Sound Off highlights anonymous, brief takes on the news offered via telephone by Daily News readers. 

If the lottery is doing so good giving away so much money, why are the schools so broke? Maybe the lottery needs to start keeping some of that money they give away and put it in the schools like they’re supposed to, because our public schools are a joke.

Does anyone have any tips on how to keep poinsettias living past Christmastime? I buy a poinsettia every Christmas and it don’t ever make it to the New Year. So, if anyone has any tips on how to keep poinsettias living and breathing past the New Year, please call Sound Off.

I’m calling in reference to the recent articles about spending more money at Warren Field out there for drainage and extending the field and that sort of thing. I don’t think it’s a good idea to spend Washington taxpayers’ money on this field because we have limited funds anyway. As far as I know, Warren Field has a consistent history of losing money. … It’s just going to be a taxpayers’ burden continuously. I had rather see it just closed down.

The overflowing trashcans in front of the post office on Second Street are a disgusting mess, spreading trash throughout the area. This needs to be attended to.

To the person who wanted to go Christmas caroling: come to Woodard’s Pond Church of Christ at 7 p.m. Saturday. We’d love for you to come with us.

Bartow Houston gets funnier and funnier. He even has a little bit of an Andy Griffith-ring to his writing. Tell him I’ll bring the hay for the crèche.

Yeah, this is the call in about Gary Brinn replacing Stan Deatherage. There ain’t nobody could replace Stan Deatherage as being the most inept and clueless county commissioner there’s ever been.

Yes, I totally agree, I do all my shopping in Pamlico County as well as Craven County. I’m on the east side of Aurora and it’s like Beaufort County doesn’t even know we exist.

I see that the Christmas Nazis are at it again in Sound Off. I will say whatever I want to. If I want to say Merry Christmas, so be it. If I want to say happy holidays, so be it. This is America — freedom of speech. And this is the Christmas season. Should you not show some Christian charity.

I agree on the comment on Gary Brinn. Many of us voted for him because it was believed he would stand up to Hood. Boy, were we wrong.

Thank you for putting the Ten Commandments in larger spaces so those with poor eyesight can read each one of them plainly. They were too close together but now they’re fine.

Just came from the Post Office. It is a filthy mess. Garbage receptacles are overflowing at the entranceway and also in the lobby. And there’s dirt and leaves all over the front lobby. I have never seen the Post Office look so bad.

Bartow, you probably don’t need to be asking forgiveness for the sacrilege you performed in your column today. I don’t think mankind or the fundamentalists can forgive that. You have a good day now, you hear?

I wish y’all would write up an article and tell the public what the Catholics did tonight, I’d like to know what it’s for. I’m not making fun, I’d just like to know what the walk was for. I’m Methodist and don’t know what the walk was for.

Yes, I admitted my husband to Vidant-Beaufort Hospital and I see why no one wants to bring their loved ones here. They don’t want to follow doctor’s orders. There’s laziness. And here I’ve got my husband, 70 years old, and I don’t feel like anybody (is) concerned about him or anything. They wonder why we don’t support Vidant-Beaufort, it’s because they do not do their jobs.

To everyone in the Pamlico Senior Club bake sale, I want to say thanks, it was great, the fellowship was great. Thanks again. Bye.

If Vidant-Beaufort and Vidant Medical Center are trying to keep patients here in Beaufort County, then they need to make services available. When you’re sick and you have doctor’s office that says Urgent Care, but they’re booked up, do you call another doctor’s office and the family nurse practitioner is off and is off the next day, so there is no one who can see you when you are sick. Finally called CEMA, got a walk-in appointment. Yes, people need a day off, but then make the services available for people who need to be seen or people are going to go other places. People do not get sick on command. Thank you.

Sound Off comments are screened for subject matter, clarity and length of message. Comments about private businesses (except the WDN) and some individuals are not allowed. On occasion, we cease publishing comments about topics that have been fully discussed in Sound Off. Call 252-946-2144 ext. 235 to comment, (30 seconds maximum time). (All submissions are subject to editing).