

People of Brooks County, due to the spendthrift ways of your county commissioners, there are only two deputies on duty at any given time. So If you live on the east side and need help and the deputy is on the west side, you will have to wait until he gets there.

I take all of my children to Langdale Park. It’s a swell place to spend a day with the family. The new trails are very nice.

It is awful what happened to officer Hankerson and others that were injured at Valdosta State Prison. It is time the Department of Corrections ensured the safety of their employees in a dangerous environment. It seems the high falutin' folks in Atlanta are turning a blind eye to such a travesty. We will remember this next election.

Is there a law against littering cotton? These cotton pickin' cotton pickers should respect others’ property and use a tight cover when hauling. I wonder how they would feel if someone did their property the same way. They lose a lot of cotton in hauling along the road.

To the military man that put in 38 years of service: As a citizen, thanks for your service. As a teacher, no thanks for your 'sob-story' comments. Just as I have no clue what all your job entailed, you are clueless regarding the teaching profession. As tempted as I am, out of respect, I would never tell a soldier to suck it up.

Mayor Fretti, for our community, I am urging you to get our prison at least one GITMO prisoner. Obama is paying Palau (Pacific Island) about $12 million per prisoner to take low-risk GITMO prisoners. Please keep our tax money in the USA. Use innovative and logical tactics to get funds for the community in these troubled times.

How about a story on a consolidated school system that works well? I hear Ware County Schools are looking to close down a few schools. Guess consolidation hasn't solved any problems for them.