Letters to the Editor 12-04-2002
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Tire Problems - Akron Parents Say Thanks - Maine Votes - Trustee Race - Irate Fans
Tire Problems
Editor, Times-Union:On the front page of Saturday's (11/23/2002) paper was an article, "Atwood Tire Pile Cleanup Complete." I am very happy the IDEM persisted in this clean-up effort. Removing not only a huge eyesore and large health hazard, especially now with the fear of the West Nile virus, but the immense weight on the environment.
I am also amazed that there are people who don't understand the threat of improper tire disposal. This year I've seen the news channels repeatedly advise removing water from outside stored tires to avoid breeding grounds for mosquitoes. And I am saddened when I drive the back roads of Kosciusko County and find tires in the ditches or thrown out in some woods. Worse still, I recently had a neighbor suggest burning old tires. When I told him that it was a $500 fine for burning tires he said, "Not for agricultural reasons." I'm assuming he meant it was all right to burn tires under agricultural laws. I hope this is not the case. I searched the Internet trying to find an Indiana law that he might have been talking about. Instead, this is what I found from the Web site http://users.michweb.net/~fsyoungman/interest.htm
"The hazards of burning tires as fuel are many. Chemical composition tests on waste rubber show it contains numerous toxic air pollutants. Pollutants include sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid mist, known components of acid rain. Also released when tires are burned are heavy metals containing cadmium, hexavalent chromium VI, cobalt, nickel, zinc and lead.
"Toxins emitted from tire burning include known human carcinogens and the components of acid rain. Local experts believe increases in tire burning resulting in acid rain would be a threat to the viability of some area lakes. Other pollutants such as sulfur are known to contribute to asthma and cardiovascular disease affecting the sick, young and elderly. Heavy metals emitted from tire burning plants accumulate in the human system and natural environment and the long-term impact of this is of grave concern to many. Problems include lead toxicity that is currently considered the most significant disease of environmental origin in children in this nation. Mercury also puffs from the stack of energy plants. This pollution affects man and beast. While companies fight for permission to release more mercury into the atmosphere, the state continues to post a fish consumption advisory on fish from all Michigan lakes because of already high mercury pollution."
There are probably more than a few people who don't generally know this about tire burning. I hope to bring some awareness to what people have done for years without thinking about what they were putting in the air.
Sean Ambrose
Warsaw
via e-mail
Akron Parents Say Thanks
Editor, Times-Union:The Akron Parent Support Group would like to thank the many parents and guardians, staff members and local businesses that made this year's Fall Fest at Akron Elementary School a success. Businesses contributing to the raffle portion of this year's event included Akron Concrete Products, Akron Country Kitchen, Akron Family Medicine (Dr. Negreros), Akron Post Office, Akron Vision Center (Dr. Harris), Anne Marie's Pizza, the College Football Hall of Fame, Dairy Queen, Day Hardware, Eastlake Skate Center, the Fort Wayne Wizards, Good Oil Co., Helvey's Insurance One Services, Lake City Bank, Manchester College, Marilyn McDonald, Tammy Newman, Pike Lumber Co., Potter's The Family Tree Farm, Purdue University, Rochester Telephone Co., Shannon's Hair & Nail Design, the South Bend Silver Hawks, Viking Foods, Webb's Family Pharmacy, Wells Fargo Bank and Wise Family Farms. Also to be thanked are the Akron Boy Scouts for hosting the dinner portion of the Fall Fest.
The Akron Parent Support Group is designed to provide positive experiences for the students of Akron Elementary School and to provide opportunities for positive interaction between students and parents. The Fall Fest certainly accomplished these purposes. Thank you very much to our supportive community and everyone who contributed in any way to this most enjoyable evening!
Jamie Cumberland and Debbie Jones
Co-Presidents of the Akron Parent Support Group
Akron Elementary School
Maine Votes
Editor, Times-Union:You're missing a big story, and I'm writing to insist that you cover it immediately.
We don't have to reach back very far in history to remember the hue and cry of the Democratic Party: "Count all the votes."
Well, they've apparently changed their tune up in the state of Maine. The state senate there is comprised of 35 seats. When all the votes were counted last month, the Senate was tied 17-17 with one seat still in play. That seat was contested by Democrat Chris Hall v. Republican Leslie Fossel.
Right now the Democrat is nine votes ahead. There are 44 votes still to be counted. But the Democrats who are in control of the outgoing state senate are simply refusing to count them. The ballots have been examined, but NOT COUNTED. If they were to count all the votes, Fossel would win.
But they will not be counted!
The Democrat will be sworn in on Dec. 4, and the Democrats will have an 18-17 majority. The Republicans will offer a resolution disputing the seating of the Democrat, which will lose 18-17, with the disputed senator voting for himself. The president of the senate will appoint a task force to look into the election. It will have one more Democrat than Republican.
It will decide the election is fair and final. But it will not count all the votes.
Where is the outrage? Where are the cheering, jeering crowds led by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Where is Terry McAuliffe?
What is happening in Maine is critical and of importance to the rest of the nation. Since Jackson and Sharpton won't shout outrage, we average Americans must take their place and be sure everyone hears our anger. The media needs to do its duty and report on this one - even if it's the "wrong" party stealing the election.
Connie Jo Curtis
Warsaw
via e-mail
Trustee Race
Editor, Times-Union:Regarding the Wayne Township Trustee race, I agree with your comments in the News Views column of November 2nd. As a Republican, I generally vote for Republican candidates, but when there is an obvious difference between the candidate's education, experience and ability, I am willing to cross party lines. The election results show that many others feel the same. About 13 percent of the voters who chose Mark Souder split their ticket to vote for Pam Cartwright; if an additional 4 percent had done the same, she would be the new trustee.
As an educator, I believe that an education is important to everyone. I think that most people expect that a trustee, who is responsible for $1.1 million, would at least have a high school diploma. My students were astonished to find out that residency is the only requirement to be a trustee; a diploma is not required. I think Mr. Slone does not have the qualifications to be trustee. It is a good thing that the Republican Party has promised to provide him with all the help that he needs.
Alan Blakeley
Warsaw
via e-mail
Irate Fans
Editor, Times-Union:I recently attended a girls basketball sporting event and I was extremely disappointed in what I heard around me as I sat in the stands. For four years, I played high school basketball. I loved the teamwork, I thrived on the competition, I enjoyed the rivalries. All of those make basketball great to play and exciting to watch. However, as I watched the game, surrounded by "fans," I realized that the majority of "cheering" I heard were angry rants at referees and clapping when points went up on the scoreboard. What about "Nice pass!" What about "Great defense!" What about actually cheering for the players playing the game?
They work unbelievably hard to obtain the skills they have to play the game well and then you, their fans, come out and spend the whole game screaming at the referees. I saw excellent attitudes in the players on the floor. The bad attitudes and poor sportsmanship were in the stands.
The next time you are attending a game, or any sporting event, instead of complaining about the referees or the other team, try cheering for your own team. Yell out something positive to each player on the floor. You don't have to look that hard to find nice passes, good post moves, excellent ball handling, scrappy defense. Your sports teams deserve it!
Julianne (Tucker) Dunnuck
Warsaw
via e-mail
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- Tire Problems - Akron Parents Say Thanks - Maine Votes - Trustee Race - Irate Fans
Tire Problems
Editor, Times-Union:On the front page of Saturday's (11/23/2002) paper was an article, "Atwood Tire Pile Cleanup Complete." I am very happy the IDEM persisted in this clean-up effort. Removing not only a huge eyesore and large health hazard, especially now with the fear of the West Nile virus, but the immense weight on the environment.
I am also amazed that there are people who don't understand the threat of improper tire disposal. This year I've seen the news channels repeatedly advise removing water from outside stored tires to avoid breeding grounds for mosquitoes. And I am saddened when I drive the back roads of Kosciusko County and find tires in the ditches or thrown out in some woods. Worse still, I recently had a neighbor suggest burning old tires. When I told him that it was a $500 fine for burning tires he said, "Not for agricultural reasons." I'm assuming he meant it was all right to burn tires under agricultural laws. I hope this is not the case. I searched the Internet trying to find an Indiana law that he might have been talking about. Instead, this is what I found from the Web site http://users.michweb.net/~fsyoungman/interest.htm
"The hazards of burning tires as fuel are many. Chemical composition tests on waste rubber show it contains numerous toxic air pollutants. Pollutants include sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid mist, known components of acid rain. Also released when tires are burned are heavy metals containing cadmium, hexavalent chromium VI, cobalt, nickel, zinc and lead.
"Toxins emitted from tire burning include known human carcinogens and the components of acid rain. Local experts believe increases in tire burning resulting in acid rain would be a threat to the viability of some area lakes. Other pollutants such as sulfur are known to contribute to asthma and cardiovascular disease affecting the sick, young and elderly. Heavy metals emitted from tire burning plants accumulate in the human system and natural environment and the long-term impact of this is of grave concern to many. Problems include lead toxicity that is currently considered the most significant disease of environmental origin in children in this nation. Mercury also puffs from the stack of energy plants. This pollution affects man and beast. While companies fight for permission to release more mercury into the atmosphere, the state continues to post a fish consumption advisory on fish from all Michigan lakes because of already high mercury pollution."
There are probably more than a few people who don't generally know this about tire burning. I hope to bring some awareness to what people have done for years without thinking about what they were putting in the air.
Sean Ambrose
Warsaw
via e-mail
Akron Parents Say Thanks
Editor, Times-Union:The Akron Parent Support Group would like to thank the many parents and guardians, staff members and local businesses that made this year's Fall Fest at Akron Elementary School a success. Businesses contributing to the raffle portion of this year's event included Akron Concrete Products, Akron Country Kitchen, Akron Family Medicine (Dr. Negreros), Akron Post Office, Akron Vision Center (Dr. Harris), Anne Marie's Pizza, the College Football Hall of Fame, Dairy Queen, Day Hardware, Eastlake Skate Center, the Fort Wayne Wizards, Good Oil Co., Helvey's Insurance One Services, Lake City Bank, Manchester College, Marilyn McDonald, Tammy Newman, Pike Lumber Co., Potter's The Family Tree Farm, Purdue University, Rochester Telephone Co., Shannon's Hair & Nail Design, the South Bend Silver Hawks, Viking Foods, Webb's Family Pharmacy, Wells Fargo Bank and Wise Family Farms. Also to be thanked are the Akron Boy Scouts for hosting the dinner portion of the Fall Fest.
The Akron Parent Support Group is designed to provide positive experiences for the students of Akron Elementary School and to provide opportunities for positive interaction between students and parents. The Fall Fest certainly accomplished these purposes. Thank you very much to our supportive community and everyone who contributed in any way to this most enjoyable evening!
Jamie Cumberland and Debbie Jones
Co-Presidents of the Akron Parent Support Group
Akron Elementary School
Maine Votes
Editor, Times-Union:You're missing a big story, and I'm writing to insist that you cover it immediately.
We don't have to reach back very far in history to remember the hue and cry of the Democratic Party: "Count all the votes."
Well, they've apparently changed their tune up in the state of Maine. The state senate there is comprised of 35 seats. When all the votes were counted last month, the Senate was tied 17-17 with one seat still in play. That seat was contested by Democrat Chris Hall v. Republican Leslie Fossel.
Right now the Democrat is nine votes ahead. There are 44 votes still to be counted. But the Democrats who are in control of the outgoing state senate are simply refusing to count them. The ballots have been examined, but NOT COUNTED. If they were to count all the votes, Fossel would win.
But they will not be counted!
The Democrat will be sworn in on Dec. 4, and the Democrats will have an 18-17 majority. The Republicans will offer a resolution disputing the seating of the Democrat, which will lose 18-17, with the disputed senator voting for himself. The president of the senate will appoint a task force to look into the election. It will have one more Democrat than Republican.
It will decide the election is fair and final. But it will not count all the votes.
Where is the outrage? Where are the cheering, jeering crowds led by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Where is Terry McAuliffe?
What is happening in Maine is critical and of importance to the rest of the nation. Since Jackson and Sharpton won't shout outrage, we average Americans must take their place and be sure everyone hears our anger. The media needs to do its duty and report on this one - even if it's the "wrong" party stealing the election.
Connie Jo Curtis
Warsaw
via e-mail
Trustee Race
Editor, Times-Union:Regarding the Wayne Township Trustee race, I agree with your comments in the News Views column of November 2nd. As a Republican, I generally vote for Republican candidates, but when there is an obvious difference between the candidate's education, experience and ability, I am willing to cross party lines. The election results show that many others feel the same. About 13 percent of the voters who chose Mark Souder split their ticket to vote for Pam Cartwright; if an additional 4 percent had done the same, she would be the new trustee.
As an educator, I believe that an education is important to everyone. I think that most people expect that a trustee, who is responsible for $1.1 million, would at least have a high school diploma. My students were astonished to find out that residency is the only requirement to be a trustee; a diploma is not required. I think Mr. Slone does not have the qualifications to be trustee. It is a good thing that the Republican Party has promised to provide him with all the help that he needs.
Alan Blakeley
Warsaw
via e-mail
Irate Fans
Editor, Times-Union:I recently attended a girls basketball sporting event and I was extremely disappointed in what I heard around me as I sat in the stands. For four years, I played high school basketball. I loved the teamwork, I thrived on the competition, I enjoyed the rivalries. All of those make basketball great to play and exciting to watch. However, as I watched the game, surrounded by "fans," I realized that the majority of "cheering" I heard were angry rants at referees and clapping when points went up on the scoreboard. What about "Nice pass!" What about "Great defense!" What about actually cheering for the players playing the game?
They work unbelievably hard to obtain the skills they have to play the game well and then you, their fans, come out and spend the whole game screaming at the referees. I saw excellent attitudes in the players on the floor. The bad attitudes and poor sportsmanship were in the stands.
The next time you are attending a game, or any sporting event, instead of complaining about the referees or the other team, try cheering for your own team. Yell out something positive to each player on the floor. You don't have to look that hard to find nice passes, good post moves, excellent ball handling, scrappy defense. Your sports teams deserve it!
Julianne (Tucker) Dunnuck
Warsaw
via e-mail
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