Elk County Employees

[greatguns]

No silver spoon, that's okay 'cause you got cones.

[Diane Amberg]

sugar or waffle?

[S-S]

Both, Diane!

I'm out of town more than once a week and do pick up a few things in El Dorado as I need them. I do buy groceries in Eureka more often than I do in Howard. However, Julie Perkins is the only pharmacist I trust with my children's prescriptions. In my opinion, the customer service at Batson's & Family Market is the warmest I've ever had. Even when PEP is bagging my groceries, he has some sarcastic comment to make me laugh.

Can't we all just get along?

[hhjacobs]

We need more people like PEP to keep us laughing and thinking. Ideas are always good even if "you" don't like them. They make more people THINK. Thinking though problems solves problems. G-o-o-o-o-o PEP!

[Rudy Taylor]

I was in a meeting at Sedan yesterday where they discussed the good things that are going on in Elk County. Since they now read a newspaper that covers both counties, they actually have DISCOVERED their neighbors to the north.

Of all things that impressed them when a group of them visited Moline and Howard last week was Batson's Drugstore, the Family Market and PEP's expansion to the north of Julie's store.  See?  They don't know better --- they actually think Patrick Perkins is one sharp guy. So, I encouraged their perception by throwing in some good points about the ol' boy.

And, for my part, my hometown of Caney went an entire year without a grocery store until Roger Floyd expanded his Sedan store to include one in Caney.  Appreciate what you've got in Howard with Julie's store, even if you have to put up with the bag boy and hamburger grinder. I'm am so impressed with that store and the way the Perkins family has invested their time, money and lives to earn a living while making a vast improvement in Howard.

If I were younger, I'd move to Howard, build a new house and grow old with you.

[Jo McDonald]

Thanks for those kind words about "our Howard", Rudy.  Growing old in Howard is our plan, of course we have a jump start on that project already.   

Fred and I are soooooooo very happy to be back home.  We wouldn't trade the years that we spent RVing for anything, but truly there is NO place like home.

A small town, like Howard, with the great stores that are here, is truly a blessing. 

Jo and Fred

[frawin]

I have tried to stay out of this one but I can't resist any longer. The difficult part is that I agree with Billy and Kshillbilly on so many things, political, the future of our nation, Obama and lots more, but I am really disappointed to see personal attacks on individuals and the comments about Pep being born with a silver spoon was really inappropriate. I grew up with Pep's family and they were some of the hardest working people in Elk County and Pep's Grandfather, Father and Uncle were all very civic minded individual, they were very much involved with the youth organizations, 4-H, Schools, Church, the Fair, etc. From what I have been told and from what I have seen Pep and his wife are both very hard workers, have taken a lot of personal risk investing in businesses in Elk County are very much involved in promoting Howard and the area. My first personal experience with PEP was on a memorial day 3-4 years ago, every year my wife and I came from Midland Texas to help my brother Dwight and the American Legion with the Avenue of Flags at the cemtery and also making and putting the poppy wreaths on the Veterans Graves. My brother told me that one of his big worries that year was that the rope on the Flagpole at Cresco Cemetery was broken and he didn't know how he was going to get it replaced, when we went up Main Street that day he saw Peps truck and he stopped and told Pep about his problem and Pep immediately said, have you got the new rope, Dwight had it with him and Pep said let's go put it up, he drove to Cresco with his bucket truck and put the rope on the pole, Dwight thanked him, Peps response was do you need any others replaced while we are it. Howard is very fortunate to have Patrick and Julie, the Store, Pharmacy, the Electrical Business and young people working hard and trying to improve the way of life in Howard.
The County employees discussion was a good one to start with but it got to personal on all sides.
I had to endure some of the personal trashing and trashy remarks from one of the Obama supporters during the election and it was disappointing to me that anyone would stoop that low on the forum. The forum has been a good thing for Elk County and the participants, hopefully it will continue to be and everyone can discuss any topic without getting offensive or rude.

[debid]

I think Peps humor is misunderstood.  The guy has a huge heart.  Patrick and Julie didn't know me from Adam when I came to town and have treated me like family.   Patrick has helped at the senior center and at the donut shop free of charge, because that is the kind of guy he is.    Every since I came here Patrick has teased me that he was going to put in a Krispy Kream donut shop...  I took it just as he meant it... A Joke. 

This is just a misunderstanding.  Patrick has apologized and admitted he was joking.   I can bet Patrick will be there for anyone in need. 

[Maude]

As someone that only comes to Howard once in a Blue Moon. I am so glad Julie and Patrick have the store. Both of the previous owners did just what they had to do for Howard. Julie and Patrick have tried to give back. I am also glad that Poplar Pizza, Cookson Hardware,Tooties, P&Js, Lannings Gas Station & Penny's Pub are still in Howard. Sorry for any one I missed as I am just going off an old memory.
The sad part is, I just read the Praire Star and I see all the things that are going on the other areas for Memorial week end but nothing but two things about Howard. Is there not someone that could get the news about Howard and send it in to the paper? There are a lot of retired people in Howard that could take the time to do this. Wish I lived closer I have time to get out and get it done.
Maude

[Janet Harrington]

Well, well, well.  I haven't been on here for a long, long time and it seems as if I have missed out.  I usually keep my mouth shut about things, but I don't believe that I will sit still for this one.  No, sir, I will not.

Having known PEP and his wife for a long, long time, I was very offended by kshillbilly's personal attack on this fine family.  As for thinking that PEP was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, that is so far from wrong as one can get.  You only need to know the family to know that.  Obviously, some people don't.  Oh well. Continue to enjoy your state of mind.  As for taking your business out of town, I say go ahead.  You won't find a better pharmacy than Batson's Drug and as for the prices, I have bought my prescriptions at Walmart and Walgreens and I will take Batson's Drug any day.  The prices are comparable and I don't have to travel.  I also don't have to stand three deep in line like at Walmart to get my prescription.  I can usually get it within 10 minutes and get that personal service on top of that.  Grocery prices are very comparable to going out of town and I know that if I buy something at Family Market and I find out it isn't good or there is something wrong, I can get it replaced or my money back.  Now, I don't know about kshillbilly, but I don't make enough money to keep driving out of town to buy everything.  Maybe kshillbilly does.  It sounds like he/she works for the county road department, though, so now I wonder how he/she affords to drive out of town to buy things such as groceries and prescriptions.  At $2.58 a gallon, gas still is not a cheap commodity.  I, too, have worked for the county and I know about the low wages, the so called benefits, etc.  I worked there for 25 years.  I also have first hand experience about complaints from the citizens.  Those haven't changed in the last 50 years let alone in the last four.  Commissioners do the best they can with what they have.  However; if you want to spend your money out of town and see your sales tax money, (just like my mamma said), go to another county, then go ahead.  (How do you think Montgomery County got the nice judicial center they have?  Sales tax monely).  Soon or later the county will start shutting off services to the citizens because there isn't enough money coming back into the county because everyone decides to get personal about an OPINION FORUM and spend their money out of town.  Then the schools will start shutting down because the money is not there.  Then we have no schools.  What will you do then if you have children?  Oh, well, keep complaining.  That gets alot done now doesn't it?