Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 125, Number 23, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 1 January 2003 — Page 4

Page 4

Advance News « Wednesday. January 1, 2003

Letters to the Editor TTH ~THHTi‘ I 'WE HU PLEASED ABOUT LATER DATE I was dismayed to see the negative comments in our little Wakarusa paper surrounding the decision to move the Maple Syrup Festival to April 25-26. When I first heard of the change of date 1 couldn’t wait to tell my out-of-state visitors who found it too cold to bother with the trip last year. This year we can have our spring get-together with friends and family and take them to the festival. They will also have more of an opportunity to see the talents of all the "green thumbs” we have in this town that we are so proud of. The landscaping in this town is unbelievable in the spring! Before \ye put on our sour faces about the new April date, let's see if it goes well. There may be more visitors from further away and everyone will benefit from the later date, especially the folks trying to sell ice cream and snow cones! —Chrissy K. McVay . UNDERAGE DRINKING * Underage drinking is a big problem that isn’t going away any time soon. You can find alcohol at most teen parties. You find it in the refrigerator in homes where teens live. You see alcohol advertisements on TV where drinking is made to look “cool.” But the fact is, alcohol won’t make you cool. More likely, it will ruin your life and never give you the chance to be cool. Alcohol is readily available to teens. One common way is by using a fake ID that can easily be found at colleges or over the Internet. Youth also can get someone older —a sibling, cousin, or friend —to buy it for them. Even parents buy alcohol for their children. They think, “I’d much rather they drink in our home than somewhere else." The truth is, if parents are buying them alcohol at home, they are probably drinking in other places, too. - And last but not least, youth can also get alcohol over the Internet. When they purchase alcohol over the Internet, they avoid having to show ID. All they have to do is check a box saying they are 21 when ordering it online. The alcohol is shipped to their doorstep. Doing this also allows them to avoid paying a state alcohol tax if the online vendor is from out of state, making it even easier to get. Alcohol is also easy for teens to buy because it is cheap. It is priced comparable to other drinks like soda, sports drinks and water. One way to make it less accessible to youth is to make it more expensive by raising the alcohol tax. Indiana’s alcohol tax hasn’t been increased since 1981—before most teenagers were bom. Currently, the tax on beer is about 1 cent per drink. The tax on wine is just under 2 cents per drink. The tax on other liquors is just over 3 cents per drink. This if far too low. We need an increase in the alcohol tax to help reduce underage drinking. We’ve increased the tobacco tax, why not the alcohol tax? . Alcohol can ruin your future. It can get you kicked off of athletic teams, out of clubs and cause you to lose scholarships. Why risk it ? I urge teens not to drink. Do it for our parents, grandparents, family and friends. But most of all, do it for your future. —Jimmy Lyons, Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking member and student at Hamilton Heights High, Noblesville, IN Years Ago 120 YEARS AGO; JAN. 4, 1883 According to a pamphlet just issued there are 152 cities i the world furnished with the latest adjunct of modem civilization, the telephone. Of these 92 are located in the United States, the U.S. having 37,199 or nearly 2/3 of the subscribers. Rev. J.N. Martin was prostrated last Wed. evening just at the close of his serv ices at the United Brethren Church. Dr. Bowser administered restoratives and he somewhat recovered and was taken to his house. Exhaustion seems to have been the principal cause. 100 YEARS AGO; JAN. 7, 1903 The venerable John W. Todd died in Nappanee Sun. night at 12 o'clock, having resided here 25 years. He was a veteran of the war of the rebellion, and a member of the Berlin Post. It appears cancer of the face caused his death, he is survived by 3 daughters and 1 son. Interment will be at Union Center cemetery following funeral at the M.E. Church today. 75 YEARS AGO; JAN. 3, 1928 Real winter puts in appearance as many automobiles are stalled in snow drifts and county roads were impassable and even today travelers are forced to take to the fields to get through in many places. Frozen ears and hands were much in evidence and cars were marooned in the snow with occupants forced to take refuge in farm houses. 50 YEARS AGO; JAN. 1, 1953 Mr. & Mrs. Harry Bigler announce engagement of their daughter, Greta, to Richard Welbom, son of Mr. & Mrs. Lundy Welbom. Miss Bigler is a senior in Nappanee and Mr. Welbom attends I.U. ” The Years Ago segments have been researched and posted by Margaret Tmgland-Neff.

Continuous Publication Since 1879 j Advance News Serving the Wa-Nee Community 158 W. Market St. Regional Publisher Terri Dearth P.O Box 230 Regional News Director Stacey Creasy Nappanee, IN 46550 Managing Editor Holly Heller 574-773-3127 Reporter/Photographer Mindy Abel Fax: 574-773-3512 Advertising Rep Bruce Hecklinski Email: [email protected] Circulation Manager Cindy Stockton I USPS 370960 Periodical Postage Paid In Nappanee, IN. 46550 - PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS • Classified ads • - Call Michiana Media Network at 1-800-660-5580 to place an ad, or for classified billing questions, betweCTi 8 a.m. and 5 p,m., Monday through Friday. Deadline is Monday at 10 a.m. • Advertising • Call Bruce Hecklinski at 1-800-933-0356 for rate information or to place an ad. Deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m. • Subscriptions • Annual subscription price (52 issues) is S2O in state and $25 out of state. To renew or start a new subscription, mail payment to Advance News, P.O. Box 230, Nappanee, IN 46550. For delivery problems or billing questions call the Circulation Department at 1-800-933-0356. • News Items • Submit news items and photos via e-mail or drop them off at the Advance News office. Deadline is Friday at noon. For possible story ideas, contact Holly Heller or Mindy Abel at 773-3127. The Advance News is part of Miehiana Media Network, which includes the following publications: Pilot News (Plymouth), Bourbon News-Mirror, Culver Citizen. The Bremen Enquirer. The Leader (Knox) and the Penny Saver.

Be still and hear the angels sing

“We hear the Christmas angels The great glad tidings tell. O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Emmanuel.” ~ Phillips Brooks Have you ever noticed what a big part angels play in the Christmas story? Why, angels pop up every whip stitch. The angel Gabriel appears first to Zacharias, a priest. The Bible says he and his wife, Elizabeth, are both “well stricken in years.” Today they would be classed as senior citizens - in other words, getting on a bit. Zacharias is performing his duties at the temple when an angel appears on the right side of the altar nearly scaring the living wits out of Zacharias. Understanding his reaction, the angel gently says, “Fear not, Zacharias.” The next appearance of the same angel, Gabriel, a few months later is to Mary in the little town of Nazareth. His sudden appearance startles Mary, the young girl. This time also Gabriel is understanding. “Fear not, Mary,” he says and calms her fears. As the story unravels. Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem to be taxed. This was required by the law put out by the ruler, Caesar Augustus. The journey is long and

Life's too short Id give up chocolate

Many of us will make another New Year’s resolution for 2003. We’ll be faithful and true for three or four days. Then we’ll again wonder why we cave in to temptation. Last year our resolution was to destroy our charge cards. The moment my husband Brian got ready to throw my Master Card into the wood stove, I threw my body on the little piece of plastic. “Have mercy,” I pleaded. When Brian was still adamant about destroying the card, I smiled demurely. “I won’t use it again,” I cooed. “But 1 believe we need it for identification. Honey. Don’t you?” Brian finally relented. To celebrate, I charged a new wardrobe and some shoes immediately. “Why couldn’t 1 stick to my original resolution?” 1 asked myself. For one thing, most of us believe that when a new year comes around, we’re starting out with a new slate. And in a way, that’s correct. However, we still have the same vices to contend with. We are not new

International crime of the working mom

The wife of British Prime Minister Tony Blair is being crucified in the London press for the crime of being a working mother. She employed an ex-con to facilitate her purchase of some investment property. Cynics figured she was using this character, the boyfriend of a friend, to make a buck. Do they really believe she had time to draw plans for such a scheme? The woman doesn't have time to draw a bath. She has three teenagers plus a toddler. She works full time as a lawyer and is married to a man who probably isn't scheduling the kids' violin lessons or planning party menus. Her sister working mothers surely smiled in sympathy. Being a working moth-

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Opinion

tiring and there on a night when the little town is crowded and flustered with so many strangers, Mary gives birth. The baby is a little boy as the angel predicted dnd Mary and Joseph look down at him with loving hearts. Outside of Bethlehem are shepherds. Shepherds were pretty much outcasts in the social order. People avoided them if possible. They didn’t smell good for one thing so most of their fellow countrymen turned away when they approached. The social order of the time considered them crude and best left alone. But a wonderful thing happened on this first Christmas to these men rejected by their fellowmen. As they were tending the sheep, an angel appeared to them in a great light and the “glory of the Lord shone round about them.” Just as Zacharias and Mary before them, the shepherds become afraid. Again the angel says, “Fear not,” and adds those

Remembering Lorene Clark Columnist

The Last Word Laurie Lechlhner Columnist

creatures inwardly until a transformation takes place. Making a resolution without much prayer for divine assistance is usually pretty lame. Another reason I had trouble with last year’s resolution is that I wasn’t firm in my commitment. It seemed like a good idea to destroy my credit card until the time came to act. Then I just didn’t go through with it. Somehow we believe that if we can do something half-way, we will eventually get there. But my half-way vow not to use credit was really no vow at all. It only pacified me and deceived my husband for awhile. A half-way promise is no promise at all.

er is like being a double agent. You try to keep each of your two lives from suspecting your loyalty to the other. So you sneak away after everyone's in bed to send EMails vou didn't get to at work. When Bush adviser Karen Hughes and Cheney

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beautiful words “for, behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall be to all people.” As the angel is talking, a whole multitude of heavenly hosts join the angel and their heavenly voices blend together to sing “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Indeed, the Christmas story is full of angels, but it is only to the shepherds - the outcasts of society - that a whole multitude appears! What sweet surprises the new year holds for us! That is what the Christmas story tells us. As we go about our daily tasks just as Zacharias, Mary, and the shepherds did, we may look up and sense the presence of an angel. To whom may these angels appear? Why, to all of us the young, the old, the ill, the homeless, the rejected, the depressed, the grieving, the alcoholic, the lost among us. Anything is possible, for the message of Christmas is for the world and tells us each of us is of value - we are loved - and we need not be afraid. What a comforting message to carry in our hearts as we enter the new year. “Be of good cheer.” - Matthew 14:27

When we make any kind of commitment, we need to count the cost. I would wager that most of us are starting 2003 with a vow to lose weight, exercise, and stay away from sweets. But do we understand the pain involved? My advice to all of us is to put off our New Year’s resolution until February. By then, we’ll have had the chance to 4ook deep into our own hearts to see if we’re really sincere. By then, I will have had time to eat up the last of the holiday goodies. However, an even better idea would be to put off our resolution to lose weight until the end of February; that way we won’t miss celebrating Valentine’s Day. Why deprive the family out of getting you a large, lacy heart filled with sweet delights? Of course, then there’s Easter. Those Cadbury eggs are irresistible. What the heck. Why make any New Year’s resolutions at all? Life’s too short to give up chocolate. Don’t you agree, ladies?

adviser Mary Matalin decided they could no longer reconcile their demanding jobs with motherhood, skeptics insisted tnere must be something they weren't telling. As with most working mothers, I imagine there was a lot they weren't telling, such as singing "Lemon Tree" to a teething baby from 1 to 4 a.m., scraping spit-up off a blazer and speeding to a breakfast meeting wearing two different shoes.

We don't talk honestly very often about the impossibility of the juggling act because, to do so, women would have to admit how often they fall short, men would have to take more responsibilities at home and bosses would have to stop looking at

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