Letters to the Editor 11-13-1997
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Help For CCS - Gun Column - Juries - Campaign Promises
Help For CCS
Editor, Times-Union:Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!
Please, Mr. Editor, tell me it's not true that Warsaw doesn't have a heart?! 'Cause Combined Community Services made mention in the Times-Union (Nov. 3, 1997) that their pantry is empty. They weren't kiddin' - I saw it with my own eyes!
I would like to challenge Kosciusko County, but for starters, my neck of the woods, Hodges Additions, to start filling up that pantry. Just $5 a week of the following food items: pastas, cereals, shortening, flour, sugar, powdered milk, evaporated milk, peanut butter, jelly, jams, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, macaroni and cheese, and canned tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, juices, soup and meats.
How many of us take for granted our jobs, food in our bellies and a warm home? Anyone of these could be taken away at any given moment! Hardships come without a moment's notice, to each and every one of us daily. Some more than others.
Please remember it may be you, it may be me, it may be my neighbor who has fallen upon hard times.
I can only hope that you or my neighbor can find the heart to spare just $5 a week to help me in my time of need.
Since I'm not in that time of need, I plan on doing my part to help you and my neighbor.
'Cause we are all in Kosciusko County together!
Thank you!
Karen A. Fisher
Warsaw
P.S. If your schedule is too busy to make your food dropoff at CCS, I will be happy to make the dropoff for you. Please leave the food on my doorstep!
Karen Fisher
1815 E. Sheridan St.
Warsaw
268-0296
Call to get tips where to shop to get more for your money.
Gun Column
Editor, Times-Union:Congratulations to Managing Editor Gary Gerard for his very excellent article in the Times-Union on Saturday, Nov. 8: "What's Up With The Way We Cover Gun Stories?"
He hit the nail squarely on the head and drove it straight home with some very convincing facts.
The pioneers in this country all had guns in their homes and knew how to handle and use them, including the womenfolk and even the children. Criminals just didn't barge into a home as they knew what would be waiting for them.
Twice in my life I have used a gun to deter would-be intruders without firing a shot. Their knowing that I was armed and would not hesitate to pull the trigger was all the persuasion needed to change their mind in a hurry.
Dale Mock
North Webster
Juries
Editor, Times-Union:The framers of our constitution gave us the ultimate protection, trial by jury. The right of the jury is to pass final judgment on all laws, the facts of the case, and the moral intent of the accused.
Today the judge instructs the jury to consider only the facts of the case, and then the judge becomes the sole arbiter of evidence admissible in court. The jury is the last safeguard of people's rights. Sadly, that protection is just about gone. Examples: 1. Waco, where evidence was bulldozed; 2. Oklahoma City, where the BATF ordered all personnel stationed and officed in the Murrah building to absent themselves the day of the bombing: 3. The recent English au pair case.
Thomas Jefferson said, "To consider judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy."
It is up to us to restore the principle of trial by jury to its rightful place of importance. An awakening citizenry, participating in juries around the country, could bring about a nonviolent revolution of magnificent proportions, reversing the trends of the 20th century. Think about it.
Mike Burk
Goshen
Campaign Promises
Editor, Times-Union:The other day I got out my album of my 1993-1994 campaign for this office. I wanted to revisit some of the feeling of that time. It reminded me of what our vision was and is for this county and what we see for the future.
My first campaign stop was a town meeting in Pierceton in September of 1993. There I contended we needed to do more in the areas of drunken driving enforcement and recovering child support. I saw these as two pivotal areas. I believe the statistics show we have delivered upon our commitment.
In the first two years and 9-1/2 months (roughly two-thirds of the term) we have filed 192 felony drunken driving cases to 34 in the whole term of the prior administration. We project 280 cases filed over four years for over a 700 percent increase. This does not mean there are just more felony drunken drivers. The cases were always there, but we now prosecute them.
In the area of child support collections, in 1994, the last year of the prior administration, $2.1 million was collected. Last year, 1996, we collected over $3.0 million. That is a 41 percent increase in comparing those years. But let me add we have so much more we can and must do for our most vulnerable children.
Another area I believe we needed to improve was in aggressiveness in prosecution. I felt a lot of cases were slipping through or never getting filed, especially in the more serious crimes. Again, the statistics bear out our performance. From the years 1991-1994 (the prior administration) a total of 1120 felony cases were filed. For just the first two years and 9-1/2 months (roughly two-thirds of a term) our administration has exceeded that total with 1243 felony cases filed. Over a four-year period we project out that we will file over 1800 felonies for a 66 percent increase compared to the prior administration.
The large increase in felony filings does not mean we simply have had more crime. Much of it was always there. The fact is we are taking a firmer hand in addressing it, which was my commitment when I sought this office.
Taking a more aggressive stand against crime causes tension. First, those who commit crimes do not like it and, second, it puts a lot of stress on the justice system, which in many respects was designed for an earlier era. But in the long run we believe firmness benefits, overall, the citizens of our county.
Over the next few months I hope to share more statistics and examples of our performance for you to see. There is much more. In my view the citizens are the boss and you have a right to know how we are doing.
If you have any questions about these subjects or any others, call me at 372-2419 or write me at 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
David C. Kolbe
Prosecuting Attorney
Claypool
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- Help For CCS - Gun Column - Juries - Campaign Promises
Help For CCS
Editor, Times-Union:Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus!
Please, Mr. Editor, tell me it's not true that Warsaw doesn't have a heart?! 'Cause Combined Community Services made mention in the Times-Union (Nov. 3, 1997) that their pantry is empty. They weren't kiddin' - I saw it with my own eyes!
I would like to challenge Kosciusko County, but for starters, my neck of the woods, Hodges Additions, to start filling up that pantry. Just $5 a week of the following food items: pastas, cereals, shortening, flour, sugar, powdered milk, evaporated milk, peanut butter, jelly, jams, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, macaroni and cheese, and canned tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, peas, carrots, juices, soup and meats.
How many of us take for granted our jobs, food in our bellies and a warm home? Anyone of these could be taken away at any given moment! Hardships come without a moment's notice, to each and every one of us daily. Some more than others.
Please remember it may be you, it may be me, it may be my neighbor who has fallen upon hard times.
I can only hope that you or my neighbor can find the heart to spare just $5 a week to help me in my time of need.
Since I'm not in that time of need, I plan on doing my part to help you and my neighbor.
'Cause we are all in Kosciusko County together!
Thank you!
Karen A. Fisher
Warsaw
P.S. If your schedule is too busy to make your food dropoff at CCS, I will be happy to make the dropoff for you. Please leave the food on my doorstep!
Karen Fisher
1815 E. Sheridan St.
Warsaw
268-0296
Call to get tips where to shop to get more for your money.
Gun Column
Editor, Times-Union:Congratulations to Managing Editor Gary Gerard for his very excellent article in the Times-Union on Saturday, Nov. 8: "What's Up With The Way We Cover Gun Stories?"
He hit the nail squarely on the head and drove it straight home with some very convincing facts.
The pioneers in this country all had guns in their homes and knew how to handle and use them, including the womenfolk and even the children. Criminals just didn't barge into a home as they knew what would be waiting for them.
Twice in my life I have used a gun to deter would-be intruders without firing a shot. Their knowing that I was armed and would not hesitate to pull the trigger was all the persuasion needed to change their mind in a hurry.
Dale Mock
North Webster
Juries
Editor, Times-Union:The framers of our constitution gave us the ultimate protection, trial by jury. The right of the jury is to pass final judgment on all laws, the facts of the case, and the moral intent of the accused.
Today the judge instructs the jury to consider only the facts of the case, and then the judge becomes the sole arbiter of evidence admissible in court. The jury is the last safeguard of people's rights. Sadly, that protection is just about gone. Examples: 1. Waco, where evidence was bulldozed; 2. Oklahoma City, where the BATF ordered all personnel stationed and officed in the Murrah building to absent themselves the day of the bombing: 3. The recent English au pair case.
Thomas Jefferson said, "To consider judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy."
It is up to us to restore the principle of trial by jury to its rightful place of importance. An awakening citizenry, participating in juries around the country, could bring about a nonviolent revolution of magnificent proportions, reversing the trends of the 20th century. Think about it.
Mike Burk
Goshen
Campaign Promises
Editor, Times-Union:The other day I got out my album of my 1993-1994 campaign for this office. I wanted to revisit some of the feeling of that time. It reminded me of what our vision was and is for this county and what we see for the future.
My first campaign stop was a town meeting in Pierceton in September of 1993. There I contended we needed to do more in the areas of drunken driving enforcement and recovering child support. I saw these as two pivotal areas. I believe the statistics show we have delivered upon our commitment.
In the first two years and 9-1/2 months (roughly two-thirds of the term) we have filed 192 felony drunken driving cases to 34 in the whole term of the prior administration. We project 280 cases filed over four years for over a 700 percent increase. This does not mean there are just more felony drunken drivers. The cases were always there, but we now prosecute them.
In the area of child support collections, in 1994, the last year of the prior administration, $2.1 million was collected. Last year, 1996, we collected over $3.0 million. That is a 41 percent increase in comparing those years. But let me add we have so much more we can and must do for our most vulnerable children.
Another area I believe we needed to improve was in aggressiveness in prosecution. I felt a lot of cases were slipping through or never getting filed, especially in the more serious crimes. Again, the statistics bear out our performance. From the years 1991-1994 (the prior administration) a total of 1120 felony cases were filed. For just the first two years and 9-1/2 months (roughly two-thirds of a term) our administration has exceeded that total with 1243 felony cases filed. Over a four-year period we project out that we will file over 1800 felonies for a 66 percent increase compared to the prior administration.
The large increase in felony filings does not mean we simply have had more crime. Much of it was always there. The fact is we are taking a firmer hand in addressing it, which was my commitment when I sought this office.
Taking a more aggressive stand against crime causes tension. First, those who commit crimes do not like it and, second, it puts a lot of stress on the justice system, which in many respects was designed for an earlier era. But in the long run we believe firmness benefits, overall, the citizens of our county.
Over the next few months I hope to share more statistics and examples of our performance for you to see. There is much more. In my view the citizens are the boss and you have a right to know how we are doing.
If you have any questions about these subjects or any others, call me at 372-2419 or write me at 121 N. Lake St., Warsaw, IN 46580.
David C. Kolbe
Prosecuting Attorney
Claypool
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