The Independent-News, Volume 111, Number 42, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 20 March 1986 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS - MARCH 20, IM6

• EDITORIALSI jm ■ ■ - -

* SHE’S STILL THE BOSS! Despite the fact this issue of “The Independent-News” is dated March 20, and on March 20, Spring officially arrives, don’t be mislead by everything you hear. Mother Nature still may have some pretty good tricks up her sleeve. With the coming of this season comes aspirations of warmer weather, the start of outdoor activities, trees budding out, flowers starting their growth and blooming, the blossoms on the many fruit trees, etc. But also comes the period of the year when the highest risk of severe weather is upon us. And it has already happened in the midwest, in several towns in Indiana, which received this type of severe weather within the past two weeks. Too often we forget to respect Mother Nature and her sudden changes of weather. If one thinks back to the Palm Sunday tornado in 1965, a tragedy anyone in this area remembers, it certainly did its share of damage locally as well as cutting a wide swath across northern Indiana. But it also did something else that for a large part we tend to forget ... it put the fear and respect of a tornado and other severe weather warnings in all of us. But as the years go by, we tend to forget. The last tornado warning issued when a twister had been sighted somewhere in the locality to warrant sounding the alarm system, didn’t have the effect that one would have had 20 years ago. And it isn’t all just that we forget ... 21 years ago when the Palm Sunday storm hit our area at least one-third of our population wasn’t even born! And add to that those too young to have realized what happened, and you have almost half of the population basically unaware of this storm through personal experience. An issued warning in 1966 meant a lot ... an awful lot. However, a warning in 1986 means much less to many. The last such warning didn’t stop the normal run of life in most instances. Businesses were near closing time, but no special effort was made to clear the business area and people did not rush here and there seeking safety. Traffic didn’t diminish very much and in fact, more people came out of buildings to look around at what might be happening than ever thought of taking shelter. This week has been declared “Tornado Preparedness Week” by Governor Orr. Today, Thursday, March 20, between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. the Eighth Annual Statewide Tornado Warning Drill will be conducted. This does not mean systems will be activated in every town and city, but the testing of the warning systems and educating the public at the onset of the Indiana Tornado Season is the main goal. We would like to remind all of you locally, that the tornado watch and warnings are two different things. A tornado watch is issued when conditions are favorable for the forming of such a storm. The tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted somewhere that could involve our local area. For a tornado warning, the fire sirens will sound for a full three minute period. If an actual sighting endangers the immediate area, three one minute blasts of the sirens with a minute off in between will be sounded. This means to take shelter and any precautions you can. In case of a tornado warning this procedure will be repeated once every hour. And when the threat is gone, the procedure will simply stop. We encourage everyone to respect Mother Nature and her often severe tricks that are so possible especially at this time of year. The awareness you may have and take should a warning occur could be a matter of life and death. Such severe storms are not things to gamble against ... a loss in such a gamble may just be forever! when...

1981 Agriculture means big business in our nation and especially here in Indiana. Agriculture is the largest single industry with gross sales of more than $4 billion but the cash receipts from fanning are just part of the story. More than sl7 billion of economic activity in Indiana is directly related or stimulated by agriculture. Agriculture Day will be observed nationwide on March 19. March 24 has been designated as “Art Appreciation Day" at the Walkerton Elementary School. Epsilon Chi chapter of Tri Kappa is the sponsor for the day. This day is for the enjoyment of art and not for competition of judging. All students entered projects in the as fair and will receive participation awards. 1971 The National Week of Concern will be observed here, on March

21-29. This is a good time for all of us to write to our Senators and Representatives about the many Americans who are prisoners of war or are missing in action. Hoosier Boys State Delegates and alternates from Orville Easterday American Legion Post 189. Walkerton, have been chosen. Delegates are Brad Gillies and Steve Wiktrowski and alternates are Jon Bormet and Alan Bachtel. The world famous “Texas Cowgirls" will appear in North Liberty on Friday, March 26. This female basketball team and show is being presented by the North Liberty P.T.A. and they will be at the high school gym at 8:00 p.m. 1966 Seventy students in the sixth and seventh grades of the Walkerton Elementary School will participate in a musical, "Tom Sawyer", to be presented on Friday evening, March 25, at the school, at 7:30

p.m. The North Liberty High School Chorus will present a Broadway musical entitled, "Cindy", the story of a modern day Cinderella, on Thursday and Friday, March 24 and 25, at 7:30 p.m., in the high school gym. Tuesday, March 29, will be the date df an unusual basketball game in Walkerton. Coming to the local gym will be the "Tons Os Fun” team of women basketball players. This group is very good and comical. Registration for the May primary election will be done until Monday, April 4, in Walkerton. Local precinct committeemen will register anyone. Contact Lloyd Stephenson, Ray Nusbaum or Jim Taylor. 1961 A good Dixie Land Combo, the "Pine Creek Five" will add much to the entertainment offered you at the Lions Club Ministrel on Friday evening at the Walkerton High School gym. The five who will form the group are all set to make the place rock as Don Weil, trumpet; Denslow Doll, piano; Jerry Storey, sax; Fred Webb, trombone; and Bob Balsley, on the drums, will provide the extra music. March 4 to 11 was set aside as National 4-H Week. This is the time which recognition is given to a group of young people who will develop into our better citizens of tomorrow. There are over 2,500 4-H'ers in St. Joseph County. The annual St. Patrick's School talent show was presented on Friday at the school hall. "Talent Round-up" was the theme and also the title of the song and dance number done by Donna Harness, Gloria Dalke, Patricia Holland and Patricia Sullivan in the opening. The girls were dressed as cowgirls. John Zboril was master of ceremonies. 1956 For several years the Church of the Brethren, North Liberty, was greatly in need of more adequate facilities for the total church and Sunday School program in order to be able to do her part along with the other churches in serving the needs of the community. Early in 1952 the church began remodeling on its work as a church. Last Sunday the church was successful in an effort through cash and pledges to raise enough money to clear the debt. Now a mortgage burning service is planned for the near future. A new traffic ordinance No. 156, regulating the parking of cars in North Liberty, was passed February 1, deemed necessary for safety reasons. The new ordinance makes it unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street on the wrong side of the street, or to the left of any street. It shall be unlawful to park any motor vehicle on any street with the exception of the 100 block of N. Main or the known business block of North Liberty in any matter other than parallel to the curb or curb line. At the market bacon was selling for 29 cents a pound; three pounds of hamburger for 89 cents; beef roast at 29 cents a pound; club steak at 49 cents a pound; round and T-bone steaks at 55 cents a pound; 25 pounds of flour for $2.10; and a frozen cherry pie for only 55 cents. 1951 The safety essay contest “Safety On The Highway”, started locally as a project of the Junior Women’s Gub several weeks ago, has been completed in St. Joseph County and the essay of the first place winner has been forwarded to the 13th District president, in Rochester, for final judging. The 13th District consists of Elkhart, Fulton, Koscuiski, LaPorte, Marshall, St. Joseph and Starke counties. Walkerton residents may be pleased to know that the essay written by Walter LaFeber was awarded first place in the county and John Cecrle placed second. Employment at the Kingsbury Ordinance Plant has reached 1,400

THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS Publication Number 261460 ROBERT E. URBIN, EDITOR SUSAN R. URBIN, ASSISTANT EDITOR INDEPENDENT-NEWS CO., INC., PUBLISHER 601-03 Roosevelt Road, Walkerton, Indiana 46574*1294 Telephone (219) 586-3139 PUBLICATION TIME: Thursday of Each Week Stcond Class Postage Paid At Walkerton, Indiana 46574 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: 15‘ Per Copy; $5.00 Per Year (SI.OO Extra If Mailed Out Os State)

and another 400 production workers will be added in the next 10 days. 1941 Declaring that the nation always needs to defend agriculture, C. J. McCormick, of Indianapolis, a member of the Indiana Agriculture Conservation Committee addressed 135 farmers and businessmen at a Triple-A banquet held in the Center Township School in observance of Ag Day. Tuesday and Wednesday the four high school classes played off the annual class tourney. In the draw, the first game was to be between the sophomores and the seniors and the second game pitted the freshmen against the juniors. Culmination of a series of activities planned to raise funds for uniforms for the consolidated band of the Liberty and Lincoln Township Schools, was the varsity show given Friday evening in the Walkerton gym to a near capacity crowd. Twelve clever acts, each one sponsored by a community group, provided an unusual evening of entertainment. 1931 Hope that State Road 6 will be pushed nearer to final completion this year was renewed this week when the announcement was made that the road had been difinately routed across LaPorte County. A definite right-of-way over a large part of the present gap between Westville and Ligonier has been assured. Gasoline and kerosene took a two cent tumble this morning. Gasoline can now be purchased locally for 16.4 cents per gallon and kerosene at 10.2 cents per gallon. Assessments of the property of this township began Monday when the Township Assessor, John F. Spencer, started the annual job of appraising. Northern Indiana, experiencing the worst snow storm of the winter season, was virtually snow-bound Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, March 8, 9 and 10. The Koontz Lake cottagers are up in arms because of their inability to get electric light service at the lake. VOICE OF THE PEOPLE “True Chriatmaa Spirit!” Hopefully the person!s) who cut the 6 to 8 foot beautiful pines at the Koontz Lake Old Mill Memorial site enjoyed them in a true Christmas spirit. The pines and monument were placed there to beautify the entrance to our community on our country’s 200th birthday. Koontz Lake Conservation Company “How Long Does It Take For Town Office To Correct Their Mistakes?” in the March 13, 1986 "The Independent-News” Beverly Williams wrote, "The people of this town need to realize if we make mistakes we correct them”. By golly, that’s a good one! Note — It was stated "if we make mistakes ”. 1 was repeatedly shouted at that they "NEVER make mistakes". Now there’s an "if’ about it!

The people of this town DO realize that since August, 1984, I have been trying to get Walkerton Town Office to correct their mistakes in over-charging us. 1 endured the confusing frustration of fluctuating water meter readings, only to discover the mistakes in our situation are not in the readings per se, but are miscalculations from another’s account to ours, and the additional mistake is a computer error. Town Office personnel was adamant and wouldn’t even listen to my attempts to explain where the errors are. The people in this town need to realize — they are entitled to answers from the public servants — and not just receive dictatorial orders. Public servants responsibilities should be what the title implies — to serve the public — with cooperation, courtesy, respect and to listen and give answers. All the hush-hush makes me curious for answers. When overcharges are paid, where does the money go? Why aren’t utility rebates passed on to the consumers? How come the little town of Walkerton has the highest utility rates in the State? How come the little town of Walkerton has one of the highest paid Town Gerks? Why did the people of Walkerton have to pay Town Gerk’s penalty for late payment of Town taxes, when she is making such a good income? Whatever happened regarding the "$235,931 Rip-Off"? Walkerton has a lot of possibilities for improvement and growth, but something is wrong somewhere. The lack of civic pride and interest in affairs is showing up — badly — in more and more homes for sale. It’s almost two years since we moved here and I’m still waiting for Walkerton Town Office to correct their mistakes in over-charging us our first two months here. Shirley Magner IT S A FACT! America is running out of landfill sites to dispose of garbage Some communities have found an efficient and economical form of wash* disposal: incineration Plastics have proved to be especially helpful in this process Discarded plastic materials in the solid waste stream produce energy when they are burned, according to the Society of the Plastics Industry. Their BTU value is up to 18,500 per pound: equal to coal, much higher than the average waste Th* most common first name of US presidents is James. 55 SAVES LIVES ¥