Dear Editor,

I would like to take this opportunity to say Thank You to everyone who generously sponsored me in the Distinguished Youth Program of Texas in November. Although I didn’t win the title, it was a very amazing and privileged experience that would not have been possible without your help. Again, a very sincere Thank You to all my sponsors.

Sincerely,

Jacie Handberry

Blanco, TX

Dear Editor,

If anyone is wondering what happened to the only person at Dollar General who would greet you and knew you by name and made you feel welcome she no longer works there. Janie was fired last week.

After 6 years and countless managers coming and going Janie was the only one still there. She was $.44 cents short on her register. Company policy is you can’t be short more than 3 times or you will be terminated. Mind you, you are NOT the one that counts your till and others are allowed to work on it. Does this make any sense? Sure, they tell you, you can watch your manager count your till but once you do your told your not on company time and discouraged to stay late. Out economy is going to hell and instead of trying to help each other we are taking from people who don’t have anything. This would be easy to accept as just policy except that after talking to previous managers of the Dollar Store we found that upper management wanted her gone a long time ago. “She makes too much money.” “We want someone who comes and goes.” “Someone who will get paid minimum wage.” Those are direct quotes from a previous Manager who was told to fire her and didn’t. They finally found something and someone to do it. To these people I ask you “Was it worth it?” You hurt a woman who’s only fault was liking her job enough to stay there. She’d never been fired her whole life. Did you know that? She treated everyone the same. Even when customers went in and weren’t so pleasant she brushed it off and didn’t let it phase her. You took her only income that barely paid over minimum wage, her pride at being a great employee, and her trust in having someone defend simple values that we have all forgotten and for what?

You have lost my business and many others. I hope Super S is fully staffed because that’s where my family will do their shopping from now on. And to Anna Lee Jones. Thank you. After finding out Janie had been fired you stepped right up and offered her a job at Exxon. It’s good to know that Blanco business owners still look out for the community.

Imelda Faught

Leander, Texas