The Independent-News, Volume 120, Number 42, Walkerton, St. Joseph County, 2 March 1995 — Page 4

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- THE INDEPENDENT-NEWS — MARCH 2, 1995

EDITORIAL *

MATTERS IN THE NEWS As we progress further into the year of 1995, there are several matters making the news from local to state to national as the governing factions of all three are faced with very controversial decisions. First of all, in St. Joseph County, one form or another of county tax is the hot item. And as is the case in most highly contested political issues, just who do you believe? Conflicting stories about the financial situation of the County and the solution of such, varies from one party to the next. Some swear the County MUST have more money or they will soon be broke. Others say that better use of funds, cutting the expenses in several areas where cuts can be made without disruption of service, and not necessarily “downsizing” as we hear so much, but better management and operation will allow the present funding plan to take care of itself. Who knows for sure. It is obvious by public sentiment, what the average person feels. However, it is not often the average person who makes these decisions. Too bad the County can’t implement a tax that would only tax the more affluent, those who make the higher bucks and usually are the same ones who support more taxes and more spending. On the state level, the Daylight Time issue is hot and after looking to be a pretty good bet to pass, now some changes in the bill have raised more questions here. There is no doubt those who support it want it and have all kinds of reasons why. And those that oppose, have valid reasons in their thinking and will stand behind their guns. It all depends on the individual, what they like or don’t like. The state budget hasn’t gotten to the crucial stage yet this year, but it is looming before us. The figures the two different parties throw at us sometimes makes one wonder if we are hearing from representatives of the same state. Setting a budget for two years that will satisfy everyone, is a hard job. Sometimes, making cuts in expenses is harder than anything, but not everyone can have their cake and eat it too. On the national scene, several key items are facing the Congress at this time. The Republican controlled Congress is trying hard to live up to the “Contract With America” and are saying yes to a lot of the items they proposed ... but not necessarily saying how they will be done. The balanced budget idea is great, but if it comes by the year 2002, we all will see a lot of programs that we have grown accustomed to and use, go down the drain. If their ideas do pass and are ratified by enough states to call for a constitutional amendment, th^ trickle down effect will be severe on the states and local cities. Regardless of what one may promise, taxes aren’t going to go away. They may be reshuffled, renamed, redirected, or rewhatever, but there is still going to be taxes from someplace to run our way of life. And that is where the rub comes in. A greedy American public has grown to the point of “make cuts . . . just don’t cut what I get!” Perhaps we are getting the type of representatives we deserve.

I VOICE OF THE PEOPLE |

“Voucher System” I would like for everyone to know how the voucher system works. ■ 1. When a person comes to me for help, I write a voucher for the amount they are entitled to get. 2. They then take the voucher to the vendor and his bill should be stamped paid at that time. 3. Then the vendor is supposed to send me the voucher and the bill signed and stamped the first week of the month. 4. I then take these to the County by the 12th of the month. 5. After that the County processes the claims and cuts the vendor a check. They are in on a “timely fashion”. Thank you. Elsie Heimer Lincoln Twp. Trustee “Not Guilty” I am writing to inform the residents in the Town of Walkerton about the recent article last discussed at the Town Board meeting concerning our Town Clerk and our Township Trustee. Listen folks, our Trustee has been accused of turning in late vouchers. I feel the public needs to be informed that our Trustee, Elsie Heimer, was not and is not guilty of the accusation. Walkerton, wake up — we need to stop and appreciate our elected officers who are doing their jobs correctly. Our Trustee does a lot for our Township and its people.

It is people like her that do make Walkerton a nice place to live. Ms. Clerk-treasurer, you record the minutes of our Town Board meetings. If firmly believe you owe her an apology during the next Board meeting. And by the way, don’t forget to record “this one” in the minutes too. I look forward to reading this in the next Independent-News. Many Caring And Concerned Citizens “Prevention The Best Program For Juvenile Crime” Some members of the 1995 Indiana General Assembly have joined a national parade to get tough on juvenile crime. At least twenty states have acted in the past two years to shift toward more punitive measures. In Indiana a bill has been introduced which would waive more juveniles to adult court, lower the age limit for transfer to adult, stiffen sentences, open juvenile court records to the public, and expand the list of crimes for which juveniles could be convicted. Waiving juveniles to adult court and stiffening sentences are intended to show juveniles that there are serious consequences for criminal activity. One of the bills first introduced would have permitted transfer of juveniles as young as twelve to adult court. Marion County Prosecutor Scott Newman

:• says that juveniles who commit £ adult crimes should be tried as > adults. Before we in Indiana move toward wholesale transfer of ju- • venile cases to adult courts, we should look at the experience of other states who have tried it, states like Ohio, Florida and California. In other states, cases coming over from juvenile court often are the first ones to be bargained away or dismissed outright. Another national study found that the small number of youths who are tried in adult court for serious and violent crimes are, indeed, punished with prison sentences. But the bulk of the cases that are transferred involve property crimes. Since a 15-year-old burglar seems less hardened than the adult criminals a judge usually sees, the sentence tends to be probation. Adult courts are already so overburdened that many defendants wait for more than a year before coming to trial. Long delays with many continuances are unlikely to serve juveniles any better than adults. The movement to get tough on juvenile crime is a result of a few horrendous tabloid crimes that have occurred over the past year or so. But the laws already exist to transfer perpetrators of crimes like these to adult courts. One of the most striking things about the bills that have been introduced is that none of them focus on prevention of juvenile crime. There is a widespread public perception that juveniles are being coddled by the juvenile justice system and the rehabilitation programs don’t work. What is overlooked is that prevention programs, especially those that divert juveniles from the justice system before they first encounter it, do work. The only state-supported agencies that specifically address delinquency prevention are Indiana’s 25 youth service bureaus. The work done every day in these agencies proves that delinquency can be prevented. If members of the Assembly are serious about reducing crime, they should look to where juveniles enter the system rather than where they go once inside and how they are treated. Indiana’s 25 youth • service bureaus urge members of : the Assembly, and members of the •: public everywhere, to shift the i: dialog toward prevention instead of treatment alone. State support for the youth service bureaus is appreciated but inadequate. This year the bureaus are asking the Assembly for a modest increase, enough for one full time youth worker per bureau. This small investment would bring in dividends far out of proportion to the cost. Sincerely, Jim Killen Executive director

I Trivia Test by Linda Luckhurst &

1. Population Explosion: What country has the highest population density in the world? 2. Comes the Revolution: What did an angry mob storm in July of 1789 in Paris to begin the French Revolution? 3. Music: Who sang, “Be True to Your School”? 4. The Bible: Who wore a “coat of many colors”? 5. Imagine That!: What byproduct from the manufacture of Coca-Cola is sold to pharmaceutical companies? 6. Cards and Games: How many points constitute a perfect Cribbage hand? 7. Television Emcees: Who hosted “Earn Your Vacation”? 8. Literature: What is the second book in the trilogy “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien?

I Memories . | FROM OUR FILES

1985 TOWN BOARD NEWS — Rodger Smith, superintendent of John Glenn School Corporation, presented a letter addressed to the Walkerton Town Board. The letter read as follows: I am writing on behalf of the John Glenn School Corporation Board of Trustees with regard to the issue of the school crossing guard at Highway 23 and Washington Street. Please place our appearance on your agenda for your next meeting, February 25, 1985. According to the letter we have received from Roger Huizenga, Park Board president, the position is not going to be filled as of Thursday, Februry 21, 1985. Obviously, this is a dangerous situation for the children of our school corporation. We have two questions to pose: 1. What was the intent of the Town Board in cutting the contributions to the guard salary? 2. Will the Town Board work with the Park Board to resolve this situation for the benefit of the children of the John Glenn School Corporaion? Thank you for your time. Representation of our Board will attend your Monday meeting to discuss this issue. Mr. Smith also stated that he appreciated the fact that the Walkerton Police Department was handling the situation at the present. He had asked Leigh Roy Hahn if he would consider handling the position until something could be worked out. He also asked the Park Board if they would consider allowing Leigh Roy Hahn to work temporarily, however Leigh Roy Hahn said he would not be able to do that. Williams: Our intent in cutting the roiitiibution for the crossing guard was that we had been paying $2,080.00 in the past years and that amounted to 175 school days at $ll.BB a day for IVi hours work. We felt that was too much so we cut it in half, giving the crossing guard $5.94 a day for IVi hours work. At the same time this Park Board had raised the park superintendent $1,000.00. Since the crossing guard also filled the role of park superintendent, we felt that the cut we gave him would not make that much of a difference. RILEY HOLDS OFF GLENN RALLY; STOPS GLENN WIN STREAK —AI 2 foot jumper in the lane by Riley’s Terry Grundy snapped a 70 all tie with six seconds remaining Saturday night to end John Glenn’s 14 game winning streak. The Falcons, who had made an amazing comeback trailing by as much as 19 points in this quarter, did manage to get a shot off from the lane before the final buzzer that would have forced an overtime period for the second time in two years with Riley. The loss was the Falcons third in 18 decisions this season and Riley evened its record at 9-9 with the victory. 1970 FROM THE SPORTS CORNER — It’s tourney time again in Indiana. That is one of the most enjoyable times of the year as this year 443 teams are either already in action or will be by Saturday in an effort to grabe the crown as champion of the state. Two big powers ar unbeated as they have been ranked at the top of the heap all season, that being East Chicago Roosevelt and Seymour. They have made it through scheduled play without a loss, something that is hard to do in this present day. At LaVille, Plymouth is the choice of most, however remember back to last year and you have the same picture. A good Marian team got the job done and returns this year with four of the same first five back. The break of the draw here puts the power in one bracket.

Wednesday night finds the hos team and Marian meeting righ i away. LaVille isn’t the team the • have been the past couple of years ■ but did give Marian all they coul handle three weeks ago as th ■ Knights won a scant three-poin victory over the Lancers, wh definitely are an up and down club I Marian has suffered through sev I eral injuries this season but shout : be in good shape for the tourney. Plymouth will opn in the secom Wednesday game with Bremen th, competition. Plymouth feature Steve Phillips, a very fine complete ball player as a junior. i A look at the lower bracket find four teams with losing records, a actually six of the eight are belov the even mark in this tourney South Bend Jackson has a pesky hustling Argos team as their firs opponents in the first game Thurs day. This then moves action to th< Glenn and North Liberty contest Glenn, with a total of eight wins, i capable of good ball and also capa ble of rather loose play. They an not big, but do have almost ai entire team around the six foo mark. North Liberty, a winner jus twice in 19 games, plays their bes against a man-to-man defence, bu doesn’t seem to find many o these. So far this season, the; haven’t found that one needec shooter to break up a zone and als< is a team that gets into a lot o trouble with fouls and errors. 1945 THE WAR ON THE HOOSIEI HOME FRONT — Civilian War Your government needs and ask: its civilians in this 167th week o war to: 1. Keep your car in good repair Make it last. 2. Start work now on your in come tax returns. File it as soon a: possible. 3. Be one of those donating 100,000 pints of blood to meet the week’s quota for wounded service men. FARM WOOD SALES UNDER CEILINGS — All firewood sold by farmers from this week on will be subject to price ceilings, the office of Price Administration states. Ceilings will be set at the highest prices charged by the farmer foi the same type of wood in March, 1942, or as otherwise determined by the genral maximum price regulation. PLAN EASTER SUNRISE SERVICE APRIL 1— Community tc join in big event. A gigantic religious pageant, celebrating the resurrection of this world’s Savior, will be enacted at Place Park, Walkerton, on Sunday, April 1, in a community-wide Sunrise Service, according to Harold Rarick, a resident of West York, and director of the Methodist Church choir. Mr. Rarick presented the matter at the last meeting of the Chamber where it was whole-heartedly accepted. The matter was later discussed at a meeting of the directors, who voted to become the sponsoring group. A large general committee of some 40 members, has been named, representing the following organizations in the town and community: Chamber of Commerce, Community Club, Business & Professional Woman’s Club, American Legion Auxiliary, USO, the School, Mt. Vernon Club, Johnson Twp. Club, Oregon Twp. Club, West York Council, Boy Scouts, Girls Scouts, P.T.A., Mother’s Club, and the following churches: United Brethren, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pilgrim Holiness, Koontz Lake Community Church and the Center Church of the Brethren. Birds called arctic terns travel 22,000 miles a year, from the Artic Circle to the Anartic Circle and back.