Letters to the Editor 04-24-1998
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Responds To Brumfield - Endorses Waggoner - Endorses Recorder Candidate - Integrity - Whitaker Doing His Job - Endorses Hampton - Thanks To VFW - Hospital Stay - Boys, Girls Club Supported - Memories Of Ferguson
Responds To Brumfield
Editor Times-Union:Re: Letter to the Editor that appeared April 17 from Jennifer Brumfield.
I guess that you feel that if "your candidate" is losing the election, you write a letter and accuse another candidate of having no integrity.
The incident that Brumfield talked about happened two years ago. I ask why you waited until now to "inform the voters"? I have heard rumors that Jennifer's husband, Doug, is going to be Aaron's captain. Jennifer, this isn't politically motivated, is it?
Whitaker has told his supporters many times, that his campaign was not going to use smear tactics to win. Obviously, supporters of other candidates do not have the same policy. Whitaker's campaign signs are even being stolen.
I was with Whitaker when the information about juvenile drinking was taken to the school. Whitaker did speak with Jennifer Brumfield, after he was told by the sheriff and prosecutor that he should take the information to the school. Whitaker gave Jennifer a sealed envelope, and told her that he was concerned that Coach Rhodes and Athletic Director Fulkerson would think he was giving the information to the school because his son was cut from the basketball team. Whitaker told Jennifer she had the information and it was her decision on what to do with it, as he did not want to be falsely accused of something, exactly as you are doing now!
Jennifer, you stated that the information had to be put on Paul Crousore's desk. The sealed envelope was typed notes of an informal interview with two of the juveniles that Whitaker and another officer had spoken to. There were no signatures on the document, and it was not a report! It was just information that was obtained. Do "athletic codes" for the school only apply to certain athletes? Whitaker did type the notes, but this is not unusual, since the majority of the paperwork was done by Sam. Jennifer, you told Sam and myself that if you were the principal, you would have the Athletic Department and David Fulkerson investigated for corruption! I'll take a polygraph on that statement, will you?
After 23 years on the department, my personal integrity believes that: "Those who live in glass house, should not throw stones." Jennifer, you have challenged Sam and his integrity. You say that you can die with a clear conscience because you have integrity. Let's explore your "house," and why you were dismissed as director of Multi-Township EMS.
Did Sheriff Rovenstine know Aaron was running for office at the time of the school incident? When I asked him why he was shutting down the drug unit, Sheriff Rovenstine stated he was catching a lot of "heat." I then asked, "Did I do anything wrong?" and he stated "no." "Did Sam do anything wrong?" "No." "Then why?" And Rovenstine said, "Sometimes you just got to do what you got to do." It still bothers me that the politics of basketball at Warsaw was more important than underage drinking.
Integrity is not something that you can say you have. It is something that you build over years. And believe me, Sam Whitaker has it!
Gerry Moser
North Webster
Editor's Note: This letter is being published a second time because a line was omitted the first time it was published.
Endorses Waggoner
Editor, Times-Union:Charles Waggoner is a man who has dedicated his entire career to the protection and service of others. For over 20 years he successfully served the citizens of Indiana in the State Police. There is no way of telling how many people were helped by his commitment and his abilities.
Chuck's wife recently allowed us to read two letters written to Chuck. One was from William Sessions, Director of the FBI, thanking him for his significant career in law enforcement in Indiana and specifically for the invaluable assistance and support of several successful FBI operations. The second letter was from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney's Council thanking him for his involvement in training area prosecutors.
On a more personal note, several years ago Chuck organized a group of men from the area to the very first Promise Keepers event in Indianapolis. Chuck took care of all the logistics for this venture which resulted in an unforgettable experience for these men.
Everyone who knows Chuck knows him to be a man of great honor and integrity. He possesses the depth of character and leadership skills so vital to the operation of the prosecutor's office.
His experience in law enforcement, private law practice and as Chief Deputy Prosecutor makes him uniquely qualified for the position of Kosciusko County Prosecutor.
He is a dedicated, tireless worker and will effectively serve the citizens of our county. We strongly urge you to consider Charles Waggoner when you vote in the primary elections on May 5th.
Todd and Karen Smith
Warsaw
Endorses Recorder Candidate
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to publicly endorse LaShawn L. Brumfield for Kosciusko County Recorder. LaShawn has been with the Recorder's Office since 1995 and is the chief deputy.
LaShawn is extremely knowledgeable and very competent with all aspects of the Recorder's Office, especially the state-of-the-art computer software and our equipment.
LaShawn is trustworthy, honest, pleasant with the public and is an excellent public servant.
I encourage you to vote for LaShawn L. Brumfield as the next Kosciusko County Recorder.
Alice I. Anglin
Kosciusko County Recorder
Warsaw
Integrity
Editor, Times-Union:Concerning the article "Integrity," I would like to respond to it. I would like to ask Mrs. Brumfield a question. Would your old-time friend still be your friend if he would have ignored the fact that a couple young men were breaking the laws that Whitaker has spent 17 years trying to enforce? Mrs. Brumfield, it seems to me that you have double standards. You work at our Community Public High School, which the school itself has the young men that play high school sports sign a code of ethics which says if caught drinking you will be terminated from the sports program. If you don't believe that yourself maybe you should go before the school board and have the laws changed. I would like to know what has happened to our community when parents and adults think it's OK for their children to drink alcohol. We have let our standards down so far that we don't know what's right and what's wrong.
You stated that Whitaker was out for vengeance. Ma'am, he did not put the alcohol in their hand, he did not purchase the alcohol for them to consume. Can I remind you they broke the school code of ethics and also broke the law of the community that you love so much. Aaron Rovenstine's article in the Times-Union states "Youth offenders need to be accountable for their actions" which is correct. It was the young men that should be on trial not Sam Whitaker. He was doing the job that he was getting paid to do. Mrs. Brumfield, I do believe you need to get your story straight. 1. The Drug Task Team is still in existence. 2. Whitaker was not and has not been demoted. 3. If the young men broke the law, Whitaker enforced the law, how can you feel betrayed? 4. You are criticizing a man that you should be giving a medal to for all the efforts he has made trying to make this community safe for our children and grandchildren. I would like to sign off with one question to this community. Do we want a sheriff that ignores the problems that exist and tries to please his long-time friends or do we want a sheriff that will stand up and take charge? You can decide that on May 5th.
Arnetta Miller
Winona Lake
Whitaker Doing His Job
Editor, Times-Union:It is pretty sad that people can't respect people that are doing their job. I have read a lot of things about people who are putting Sam Whitaker down only because he was doing his job. Please people, get your act together! Those kids knew exactly what they were doing. If you do the crime you do the time. I am wanting to start a family and I hope that if someone sees my child doing wrong that they will do the same that Sam Whitaker did, so I can get help for my child. Referring to Mrs. Brumfield's letter, I would be ashamed to write what you did because I feel you should have stood behind Sam Whitaker because you are the school's assistant principal, when those kids not only broke the law of the community but also the law of the school. I ask my question to you, are you doing your job right? I believe that if you want someone that is going to be honest, fair and stand by the law then May 5th vote for someone that does his job right. My vote will be for Sam Whitaker for he does his job right.
Also something else that is sad is people can't put up signs with out someone trying to take them down or steal them. We have a sign in our yard and someone came to my house and asked if I gave Sam Whitaker permission to put a sign up. Don't you think if someone didn't want the sign in the yard they would take it down themselves? No, someone from off the street came to see if he had permission and then tried to take my sign. That is what I call very rude and very dishonest. To whoever is putting people up to doing that is not right. Let's be fair and let people put up their signs and not have to worry if someone is going to take the sign down. Where is the justice.
Denise Gross
Etna Green
Endorses Hampton
Editor, Times-Union:My name is Casey Hampton and I'm a freshman at WCHS. Obviously due to the fact that Dan Hampton is running for prosecutor of Kosciusko County I have been following the prosecutor's race closely. While I may not know a lot about politics I do know that despite what "some people" suggest, Dan Hampton is NOT a liar. My uncle is a man of his word.
Certainly there is no love lost between Dan and Mr. Kolbe. There has been a lot of mud slinging between the two. Isn't it about time to put all the negativity aside and get down to the real issue, who would be the best prosecutor for Kosciusko County? I think Dan Hampton's record speaks for itself. Dan Hampton should be elected prosecutor of Kosciusko County.
Casey Hampton
Warsaw
Thanks To VFW
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to thank those members who gave of their time to serve at the military burial site in the rain, cold, snow and wind, five in eight days and 25 times in 10 months.
Their families thank you, Post 49, VFW 1126 and our country thank you.
2nd Vice Bob Lichtenwalter
Commander Dave Hubler
Hospital Stay
Editor, Times-Union:KCH Concern
On April 8, I took my husband to the hospital emergency room at 3 p.m. Before we left for there we called the doctor to let him know that my husband was very ill. He then called the hospital to let them know. When we arrived they took him in very quickly. After about six hours another doctor came in and asked if my husband's doctor had been called and we did not know. Around 9 p.m. he came in to see us. He then admitted my husband, putting him in room 420, bed B. At about 9 p.m. I decided to go home since the doctor said my husband would be sleeping. I went back to the hospital at 7 a.m. and went to room 420 to find a woman in the bed my husband was to be in. I asked the nurse where he was and she said she did not know. She then called the front desk and was told he was in ICU. I rushed there and I was told that he had a heart problem the night before and had to be rushed down there. A very nice nurse named Kim apologized for the error someone else made in not letting me know that my husband was in trouble and was being moved. Can anyone imagine how scared I was when I couldn't find him. I asked what happened and was told I would have to wait for the doctor, who came in about 3 p.m.
I told him what had happened, but nothing was said.
To say that I was angry is mild. I cannot believe there are caregivers that just don't give two cents for the feeling of others. You call yourselves medical people, well I don't. All I can say is you should be very ashamed of yourselves for what you did. You should be embarrassed. You scared the living heck out of me.
Manda Vuittonet
Boys, Girls Club Supported
Editor, Times-Union:In today's world we are all looking for answers to gang activity, juvenile crime and violence. It seems that there is no answer to all of these problems, or is there?
What a phenomenal experience it has been to witness a program like the Kosciusko County Boys & Girls Club in action. They offer a nationwide concept of an after-school program for students ages 6 to 18. The kids were there of their own free will and it was controlled, creative and organized. In the small amount of time I have spent with Cindy Knepper, her husband, Mike, and all the other volunteers, I am overwhelmed by their commitment and genuine concern for these kids. They all help with the wide variety of programs that are offered. As role models, they support these kids in far-reaching ways that cannot be measured in simple numbers.
Seeing these programs is a great cure for "There is nothing I can do about it" feeling we have felt. These local programs need the community support now more than ever. The feeling you get from helping these kids' programs is a great alternative to shaking your head and saying, "What is wrong with these kids today?"
Contact the club and ask where your time or contribution could be used to continue these great programs. Try to make a difference.
Dennis Stouder
Warsaw
Memories Of Ferguson
Editor, Times-Union:Last week - April 16 - I read in the Times-Union of the death of B. Waymond Ferguson of Muncie at the age of 77.
Although sad news, it brought back fond memories. The name possibly meant nothing to most readers, because in his high school days in Warsaw, he was Junior Ferguson, without doubt the most proficient all-around black athlete in Warsaw High School history.
Junior starred in football, basketball and track from 1936-38. He was a star halfback, a outstanding sprinter and a very good basketball player.
There are not many of his former teammates or friends still around here. I was one, as were fellows like Mike Tight, Ben Welterman, Bob Richmond, Bob Buell, Bob Gast, Bill Braddock and others.
As one who wrote about or knew about outstanding WHS athletes for more than 40 years, I repeat he was the best black athlete in WHS history.
Curtis "Gabby" Garber
Warsaw
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- Responds To Brumfield - Endorses Waggoner - Endorses Recorder Candidate - Integrity - Whitaker Doing His Job - Endorses Hampton - Thanks To VFW - Hospital Stay - Boys, Girls Club Supported - Memories Of Ferguson
Responds To Brumfield
Editor Times-Union:Re: Letter to the Editor that appeared April 17 from Jennifer Brumfield.
I guess that you feel that if "your candidate" is losing the election, you write a letter and accuse another candidate of having no integrity.
The incident that Brumfield talked about happened two years ago. I ask why you waited until now to "inform the voters"? I have heard rumors that Jennifer's husband, Doug, is going to be Aaron's captain. Jennifer, this isn't politically motivated, is it?
Whitaker has told his supporters many times, that his campaign was not going to use smear tactics to win. Obviously, supporters of other candidates do not have the same policy. Whitaker's campaign signs are even being stolen.
I was with Whitaker when the information about juvenile drinking was taken to the school. Whitaker did speak with Jennifer Brumfield, after he was told by the sheriff and prosecutor that he should take the information to the school. Whitaker gave Jennifer a sealed envelope, and told her that he was concerned that Coach Rhodes and Athletic Director Fulkerson would think he was giving the information to the school because his son was cut from the basketball team. Whitaker told Jennifer she had the information and it was her decision on what to do with it, as he did not want to be falsely accused of something, exactly as you are doing now!
Jennifer, you stated that the information had to be put on Paul Crousore's desk. The sealed envelope was typed notes of an informal interview with two of the juveniles that Whitaker and another officer had spoken to. There were no signatures on the document, and it was not a report! It was just information that was obtained. Do "athletic codes" for the school only apply to certain athletes? Whitaker did type the notes, but this is not unusual, since the majority of the paperwork was done by Sam. Jennifer, you told Sam and myself that if you were the principal, you would have the Athletic Department and David Fulkerson investigated for corruption! I'll take a polygraph on that statement, will you?
After 23 years on the department, my personal integrity believes that: "Those who live in glass house, should not throw stones." Jennifer, you have challenged Sam and his integrity. You say that you can die with a clear conscience because you have integrity. Let's explore your "house," and why you were dismissed as director of Multi-Township EMS.
Did Sheriff Rovenstine know Aaron was running for office at the time of the school incident? When I asked him why he was shutting down the drug unit, Sheriff Rovenstine stated he was catching a lot of "heat." I then asked, "Did I do anything wrong?" and he stated "no." "Did Sam do anything wrong?" "No." "Then why?" And Rovenstine said, "Sometimes you just got to do what you got to do." It still bothers me that the politics of basketball at Warsaw was more important than underage drinking.
Integrity is not something that you can say you have. It is something that you build over years. And believe me, Sam Whitaker has it!
Gerry Moser
North Webster
Editor's Note: This letter is being published a second time because a line was omitted the first time it was published.
Endorses Waggoner
Editor, Times-Union:Charles Waggoner is a man who has dedicated his entire career to the protection and service of others. For over 20 years he successfully served the citizens of Indiana in the State Police. There is no way of telling how many people were helped by his commitment and his abilities.
Chuck's wife recently allowed us to read two letters written to Chuck. One was from William Sessions, Director of the FBI, thanking him for his significant career in law enforcement in Indiana and specifically for the invaluable assistance and support of several successful FBI operations. The second letter was from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorney's Council thanking him for his involvement in training area prosecutors.
On a more personal note, several years ago Chuck organized a group of men from the area to the very first Promise Keepers event in Indianapolis. Chuck took care of all the logistics for this venture which resulted in an unforgettable experience for these men.
Everyone who knows Chuck knows him to be a man of great honor and integrity. He possesses the depth of character and leadership skills so vital to the operation of the prosecutor's office.
His experience in law enforcement, private law practice and as Chief Deputy Prosecutor makes him uniquely qualified for the position of Kosciusko County Prosecutor.
He is a dedicated, tireless worker and will effectively serve the citizens of our county. We strongly urge you to consider Charles Waggoner when you vote in the primary elections on May 5th.
Todd and Karen Smith
Warsaw
Endorses Recorder Candidate
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to publicly endorse LaShawn L. Brumfield for Kosciusko County Recorder. LaShawn has been with the Recorder's Office since 1995 and is the chief deputy.
LaShawn is extremely knowledgeable and very competent with all aspects of the Recorder's Office, especially the state-of-the-art computer software and our equipment.
LaShawn is trustworthy, honest, pleasant with the public and is an excellent public servant.
I encourage you to vote for LaShawn L. Brumfield as the next Kosciusko County Recorder.
Alice I. Anglin
Kosciusko County Recorder
Warsaw
Integrity
Editor, Times-Union:Concerning the article "Integrity," I would like to respond to it. I would like to ask Mrs. Brumfield a question. Would your old-time friend still be your friend if he would have ignored the fact that a couple young men were breaking the laws that Whitaker has spent 17 years trying to enforce? Mrs. Brumfield, it seems to me that you have double standards. You work at our Community Public High School, which the school itself has the young men that play high school sports sign a code of ethics which says if caught drinking you will be terminated from the sports program. If you don't believe that yourself maybe you should go before the school board and have the laws changed. I would like to know what has happened to our community when parents and adults think it's OK for their children to drink alcohol. We have let our standards down so far that we don't know what's right and what's wrong.
You stated that Whitaker was out for vengeance. Ma'am, he did not put the alcohol in their hand, he did not purchase the alcohol for them to consume. Can I remind you they broke the school code of ethics and also broke the law of the community that you love so much. Aaron Rovenstine's article in the Times-Union states "Youth offenders need to be accountable for their actions" which is correct. It was the young men that should be on trial not Sam Whitaker. He was doing the job that he was getting paid to do. Mrs. Brumfield, I do believe you need to get your story straight. 1. The Drug Task Team is still in existence. 2. Whitaker was not and has not been demoted. 3. If the young men broke the law, Whitaker enforced the law, how can you feel betrayed? 4. You are criticizing a man that you should be giving a medal to for all the efforts he has made trying to make this community safe for our children and grandchildren. I would like to sign off with one question to this community. Do we want a sheriff that ignores the problems that exist and tries to please his long-time friends or do we want a sheriff that will stand up and take charge? You can decide that on May 5th.
Arnetta Miller
Winona Lake
Whitaker Doing His Job
Editor, Times-Union:It is pretty sad that people can't respect people that are doing their job. I have read a lot of things about people who are putting Sam Whitaker down only because he was doing his job. Please people, get your act together! Those kids knew exactly what they were doing. If you do the crime you do the time. I am wanting to start a family and I hope that if someone sees my child doing wrong that they will do the same that Sam Whitaker did, so I can get help for my child. Referring to Mrs. Brumfield's letter, I would be ashamed to write what you did because I feel you should have stood behind Sam Whitaker because you are the school's assistant principal, when those kids not only broke the law of the community but also the law of the school. I ask my question to you, are you doing your job right? I believe that if you want someone that is going to be honest, fair and stand by the law then May 5th vote for someone that does his job right. My vote will be for Sam Whitaker for he does his job right.
Also something else that is sad is people can't put up signs with out someone trying to take them down or steal them. We have a sign in our yard and someone came to my house and asked if I gave Sam Whitaker permission to put a sign up. Don't you think if someone didn't want the sign in the yard they would take it down themselves? No, someone from off the street came to see if he had permission and then tried to take my sign. That is what I call very rude and very dishonest. To whoever is putting people up to doing that is not right. Let's be fair and let people put up their signs and not have to worry if someone is going to take the sign down. Where is the justice.
Denise Gross
Etna Green
Endorses Hampton
Editor, Times-Union:My name is Casey Hampton and I'm a freshman at WCHS. Obviously due to the fact that Dan Hampton is running for prosecutor of Kosciusko County I have been following the prosecutor's race closely. While I may not know a lot about politics I do know that despite what "some people" suggest, Dan Hampton is NOT a liar. My uncle is a man of his word.
Certainly there is no love lost between Dan and Mr. Kolbe. There has been a lot of mud slinging between the two. Isn't it about time to put all the negativity aside and get down to the real issue, who would be the best prosecutor for Kosciusko County? I think Dan Hampton's record speaks for itself. Dan Hampton should be elected prosecutor of Kosciusko County.
Casey Hampton
Warsaw
Thanks To VFW
Editor, Times-Union:I wish to thank those members who gave of their time to serve at the military burial site in the rain, cold, snow and wind, five in eight days and 25 times in 10 months.
Their families thank you, Post 49, VFW 1126 and our country thank you.
2nd Vice Bob Lichtenwalter
Commander Dave Hubler
Hospital Stay
Editor, Times-Union:KCH Concern
On April 8, I took my husband to the hospital emergency room at 3 p.m. Before we left for there we called the doctor to let him know that my husband was very ill. He then called the hospital to let them know. When we arrived they took him in very quickly. After about six hours another doctor came in and asked if my husband's doctor had been called and we did not know. Around 9 p.m. he came in to see us. He then admitted my husband, putting him in room 420, bed B. At about 9 p.m. I decided to go home since the doctor said my husband would be sleeping. I went back to the hospital at 7 a.m. and went to room 420 to find a woman in the bed my husband was to be in. I asked the nurse where he was and she said she did not know. She then called the front desk and was told he was in ICU. I rushed there and I was told that he had a heart problem the night before and had to be rushed down there. A very nice nurse named Kim apologized for the error someone else made in not letting me know that my husband was in trouble and was being moved. Can anyone imagine how scared I was when I couldn't find him. I asked what happened and was told I would have to wait for the doctor, who came in about 3 p.m.
I told him what had happened, but nothing was said.
To say that I was angry is mild. I cannot believe there are caregivers that just don't give two cents for the feeling of others. You call yourselves medical people, well I don't. All I can say is you should be very ashamed of yourselves for what you did. You should be embarrassed. You scared the living heck out of me.
Manda Vuittonet
Boys, Girls Club Supported
Editor, Times-Union:In today's world we are all looking for answers to gang activity, juvenile crime and violence. It seems that there is no answer to all of these problems, or is there?
What a phenomenal experience it has been to witness a program like the Kosciusko County Boys & Girls Club in action. They offer a nationwide concept of an after-school program for students ages 6 to 18. The kids were there of their own free will and it was controlled, creative and organized. In the small amount of time I have spent with Cindy Knepper, her husband, Mike, and all the other volunteers, I am overwhelmed by their commitment and genuine concern for these kids. They all help with the wide variety of programs that are offered. As role models, they support these kids in far-reaching ways that cannot be measured in simple numbers.
Seeing these programs is a great cure for "There is nothing I can do about it" feeling we have felt. These local programs need the community support now more than ever. The feeling you get from helping these kids' programs is a great alternative to shaking your head and saying, "What is wrong with these kids today?"
Contact the club and ask where your time or contribution could be used to continue these great programs. Try to make a difference.
Dennis Stouder
Warsaw
Memories Of Ferguson
Editor, Times-Union:Last week - April 16 - I read in the Times-Union of the death of B. Waymond Ferguson of Muncie at the age of 77.
Although sad news, it brought back fond memories. The name possibly meant nothing to most readers, because in his high school days in Warsaw, he was Junior Ferguson, without doubt the most proficient all-around black athlete in Warsaw High School history.
Junior starred in football, basketball and track from 1936-38. He was a star halfback, a outstanding sprinter and a very good basketball player.
There are not many of his former teammates or friends still around here. I was one, as were fellows like Mike Tight, Ben Welterman, Bob Richmond, Bob Buell, Bob Gast, Bill Braddock and others.
As one who wrote about or knew about outstanding WHS athletes for more than 40 years, I repeat he was the best black athlete in WHS history.
Curtis "Gabby" Garber
Warsaw
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