Church honors veterans
Gail Trammell of Greentown sends this Cheer:
“Kudos to First Church of the Nazarene for their outstanding Fourth of July celebration in their beautiful new sanctuary!
THE ISSUE: Michael Jackson
OUR VIEW: His music wasn’t bounded by race.
If you own a home in Howard County, then you probably have a dog. (Based solely on observation, this part of north central Indiana likely ranks high in dog ownership.)
Harris Bank paints rooms
Maj. David W. Moffitt of The Salvation Army of Kokomo sends this Cheer for Harris Bank:
“The Salvation Army of Kokomo and Howard County wishes to thank the employees of Harris Bank, including offices in Kokomo, Tipton and Indianapolis, for their excellent work in painting our former day care activity room and office.
THE ISSUE: State budget talks.
OUR VIEW: Public opinion ought to be enough to spur an agreement.
THE ISSUE: Haynes Apperson Festival.
OUR VIEW: This community has a lot to celebrate.
THE ISSUE: The Cass County Resource Network.
OUR VIEW: Finding ways to communicate and to cooperate will help social service agencies ensure they are not duplicating efforts.
THE ISSUE: Chrysler’s non-payment of $6 million in personal property taxes.
OUR VIEW: Taxing units have a back-up plan because of the foresight of county officials.
THE ISSUE: Public opinion of government intervention.
OUR VIEW: The president will have to slow his spending spree or risk losing favor.
THE ISSUE: Displaying the flag.
OUR VIEW: Treat it with respect.
THE ISSUE: Health care.
OUR VIEW: There has to be a better way, and it’s critical that lawmakers find it.
The cartoon in the New Yorker shows a well-heeled couple on a busy city street sitting behind a sign. “Save the Hamptons,” it says.
Cash-strapped Indiana legislators are in special session this week eyeing the most obvious sources of additional tax revenue. They should know, though, that although the poor will always be with us, not so the rich.
My dad worked at a power plant.
But for a kid fascinated by secret-agent shows like “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” and “Mission Impossible,” it looked like a high-security compound.
THE ISSUE: The Early Learning Center’s closing.
OUR VIEW: City government is serious about bridging its $2.5 million estimated budget shortfall.
Though predictable, it was no less despicable. Just a day following the heinous murder of the country’s foremost practitioner of infanticide, George Tiller, radical antihuman rights activists on the left were already condemning the entire pro-life movement for facilitating the incident.
THE ISSUE: Tire testing for the July 26 running of the Allstate 400.
OUR VIEW: NASCAR, Goodyear and Speedway officials can’t afford for faulty tires to mar this year’s race.
Cary Hiers of Russiaville sends this Cheer for a community leader:
THE ISSUE: The special session.
OUR VIEW: In case of a long fight, lawmakers should keep essential state services operating beyond the end of the current fiscal year on June 30.
THE ISSUE: Court-ordered medical treatment of children.
OUR VIEW: If those who question medical science were in the majority, would you be willing to have their judgment imposed on you?
THE ISSUE: State Treasurer Richard Mourdock’s attempts to block Chrysler’s sale.
OUR VIEW: Mourdock should drop the case.
Indiana motorists rank 22nd in the nation in driving knowledge, according to the 2009 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test. Results were released last month.
THE ISSUE: The Galveston Town Board.
OUR VIEW: Board members cannot dismiss residents’ grievances of unkempt property.
Girls should be commended
Chris Lewis of Galveston sends this Cheer for Savannah Lewis and Jessica Varnell’s concern for the animals at the Kokomo Humane Society:
THE ISSUE: The state budget.
OUR VIEW: Lawmakers must work quickly to come up with a spending plan and get it approved.
Many people likely breathed a sigh of relief late last week upon finding out a 13-year-old Sleepy Eye, Minn., boy had finally gotten another round of chemotherapy.
THE ISSUE: GM’s bankruptcy, Delphi’s sale and Chrysler-Fiat’s approval.
OUR VIEW: News out of Detroit, New York and Washington Monday gave Howard County hope.
Members of the Eel River Tribe of Indiana had every reason to smile over the Memorial Day weekend.
Hoosier farmers planted 5.7 million acres of corn and 5.45 million acres of soybeans in 2008, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reports.
‘What an awesome sight’
Jack McKinney of Midnight Riders Motorcycle Club sends this Cheer:
“Cheers to both the Kokomo Fire Department and the Kokomo Police Department.
THE ISSUE: Things high-school graduates need to know.
OUR VIEW: Most important: Don’t get so caught up in your pursuit of tomorrow that you forget to enjoy today.
I am appalled, disgruntled and very disappointed in the decision that you, Mayor Goodnight, have made with the laying
Accidents are an unfortunate byproduct of living and working on farms, so it’s important that kids begin to learn about safety at a young age.
‘What a wonderful town this is’
Diane Woodcock of Kokomo sends this Cheer:
“I moved to Kokomo just over eight months ago and it seemed a pretty good place to live.
THE ISSUE: A trip to Turin by Mayor Greg Goodnight.
OUR VIEW: Relationships are built only through face-to-face meetings.
We were disappointed that Gov. Mitch Daniels vetoed what Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita described as the one local government reform to make its way through the Indiana General Assembly.
President Barack Obama illustrated in his speech at the University of Notre Dame Sunday that even those with irreconcilable differences can communicate in a civil manner.
The future of our communities, our country and our world lies in the hands of children.
While every child needs education, support and mentoring to reach his or her full potential, there are those children who find themselves in situations not of their making.
Excerpts from recent Indiana editorials:
On Manny Ramirez suspension:
If Manny Ramirez was using performance-enhancing drugs, a 50-day suspension is a slap on the wrist.
We were warned.
THE ISSUE: Storm safety.
OUR VIEW: For the sake of your family, be prepared for severe weather.
THE ISSUE: The National Day of Prayer observance.
OUR VIEW: There’s encouragement in Scripture.
Reader Pat Weaver of Galveston sent us a letter that demands your attention – not to mention that of President Obama and, in particular, the many opponents and supporters of this country’s abortion laws who plan to voice their opinions at the University of Notre Dame’s graduation ceremonies Saturday.
Community supports Affair
The Carver Community Center board sends this Cheer:
Indiana University Kokomo will graduate 525 students Tuesday. The School of Nursing will graduate the most; 139 will receive bachelor’s degrees and 45 will earn a master’s.
More than 200 people attended a town council meeting in Galveston Monday.
The Census Bureau says 1,532 people live in the town. If nearly every meeting-goer was a resident, about 13 percent of the population was in attendance.
We were disappointed but not surprised that Indiana lawmakers failed to adopt a budget ahead of last week’s deadline.
Almost from the outset, legislators seemed to struggle to do much of anything this year. In the end, though, they did manage a few accomplishments.
The latest proposal to save General Motors marks yet another deep intrusion by the federal government into the marketplace to save a company considered too important to fail.
THE ISSUE: The national
economy.
OUR VIEW: Changing public perceptions is a key to recovery.
Kokomo Mayor Greg Goodnight sends this Cheer for some local business people:
THE ISSUE: Chapter 11 bankruptcy for Chrysler.
OUR VIEW: Like Haynes International in 2004, Chrysler is positioned to re-emerge stronger than before.
Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
THE ISSUE: The Haynes Apperson Sports Festival.
OUR VIEW: Dave Granson saw to fruition a really good idea.
“If someone had told me in 2005, when I took office of president of the library board, that we still wouldn’t have a library built by the end of my presidency in 2006,” began a column we published by Susan Luttrell, “I would have laughed at their foolishness.”
If there’s a flowering pear in your garden, then you know the tree’s blossoms were at their fragrant peak this past weekend. The pear is the first fruit tree to flower every spring. It’s a sure sign of a new season.
THE ISSUE: Purdue’s new two-year degree in supervision and organizational leadership at its
Kokomo campus.
OUR VIEW: Program will help make the area’s
unemployed more marketable.
‘Whom do you represent’
Joyce Alpay of Greentown sends this Jeer to the Kokomo Tribune:
“On April 15th we had a Tax Day Tea Party in Kokomo. Over 300 Kokomo area denizens attended this function.
You may not need a reminder to consider donating your vital organs to those in need. Perhaps you’re among the 72 percent of Indiana drivers who have made arrangements to donate.
THE ISSUE: Taylor’s study of school uniforms and single-gender classrooms in the middle school.
OUR VIEW: All stakeholders at Taylor deserve praise for the reasoned and respectful approach they’re taking as they explore ideas to improve academic performance.
I am writing in protest of the possibility of uniforms for students of Taylor Community Schools.
Thirty-nine years ago, 20 million people across America gathered to celebrate the first Earth Day. The environment was in a state of crisis. Cities were buried in smog, and polluted rivers were catching fire.
We’ve come a long way since then.
Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:
On health fair benefits:
A record 352 people flocked to the Central Noble cafetorium in Albion April 4 for the free health fair hosted by Noble County Extension Services in partnership with Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville.
Volunteers are dedicated
Brianne Boles sends this Cheer to Bona Vista volunteers:
On behalf of Bona Vista Programs, we are proud to recognize and thank all of the wonderful volunteers that serve throughout Howard County.
IN SUMMARY: The Indiana Legislature must reach a compromise to regulate dog breeders.
It seems bad news in the auto industry dominates national headlines.
Today’s headlines are no exception, with word of rough seas ahead in the negotiations between Fiat Group SpA and Chrysler LLC.
Organizers of a Lafayette tax protest really ought to rethink their plans to dump tea bags into the Wabash River.
Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:
On Wrigley Field:
Surely, he didn’t really mean it. There’s just no way that Carlos Zambrano, the Chicago Cubs ace pitcher, could really want the city of Chicago to replace Wrigley Field.
The midterm Republican primary is shaping up to be an interesting one for the Kokomo area – and its still more than a year off.
Blood drive collects 60 pints
Drasadria Hogan, Brian Hogan and Ahronda James send this Cheer for some special blood donors:
Galveston officials should be lining up behind a group of local residents campaigning to clean up their town.
We often are asked our definition of news.
It’s change. It’s what affects or interests readers. It’s an event, such as a summer festival, or an announcement, like a new employer moving to town.
Surely, he didn’t really mean it.
He was overcome by the opulent surroundings at the new Yankee Stadium, and he just lost his head for a minute.
THE ISSUE: Highway work zone safety.
OUR VIEW: Be alert. Motorists are much more likely to be injured in work zones than crewmen.
At first glance, the plan seems almost too good to be true.
State lawmakers think they can generate $40 million to help Indiana’s cash-strapped cities by doubling the state’s tax on alcohol.
Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:
On the president’s speech at Notre Dame:
One of the challenges we have confronted since the beginning of this administration is what to do about the state of our struggling auto industry. We simply cannot let our auto industry vanish.
THE ISSUE: The auto task force’s rejection of Chrysler’s viability plan.
OUR VIEW: The U.S. automaker must forge an alliance with Fiat, or face bankruptcy.
Lane Robinson of City Hall sends this Cheer to three co-workers:
THE ISSUE: Backyard safety.
OUR VIEW: Phone Indiana 811 and locate underground utilities before you dig.
THE ISSUE: The president’s plans for economic recovery.
OUR VIEW: The administration seems to be making slow progress.
THE ISSUE: The City of Kokomo’s funding shortfalls.
OUR VIEW: We’re grateful city officials are discussing the problem in public so that surprises for city residents are avoided.
Nearly 200 people gathered at the Statehouse last week to show lawmakers they were generally “fed up” with government. That’s not a huge surprise.
Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:
On property tax caps:
Indiana House Democrats should start making the comedy-club circuit, because the latest act they’ve been rehearsing is hilarious.
The quintessential high school coach demands from his players their best effort – during a game, at practice, in the classroom and out in public
Nancy Snyder and her husband, Gary, send this Cheer:
“I would like to send a big Cheer to the Russiaville Volunteer Fire Department.
For years, the Howard County Council, as many others in the state do at budget time, made reductions in budget lines with the knowledge that additional funding will be needed in the future.
Senate Republicans are proposing to rescue the state’s bankrupt unemployment system by cutting unemployment checks and making it harder for people to qualify for benefits.
That’s a bad idea.
THE ISSUE: Science and technology education.
OUR VIEW: Howard County is pacing the state in such disciplines.
THE ISSUE: Plans for a new pavilion in Foster Park.
OUR VIEW: The city continues to find partners for new amenities.
... The Pinelands Regional School District, like so many other districts, has a zero-tolerance policy barring any “illegal or dangerous item, product or commodity” from its schools.
The House Financial Services Committee took Edward Liddy, CEO of insurance giant AIG, to the woodshed Wednesday. His backside must still smart.
Believing in ‘Yesterday’, Thank you, officers, Home raises money for chairs, Chili supper helps gymnasts and MDA is the beneficiary
THE ISSUE: Regional planning.
OUR VIEW: Counties such as Cass, Howard and Tipton that find they really do have shared interests would do well to team up.
THE ISSUE: The approaching planting season.
OUR VIEW: Watch for farm vehicles on county roads in the next few months.
The Delphi Community School Board made the right decision last week when it rejected a challenge to three books assigned as part of a high school English class.
Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:
On Wall Street:
In December, Merrill Lynch & Co. announced it would be acquired by Bank of America, the same weekend that Lehman Brothers went under. The deal went through on Jan. 1.
“This year’s seventh annual Chocolate Celebration was a frigid, snowy February day, which gave people even more reason to relieve stress by enjoying chocolate. Samaritan Caregivers would like to express sincere appreciation to sponsors Central Bank and Haynes International, in addition to everyone who exchanged their tickets for a total of 3,200 scrumptious chocolate morsels.
Students and teachers throughout the state were caught off guard last week by the material on the written portion of Indiana’s first spring round of standardized testing.
THE ISSUE: The Howard County Music Festival.
OUR VIEW: Plan to attend next March. You’ll be impressed by our children’s musicianship.
THE ISSUE: Tornado season.
OUR VIEW: Ensure your family knows what to do if one touches down.
THE ISSUE: The rescue of Peru’s Bruce Edgington.
OUR VIEW: The selflessness of Nolan Sturch and Michael Brooks renews our faith in humanity.
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