The Independent-News, Volume 118, Number 10, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 30 July 1992 — Page 4

4

- THE INDEPENDENT NEWS - JULY 30, 1992

EDITORIALS

ATHLETICS AND POLITICS Athletics and politics, two things that should seem about as far apart as can be, are once again drawn together this year. Perhaps the political issues are not as strong in the athletic world this year as in some past years, particularly when the Olympics are involved, there is still a lot of comments and undertones of politics involved in the telecast of the 1992 Olympics. The three main instances most can remember, not going as far back as the Olympic games in Berlin in 1936, occured in 1972 in Munich, Germany when terrorists invaded the Olympic Village and some loss of life resulted. In 1980, President Carter ordered a boycott of the Summer Olympics for the United States because of Russia’s aggressiveness in the Middle East. Not to be outdone, the Russians then later boycotted the games due to political reasons. It is too bad when such competition as the Olympics and the athletes themselves are punished for something that is absolutely none of their own doing. Whether or not a country’s stance such as these has any kind of positive effect, we will probably never know, we will just be able to assume one way or the other. Another thing enters into the Olympics each and every time the athletes of the world gather to compete. That is an unofficial country versus country attitude. There is no sanctioned team standings, the Olympics were originally meant to be competition among individuals, not countries. The media has put all of this hype into the country versus country element, not the Olympic Committee. The accusations, the insinuations and the many comments made by one nation against another’s athletes or practices, has long been headline news at Olympic times and other times as well. Training procedures, drugs, professionalism, etc., has long been an issue between countries. It is too bad that the countries and the media cannot accept the Olympics for what they are as the athletes themselves do, good competition among the individuals. You often see a close comradery among the individuals themselves that is never reflected by other sources. These athletes compete, but respect and appreciate each other, often becoming very close friends as a result of such competition. Maybe a lesson could be learned by all from the athletes themselves. As we continue through the two weeks of competition, remember that winning still isn’t everything. Just the chance to compete at such a level, giving the best one can give and the thrill of competition at such a level is still the main thing for these many athletes. The losers of events aren’t losers, they are all winners in their own way. And in closing, the worst comment heard or read about the 1992 Olympics was South Bend Tribune’s Bill Moor’s intended humor stating that, and we quote: “By the end of the Games, the face of NBC host Bob Costas will be as welcome in most households as rodent residue”. Under the heading “Moor or Less”, we can certainly use less of such comments as that.

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE “My Town, Walkerton, Ind.” I have read the history of Walkerton, and the founding fathers had great expectations for Walkerton. It is located on the edges of four counties. Highways and railroads were running through the middle of the town. It was a great location for a growing community of business and industry. It still is! The question is “Do we want Walkerton to survive, and become a working community again?”. Are we willing to buckle down and become friends and neighbors working together again? Are we willing to forget past grudges and jealousies to work for the common good? Can we love and honor our neighbors enough for the betterment of the whole area? These are questions that have to be thought through and answered affirmatively before we can grow. 1 think that a large rallying effort should be started and headed up not only by business people, but also by the elected town officials and the area Chamber of Commerce! Let’s have a total effort by all to save our community! 1 don’t want Walkerton to become a bedroom community of another city! I love Walkerton, and it is “My Town!” Neil, Wanda did have raspberry pie last week, I just got there before you did. This week she will be making fresh peach pies and raspberry pies. That is if the help

didn’t eat all of the berries! The Walkerton address area has a variety of eating places. Mr. Tee’s is a good walking uptown eating place. If you want a drive-in, there’s Kickers. Welco is open 24 hours a day for everyone’s convenience. ID’s serves some mighty good lunches. Wanda’s in town and Al's at Koontz Lake are great family restaurants. If you want great scenery, there is The Fish Lake Inn at Fish Lake. Os course there is Mr. G’s on the beautiful shores of Koontz Lake. For fast carry-outs, there is Larry’s Quick Mart in Walkerton and Mr. J. R.’s at Koontz Lake. Walkerton even has a Dairy Queen! I see that the Starlight is offering eatables, my word. So for a variety of dining pleasures, we have a great selection. Next week, we will have the continuing saga of the dogs. Sincerely, Nedra Williams About one in three adult Americans has high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular disease claims an American life every 34 seconds, according to the American Heart Association. Think heart disease only affects the elderly? Think again. Each year more than 170,000 Americans under age 65 die of cardiovascular diseases, according the the American Heart Association.

Private Water Testing Program Thru St. Joe Fair A private water testing probram, sponsored by the St. Joseph County Farm Bureau and the St. Joseph County Soil and Water Conservation District and Cooperative Extension Service, will be held again this year in conjunction with the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair. The program was a success last year and it is hoped even more people will take advantage of this program this year. The private water testing program is being offered to St. Joseph County residents who have private water systems. The test will analyze a minimum of 200 private wells throughout the county, in particular the rural area of the county. Data on private water systems to assess the quality of our drinking water will be gathered and the program will assist participants in evaluating the confidential test results. Test options available, you many choose either any/or all of the options. They are: 1. Nitrates — Includes analysis for nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, chloride, sulfate, conductivity, silica and soluble reactive phospherous. 2. Pesticid Screens — Triazine: indicates presence of common triazine herbicides, including atrazine, simazine and cyanazine, most commonly found in private water supplies. Lasso/Dual: indicates presence of pesticides alachlor (Lasso) and metolachlor (Dual). 3. VOC’s (Volatile organic chemicals) — fuels, dyes, perfumes, paint thinner, paint stripper, industrial solvents, cleaning solvents and solvents. 4. Metals I — aluminum, barium, cadmium, calcium, chromium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, manganese, potassium, sodium and zinc. 5. Metals 11 — Arsenic, mercury and selenium. The cost of testing: Nitrates, S 12.00; pesticide screens, $15.00 each; VOC’s, $25.00; metals I, $25.00 each; and metals 11, $25.00 each. Checks should be made payable to: The Extension Education Fund. To participate, you should decide which of the test options you want. Pick-up your test sampling kit at the St. Joseph County 4-H Fair, August 3 - August 8, in the Commercial Building, Farm Bureau Booth. For those not planning to attend the 4-H Fair, you may pick up your test kit at the Farm Bureau Insurance office and/or the Soil and Water Conservation District

AgriDirections

Weather, Subsidies Key To Grain Markets

As the growing season comes into full bloom, farmers and grain traders continue to look for indications of where commodity prices might go. The final acreage report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave some indication. Corn acreage reported was on target with analysts' expectations but soybeans were planted on nearly two million more acres than most analysts expected. Even with those figures, however, weather remains a key to price direction for grain and soybean markets. Although drought has plagued a small but significant portion of the upper Midwest, agricultural meteorologist Jon Davis of Shearson, Lehman Brothers said that weather patterns are beginning to look more normal for this time of year, driving expectations for healthy crops. "We are undergoing a pattern change and this pattern change will lead to warmer temperatures, no extreme

office, both located in the Farm Bureau Building at 60455 U.S. 31 South. Kits will also be available at the County Extension Office, Room 646, County-City Building, South Bend, from August 3 to 8, and at the Farm Bureau Insurance Office, 236 W. Edison Rd., Suite 6, Mishawaka. Instruction for taking the water samples will be with the test kit. Each kit will contain two or three test vials and an information sheet. All test vials must be filled from the same water source and faucet. If you want to test more than one source, you must purchase additional kits. Return the water test kit and participants information sheet on Monday, August 10, to one of the designated pick-up points listed here: Center Township Fire Station Harris Township Fire Station, 13981 St. Rd. 23, Granger New Carlisle Fire Station North Liberty Fire Station Wyatt Fire Station All location pick-up times 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

MB Recyclable Plastics: An Advance in Packaging

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a plastic —a form of polyester — that is used in soft drink and liquor bottles, mouthwash bottles, and containers for a variety of other food products. More and more food manufacturers today are switching over to PET containers, because they are not only lighter and virtually unbreakable, but are also “environmentally-friendly.” For example, the Thomas J. Lipton Company recently converted its full line of Wish-Bone* Dressings switched over to PET recyclable plastic bottles. PET is an energy-efficient form of packaging for several reasons. It requires less energy to make, and it reduces the weight of the finished product, thus saving gasoline and distribution costs. Another measure of the efficiency of plastics in food packaging is preserving food itself. Since PET is shatterproof, products are not wasted due to breakage or spills during filling, transport or use. Also, because they maintain freshness of the product and protect against contamination, plastic containers ultimately reduce garbage by reducing food waste. PET is a valuable resource that can be recycled. In fact, the market for recycled PET is one of the fastest growing of all recyclable materials. It is used in a wide variety of

heat, and more of a normal type of rainfall,” he said of the rest of the growing season. While weather plays a leading role, demand, especially from foreign markets, as usual will play an integral part in this summer’s grain market scenario. Analyst Bud Frazier, vice president of Gerald, Inc., explains, “We are not in a free market. We are in a battle for market share around the world, and the amount of grain — especially wheat — that we export is going to be tied completely to how much subsidy our government is going to give (to foreign countries). We’re going to see good-sized exports financed by the taxpayer, which is going to support the wheat price even if we do turn up with a big spring wheat crop. I think we are going to see good wheat exports financed by credit and subsidies from our government.” Those subsidies and credit are the

ALCOHOL AND SUMMER HEAT DON’T MIX WELL! (HNN) — The coming summer heat and alcohol don’t mix well, according to researchers at the University of South Carolina. Researcher Dr. Pete Johnson said both heat and alcohol cause blood vessels to expand, and as the vessels widen, blood can pool in the legs, cutting off blood to the brain. Alcohol also causes the body to lose water it needs to keep cool. It also disturbs the fluid/mineral balance in the body and can cause heat exhaustion, reports Health News Newwork. Dr. Johnson also warned about mixing carbonated beverages and alcohol because it forces alcohol into the blood faster. BUSINESS CARDS Large Variety Os Samples And Colors To Choose From Independent-News 601 Roosevelt Rd., Walkerton

consumer and industrial products, from sports equipment to building insulation to paint brushes. You can tell if the food package you are buying is made of PET by looking on the bottom for a symbol imprinted as a code by the plastics industry: “1” inside a triangle. This code was adopted to help consumers identify the different types of plastic, because proper sorting is important for effective recycling. . .. the market for recycled PET is one of the fastest growing of all recyclable materials. PET containers can also be distinguished by a small raised dot called a “gate” in the center of the base of the bottle or container. All PET containers are transparent, even if they are colored green or amber. To find out where to recycle PET plastics in your community or how you can help initiate a local program, call your city sanitation department. Helpful information about plastics recycling is also available from NAPCOR, the National Association for Plastic Container Recovery at 1-800-7-NAPCOR, and the Society of the Plastics Industry (SPI), 1275 K Street, N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005.

key to the effect of demand on the grain markets today. Rather than awaiting the appearance of the Russians in the marketplace, ready to purchase for cash, grain traders at the primary agricultural marketplace, the Chicago Board of Trade, now react to announcements from the USDA on how much credit will be extended to Russia. Even this will be dependent on the prospects for Russia’s first crop since the downfall of communism and the release of production from central government control. Jerry Gidel, Senior Grain Analyst, Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. said, “Whether the Ukrainian wheat crop is good or not could make a major difference in how enthusiastic the U.S. wheat market can be. Right now, the upside potential may be as exciting as it is going to be since we have to give (Russia) credit to buy it.” Between credit and subsidy announcements, traders will focus their attention on every drop of rain which does or does not fall. And crucial rains now have fallen all across growing regions when corn plants need them most — during pollination — and in time to sustain young soybean plants. AgriDirections is a monthly column provided by the Chicago Board of Trade, 141 W Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604.