Letters to the Editor 10-28-1997
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- KLVA - Line-Item Veto - Winona Meeting - Misinformation
KLVA
Editor, Times-Union:Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers of America (KLVA) recently completed a tutor training workshop in conjunction with the Alternative Learning Center's volunteer coordinator, Donna Bower. It was a surprise to me at the workshop to hear one of our trainees say, "I didn't even know this place was here."
I've been wondering since then how many other people who live in our community do not know the Alternative Learning Center exists, and therefore, most certainly do not know what happens there.
The first thing that surprised some of our trainees is that the Alternative Learning Center, located at 1802 E. Winona Ave. at the "red apple sign," is part of Warsaw Community Schools. Dave McGuire, director, and all of the teachers are employed by WCS.
The second big surprise was that ALC serves approximately 600 students a year in one of its programs. The Adult Basic Education (ABE) school is the one for which KLVA recruits and trains volunteer tutors. Learners come to ABE to improve basic literacy skills, to get a GED, or to learn English as a second language. These basic literacy/adult new readers are students learning to cope with, or wanting to improve, their life skills levels, or wanting to learn to read, or to improve their reading skills.
There has been a recent increase in the number of students enrolling in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. KLVA is planning to offer a series of training workshops later this fall for persons who want to learn how to tutor ESL students.
If you are interested in volunteering, either as an English tutor or as a tutor for an ESL student, please call 269-3721. You can make a difference in someone else's life by just giving one or two hours per week to help that person experience the joy and power of learning to read.
Grace Abbott
Executive Director
Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers of America
Line-Item Veto
Editor, Times-Union:In regard to Congressman Buyer's letter, Times-Union, Oct. 22, concerning President Clinton's veto of a bill that included $8.9 million for upgrades at Grissom. Is there something about the line-item veto process that Mr. Buyer doesn't understand? If every veto has to be beaten to death by a bunch of self-serving politicians, then what's the point? If Mr. Buyer is really serious about the money for Grissom maybe he can stop payment on that $15 million check we are holding for Israel. If the politicians and bureaucrats can't be stopped from wasting our money, then the least they could do is waste it in this country instead of all over the world. It would be better yet if the federal income tax were eliminated. This would reduce their ability to waste. The writers of our Constitution never in their worst dreams intended that the federal government be able to withhold income from the individual.
Mr. Buyer states, "The line-item veto is a very useful tool in cutting unnecessary spending." May I suggest to Congressman Buyer that a more useful tool for cutting spending would be politicians who have the best interests of this country at heart and not their own self-serving motives. If this were the case, most of this garbage called legislation would never get on paper in the first place.
Charles Carnes
Warsaw
Winona Meeting
Editor, Times-Union:V. H. Gaddis and J. A. Huffman, in "The Story Of Winona Lake," spoke of the Winona Lake Bible Conference, founded in 1885 by Dr. Sal C. Dickey and consecrated by men of faith during a horrific thunderstorm in 1906. They wrote: "Thus on a night of raging elements was Winona consecration to God humbly made. Not a single member of this group present that night lives on earth today (1960) but their dreams created in faith refuse to die."
Indeed, those dreams of a community founded in faith in Almighty God refuse to die in 1997. Those giants of the faith who participated in the history and faithful continuation of this community through the years include such notables as Billy Sunday, Dwight L. Moody, William Jennings Bryan, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, Homer Rodeheaver, Billy Graham and many others. Many of us who now reside in Winona Lake would like to see the legacy of these great saints of God continue into the 21st century.
Virtually everyone today knows of the effect of alcoholic beverages on American lives. Our jails and prisons are filled with criminals whose crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol. Twenty-five thousand lives each year in our country are snuffed out before their time in automobile accidents caused by drinking drivers. Add to that spousal abusal, abuse of children, absentee dads, poverty, and the list of evil connected to the liquor industry goes on. Who foots the bills for these social problems? We all do!
The issue of alcohol being offered in the hotel and restaurant in Winona goes against the spirit in which our community was founded. The restoration of our community and of the Billy Sunday home physically are noble projects which I support. But even better than those important projects is the restoration of the spirit of Billy Sunday and his brethren. In 1915 Billy Sunday said in a sermon he preached, "I am the sworn, eternal, uncompromising enemy of the liquor traffic." (I am too!) The very mention of the name Winona Lake in the minds of many Christian people in America (some who have never even been here) stands for the best of Christian living. Let's not let that great legacy die today.
Since citizens of Winona Lake were not permitted to present their petitions against the sale of alcohol at the last town council meeting, Brent Wilcoxson has agreed to meet with concerned citizens to discuss the issue of the sale of alcoholic beverages in Winona Lake at the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church. The meeting will be in the church gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 30. We urge you to attend if you care about this issue and about our great town.
Bonnielea Newton
Winona Lake
Misinformation
Editor, Times-Union:As a former bank teller I feel obligated to inform your readers that information contained in a recently published letter was grossly incorrect.
On Oct. 22, Mr. Daniel Stevens stated that it is a citizen's responsibility under federal law to report cash transactions totaling $10,000 between bank accounts, cash purchases of money orders of $3,000 or more, and certain large cash purchases.
The federal law that requires reporting and tracking of such transactions was designed to end money laundering by drug dealers. There is no penalty associated with making such transactions in a legal manner; however, a pattern of large cash bank deposits or purchases would raise suspicion.
Furthermore, it is not a citizen's responsibility to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR, IRS form 4789). That would completely defeat the purpose of the law, as no criminal is going to voluntarily report his own illegal activity. The person accepting the large amount of cash, be it the bank teller, car dealership or money order dealer, is legally responsible for reporting the transaction. It is also required that the customer be informed of the report at the time of the transaction. There is no reward associated with the customer's failure to report his cash dealings. Instead, if a bank teller or car dealer fails to report a transaction he is subject to a fine of up to $150,000 and/or five years in a federal prison.
Mr. Stevens' letter reflects much misinformation and a clear anti-government sentiment. While Mr. Stevens is certainly entitled to any political beliefs he cares to subscribe to, your readers need not worry that they have inadvertently committed federal crimes; not that their bank tellers are scheming to collect rewards at their expense. If anyone has questions concerning their legal responsibilities toward CRT, I suggest that they contact a reputable tax accountant.
Dawn Hayes
Richmond, Va.
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- KLVA - Line-Item Veto - Winona Meeting - Misinformation
KLVA
Editor, Times-Union:Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers of America (KLVA) recently completed a tutor training workshop in conjunction with the Alternative Learning Center's volunteer coordinator, Donna Bower. It was a surprise to me at the workshop to hear one of our trainees say, "I didn't even know this place was here."
I've been wondering since then how many other people who live in our community do not know the Alternative Learning Center exists, and therefore, most certainly do not know what happens there.
The first thing that surprised some of our trainees is that the Alternative Learning Center, located at 1802 E. Winona Ave. at the "red apple sign," is part of Warsaw Community Schools. Dave McGuire, director, and all of the teachers are employed by WCS.
The second big surprise was that ALC serves approximately 600 students a year in one of its programs. The Adult Basic Education (ABE) school is the one for which KLVA recruits and trains volunteer tutors. Learners come to ABE to improve basic literacy skills, to get a GED, or to learn English as a second language. These basic literacy/adult new readers are students learning to cope with, or wanting to improve, their life skills levels, or wanting to learn to read, or to improve their reading skills.
There has been a recent increase in the number of students enrolling in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. KLVA is planning to offer a series of training workshops later this fall for persons who want to learn how to tutor ESL students.
If you are interested in volunteering, either as an English tutor or as a tutor for an ESL student, please call 269-3721. You can make a difference in someone else's life by just giving one or two hours per week to help that person experience the joy and power of learning to read.
Grace Abbott
Executive Director
Kosciusko Literacy Volunteers of America
Line-Item Veto
Editor, Times-Union:In regard to Congressman Buyer's letter, Times-Union, Oct. 22, concerning President Clinton's veto of a bill that included $8.9 million for upgrades at Grissom. Is there something about the line-item veto process that Mr. Buyer doesn't understand? If every veto has to be beaten to death by a bunch of self-serving politicians, then what's the point? If Mr. Buyer is really serious about the money for Grissom maybe he can stop payment on that $15 million check we are holding for Israel. If the politicians and bureaucrats can't be stopped from wasting our money, then the least they could do is waste it in this country instead of all over the world. It would be better yet if the federal income tax were eliminated. This would reduce their ability to waste. The writers of our Constitution never in their worst dreams intended that the federal government be able to withhold income from the individual.
Mr. Buyer states, "The line-item veto is a very useful tool in cutting unnecessary spending." May I suggest to Congressman Buyer that a more useful tool for cutting spending would be politicians who have the best interests of this country at heart and not their own self-serving motives. If this were the case, most of this garbage called legislation would never get on paper in the first place.
Charles Carnes
Warsaw
Winona Meeting
Editor, Times-Union:V. H. Gaddis and J. A. Huffman, in "The Story Of Winona Lake," spoke of the Winona Lake Bible Conference, founded in 1885 by Dr. Sal C. Dickey and consecrated by men of faith during a horrific thunderstorm in 1906. They wrote: "Thus on a night of raging elements was Winona consecration to God humbly made. Not a single member of this group present that night lives on earth today (1960) but their dreams created in faith refuse to die."
Indeed, those dreams of a community founded in faith in Almighty God refuse to die in 1997. Those giants of the faith who participated in the history and faithful continuation of this community through the years include such notables as Billy Sunday, Dwight L. Moody, William Jennings Bryan, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan, Homer Rodeheaver, Billy Graham and many others. Many of us who now reside in Winona Lake would like to see the legacy of these great saints of God continue into the 21st century.
Virtually everyone today knows of the effect of alcoholic beverages on American lives. Our jails and prisons are filled with criminals whose crimes were committed under the influence of alcohol. Twenty-five thousand lives each year in our country are snuffed out before their time in automobile accidents caused by drinking drivers. Add to that spousal abusal, abuse of children, absentee dads, poverty, and the list of evil connected to the liquor industry goes on. Who foots the bills for these social problems? We all do!
The issue of alcohol being offered in the hotel and restaurant in Winona goes against the spirit in which our community was founded. The restoration of our community and of the Billy Sunday home physically are noble projects which I support. But even better than those important projects is the restoration of the spirit of Billy Sunday and his brethren. In 1915 Billy Sunday said in a sermon he preached, "I am the sworn, eternal, uncompromising enemy of the liquor traffic." (I am too!) The very mention of the name Winona Lake in the minds of many Christian people in America (some who have never even been here) stands for the best of Christian living. Let's not let that great legacy die today.
Since citizens of Winona Lake were not permitted to present their petitions against the sale of alcohol at the last town council meeting, Brent Wilcoxson has agreed to meet with concerned citizens to discuss the issue of the sale of alcoholic beverages in Winona Lake at the Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church. The meeting will be in the church gymnasium at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 30. We urge you to attend if you care about this issue and about our great town.
Bonnielea Newton
Winona Lake
Misinformation
Editor, Times-Union:As a former bank teller I feel obligated to inform your readers that information contained in a recently published letter was grossly incorrect.
On Oct. 22, Mr. Daniel Stevens stated that it is a citizen's responsibility under federal law to report cash transactions totaling $10,000 between bank accounts, cash purchases of money orders of $3,000 or more, and certain large cash purchases.
The federal law that requires reporting and tracking of such transactions was designed to end money laundering by drug dealers. There is no penalty associated with making such transactions in a legal manner; however, a pattern of large cash bank deposits or purchases would raise suspicion.
Furthermore, it is not a citizen's responsibility to file a Currency Transaction Report (CTR, IRS form 4789). That would completely defeat the purpose of the law, as no criminal is going to voluntarily report his own illegal activity. The person accepting the large amount of cash, be it the bank teller, car dealership or money order dealer, is legally responsible for reporting the transaction. It is also required that the customer be informed of the report at the time of the transaction. There is no reward associated with the customer's failure to report his cash dealings. Instead, if a bank teller or car dealer fails to report a transaction he is subject to a fine of up to $150,000 and/or five years in a federal prison.
Mr. Stevens' letter reflects much misinformation and a clear anti-government sentiment. While Mr. Stevens is certainly entitled to any political beliefs he cares to subscribe to, your readers need not worry that they have inadvertently committed federal crimes; not that their bank tellers are scheming to collect rewards at their expense. If anyone has questions concerning their legal responsibilities toward CRT, I suggest that they contact a reputable tax accountant.
Dawn Hayes
Richmond, Va.
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