Letters to the Editor 12-15-2006
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
- Warsaw Schools - Ethanol - Jimmy Baker - REMC Tree Cutting - Christmas Memories - Horse Racetracks - Cheerleaders - Illegal Aliens - Section 8 Recipients
Warsaw Schools
Editor, Times-Union:I just want to express an opinion or two regarding the situation with the Warsaw Schools as described in your article of 12/12. The article describes a four-step process being conducted by outside experts. Step 1 was titled discovery. Why is it necessary to have to be told the schools are short of space and over crowded?
There was a previous article in this paper a month or two ago stating the school board was puzzled because there were a couple of hundred more students enrolling than could be accounted for based on the last census. Anyone ever stop to think maybe the census only counted legal residents of the community?
Before we break ground on any new building at taxpayer expense, it would be prudent to determine which students have the right to an education at the expense of the people in this country. There is no obligation, legal or moral, to educate children of parents who have no legal right to be here and who are breaking our laws by their very presence. The same line of reasoning should be applied to the ESL programs. In fact, not only should the program be limited to those who can prove legal residency, but there should be a charge for enrollment and attendance. Once again if they want to live here legally, we do not owe them language classes, they should make an investment in their own future by learning English.
My recommendation would be to verify the legal status of every student in the system and purge those who are not here legally. Then take a head count and see what the real situation is with regard to space and enrollment. If this sounds extreme, so be it. It is an extreme situation and not just in our schools.
If there are any other taxpayers out there in the reading audience who are fed up with non-enforcement of our laws by our elected officials, how about writing a letter to this paper letting the city and county officials know how you feel.
Dave Easton
Warsaw, via e-mail
Ethanol
Editor, Times-Union:It seems to me that a few people have completely missed the bus when it comes to the issue of an ethanol plant in our area. Many people seem to think that emissions are a concern. If that was an issue, the EPA would step in. Also, many people believe that ethanol can only be used in E85 vehicles, that is a complete lie. All gasoline has ethanol blended into it, in the summer it is blended at least 10 percent.
All major automakers are looking into ethanol as a fuel source. These are the big three in Detroit. It is not the only solution to the energy crisis, our crisis is only getting worse as other countries develop and demand oil. As to a boom happening, it seems far unlikely. Corn prices going up are not generally a terrible thing. As I see it, corn producers can sell and make much higher prices. As to livestock farmers, they can purchase distillers grains for much cheaper and it serves as a better feed source.
If we let this plant pass by us it will be a huge mistake by our community. We need to be open to any and all ideas to solve our energy problems. We eventually will run out of oil.
For more information, go to VeraSun's Web site, national ethanol vehicle coalition's Web site, learn more about distillers grains and get educated.
Ryan Meyerink
Syracuse, via e-mail
Jimmy Baker
Editor, Times-Union:In Kosciusko County we are lucky enough to have individuals who make it a priority to serve our community. Jimmy Baker was one of those people, behind the scenes. He was a huge donor of his time and energy and he served us well at the Elks Lodge 802 for many years. Jimmy made sure that the free Thanksgiving dinner held at the Center Lake Pavilion every year was a success.
I noticed that this Thanksgiving my friend was paying a lot more attention to his monitor that regulated the pump for his insulin. But on that day, as always, he never stopped serving or attending to everyone's needs. You see, he had his own needs that many times went ignored. But on Dec. 5 Jimmy lost his battle with diabetes and we said goodbye to our dear friend.
So I am asking all of us during this busy holiday season, as we finish our shopping and celebrate with excessive yummies and holiday cheer, that we not take for granted our mother, grandfather or child who is able to control their diabetes. Diabetes is, more than not, a silent killer. I ask that you donate what you can to diabetes research for our future children.
I speak for myself and for those at Elks Lodge 802. What will we do next Thanksgiving without our Jimmy Baker?
Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Tina and Steve Phipps
Warsaw
REMC Tree Cutting
Editor, Times-Union:In response to the person that was complaining about REMC cutting trees and "leaving the wood lay," I'll have to say, "Yea! Come on and cut mine!" Leave it lay if you want to!
I'm extremely tired of interruptions in service and that is what this campaign of cutting is aimed at. As far as the "farmer behind her," I question if she even asked him about it. She was just ranting. I guess we all tend to do that from time to time.
Thank you, REMC, cut anything you like on my property!
Jeff Harding
Warsaw, via e-mail
Christmas Memories
Editor, Times-Union:Dear reader, for awhile, during the Christmas season, how would you like to enjoy intervals when you can just rest and relax your mind, and forget all about your troubles, your trials, and your tribulations? Well, I know how you can experience a lovely, brief time of reprieve from thinking about all of the ugliness and crudities of the world. Just sit down in your comfortable easy chair, lean back, put your feet upon the hassock and just relax in perfect peace as you gaze at the tall, stately, beautifully lighted Christmas tree, while you breathe the pungent, intoxicating aroma of pine needles penetrating the atmosphere; then, with a little effort, you can envision the Christ Child reposing tranquility in the manger with Mary and Joseph nearby gazing at Him in utter adoration. And, if you are elderly, you can think back over all of the wonderful Christmases that you enjoyed during the many decades that you have existed on this earth.
I can recall the Christmas of 1926, when I was just a small child living in Leesburg with my grandfather. I can still hear Grandpa at 5 o'clock on Christmas morning building a fire in the room stove, and the moment I was aware of his stirring about, I jumped out of bed, and barefoot, I dashed across the cold floor to the dining room table, where, to my delight, I found that the table was loaded with gifts that Santa had brought, all of them just for me. Later that morning, I joined a throng of boys and girls up on Main Street. We were all packed into a school bus and hauled over to Warsaw where we attended the Centennial Theatre and were treated to a hilarious "Our Gang" comedy, and when we left the theatre, we kids were thrilled to death over the fact that we were handed a big bag of candy, an apple and an orange.
I remember a touching incident that occurred during the Christmas season back in 1943. At that time, I visited a grandma of meager means and her grandchildren who resided in a humble dwelling down by the railroad track. Entering the front door, I discovered the children busily popping corn over the hot coals in the living room stove. In one corner of the room stood a tall weed, strung with popcorn and cranberries, plus a few stands of tinsel. "We couldn't afford a tree," Grandma said, "so, I guess the weed will have to do."
I can truly recall the yuletide season of 1946, when I worked in Harley's Grocery in Leesburg. One day, a customer, a poor farm lady, came into the store with a brown bag in her hand. Approaching me, the farm lady, holding out the bag and with a bright smile, shouted energetically, "Here, Donny, I want you to have this jar of peaches for Christmas, because I love you!" Well, I was never so touched in my life over a gift as I was over the poor farm lady's modest gift of peaches!
Yes, dear read, if ever you become depressed over personal problems, or disgruntled over too much yuletide commercialism, just sit down, observe the magnificent Christmas tree, and think of the Babe in the manger, and the dear farm lady and her "widow's mite," her humble jar of peaches, for that is what Christmas is all about.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Horse Racetracks
Editor, Times-Union:Please don't count this against my number of letters allowed per year, because I just have a little question:
On 12/13/06 we heard on "WOWO" that Indiana has two horse racetracks for which we, the taxpayers, pay $27 million per year for racing prizes. It boils down to only $4 per each Hoosier taxpayer. Few of us even know where these racetracks are! Who are the Indiana law-makers who voted on this, and when?
Even if we all believed in gambling, which I don't, why should we Hoosiers pay the $27 million per year for horse racing prize winner money here for a Kentucky enterprise? I'd like to see the voting records of our legislators. Where can we get those records?
J. Robert Boggs
Winona Lake, via e-mail
Editor's Note: Here's a good place to start:
http://www.in.gov/legislative/
Cheerleaders
Editor, Times-Union:I was attending a Warsaw Community High School basketball game the other night and thought the cheers that the cheerleaders were doing looked like I had seen them before. Then I realized that the cheerleading coach was the ex-cheerleading coach my daughter had at Triton last year when they won a contest at Indianapolis and went to nationals in South Carolina.
The Triton cheerleaders worked very hard on those cheers, making them up, and it is sad that the coach had to take all of their ideas and hard work to use for the Warsaw cheerleaders. As a coach, you would think she could have came up with new cheers on her own other then taking them from the hard work of the Triton cheerleaders.
Maybe she has seen the movie "Bring It On" one too many times.
Greg Wallace
Bourbon, via e-mail
Illegal Aliens
Editor, Times-Union:First, let me say, "happy solstice" and the "yearly festival of the rebirth of the sun."
Now let's get down to business. Someone in California with a non-Mestizo last name has used my name in vain. For that he will receive a lump of coal in his Sombrero or his sock.
I stand behind my statistics about illegal aliens that were gleaned from the national news media. These figures are available from dozens of immigration reform organizations.
The reason the invasion of illegal aliens has reached the Midwest is because California and the Southwest are totally awash with illegal aliens. Millions got off the hook with the Simpson Mazzoli bill when the Feds refused to punish corporate employers like they were supposed to. Those illegals are now screaming foul against successive waves of illegals. They are even causing big problems with those that have been here 10 or 20 years. There are only so many suppressed wage corporate jobs to go around.
Raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour and watch the corporates dump illegals like hot potatoes. In fact, that would solve two problems. It would give our working class citizens a living wage and get rid of the social and economic parasites all in one act. Also, dump NAFTA that has impoverished even more Mexicans in their own country causing even more flight to the U.S.
The War of 1846 wasn't even much of a war. There were only a couple of skirmishes in California and the Mexicans threw down their arms.
When the U.S. Marines entered Mexico City it took several days to find a leader to turn the country back to. Don't forget all that money we gave the corrupt leaders of Mexico at the treaty of Hidalgo. By right of conquest, we didn't have to give them a dime.
Most Midwesterners don't realize how unpopulated the west was at that time. There were large ranches of thousands of acres owned by Englishman, North Americans and white Spaniards (the real Hispanics). San Diego was about the size of Warsaw and L.A. was also a relatively small town.
Don't make the classic mistake of mixing the identity of Mestizos with white European Spaniards that controlled Mexico and a large part of the Southwest. As far as I am concerned, they were always most welcome.
Tom Metzger
Warsaw, via e-mail
Section 8 Recipients
Editor, Times-Union:In reading David Williams' letter to the editor, I realized that the public perception of families receiving Section 8 Rental Assistance from the city of Warsaw Housing Authority is not always correct.
WHA conducted a family profile of families receiving assistance this past year. The results revealed that 30 percent are senior citizens, 27 percent are mentally or physically disabled, 23 percent are employed, 14 percent are single parent households and only 6 percent were not employed.
Fifty-seven percent of seniors and disabled persons had a decent, safe place to live, not always possible with income of only Social Security or Social Security disability. Twenty-three percent were working, but the wages were not sufficient to meet the needs of their families. A small percentage, 20 percent, encompassed families that had experienced difficulties such as domestic violence, divorce or loss of a job. Rental assistance provides them a helping hand to get on track again.
I hope these statistics will keep people from stereotyping and making assumptions. The rental assistance program is vital for our community and needs to help various populations.
Pamela Kennedy
Executive Director
Warsaw, via e-mail
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- Warsaw Schools - Ethanol - Jimmy Baker - REMC Tree Cutting - Christmas Memories - Horse Racetracks - Cheerleaders - Illegal Aliens - Section 8 Recipients
Warsaw Schools
Editor, Times-Union:I just want to express an opinion or two regarding the situation with the Warsaw Schools as described in your article of 12/12. The article describes a four-step process being conducted by outside experts. Step 1 was titled discovery. Why is it necessary to have to be told the schools are short of space and over crowded?
There was a previous article in this paper a month or two ago stating the school board was puzzled because there were a couple of hundred more students enrolling than could be accounted for based on the last census. Anyone ever stop to think maybe the census only counted legal residents of the community?
Before we break ground on any new building at taxpayer expense, it would be prudent to determine which students have the right to an education at the expense of the people in this country. There is no obligation, legal or moral, to educate children of parents who have no legal right to be here and who are breaking our laws by their very presence. The same line of reasoning should be applied to the ESL programs. In fact, not only should the program be limited to those who can prove legal residency, but there should be a charge for enrollment and attendance. Once again if they want to live here legally, we do not owe them language classes, they should make an investment in their own future by learning English.
My recommendation would be to verify the legal status of every student in the system and purge those who are not here legally. Then take a head count and see what the real situation is with regard to space and enrollment. If this sounds extreme, so be it. It is an extreme situation and not just in our schools.
If there are any other taxpayers out there in the reading audience who are fed up with non-enforcement of our laws by our elected officials, how about writing a letter to this paper letting the city and county officials know how you feel.
Dave Easton
Warsaw, via e-mail
Ethanol
Editor, Times-Union:It seems to me that a few people have completely missed the bus when it comes to the issue of an ethanol plant in our area. Many people seem to think that emissions are a concern. If that was an issue, the EPA would step in. Also, many people believe that ethanol can only be used in E85 vehicles, that is a complete lie. All gasoline has ethanol blended into it, in the summer it is blended at least 10 percent.
All major automakers are looking into ethanol as a fuel source. These are the big three in Detroit. It is not the only solution to the energy crisis, our crisis is only getting worse as other countries develop and demand oil. As to a boom happening, it seems far unlikely. Corn prices going up are not generally a terrible thing. As I see it, corn producers can sell and make much higher prices. As to livestock farmers, they can purchase distillers grains for much cheaper and it serves as a better feed source.
If we let this plant pass by us it will be a huge mistake by our community. We need to be open to any and all ideas to solve our energy problems. We eventually will run out of oil.
For more information, go to VeraSun's Web site, national ethanol vehicle coalition's Web site, learn more about distillers grains and get educated.
Ryan Meyerink
Syracuse, via e-mail
Jimmy Baker
Editor, Times-Union:In Kosciusko County we are lucky enough to have individuals who make it a priority to serve our community. Jimmy Baker was one of those people, behind the scenes. He was a huge donor of his time and energy and he served us well at the Elks Lodge 802 for many years. Jimmy made sure that the free Thanksgiving dinner held at the Center Lake Pavilion every year was a success.
I noticed that this Thanksgiving my friend was paying a lot more attention to his monitor that regulated the pump for his insulin. But on that day, as always, he never stopped serving or attending to everyone's needs. You see, he had his own needs that many times went ignored. But on Dec. 5 Jimmy lost his battle with diabetes and we said goodbye to our dear friend.
So I am asking all of us during this busy holiday season, as we finish our shopping and celebrate with excessive yummies and holiday cheer, that we not take for granted our mother, grandfather or child who is able to control their diabetes. Diabetes is, more than not, a silent killer. I ask that you donate what you can to diabetes research for our future children.
I speak for myself and for those at Elks Lodge 802. What will we do next Thanksgiving without our Jimmy Baker?
Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Tina and Steve Phipps
Warsaw
REMC Tree Cutting
Editor, Times-Union:In response to the person that was complaining about REMC cutting trees and "leaving the wood lay," I'll have to say, "Yea! Come on and cut mine!" Leave it lay if you want to!
I'm extremely tired of interruptions in service and that is what this campaign of cutting is aimed at. As far as the "farmer behind her," I question if she even asked him about it. She was just ranting. I guess we all tend to do that from time to time.
Thank you, REMC, cut anything you like on my property!
Jeff Harding
Warsaw, via e-mail
Christmas Memories
Editor, Times-Union:Dear reader, for awhile, during the Christmas season, how would you like to enjoy intervals when you can just rest and relax your mind, and forget all about your troubles, your trials, and your tribulations? Well, I know how you can experience a lovely, brief time of reprieve from thinking about all of the ugliness and crudities of the world. Just sit down in your comfortable easy chair, lean back, put your feet upon the hassock and just relax in perfect peace as you gaze at the tall, stately, beautifully lighted Christmas tree, while you breathe the pungent, intoxicating aroma of pine needles penetrating the atmosphere; then, with a little effort, you can envision the Christ Child reposing tranquility in the manger with Mary and Joseph nearby gazing at Him in utter adoration. And, if you are elderly, you can think back over all of the wonderful Christmases that you enjoyed during the many decades that you have existed on this earth.
I can recall the Christmas of 1926, when I was just a small child living in Leesburg with my grandfather. I can still hear Grandpa at 5 o'clock on Christmas morning building a fire in the room stove, and the moment I was aware of his stirring about, I jumped out of bed, and barefoot, I dashed across the cold floor to the dining room table, where, to my delight, I found that the table was loaded with gifts that Santa had brought, all of them just for me. Later that morning, I joined a throng of boys and girls up on Main Street. We were all packed into a school bus and hauled over to Warsaw where we attended the Centennial Theatre and were treated to a hilarious "Our Gang" comedy, and when we left the theatre, we kids were thrilled to death over the fact that we were handed a big bag of candy, an apple and an orange.
I remember a touching incident that occurred during the Christmas season back in 1943. At that time, I visited a grandma of meager means and her grandchildren who resided in a humble dwelling down by the railroad track. Entering the front door, I discovered the children busily popping corn over the hot coals in the living room stove. In one corner of the room stood a tall weed, strung with popcorn and cranberries, plus a few stands of tinsel. "We couldn't afford a tree," Grandma said, "so, I guess the weed will have to do."
I can truly recall the yuletide season of 1946, when I worked in Harley's Grocery in Leesburg. One day, a customer, a poor farm lady, came into the store with a brown bag in her hand. Approaching me, the farm lady, holding out the bag and with a bright smile, shouted energetically, "Here, Donny, I want you to have this jar of peaches for Christmas, because I love you!" Well, I was never so touched in my life over a gift as I was over the poor farm lady's modest gift of peaches!
Yes, dear read, if ever you become depressed over personal problems, or disgruntled over too much yuletide commercialism, just sit down, observe the magnificent Christmas tree, and think of the Babe in the manger, and the dear farm lady and her "widow's mite," her humble jar of peaches, for that is what Christmas is all about.
Don Kaiser
Warsaw
Horse Racetracks
Editor, Times-Union:Please don't count this against my number of letters allowed per year, because I just have a little question:
On 12/13/06 we heard on "WOWO" that Indiana has two horse racetracks for which we, the taxpayers, pay $27 million per year for racing prizes. It boils down to only $4 per each Hoosier taxpayer. Few of us even know where these racetracks are! Who are the Indiana law-makers who voted on this, and when?
Even if we all believed in gambling, which I don't, why should we Hoosiers pay the $27 million per year for horse racing prize winner money here for a Kentucky enterprise? I'd like to see the voting records of our legislators. Where can we get those records?
J. Robert Boggs
Winona Lake, via e-mail
Editor's Note: Here's a good place to start:
http://www.in.gov/legislative/
Cheerleaders
Editor, Times-Union:I was attending a Warsaw Community High School basketball game the other night and thought the cheers that the cheerleaders were doing looked like I had seen them before. Then I realized that the cheerleading coach was the ex-cheerleading coach my daughter had at Triton last year when they won a contest at Indianapolis and went to nationals in South Carolina.
The Triton cheerleaders worked very hard on those cheers, making them up, and it is sad that the coach had to take all of their ideas and hard work to use for the Warsaw cheerleaders. As a coach, you would think she could have came up with new cheers on her own other then taking them from the hard work of the Triton cheerleaders.
Maybe she has seen the movie "Bring It On" one too many times.
Greg Wallace
Bourbon, via e-mail
Illegal Aliens
Editor, Times-Union:First, let me say, "happy solstice" and the "yearly festival of the rebirth of the sun."
Now let's get down to business. Someone in California with a non-Mestizo last name has used my name in vain. For that he will receive a lump of coal in his Sombrero or his sock.
I stand behind my statistics about illegal aliens that were gleaned from the national news media. These figures are available from dozens of immigration reform organizations.
The reason the invasion of illegal aliens has reached the Midwest is because California and the Southwest are totally awash with illegal aliens. Millions got off the hook with the Simpson Mazzoli bill when the Feds refused to punish corporate employers like they were supposed to. Those illegals are now screaming foul against successive waves of illegals. They are even causing big problems with those that have been here 10 or 20 years. There are only so many suppressed wage corporate jobs to go around.
Raise the minimum wage to $10 per hour and watch the corporates dump illegals like hot potatoes. In fact, that would solve two problems. It would give our working class citizens a living wage and get rid of the social and economic parasites all in one act. Also, dump NAFTA that has impoverished even more Mexicans in their own country causing even more flight to the U.S.
The War of 1846 wasn't even much of a war. There were only a couple of skirmishes in California and the Mexicans threw down their arms.
When the U.S. Marines entered Mexico City it took several days to find a leader to turn the country back to. Don't forget all that money we gave the corrupt leaders of Mexico at the treaty of Hidalgo. By right of conquest, we didn't have to give them a dime.
Most Midwesterners don't realize how unpopulated the west was at that time. There were large ranches of thousands of acres owned by Englishman, North Americans and white Spaniards (the real Hispanics). San Diego was about the size of Warsaw and L.A. was also a relatively small town.
Don't make the classic mistake of mixing the identity of Mestizos with white European Spaniards that controlled Mexico and a large part of the Southwest. As far as I am concerned, they were always most welcome.
Tom Metzger
Warsaw, via e-mail
Section 8 Recipients
Editor, Times-Union:In reading David Williams' letter to the editor, I realized that the public perception of families receiving Section 8 Rental Assistance from the city of Warsaw Housing Authority is not always correct.
WHA conducted a family profile of families receiving assistance this past year. The results revealed that 30 percent are senior citizens, 27 percent are mentally or physically disabled, 23 percent are employed, 14 percent are single parent households and only 6 percent were not employed.
Fifty-seven percent of seniors and disabled persons had a decent, safe place to live, not always possible with income of only Social Security or Social Security disability. Twenty-three percent were working, but the wages were not sufficient to meet the needs of their families. A small percentage, 20 percent, encompassed families that had experienced difficulties such as domestic violence, divorce or loss of a job. Rental assistance provides them a helping hand to get on track again.
I hope these statistics will keep people from stereotyping and making assumptions. The rental assistance program is vital for our community and needs to help various populations.
Pamela Kennedy
Executive Director
Warsaw, via e-mail
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