Letters to the Editor 03-25-2004
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Loving Family - Methods Of Notification - School Sports - Tax Awareness Distortions - Typo - School Dialogue - Soddom And Gomorrah
Loving Family
Editor, Times-Union:Here it is almost two years ago that a family member of mine named Heather Endicott is found dead in a pool of water and it seems there is no interest in her death. Sir, my name is Edward L. Endicott, I share with my family, the Endicotts, a proud heritage which may not be known to you. It is the pioneer family of America and the trek west. I know of the reason that I am in California now and I know why. My family left Massachusetts back in 1698. I know about the times during the Revolutionary War when we were in the Carolinas and when we migrated to Kentucky. I know the hell we lived with in Kentucky with Dan. Boone. We still have his compass and sun glass in a family member's collection there in Indiana.
It appears to me that you don't know anything about the Endicott family. Your community doesn't know that my family was there before most of you were. We broke the trail along with so many looking for that greener pasture.
I might also tell you that the family is rather proud of our gramps, Gov. John Endecott, the founding father of New England, 1628. The history is well-written and I live now here because of him.
You don't want to tell me that Heather Endicott is of no concern to the community. If that be the case, then I shall take it on myself to doing some research and enlighten your community to how you all came about. In most cases, my family was there with the first to settle the community. It goes on to my own birth in 1933 in a faraway place called Oklahoma, now in California. That's some 375 years' trek from Massachusetts to where I live now is a trek that caused me to be part Indian.
You think perhaps I don't love my family members because of my dad's love of an Indian woman named Lucille Smith. I can go on and tell you all about the trek westward and that includes our passing through Indiana. What I want from you is a little bit of facts concerning my cousin Heather Endicott's case. Even though I never met her, I know the events of her family's past and why she was a part of your community to this day. Her family at one time gave you the love of God and the will to fight for what you now have.
I look forth to a report of the finding and above all to let you know that Heather Endicott has loving family members concerned.
Edward L. Endicott
Greenwood, Calif.
via e-mail
Methods Of Notification
Editor, Times-Union:"Auditor shall send a notice of the sale by certified mail to: (1) the owner of record of real property with a single owner; or (2) to at least one (1) of the owners of real property with multiple owners; at the last address of the owner for the property as indicated in the records of the county auditor."
This statement found in the Indiana statute for notification of owners whose property is about to be sold at a tax sale looks good until one realizes that the auditor must have the correct address, otherwise the owner will not receive notification by this method! In our case, the treasurer's office failed to acknowledge our address change notification on two legal documents of record and the auditor matter-of-factly went through the procedure of sending out a certified notice to an obsolete address. The owner, of course, (us) did not receive notification! This method demonstrates the archaic nature of the current system of notification now in use in Kosciusko County offices to "notify owners!" A people search on a computer may take only a few minutes and the auditor can easily locate and notify an owner of any problem with tax.
"In addition, the county auditor shall, in accordance with IC 5-3-1-4, publish the notice required in sections 2 and 2.2 of this chapter once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the earliest date on which the application for judgment may be made." This portion of the Indiana statute refers to publication of notice in a local newspaper. In fact the statute states, "The advertisement published under section 4(b) of this chapter is considered sufficient notice of the intended application for judgment and of the sale of real property under the order of the court." This requirement "assumes" that the owner whose property is about to be auctioned off will receive proper notification through the newspaper or a notice in a public building! However, published notifications in a local newspaper do not notify every taxpayer, are archaic and completely discriminatory against certain individuals.
First, the font size and the cramped placement of the notification make the notice distasteful and difficult to read. In fact, very few people read the notices! We know hundreds of people in Kosciusko County and not one said they knew anything about our property being up for auction! Second, this method of notification discriminates against people who own property in Kosciusko County but who live outside the circulation area of the local newspaper and who do not subscribe to the paper or frequent public buildings in the Kosciusko area. In our case, our agent, who faithfully paid our taxes for nine years and reported his change of address to the treasurer's office on two legal documents of record, lived in another state and we lived in Australia! How in the world could we receive notification of any problem with our property through the newspaper? That archaic method strictly discriminated against us and we lost our property without ever having any knowledge of any problem! The auditor's office never once notified us and as of this writing we have still not received official notification of any problems with our property. How easily can you lose your property? You can lose it without even knowing about it! Get into those offices and check out your details! Want to read the statute for yourself? www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch24.html
Tom Huffman
Sherman, Texas
via e-mail
School Sports
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to take the time to comment on the school closings in Warsaw. My kids have attended Warsaw for many years of their childhoods. I was heartbroken to have to move them but they have adjusted very well. I am just so thankful that I moved now. I don't want them in overcrowed classrooms or in a school system that pushes sports over what needs to be taught. That is the 3 R's. I know I may sound old-fashioned but a person will not feed their family playing football or basketball. Classes of 30 or more will not learn like a smaller class size. I am just outraged that the parents and school board in your community are so thoughtless of your children's future. What are you trying to prove? Looks to me like you are telling people that sports programs override the learning that is supposed to be going on. Sports are just games, learning is life! What happened to the no child left behind? Should it be no child left behind that plays sports?
Tammi Mead
Syracuse
via e-mail
Tax Awareness Distortions
Editor, Times-Union:I am truly amazed by the ads that have been appearing in the local papers paid for by the "Triton Chapter" of the Marshall County Tax Awareness Committee. I personally attended the majority of the meetings on the Triton School Corporation building project and the information that is being placed in these ads and told to patrons of our school corporation is not true. Where they get that there will be a 25 percent increase in taxes I will never know. Also, the Triton Chapter has been telling patrons that the superintendent and the school board are doing this project for personal gain and that they will receive a kickback from this project. Hopefully, the majority of the Triton patrons know that this is not true and legally cannot happen. The school board worked very hard to reduce the cost of this project and to appease this group. They removed a very needed practice gym from the original building project as a concession. At one time during this process, this group agreed that if the school board removed the gym, they could support this project. NOW, they can support the project IF the school offices and a handicapped parking lot by the building entrance are removed. Personally, I believe that the only thing that will make them happy is no project at all. I am sure that most patrons do not know that our office area presently does not have a nurse's area and that sick or injured students have to sit in the office until a parent can come to pick them up. The junior/senior high school is nearly 40 years old. Fortunately, the building has been very well maintained and has not needed a lot of major work in the past. However, with the constant changes in the academic requirements by the state of Indiana, the need of facilities for our special needs students and basic infrastructure remodeling, our 40-year-old building need some major changes. I truly hope that before any person signs this remonstrance petition, they do a little research and find out the facts.
I highly commend Superintendent Chittum and the members of our school board for all the hard work that they have put into this project. They have spent many hours discussing this project and speaking to patrons individually to come up with a solution that is best for our children and the patrons of our community. Unfortunately, their hard work has hit a bump in the road and our communities are divided over this project. So, now we have two sides. The "Triton Chapter" who can only focus on the fact that our taxes are going to increase slightly, and the "Triton Patrons" who are willing to INVEST these extra dollars in the future of all our communities by investing it in our children's education. Again, I ask that you stop and think before signing a petition against this building project. Remember, the children of today are the future of our communities tomorrow!
Kim Berger
Bourbon
Typo
Editor, Times-Union:RE: "The Calvary Isn't On The Way," Sports section Friday, March 19. C-A-L-V-A-R-Y is where Jesus Christ was crucified. C-A-V-A-L-R-Y is a unit of soldiers on horseback.
I know you took this from AP wire, but isn't there some way you can change the spelling of a word in a title? Unfortunately, this is a common error I thought it needed to be brought to your attention. So thanks for letting me do that.
Grace Abbott
Warsaw, via e-mail
School Dialogue
Editor, Times-Union:ÊI add my voice in support of Senator Adams and Representatives Wolkins and Ruppel asking the Warsaw Community School Board to delay the closings of Silver Lake, Claypool and Atwood schools. Several months ago I attended a school board meeting and suggested not only a delay but the establishment of an objective committee to assist in problem-solving and addressing the anger and frustration of citizens. That request was ignored.
ÊObviously changes need to be made to account for growth and demographic shifts. I think most everyone accepts that. The board, of course, is legitimately concerned about the delay already and the costs. But the real problem is how these changes should be accomplished. The board can force its will and leave scars or it can let tempers cool and attempt toÊcooperate with parents and taxpayers.ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
ÊThis is all about our kids and we have a great opportunity to set a mature example in problem-solving. The ball is in the board's court to do so.
David C. KolbeÊÊÊ
Warsaw
Soddom And Gomorrah
Editor, Times-Union:Leviticus 18:22: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: It is an abomination."
Leviticus 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Romans 1:27: "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another. Men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense on their error which was meet."
Read all of Romans, it will enlighten you.
Old Testament - New Testament.
Before - After.
I fear the lord, he speaks of sins and gets angry. There's a small amount of the Bible that hasn't been fulfilled. What happens when it's done? When my time has come, I hope my sins are few and I'm forgiven. Is it Soddom and Gomorrah all over again? I fear!
Loretta Holloway
Warsaw
[[In-content Ad]]
- Loving Family - Methods Of Notification - School Sports - Tax Awareness Distortions - Typo - School Dialogue - Soddom And Gomorrah
Loving Family
Editor, Times-Union:Here it is almost two years ago that a family member of mine named Heather Endicott is found dead in a pool of water and it seems there is no interest in her death. Sir, my name is Edward L. Endicott, I share with my family, the Endicotts, a proud heritage which may not be known to you. It is the pioneer family of America and the trek west. I know of the reason that I am in California now and I know why. My family left Massachusetts back in 1698. I know about the times during the Revolutionary War when we were in the Carolinas and when we migrated to Kentucky. I know the hell we lived with in Kentucky with Dan. Boone. We still have his compass and sun glass in a family member's collection there in Indiana.
It appears to me that you don't know anything about the Endicott family. Your community doesn't know that my family was there before most of you were. We broke the trail along with so many looking for that greener pasture.
I might also tell you that the family is rather proud of our gramps, Gov. John Endecott, the founding father of New England, 1628. The history is well-written and I live now here because of him.
You don't want to tell me that Heather Endicott is of no concern to the community. If that be the case, then I shall take it on myself to doing some research and enlighten your community to how you all came about. In most cases, my family was there with the first to settle the community. It goes on to my own birth in 1933 in a faraway place called Oklahoma, now in California. That's some 375 years' trek from Massachusetts to where I live now is a trek that caused me to be part Indian.
You think perhaps I don't love my family members because of my dad's love of an Indian woman named Lucille Smith. I can go on and tell you all about the trek westward and that includes our passing through Indiana. What I want from you is a little bit of facts concerning my cousin Heather Endicott's case. Even though I never met her, I know the events of her family's past and why she was a part of your community to this day. Her family at one time gave you the love of God and the will to fight for what you now have.
I look forth to a report of the finding and above all to let you know that Heather Endicott has loving family members concerned.
Edward L. Endicott
Greenwood, Calif.
via e-mail
Methods Of Notification
Editor, Times-Union:"Auditor shall send a notice of the sale by certified mail to: (1) the owner of record of real property with a single owner; or (2) to at least one (1) of the owners of real property with multiple owners; at the last address of the owner for the property as indicated in the records of the county auditor."
This statement found in the Indiana statute for notification of owners whose property is about to be sold at a tax sale looks good until one realizes that the auditor must have the correct address, otherwise the owner will not receive notification by this method! In our case, the treasurer's office failed to acknowledge our address change notification on two legal documents of record and the auditor matter-of-factly went through the procedure of sending out a certified notice to an obsolete address. The owner, of course, (us) did not receive notification! This method demonstrates the archaic nature of the current system of notification now in use in Kosciusko County offices to "notify owners!" A people search on a computer may take only a few minutes and the auditor can easily locate and notify an owner of any problem with tax.
"In addition, the county auditor shall, in accordance with IC 5-3-1-4, publish the notice required in sections 2 and 2.2 of this chapter once each week for three (3) consecutive weeks before the earliest date on which the application for judgment may be made." This portion of the Indiana statute refers to publication of notice in a local newspaper. In fact the statute states, "The advertisement published under section 4(b) of this chapter is considered sufficient notice of the intended application for judgment and of the sale of real property under the order of the court." This requirement "assumes" that the owner whose property is about to be auctioned off will receive proper notification through the newspaper or a notice in a public building! However, published notifications in a local newspaper do not notify every taxpayer, are archaic and completely discriminatory against certain individuals.
First, the font size and the cramped placement of the notification make the notice distasteful and difficult to read. In fact, very few people read the notices! We know hundreds of people in Kosciusko County and not one said they knew anything about our property being up for auction! Second, this method of notification discriminates against people who own property in Kosciusko County but who live outside the circulation area of the local newspaper and who do not subscribe to the paper or frequent public buildings in the Kosciusko area. In our case, our agent, who faithfully paid our taxes for nine years and reported his change of address to the treasurer's office on two legal documents of record, lived in another state and we lived in Australia! How in the world could we receive notification of any problem with our property through the newspaper? That archaic method strictly discriminated against us and we lost our property without ever having any knowledge of any problem! The auditor's office never once notified us and as of this writing we have still not received official notification of any problems with our property. How easily can you lose your property? You can lose it without even knowing about it! Get into those offices and check out your details! Want to read the statute for yourself? www.in.gov/legislative/ic/code/title6/ar1.1/ch24.html
Tom Huffman
Sherman, Texas
via e-mail
School Sports
Editor, Times-Union:I would like to take the time to comment on the school closings in Warsaw. My kids have attended Warsaw for many years of their childhoods. I was heartbroken to have to move them but they have adjusted very well. I am just so thankful that I moved now. I don't want them in overcrowed classrooms or in a school system that pushes sports over what needs to be taught. That is the 3 R's. I know I may sound old-fashioned but a person will not feed their family playing football or basketball. Classes of 30 or more will not learn like a smaller class size. I am just outraged that the parents and school board in your community are so thoughtless of your children's future. What are you trying to prove? Looks to me like you are telling people that sports programs override the learning that is supposed to be going on. Sports are just games, learning is life! What happened to the no child left behind? Should it be no child left behind that plays sports?
Tammi Mead
Syracuse
via e-mail
Tax Awareness Distortions
Editor, Times-Union:I am truly amazed by the ads that have been appearing in the local papers paid for by the "Triton Chapter" of the Marshall County Tax Awareness Committee. I personally attended the majority of the meetings on the Triton School Corporation building project and the information that is being placed in these ads and told to patrons of our school corporation is not true. Where they get that there will be a 25 percent increase in taxes I will never know. Also, the Triton Chapter has been telling patrons that the superintendent and the school board are doing this project for personal gain and that they will receive a kickback from this project. Hopefully, the majority of the Triton patrons know that this is not true and legally cannot happen. The school board worked very hard to reduce the cost of this project and to appease this group. They removed a very needed practice gym from the original building project as a concession. At one time during this process, this group agreed that if the school board removed the gym, they could support this project. NOW, they can support the project IF the school offices and a handicapped parking lot by the building entrance are removed. Personally, I believe that the only thing that will make them happy is no project at all. I am sure that most patrons do not know that our office area presently does not have a nurse's area and that sick or injured students have to sit in the office until a parent can come to pick them up. The junior/senior high school is nearly 40 years old. Fortunately, the building has been very well maintained and has not needed a lot of major work in the past. However, with the constant changes in the academic requirements by the state of Indiana, the need of facilities for our special needs students and basic infrastructure remodeling, our 40-year-old building need some major changes. I truly hope that before any person signs this remonstrance petition, they do a little research and find out the facts.
I highly commend Superintendent Chittum and the members of our school board for all the hard work that they have put into this project. They have spent many hours discussing this project and speaking to patrons individually to come up with a solution that is best for our children and the patrons of our community. Unfortunately, their hard work has hit a bump in the road and our communities are divided over this project. So, now we have two sides. The "Triton Chapter" who can only focus on the fact that our taxes are going to increase slightly, and the "Triton Patrons" who are willing to INVEST these extra dollars in the future of all our communities by investing it in our children's education. Again, I ask that you stop and think before signing a petition against this building project. Remember, the children of today are the future of our communities tomorrow!
Kim Berger
Bourbon
Typo
Editor, Times-Union:RE: "The Calvary Isn't On The Way," Sports section Friday, March 19. C-A-L-V-A-R-Y is where Jesus Christ was crucified. C-A-V-A-L-R-Y is a unit of soldiers on horseback.
I know you took this from AP wire, but isn't there some way you can change the spelling of a word in a title? Unfortunately, this is a common error I thought it needed to be brought to your attention. So thanks for letting me do that.
Grace Abbott
Warsaw, via e-mail
School Dialogue
Editor, Times-Union:ÊI add my voice in support of Senator Adams and Representatives Wolkins and Ruppel asking the Warsaw Community School Board to delay the closings of Silver Lake, Claypool and Atwood schools. Several months ago I attended a school board meeting and suggested not only a delay but the establishment of an objective committee to assist in problem-solving and addressing the anger and frustration of citizens. That request was ignored.
ÊObviously changes need to be made to account for growth and demographic shifts. I think most everyone accepts that. The board, of course, is legitimately concerned about the delay already and the costs. But the real problem is how these changes should be accomplished. The board can force its will and leave scars or it can let tempers cool and attempt toÊcooperate with parents and taxpayers.ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ
ÊThis is all about our kids and we have a great opportunity to set a mature example in problem-solving. The ball is in the board's court to do so.
David C. KolbeÊÊÊ
Warsaw
Soddom And Gomorrah
Editor, Times-Union:Leviticus 18:22: "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: It is an abomination."
Leviticus 20:13: "If a man also lie with mankind as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them."
Romans 1:27: "And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another. Men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense on their error which was meet."
Read all of Romans, it will enlighten you.
Old Testament - New Testament.
Before - After.
I fear the lord, he speaks of sins and gets angry. There's a small amount of the Bible that hasn't been fulfilled. What happens when it's done? When my time has come, I hope my sins are few and I'm forgiven. Is it Soddom and Gomorrah all over again? I fear!
Loretta Holloway
Warsaw
[[In-content Ad]]
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092