Comments from our readers:

I HAVEN'T BEEN into Augusta for quite a while. Had to go to University Hospital yesterday. I have seen Third World countries which look better than what I saw. Disregarding the construction, the place still looked bad, with weeds growing everywhere, broken pavement and trash blowing everywhere. If you think that putting in a trade center, ballpark or trolley will improve this, you've got to be kidding. Get a grip; clean up and fix what you already have; it's going fast.

I AM THANKFUL that North Augusta has brought to the public's attention the alligators in the Brickyard Ponds and the danger of feeding them. However, another dangerous creature there is the snapping turtle. I came across one in the road running along there at the golf course. By the time I got out of my car and looked at this platter-size creature in the road I realized right away it was a snapping turtle. My efforts to get it out left grooves in my wooden hiking stick, which is from a sassafras tree. I used my stick to get it up over the curb and down toward the golf course. These creatures can bite your fingers off.

MANY THANKS to the selfish person who continues to put bulk mailings in the drive-up boxes at the Evans post office. Thanks to you, the boxes are full at 2:30 in the afternoon so the rest of us, with one or two pieces of mail, have to park and go inside. I know it's the same person because you always jam the box so the door doesn't open, and some of the mail, in bundles, is hanging out. Why doesn't the post office tell these folks to stop this mess?

Fred Russell must think we are all dumb. He blames all the new tax increase on the cut in state funding. In fact, our commission still has the power to reduce the tax rate. The other common scare tactic: Officials say they would have to reduce firefighters and law enforcement if taxes were reduced. I bet there are plenty other areas they could reduce first.

TO THE PERSON who suggested a special jacket for Alzheimer's patients: That cannot work because you will then target such people to be easy marks for criminals.

TO THE PERSON who said, "I saw what I thought was beautiful young lady the other day until she bent over and exposed a lower-back tattoo." That was a very shallow comment. Welcome to 2009, where things are a little different than 1930.