The Independent-News, Volume 108, Number 43, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 31 March 1983 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - MARCH 31, 1983

EDITORIALS

A VERY BAD DECISION! Very seldom will you hear a negative statement about the annual Bi-County Tourney held each year at the LaVille High School. Over the 18 years it has enjoyed much success in both the play and as a profit maker for the competing schools. It is one that is looked favorably upon by many outsiders who have watched, through the reorgainzation of schools in Indiana some 20 years ago, the many county tournies that sprinkled the state fall by the wayside. But still the Bi-County seems to not diminish, but shine brighter from year to year. As far as we are concerned, the first real blemish took place recently . . . and this was not on the playing floor. Rather it involves “who” will be on the playing floor. Without firsthand confirmation on this matter, we understand that a vote was taken by six of the participants at a meeting that not all entrants in the tourney were invited to, to drop Oregon-Davis from the tourney in order to let Triton High School back in. This is in very bad taste. The unofficial report has it that all the schools, with the exception of Oregon-Davis, Culver Military Academy, and the school who asked for re-admis-sion, Triton, met on their own and a vote was taken of 5-1 to oust the Bobcats of Oregon-Davis to let Triton back in. If all these facts are true, it is even more sad that five of the six involved could and would do such a thing. Triton was an original member of the Bi-County Tourney and also claims one crown, winning the title in 1970 and was a runner-up to champion North Liberty in 1966 in the very first such meet. However, after building a new school with a larger gym, Triton dropped out of the tourney for various reasons, one being that those involved passed up Triton’s request to host the tourney part of the time and rotate the site among the schools that could seat as many or more than LaVille. They also stated at that time they could host their own four-way tourney and make more money. They did host one for a few years but for some time now have been in the same holiday tourney with Glenn, Argos and Culver, which certainly isn’t as much of a box office bonanza as other avenues could be. The point is however, regardless of being a “charter” member of the tourney, they dropped out. Oregon-Davis was one of two schools who wanted to replace North Liberty when that school was closed two years ago. At that time they were the choice of the tourney participants. Now all of a sudden, they don’t appear to be the choice of most of those same schools. We feel it is all well and good that Triton wants back in . . . but we also feel they should wait until there is an opening. To just eliminate a team unvoluntarily to make room for them is no good . . . who knows, maybe someday someone won’t want Glenn in either and a vote of most of the schools could evidently drop them from the competition also. We don’t know the entire circumstances, but do feel that Oregon-Davis, in their two-year history in the tourney, has been an asset, not a liability. Maybe they didn’t sell as many season tickets as some hoped for, but I for one certainly saw a lot of support for the Bobcats at LaVille just a couple of months ago and I also saw a Bobcat team that added an awful lot of excitement and good basketball to the tourney. We do hope there is someway these mis-guided minds that cast them aside could swallow hard, admit their mistake and reverse this most ridiculous decision! It is true, it’s just a sport . . . but where was the sportsmanship when this meeting and vote was taken? A real good example!

-CHURCH NEWS

United Methodist Church 1000 Georgia Street. Walkerton Rev. Chester A. Mayfower THURSDAY. MARCH 31 6:30 p.m., Maundy Thursday Service in the sanctuary. We will then go in silence to the Fellowship Hall where we will have a Passover meal and communion. GOOD FRIDAY. APRIL 1 12:30 -1:30 p.m.. The Community Good Friday Services will be held here. Everyone is invited and encouraged to attend. SATURDAY, APRIL 2 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon, The United Methodist Women will have a bake sale at Jacob Drug Store EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 3 6:30 a.m., Easter Sunrise Service in the sanctuary. 7:30 a.m., Easter Sunrise Breakfast served in the John Glenn cafeteria. Communion will follow. No Early Worship Today. 9:15 a.m., Sunday School. 10:30 a.m., Worship Service MONDAY. APRIL 4 7:00 p.m., Service at Miller's Merry Manor. 8:00 p.m., Education Committee. TUESDAY, APRIL 5 7:30 p m.. Ruth Circle to meet at

the home of Anna Anderson. 8:00 p.m.. Trustees meeting. Presbyterian Church 512 Georgia Street Walkerton, Indiana Rev. Warren Furnish THURSDAY. MARCH 31 Maundy Thursday. 7:30 p.m., Communion Service. FRIDAY. APRIL 1 Good Friday. 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.. Community Good Friday service at the Walkerton United Methodist Church. SUNDAY. APRIL 3 Easter Sunday. 8:00 a.m.. Sunrise Service followed by continental breakfast in the Fellowship Hall. 9:30 a.m., Sunday School. 10:30 a.m.. Worship Service. THURSDAY, APRIL 5 7:30 p.m.. Deacons meet at the Church. “Whosoever will, may come." Koontz Lake Miaaiaaary Church Lloyd George. Pastor Guy Bridges. Visitation Pastor Mary Boise. Sunday School Superintendent EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES 6:30 a.m.. Easter Sunrise Service. 7:30 a.m.. Easter Breakfast.

9:(X) a.m.. Sunday School children's Faster program. 10:00 a.m.. Morning worship featuring an Easter cantata by the church choir under the direction of Mrs. Mary Boise. b:00 p.m.. Faster evening Communion sen ice. 'All times are Central Sandard I ime. Ihe public is invited to all of these sets ices. EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE AND BREAKFAST The Walkerton United Methodist Church will have their Easter Sunrise Service at 6:30 a.m. on April 3 in the church sanctuary. Following worship, a breakfast will be served at 7:30 in the John Glenn cafeteria. Reservations should be made by calling the church office at 586-3534. A free will offering will be taken. At the conclusion of breakfast, we will participate in Holy Communion. The 8:30 a.m. Early Worship Service has been cancelled for this day. The community is invited and encouraged to join in this joyous celebration! EASTER SERVICES AT PINE CREEK CHURCH The Pine Creek Church of the Brethren will celebrate the Easter occasion with the following activities: At 7:30 a.m. Easter Sunday, will be a Sunrise Service, led by the young adult class. At 8:00. the Christian Comrades class will serve breakfast. Mary Drapalik will present an organ concert of Easter music at 9:00. At the 9:30 worship celebration, pastor Simmons will speak on the subject, “From Death To Life”. The choir will sing, “Pardon” and “Because He Lives”. The concluding Lenten Bible studies will be Thursday, March 31. at 7:30, led by Pastor Simmons. The subject is “Undeserved Favor" and will be on the parable of the laborers from Matthew 19:27 - 20:16. Friday evening we will worship with the Lakeville-North Liberty community at the Union Good Friday Service, at the LaVille High School, at 7:30. A community choir will sing three anthems and a drama group from Bethany Theological Seminary, will present a dramatic reading entitled, “The Son Who Must Die”. An offering will be received for the South Bend soup kitchen, serving the needy of the area. On April 4, at 6:00, Pastor and Mrs. James. Simmons will be hosts to the ministers and wives dinner for Sections 1 and 2 of the Church of the Brethren. For the month of April, the Commissions and Church Board meetings will be held on Tuesday. April 5. 6:30 and 7:30 respectively. Easter Cantata To Be Presented On Sunday, April 10 The Walkerton United Methodist Choir will present the Easter cantata. “The Crimson Bridge", by Derric Johnson, during the 10:30 a.m. worship service on April 10. Everyone is invited. Soloists are Debbie Buchanan, Mildred Smith, Randy Clark, Barbara Rohrer and Ken Rohrer. Joan Haney is the narrator. The Crimson Bridge is a graphic description of the miracle of Calvary. The music carries you back to the foot of the cross where you become personally involved in the last hours of Jesus' life. Derric Johnson writes: "The cross never made a compromise or gave a concession. The cross never lost an argument — except once! It always won its victory by killing its foe forever — except once! The cross never lost a victim. or had anyone live again after

its torturous death — except once! And no one ex er went to the cross willinglx, or with love — except once!” I here is a bridge that joins both God and man. a crimson bridge called Calx ary. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE Dog Ordinance Needed When arc wc in Walkerton going I to get a dog ordinance? The dogs arc running everywhere. It's im- ( possible to walk in one’s own yard । without becoming nausauted at the , piles all over. Wc have a dog and it's tied and we clean up after it . constantly. Why do we who are caring about our pet get punished by other dogs and owners. We need a strict dog law somehow . H. J. K. ( Walkerton Smoke Alarm Saves Two Lives I On March 25. the Walkerton Fire ; Department was dispatched to a house fire. The first pumper arrived at the scene four minutes after having been dispatched. Flames and smoke were coming our of a window, one room was completely involved in flames and the entire home filled with smoke, so much smoke that it was impossible to enter without breathing apparatus. It was learned immediately that no one was in the home. The fire was extinguished quickly. Later it was learned that without the warning of a smoke alarm, two young children who were in the rwm that was completely engulfed in flame would have without a doubt of the firemen at the scene, have been injured or worse either by the fire or smoke. This smoke alarm warned the babysitter in enough time to rescue the children from the flames and smoke in their bedroom before they became too severe for her to enter. We can all learn a lesson from this. We know the Town of Walkerton has passed an ordinance requiring smoke alarms in certain properties. We thank them for this ordinance and to Chuck Baker, who pressed this issue while he was fire chief. But what about ail the other homes not covered by this ordinance? There is no law forcing people to use smoke and/or fire alarms but we cannot see how anyone could I live in a home without one, knowing that one could save themselves and their loved ones from injury or I death. They are not expensive, easy to install and can be pur- , chased locally or in most hardware or department stores. There is just no excuse for nest having the protection they can give. Please, if you don’t have a smoke or fire I alarm, do it now. don't wait. The Walkerton Volunteer Fire Department Report From Your State Rep. Richard Mangus Among the members of the Indiana General Assembly, there is an understanding that no bill or issue is totally dead until "sine die", the Latin term which signals the end of the legislative session. It is not surprising nor unusual for a legislator to resurrect an issue that was once pronounced dead in committee or in either House. As the legislature nears the 61st session day, the last day the General Assembly can legally meet during a long session, one will notice various attempts to revive old issues. The revival of these measures may occur through an amendment to a bill, or the language may be put into another bill that has been "stripped" of its original language or else Conference Committee members can

ENGAGED f Q 1 Mr. and Mrs. Milne Rundle, Koontz Lake, announce the engagement of their daughter, Beth Renee, to Jerry Johnson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnson. Knoxville. lowa. The bride-elect is a graduate of John Glenn High School and is employed at Jefferson Medical Arts Center. South Bend. The prospective groom is a graduate of Knoxville High School and Indian Hills Community College, Des Moines. lowa. He is employed by Digital Equipment Corp., Portland, Oregon. A June 25 wedding is being planned. adopt the measure. Conference committees have long been recognized as an important part of the legislative process in settling the differences on issues between both Houses. In fact, the Conference Committee concept has been used in Indiana government since 1816. It is during this time when legislators and committee members must be very, very careful in considering any changes to bills. The Conference Committee process begins after the House and the Senate have had a chance to act on a bill. If the second House has amended a bill so that it differs from the version passed by the first House, the bill must be sent back to the House of origin for a vote to accept or reject the amendment. If the amended bill is rejected, then a Conference Committee made up of two members of each House is appointed. 1 his committee attempts to resolve the differences between the versions of the bill. If an agreement is rejected. new Conference Committees may be appointed or the bill may die for want of agreement. The Conference Committee process is not a secretive procedure. In 1977. several “sunshine" or open door proposals were passed into law. As a result the legislature adopted rules on requiring an open door policy for Conference Committee meetings. It was an effort on the part of the legislature to protect the interests of constituents and the state. One bit of evidence signifying the positive impact of such openness can be seen through the work of lobbyists, representatives of interest groups. Veteran House members say that before public Conference Committees were required, the effective lobbyists did not do any lobbying until Conference Committee time. Now that public and media scrutiny is inevitable, that attitude and practice is obsolete. Good interest group representatives are active and forthright during al! phases of the process. As the General Assembly finishes its work in these last two weeks, I anticipate the beginning of increased pressure on Conference Committee members by legislators and lobbyists. It will be a last ditch effort to see their interests passed into law before we say “sine die". Our classifieds start at only $150!