Editor, Times-Union: I hereby present numbers calculated by the Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator. Here is their estimate of “the monthly income needed to maintain a modest but not adequate standard of living. This includes housing, food, childcare, transportation, and other necessities, but not discretionary spending … for a married couple with four children (ages 4, 8, 12, and 16), living in the U.S. ... For example, in a mid-range Indiana county: monthly amount needed is $6,800 - $7,200, or an annual amount of $81,000 - $86,400.”

Federal Deficit Amendment Editor, Times-Union: Fiscal Year Deficit(-) or Surplus (+)

Editor, Times-Union: We need to go back to 3 branches of government. We need the legislature to be a separate branch from the executive branch.

Editor, Times-Union: The litigation surrounding the LITE Recovery House in Leesburg concerns a house, but its outcome matters to people who need a place to begin again.

Gas Prices & Government Editor, Times-Union: Is there anyone else, besides me, who is fed up with the ridiculous high prices of gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil and other oil-based products.

Editor, Times-Union: As the current administration in Washington, D.C., pushes for territorial expansion of the United States by repeated demands to bring Greenland into the American Union and now looking at incorporating Micronesia and Marshall Islands as U.S. territories, the status of current U.S. territories of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands should be changed in regards to their ability to participate in presidential elections. These five territories participate in the presidential primary election but not the general election due the fact they are not states and are not part of the Electoral College. There is a precedent for the residents of non-states to be allowed to vote, the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution ratified in 1961, which allowed the residents of Washington, D.C., to vote after nearly 160 years after the enactment of the District of Columbia Organic Act.

Editor, Times-Union: Someone wrote that Russia, China, North Korea, and European nations have atomic bombs and we don't attack them. Yet we attacked Iran and it doesn't have nuclear weapons. As Homer Simpson would say, "Well, Duh. You don't attack a nation that has nuclear weapons or they'll use theirs against us."

Editor, Times-Union: At a Monday evening Plan Commission hearing regarding housing development in the city, I suggested a change in the Warsaw Zoning Ordinance regarding one of the standards for a variance. The city attorney said he would need to research, but ventured an opinion anyway.

Editor, Times-Union: I recently read of a very small group of homeowners at Lake Tippecanoe wanting to create a walking trail around the lake. This is one of the most absurd ideas I've heard in a long time. This is unnecessary, 100% unworkable, and I can confidently say, unwanted by probably 98% of Lake Tippecanoe property owners.

Editor, Times-Union: I live behind Walmart in Yellow Apartments here in Warsaw.

Editor, Times-Union: Many questions arise when we the taxpayers ask how our federal income tax money is spent. The most obvious answers relate to the war in Iran (which we the people never sanctioned), the questionable and often cruel detaining, abduction, and/or incarceration of men, women and children whom the federal government’s Department of Homeland Security deem not worthy of remaining free in the U.S., and the growing number of Donald Trump’s vanity projects in and around our nation’s capital.

Editor, Times-Union: There is a bus stop that in my opinion is located in a very dangerous place. It is on the street that is located between Walmart and Lowe’s. The bus stop is in the westbound traffic lane on this busy street. All traffic traveling in both directions have to go around the bus to the eastbound lane where their vision for this lane change is obstructed by the bus parked in west bound lane. This looks to me like an accident waiting to happen.

Editor, Times-Union: This year, Ukraine got involved in the Iran War by bombing Iranian shipment vessels allegedly carrying weapons between Iran and Russia while Russia has been pushing to resupply Iran’s weapons. The U.S., meanwhile, has been going after countries, like Iran and Venezuela, that provide China with oil. Keeping in mind that all these countries are allies or enemies in some way or another, it’s probably worth asking: At what point do the current wars count as WWIII?

Editor, Times-Union: I’m fed up with all of this nonsense/foolishness over so-called “transsexuals,” and the controversy involving “women’s sports”!

Editor, Times-Union: Someone wrote that she didn't know why everyone wasn't woke. Since those that are woke believe men who identify as women are women and that people can be canceled for saying something or doing something they don't agree with, to say everyone should be woke is like a crazy person saying everyone should be insane.

Editor, Times-Union: I want to commend Kosciusko County Prosecutor Brad Voelz for what appears to be a bold embrace of the future.

Editor, Times-Union: With politicians going to churches every election year to gain the confidence and votes of the congregations, I believe there should be a Bible test to determine if God would approve of the politician since God is the one who protects this nation.

Editor, Times-Union: Back in the 1980s, I worked for a business just south of U.S. 30. The ladies in the kitchen kept the radio on to WLS in Chicago.

Editor, Times-Union: Leesburg Cemetery is farmed for cash rent and not by Larry Kammerer, never has been. Approved board minutes must be a mistake. Human error in minutes is my guess! Board minutes, all contracts and documents remain in the trustee’s office! You are welcome to read whatever you can on Gateway. You are welcome to sit in the office and read public documents with trustee present. Documents do not leave the trustee’s office.

Editor, Times-Union: The only way we can learn from our historical mistakes is if we acknowledge that we made mistakes and know history. The socialists that are running for office hope the voters skipped history class. They also hope logic isn't their strong suit either.

Editor, Times-Union: Fact 1 - Plain Township did not give Larry Kammerer 5 acres of farm ground, this farm ground is owned and still owned by Plain Township! It will eventually be part of the Leesburg Cemetery, it is being farmed for cash rent payable to the township.

Editor, Times-Union: A recent letter writer seemed to rejoice in the many good things Donald Trump has done for us and for America. I beg to differ with his choices. I hereby present a very different and brief list of what I consider to be Trump’s accomplishments:

Editor, Times-Union: I was speaking to a family who are originally from Venezuela the other day and we were discussing the differences between Mexican food and Venezuelan food, they were telling me how great the food is in Venezuela, and so I asked them, “Well if the food is good there, why did you move here?” Their response was strong and immediate, because they love their children and want them to have a better life. That their government is so corrupt there, they wanted to get their family out. I asked, “Aren’t things better now that the country voted in a new president after Nicolas Maduro was removed?” He told me that voting doesn’t matter, it’s rigged and corrupt. It doesn’t matter how many people vote for a good leader with integrity, the ruling administration will always win.

Editor, Times-Union: On Monday, July 27, 2026, the “Nash & Mandy” program aired a segment by some alleged “stand-up comic,” joking about driving drunk!

Editor, Times-Union: I have many friends and relatives that have different beliefs in politics, religion, sports, health, and many other subjects and they are still my friends. You are fooling yourselves if you think you can lump everyone who is religious or has a political party affiliation in to one category.