Fall Election Races; RSVP Required; Harris At Nationals
June 26, 2020 at 9:48 p.m.
By David [email protected]
While local attorney Travis McConnell filed as a Democrat to run against Republican incumbent Cary Groninger for the middle district county commissioner seat a few weeks ago, three more Democrats filed more recently to seek the three at-large seats on the county council.
First there was Noemi Ponce, followed by Paul Morales and finally Itanya Coon-Kauffman. While it seems it’s been a while since the county has had that many Democrats run for office in the general election, it’s definitely a first that the county has seen three persons of color seek county office.
They still will have to contend against the Republican primary winners – Kathy Groninger and incumbents Sue Ann Mitchell and Joni Truex – and with Kosciusko County voters being about 77% GOP, it won’t be easy. Of course, there’s also the factors of President Trump running against former Vice President Joe Biden this fall, and the county’s dwindling voter turnout.
We commend anyone for having the courage to seek political office, so no matter how it all turns out in November, we applaud all the candidates.
A LIGHT REMINDER – After nearly three decades at the helm of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Suzie Light retired this year.
Her retirement reception was rescheduled, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, for 4:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Winona Heritage Room in Winona Lake. It’s open house style, with a brief special presentation at 5:30 p.m.
RSVP is required to 574-267-1901 or www.kcfoundation.org/events.
If you are unable to join, but would like to send a message to Light, cards can be sent to the Community Foundation office or you may stop in the Foundation office and a staff member can help you record a video message to be delivered to Light.
Many community members have asked how they can honor Light's years of service to Kosciusko County and the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. In response to those requests, the Community Foundation Board of Directors approved two new funds: Suzie Light Visual and Performing Arts Fund and the Suzie Light Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Fund. To make an online gift to one of these funds in Light's honor, visit www.kcfoundation.org/donors/donate-now/. If sending a check via postal mail, indicate the name of the fund you wish to support.
A DELEGATE MATTER – On Monday, the Indiana Democrats announced their list of delegates attending 2020 National Delegation, which is scheduled for Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee, Wis.
The Congressional District 2 delegates include Miriam Chesnut, President Arielle Brandy, Chairman Chad Harris (who is running against Craig Snow this fall for Indiana State Representative, District 18), Chairman Chad Crabtree and Yatish Joshi.
Congressional District 3 delegates include Patti Hays, Melissa Cook, Leader Phil GiaQuinta, Michael Fuller and Xeryus Johnson.
YES! – U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and a bipartisan coalition to introduce a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Currently, Juneteenth is celebrated by 47states, including Indiana, and the District of Columbia, according to a news release we received from Young’s office Tuesday.
“The designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday is long overdue. The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act is an important step in recognizing how far we have come, and how far we still must go in the fight for equality,” said Young.
Young has been an original cosponsor on resolutions honoring Juneteenth each year since 2017. This year’s resolution passed the Senate last week.
STEPPING UP – On Thursday night, candidate for U.S. Congress Chip Coldiron and volunteers organized the donation and distribution of 175 cases of bottled water and 20 1-gallon jugs of water to residents of Andrews, Ind., who have been without water for a week as a result of a vinyl chloride contamination.
“We need to get to the bottom of this situation. We need to know how it happened, who is responsible for it, who knew about it when, and why the community was not told about this contamination earlier,” Coldiron said in a news release we received Friday. “But until there is action from our leaders, my campaign and I will continue to step up and help our neighbors. We will be getting to work right after this to get more water into Andrews, and return every month until this crisis is resolved. Thank you to those who helped us last night, and to those in Andrews: my heart is with you and we will be back soon.”
The Coldiron campaign began organizing the donations of water and the visit to Andrews on Wednesday afternoon, and was able to get the equivalent of more than three pallets of water to the town in just over 24 hours.
For anyone who would like to join the effort by donating water, supporting the purchase of water or volunteering their time to distribute water to Andrews residents, the campaign is offering a volunteer opportunity that will keep contact information separate from other campaign communications unless volunteers specifically ask for it to be included. This way, the entire community can feel comfortable supporting this effort even if they do not wish to be involved in a political campaign. Those interested can sign up to help at coldiron.link/andrews.
Coldiron faces off against incumbent Rep. Jim Banks (IN-3) in the November election.
MEMORIAL DESECRATION – Banks, meanwhile, will be introducing legislation to make desecrating memorials to previous U.S. presidents or Founding Fathers a federal offence punishable up to 10 years in prison, according to a news release we received from his office Wednesday.
Banks’ bill, the “Defending America’s Heritage and Culture Act” (DAHCA, pronounced dah-kuh), would amend the Veterans’ Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003 to include statues and memorials to former U.S. presidents and all those individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence. The Veterans’ Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003 already protects memorials to veterans.
Banks said, “Attacks on our national heroes denigrate what makes us American and aim to destroy what binds us as Americans. They’re serious crimes that deserve serious punishment.”
On Tuesday, President Trump announced the federal government’s intention “to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument … per the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act.”
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While local attorney Travis McConnell filed as a Democrat to run against Republican incumbent Cary Groninger for the middle district county commissioner seat a few weeks ago, three more Democrats filed more recently to seek the three at-large seats on the county council.
First there was Noemi Ponce, followed by Paul Morales and finally Itanya Coon-Kauffman. While it seems it’s been a while since the county has had that many Democrats run for office in the general election, it’s definitely a first that the county has seen three persons of color seek county office.
They still will have to contend against the Republican primary winners – Kathy Groninger and incumbents Sue Ann Mitchell and Joni Truex – and with Kosciusko County voters being about 77% GOP, it won’t be easy. Of course, there’s also the factors of President Trump running against former Vice President Joe Biden this fall, and the county’s dwindling voter turnout.
We commend anyone for having the courage to seek political office, so no matter how it all turns out in November, we applaud all the candidates.
A LIGHT REMINDER – After nearly three decades at the helm of the Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Suzie Light retired this year.
Her retirement reception was rescheduled, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, for 4:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 18 at the Winona Heritage Room in Winona Lake. It’s open house style, with a brief special presentation at 5:30 p.m.
RSVP is required to 574-267-1901 or www.kcfoundation.org/events.
If you are unable to join, but would like to send a message to Light, cards can be sent to the Community Foundation office or you may stop in the Foundation office and a staff member can help you record a video message to be delivered to Light.
Many community members have asked how they can honor Light's years of service to Kosciusko County and the Kosciusko County Community Foundation. In response to those requests, the Community Foundation Board of Directors approved two new funds: Suzie Light Visual and Performing Arts Fund and the Suzie Light Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Fund. To make an online gift to one of these funds in Light's honor, visit www.kcfoundation.org/donors/donate-now/. If sending a check via postal mail, indicate the name of the fund you wish to support.
A DELEGATE MATTER – On Monday, the Indiana Democrats announced their list of delegates attending 2020 National Delegation, which is scheduled for Aug. 17-20 in Milwaukee, Wis.
The Congressional District 2 delegates include Miriam Chesnut, President Arielle Brandy, Chairman Chad Harris (who is running against Craig Snow this fall for Indiana State Representative, District 18), Chairman Chad Crabtree and Yatish Joshi.
Congressional District 3 delegates include Patti Hays, Melissa Cook, Leader Phil GiaQuinta, Michael Fuller and Xeryus Johnson.
YES! – U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and a bipartisan coalition to introduce a bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Currently, Juneteenth is celebrated by 47states, including Indiana, and the District of Columbia, according to a news release we received from Young’s office Tuesday.
“The designation of Juneteenth as a federal holiday is long overdue. The Juneteenth National Independence Day Act is an important step in recognizing how far we have come, and how far we still must go in the fight for equality,” said Young.
Young has been an original cosponsor on resolutions honoring Juneteenth each year since 2017. This year’s resolution passed the Senate last week.
STEPPING UP – On Thursday night, candidate for U.S. Congress Chip Coldiron and volunteers organized the donation and distribution of 175 cases of bottled water and 20 1-gallon jugs of water to residents of Andrews, Ind., who have been without water for a week as a result of a vinyl chloride contamination.
“We need to get to the bottom of this situation. We need to know how it happened, who is responsible for it, who knew about it when, and why the community was not told about this contamination earlier,” Coldiron said in a news release we received Friday. “But until there is action from our leaders, my campaign and I will continue to step up and help our neighbors. We will be getting to work right after this to get more water into Andrews, and return every month until this crisis is resolved. Thank you to those who helped us last night, and to those in Andrews: my heart is with you and we will be back soon.”
The Coldiron campaign began organizing the donations of water and the visit to Andrews on Wednesday afternoon, and was able to get the equivalent of more than three pallets of water to the town in just over 24 hours.
For anyone who would like to join the effort by donating water, supporting the purchase of water or volunteering their time to distribute water to Andrews residents, the campaign is offering a volunteer opportunity that will keep contact information separate from other campaign communications unless volunteers specifically ask for it to be included. This way, the entire community can feel comfortable supporting this effort even if they do not wish to be involved in a political campaign. Those interested can sign up to help at coldiron.link/andrews.
Coldiron faces off against incumbent Rep. Jim Banks (IN-3) in the November election.
MEMORIAL DESECRATION – Banks, meanwhile, will be introducing legislation to make desecrating memorials to previous U.S. presidents or Founding Fathers a federal offence punishable up to 10 years in prison, according to a news release we received from his office Wednesday.
Banks’ bill, the “Defending America’s Heritage and Culture Act” (DAHCA, pronounced dah-kuh), would amend the Veterans’ Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003 to include statues and memorials to former U.S. presidents and all those individuals who signed the Declaration of Independence. The Veterans’ Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act of 2003 already protects memorials to veterans.
Banks said, “Attacks on our national heroes denigrate what makes us American and aim to destroy what binds us as Americans. They’re serious crimes that deserve serious punishment.”
On Tuesday, President Trump announced the federal government’s intention “to arrest anyone who vandalizes or destroys any monument … per the Veteran’s Memorial Preservation and Recognition Act.”
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