Letters to the Editor 03-10-2001

July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.

By -

- Thanks To Optimists - Winona Recycling - Priorities - Winter Guard


Thanks To Optimists

Editor, Times-Union:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Noon Optimists and John White for helping with the Atwood Elementary School Carnival held on Feb. 17. The Atwood PTO greatly appreciates your donation of the Moon Walk provided for the enjoyment of our children. We would also like to thank all the volunteers from the Noon Optimist Club that helped make the Atwood Carnival a success. Again, thank you for your contributions to the children of our community.

Betsy Palmer
Carnival chairman/PTO VP
via e-mail

Winona Recycling

Editor, Times-Union:
In response to the letter to the editor from D. Ramsey on March 1st, please let me clarify a few of the comments that he is referring to:

1. Winona Lake's recycling program is not a failure. In fact it is one of the success stories in the county. Winona Lake is doing a great job with their curbside recycling. I think what Mr. Ramsey was referring to is the quote that appeared in the February 27th article about the presentation I made to the Winona Lake Town Council. While I don't remember ever using the word "failure," the word was used in a quote concerning the statewide goal set to reduce trash going to Indiana landfills. It never referred to the Winona Lake program as a failure.

2. Winona Lake already has a "Pay As You Throw" program in place. It started almost two years ago. I was not suggesting anything new, just commenting that they should continue with the program, but that there are certainly other options within that program that could be changed to suit the needs of the community. The "Pay As You Throw" program in place at Winona Lake is structured such that each household is able to put out a maximum of two cans or bags of trash per week without an additional charge. The additional charge is in the form of $1 stickers that must be affixed to each additional can or bag. As part of that program, the town implemented a curbside recycling program to enable residents to reduce the trash that needs to go to the landfill and to meet the two can/bag limit, by collecting the recyclable parts of their trash at the curb. A great program!

The "Pay As You Throw" program is a plan implemented in many communities across Indiana and throughout the United States. It has a variety of components. Municipalities can create a program picking and choosing the components they will use. What I said to the town council is that these communities are starting to address trash disposal similar to a utility where the public realizes that the amount of trash needing disposed is directly connected to the cost for that disposal. The basic structure of the unit based pricing addresses exactly what Mr. Ramsey referred to in his letter where his family of four generates more trash than a single person and that there are many others who generate more trash than his family. So, in Winona Lake, everyone is able to place at the curb the same amount of trash and recycling and any additional cans/bags must have the $1 stickers attached.

3. I do agree with Mr. Ramsey that it would benefit everyone if other communities would implement curbside recycling and I know there are at least three communities in this county right now considering that very thing.

Marsha Eikenberry
District director
Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District


Priorities

Editor, Times-Union:
I think this puts things in perspective as to where our priorities really are as a nation.

On 18 February 2001, while racing for fame and fortune, Dale Earnhardt died in the last lap of the Daytona 500. It was surely a tragedy for his family, friends and fans. He was 49 years old with grown children, one, which was in the race. I am new to the NASCAR culture so much of what I know has come from the newspaper and TV. He was a winner and earned everything he had.

This included more than "$41 million in winnings and 10 times that from endorsements and souvenir sales." He had a beautiful home and a private jet. He drove the most sophisticated cars allowed and every part was inspected and replaced as soon as there was any evidence of wear.

This is normally fully funded by the car and team sponsors. Today, there is no TV station that does not constantly remind us of his tragic end and the radio already has a song of tribute to this winning driver. Nothing should be taken away from this man, he was a professional and the best in his profession. He was in a very dangerous business but the rewards were great.

Two weeks ago seven U.S. Army soldiers died in a training accident when two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided during night maneuvers in Hawaii. The soldiers were all in their 20s, pilots, crew chiefs and infantrymen.

Most of them lived in sub-standard housing. If you add their actual duty hours (in the field, deployed) they probably earn something close to minimum wage. The aircraft they were in were between 15 and 20 years old. Many times parts were not available to keep them in good shape due to funding.

They were involved in the extremely dangerous business of flying in the Kuhuku mountains at night. It only gets worse when the weather moves in as it did that night. Most times no one is there with a yellow or red flag to slow things down when it gets critical. Their children were mostly toddlers who will lose all memory of who "Daddy" was as they grow up. They died training to defend our freedom.

I take nothing away from Dale Earnhardt but ask you to perform this simple test. Ask any of your friends if they know who was the NASCAR driver killed on 18 February 2001. Then ask them if they can name one of the seven soldiers who died in Hawaii two weeks ago.

Brian Roberts
Warsaw
via e-mail

Winter Guard

Editor, Times-Union:
I'm just one parent of two members of the Warsaw Winter Guard. Wanting the public to know what wonderful businesses we have in this town. First our guard was ready to go out of town to Avon H.S. to a contest when the Tiger truck broke down. We were without a truck to transport our props until my husband and myself went into Reinholt's Town Square Furniture store. We talked to Keith Reinholt and told him our problem and he loaned us their box delivery truck for the day. That was on Feb. 17. Then with the Tiger truck still broke down, Glenn Nichols of Warsaw Ryder rental trucks loaned us a Ryder truck for the weekend of Feb.24-25 when we went to WGI in Normal,Ill. Also there is one other business I would like to thank and that is Menard of Elkhart; they gave us a big discount on supplies we needed to get the props ready for the show. Again I would just like to say a big THANK-YOU from all of the guard members.

Lea Ann Flenar
Warsaw
via e-mail

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- Thanks To Optimists - Winona Recycling - Priorities - Winter Guard


Thanks To Optimists

Editor, Times-Union:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Noon Optimists and John White for helping with the Atwood Elementary School Carnival held on Feb. 17. The Atwood PTO greatly appreciates your donation of the Moon Walk provided for the enjoyment of our children. We would also like to thank all the volunteers from the Noon Optimist Club that helped make the Atwood Carnival a success. Again, thank you for your contributions to the children of our community.

Betsy Palmer
Carnival chairman/PTO VP
via e-mail

Winona Recycling

Editor, Times-Union:
In response to the letter to the editor from D. Ramsey on March 1st, please let me clarify a few of the comments that he is referring to:

1. Winona Lake's recycling program is not a failure. In fact it is one of the success stories in the county. Winona Lake is doing a great job with their curbside recycling. I think what Mr. Ramsey was referring to is the quote that appeared in the February 27th article about the presentation I made to the Winona Lake Town Council. While I don't remember ever using the word "failure," the word was used in a quote concerning the statewide goal set to reduce trash going to Indiana landfills. It never referred to the Winona Lake program as a failure.

2. Winona Lake already has a "Pay As You Throw" program in place. It started almost two years ago. I was not suggesting anything new, just commenting that they should continue with the program, but that there are certainly other options within that program that could be changed to suit the needs of the community. The "Pay As You Throw" program in place at Winona Lake is structured such that each household is able to put out a maximum of two cans or bags of trash per week without an additional charge. The additional charge is in the form of $1 stickers that must be affixed to each additional can or bag. As part of that program, the town implemented a curbside recycling program to enable residents to reduce the trash that needs to go to the landfill and to meet the two can/bag limit, by collecting the recyclable parts of their trash at the curb. A great program!

The "Pay As You Throw" program is a plan implemented in many communities across Indiana and throughout the United States. It has a variety of components. Municipalities can create a program picking and choosing the components they will use. What I said to the town council is that these communities are starting to address trash disposal similar to a utility where the public realizes that the amount of trash needing disposed is directly connected to the cost for that disposal. The basic structure of the unit based pricing addresses exactly what Mr. Ramsey referred to in his letter where his family of four generates more trash than a single person and that there are many others who generate more trash than his family. So, in Winona Lake, everyone is able to place at the curb the same amount of trash and recycling and any additional cans/bags must have the $1 stickers attached.

3. I do agree with Mr. Ramsey that it would benefit everyone if other communities would implement curbside recycling and I know there are at least three communities in this county right now considering that very thing.

Marsha Eikenberry
District director
Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District


Priorities

Editor, Times-Union:
I think this puts things in perspective as to where our priorities really are as a nation.

On 18 February 2001, while racing for fame and fortune, Dale Earnhardt died in the last lap of the Daytona 500. It was surely a tragedy for his family, friends and fans. He was 49 years old with grown children, one, which was in the race. I am new to the NASCAR culture so much of what I know has come from the newspaper and TV. He was a winner and earned everything he had.

This included more than "$41 million in winnings and 10 times that from endorsements and souvenir sales." He had a beautiful home and a private jet. He drove the most sophisticated cars allowed and every part was inspected and replaced as soon as there was any evidence of wear.

This is normally fully funded by the car and team sponsors. Today, there is no TV station that does not constantly remind us of his tragic end and the radio already has a song of tribute to this winning driver. Nothing should be taken away from this man, he was a professional and the best in his profession. He was in a very dangerous business but the rewards were great.

Two weeks ago seven U.S. Army soldiers died in a training accident when two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters collided during night maneuvers in Hawaii. The soldiers were all in their 20s, pilots, crew chiefs and infantrymen.

Most of them lived in sub-standard housing. If you add their actual duty hours (in the field, deployed) they probably earn something close to minimum wage. The aircraft they were in were between 15 and 20 years old. Many times parts were not available to keep them in good shape due to funding.

They were involved in the extremely dangerous business of flying in the Kuhuku mountains at night. It only gets worse when the weather moves in as it did that night. Most times no one is there with a yellow or red flag to slow things down when it gets critical. Their children were mostly toddlers who will lose all memory of who "Daddy" was as they grow up. They died training to defend our freedom.

I take nothing away from Dale Earnhardt but ask you to perform this simple test. Ask any of your friends if they know who was the NASCAR driver killed on 18 February 2001. Then ask them if they can name one of the seven soldiers who died in Hawaii two weeks ago.

Brian Roberts
Warsaw
via e-mail

Winter Guard

Editor, Times-Union:
I'm just one parent of two members of the Warsaw Winter Guard. Wanting the public to know what wonderful businesses we have in this town. First our guard was ready to go out of town to Avon H.S. to a contest when the Tiger truck broke down. We were without a truck to transport our props until my husband and myself went into Reinholt's Town Square Furniture store. We talked to Keith Reinholt and told him our problem and he loaned us their box delivery truck for the day. That was on Feb. 17. Then with the Tiger truck still broke down, Glenn Nichols of Warsaw Ryder rental trucks loaned us a Ryder truck for the weekend of Feb.24-25 when we went to WGI in Normal,Ill. Also there is one other business I would like to thank and that is Menard of Elkhart; they gave us a big discount on supplies we needed to get the props ready for the show. Again I would just like to say a big THANK-YOU from all of the guard members.

Lea Ann Flenar
Warsaw
via e-mail

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