The Independent-News, Volume 118, Number 8, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 16 July 1992 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - JULY 16, 1992

I EDITORIALS I

"*** ■■ . . ^XfW!N!«iWWRW^ .:■ ■■-^ MORE BITS AND PIECES The more we progress the further back we seem to go. The old “one step forward and two steps back’’ idea remains to be almost more than just a saying. Items in the news continually add to this thought. One that really disturbed yours truly was the story that California farmers had been ordered to destroy millions of pounds of peaches and nectarines because the fruit was slightly smaller than federal standard allows. Statements were made by both sides in this matter as it supposedly is felt that “customers are prepared to spend more money for larger fruit than smaller fruit, so why undermine the higher profit item for the grower?’’. This fruit, some 500 millions pounds of peaches and nectarines that have been ordered dumped to rot, is not small enough for even experienced pickers to distinguish when picking. The truly sad part is that while the government is ordering this fruit destroyed, there are millions and millions of people, including many in our own country, who are hungry and dying of hunger. Food kitchens all over the country and other programs would profit greatly by having some of this fruit, but no, in order to keep the prices up, the slightly smaller fruit is not acceptable. What ever happened to free enterprise. Too much government control has been in our lives for many years, and this is just another example we cannot understand. Another item that caught our eye was the story about a reward of S3O million that is being offered to a U. S. manufacturer who comes up with the design for an energy-efficient refrigerator that puts the freeze on ozone-killing chemicals. The group of utilities offering this reward, want a refrigerator that does away with ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbons while cutting in half the 900 kilowatt-hours of electricity used annually by today’s average 18-cubic foot refrigerator. Despite the fact that today’s refrigerators are about twice as efficient on energy as those of 20 years ago, refrigerators and freezers still consume about 20 percent of the electricty in American homes. What ever happened to the old “ice box?’’ This type of improvement from both the energy and environmental standpoint, would be a real asset to our society. This type of thinking and planning to advance our overall way of living, is good. The competition for this new refrigerator is to end in October. Now wouldn’t it be nice if this same type of thinking could be put to a lot more uses of our everyday life. The progress we have made over the years is often at the expense of many other elements just for our convenience. And last, but not least, one still can’t fool Mother Nature. It continues to be true that regardless of the money spent, the effort put forth, etc., in the tree project in downtown Walkerton, the trees are struggling at best to survive with some definite losers in this fight. And yet look at the empty former filling station at the corner of U.S. 6 and St. Rd. 23 and see how the trees of heaven are flourishing without the help of man. These hearty specimans and other forms of plant life often continue to prove that Mother Nature still does it best . . . wanted or not.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE “To The Friend* Os The 4th” I would like to commend you on a job well done. Every year you are called upon to provide a 4th of July celebration. Although 1 was unable to see the fireworks this year, I know they were good as usual. So each of the Friends receive a thank you for a job well done. Each and every year people come from all over just to see the fireworks in Walkerton. They must be satisfied because the continue to come year after year. On Wednesday, July 1,1 told my kids that I would be taking them to the carnival. This is usually the best day because the ticket prices are always pay one price on Kiddies Day. At least that's the way I remembered it for at least the last six or seven years. But this year there was a mistake made. So the owner of the carnival said only discounted tickets would be available. Then she was going to charge a higher pay one price to ride. Then I guess she figured she could make more money by just selling discounted tickets only, after all, all the kids were coming that night. Parents don't want to pay full or discounted prices when Kiddies Day has always been pay one low price. But that night we had to pay discounted prices to go home with a bunch of crying kids. The owner actually talked to us

as if we were lucky to have them here in the first place. Well, I was at the carnival 20 years ago when Drago Amusements pulled up stakes and left Walkerton. I think that was a big misunderstanding and it’s time to find us a carnival that wants to come to Walkerton. The 4th of July week is a big payday for any carnival. I myself am almost afraid to let my kids ride the rides provided by Wabash Valley Shows. The workers are always dirty. The food booths consisted of one cotton candy, one corn dog and one other booth. The games are a ripoff and the rides should be retired. Plus all the carnies act like we owe them something for coming to Walkerton in the first place. We make approximately $4,000 (guessing) every year from the carnival, just enough to pay for the fireworks. So you can imagine how much the carnival makes. I think it’s time to find a better class carnival, that would appreciate making that kind of money guaranteed each year. One that would say thanks for having us. While at the same time we say thanks for coming. I for one am tired of settling for what’s left at the bottom of the barrel. I’m urging the Friends of the 4th to lay the ground work for the search for a new carnival. Maybe it will take a few years to find one, but it would be worth it in the long run. 1 have memories of a full week of fun and activities during the 4th of

July celebration. Let the 90’s be the start of getting those memories back, someday soon. Let’s have some respect for ourselves and the things we let happen in this, our town. After all the improvements and high standards that we have set for our town, schools and community, why should we let our standards drop so low on the 4th of July. Randy Givens “Sad Obeervation” There could be several reasons why business is leaving the Walkerton downtown area. 1. Some owners of downtown buildings are charging rents so high that small town retailers just can’t “make it” because of high overhead. 2. Some merchants really don't care about the Town. They don’t belong to the Chamber and don’t live in Walkerton, so the pride is not here either. 3. Small town retailers "must” cater to townfolk to keep the business here and keep customers satisfied. If a customer can’t find what he’s looking for and the merchants doesn’t seem to care if he's meeting his customers’ needs, then it leaves the customer with no other choice than to go out of town. 4. Loyalty is lacking in Walkerton. There is an old saying: “You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours”. Merchants need to “send business” to others here in town by verbally praising each other. I sense there is some ornery backstabbing going on amongst store merchants. Boo! 5. Finally, I wish people would stop complaining about progress in our community. Example: the new sidewalks and lampposts are great! I’m glad to get a chunk of state money used in my town. Live Here and Try To Shop Here “The Death Os A Club” How does a dub die? . . . by having leadership who wants all the glory, leadership who talks about the members, about the committees that have been selected and not letting them do their jobs, and by using the dub’s name and office to better themselves and hurt the club. I have been a volunteer and hard worker for a one particular dub and other clubs as well for over 15 years. My husband, son-in-law and several close friends are also members and have been for up to 20 years. For the past three years or so, we have been yelled at. and cursed at just trying to get facts about things that were happening and manv matters. We were told if we didn’t like the way things were being run, take it up at the board meetings. The treatment and talk of the members, volunteers and business people is uncalled for. As for me I have never been talked to or talked about and not allowed to be heard at a public meeting, as I have been this past week. I hate to see such a good and caring dub that does so much for the community dying a very slow and painful death under the leadership such as this. There are several good and loyal members who will be leaving the dub because they are not granted the time to speak. Annette Williams MILL CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH TO CELEBRATE DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY The Mill Creek Baptist Church, located at 200 S and 875 E, LaPorte County, will be celebrating their Diamond Anniversary on July 18. The Church is inviting the community to join them in a full day of activities beginning with a Pancake and Sausage Breakfast. This all you can eat breakfast will be served from 7:00 - 10:00 a.m. at the old Mill Creek School, $3.50 for adults andd $2.25 for children 6-12. The price at the door will be an additional 50 cents. Among the many booths which

will be located on the grouds of Mill Creek School will be Arts & Crafts, horseshoe pitching contest, down tank, antiques, face painting and a bake sale. All these booths will be open at 10:00 a.m. Special events being planned are a children’s tractor pull, basketball shoot, watermelon eating contest, apple pie contest and horse drawn wagon rides. Lunch will also be served on the grounds. Bar-B-Q’s, hotdogs, chips and pop will be available. To culminate the day’s activities, a Spiritual & Patriotic concert will be performed at the church from 4:00 - 8:00 p.m. and beginning at 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., a hog roast will be held in the Church Fellowship Hall. Included on the menu besides roasted pig will be navy beans, applesauce, cornbread and cake. The all you can eat meal will cost $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for children 5-12. UNITED TELEPHONE WARNS CUSTOMERS OF FRAUDULENT SCAMS United Telephone Company of Indiana is advising customers to beware of fraudulent telemarketers who will attempt to sell people everything from overpriced and useless water purifiers to gold mines that are nothing more than piles of dirt. According to information provided by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the National Association of Attorney’s General, fraudulent telemarketers swindle American consumers out of $1 billion dollars or more each year. While selling products or services by telephone is not in itself a crime, because so many customers enjoy the ease and convenience of shopping by telephone it is an attractive tool for unscrupulous sales people. Most telemarketers represent honest and reputable businesses, the FTC notes. However, true to the nature of modern telecommunications, anyone with a telephone is vulnerable to the high-pressure sales tactics and enticing offers of dishonest telemarketers. It is essential that the modern consumer be an informed telephone shopper. A list of ways to avoid being swindled has been provided by the FTC and indudes: • Don’t provide a credit card number over the phone unless you know an organization is reputable. • Insist on getting written information about the organization. At the same time, don’t assume an organization is legitimate solely on the basis of impressive-looking brochures or enthusiastic testimonials. • Find out if any complaints have been registered against the company with your state attorney general or local Better Business Bureau. But remember, scam artists frequently change names and locations. Just because there are no complaints on file does not mean a business is trustworthy. • In the case of charitable organizations, you have the right to know if the caller is a volunteer or professional telemarketer/fund raiser. Don’t commit yourself over the telephone. Ask for written information about how much of your donation will actually go to the charity and how much will be spent on administrative and fund-raising costs. • Take time to make a decision before investing. Consult someone whose financial advice you trust —a banker, lawyer, accountant or friend. Have them review any contract or prospectus before you commit yourself. • If a caller is uncooperative in answering questions, hang up the phone. Remember, you have a right to know specifics. They have no right to your money. • Follow the advice, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.” Customers should beware of free “gifts” that require them to pay “shipping and handling” charges, “redemption” fees or “gift taxes” for delivery; “high-profit, no-risk”

investments; high-pressure sales tactics and demands to “act now”; and any request for their credit card number for “identification” purposes or to "verify” that they have won a prize. Customers also should be suspicious of callers who refuse to provide written materials or basic details about the organization, such as its location or names of its officers; and organizations that are unfaniiliar to them or have only a post office box for an address. Persons who get swindled by a telemarketer should not be embarrassed to report it or assume it’s not worth their time, according to FTC. By reporting incidents, consumers can help ensure others are not victimized. Persons wishing to report an incident may contact their state attorney general’s office or the Federal Trade Commission, Telemarketing Fraud, Room 200, 6th & Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. PUBLIC INVITED TO ATTEND DNR PUBLIC MEETINGS TO DISCUSS REGULATIONS The DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife invites the public to attend a series of public meetings in August to discuss waterfowl regulations for 1992. Another set of public meetings is scheduled for August and September to discuss deer regulations for 1993. "The DNR asks Hoosiers to attend these meetings to make sure you voices are heard”, said Wayne Bivans, Divisions of Fish and Wildlife director. “We want to improve our relationships with sportsmen and all Hoosiers by considering a variety of options and viewpoints. This is the place to voice your concerns or support.” Waterfowl 1992 waterfowl season dates and the status of duck and goose populations are the topic of three DNR public meetings to be held from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at: August 4 —- Plymouth — Lincoln Junior High School, 220 North Liberty St. D«k 1993 regulations governing deer hunting in Indiana are the subject of five August public meetings throughout Indiana. At the meetings, Division of Fish and Wildlife officials will discuss Indiana’s deer management and options for regulations. The public is offered a forum to express ideas concerning those deer management options. In September, Division of Fish and Wildlife officials will hold a second set of meetings at the same places to work toward mutual public agreement on proposed rules. The five public meetings will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. at: August 11 and September 22 — Warsaw — Lakeview Middle School (the old high school), 848 E. Smith St. For more information, contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at (317) 232-4080. NEVER LEAVE BABY UNATTENDED IN THE BATH TUB (HNN) — Never, but never, leave your baby unattended in the bathtub, even if he or she is in one of those “supporting ring” devices, says Heatlth News Network, the news service of the Indiana Association of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons. Eleven deaths have already been reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The devices usually have three or four legs with suction cups that attach to the bottom of the tub. However, the suction cups may suddenly release allowing the bath ring and baby to topple over. A baby may also slip between the legs of the bath ring and become trapped under it. Even momentarily turning away to answer the doorbell or telephone could result in the baby drowning, say* CPSC.