The Mail-Journal, Volume 17, Number 28, Milford, Kosciusko County, 30 July 1980 — Page 4
THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., July 30,1980
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Editorials It's fair time! It’s fair time in Kosciusko County! The 64th annual fair opens next Monday, Aug. 4, and runs through Saturday, Aug. 9. It’s a time of fun, a time of competition for homemakers, 4-H Club members and county residents alike with the top prize winners being eligible to compete on a state level. It’s a time to honor the kids with two special days of their own and the senior citizens with a day of their own. It’s a time for rides and for fellowship, for eating dotton candy and elephant ears. It’s also something that the entire family can enjoy together as the fair has something for everyone! NIPSCo strikers have a point The Mail-Journal editorially took NIPSCo strikers to task recently for not declaring a brief strike moratorium during the storm that took local electrical services out of commission, in order to restore service, then return to their picket lines, if they thought it necessary. The suggestion, as would be expected, fell on deaf ears. Late last week it was learned that the strikers’ union proposed seeking signatures on a petition to be presented to the Public Service Commission of Indiana, asking that NIPSCo’s request for a 12.21 per cent rate increase be delayed. Their reasoning: NIPSCo is saving $9 million per month in salaries while the company’s 4,000-odd workers are on strike, and therefore the rate increase is not required to keep the company in the black — at least not at this time. It’s unlikely their petition will have much effect, since the PSC looks at the past year’s figures in making its determination on a rate increase request. The requested rate increase would bring some $72 million into NIPSCo coffers. We feel the rate increase should be delayed, and we feel public interest groups should jump on this one and address a protest to the Public Service Commission of Indiana. It might be a good thing for the aggressive SyracuseWawasee Chamber of Commerce to address. We would urge this and Urge other public interest groups to do the same. Baby boom now helps One hopeful note for the 1980’s is the current maturing of the 1955-64 baby crop. In that decade some 42,000,000 babies were born, the most ever in U.S. history. The experts, such as economist William Serow of the University of Virginia, say these boom babies are now reaching the age where they produce. In other words, whereas in the past two decades parents and society have been educating them, they’re now ready to begin productive lives. This is part of the reason bureaucrats in Washington look forward to greatly increased tax revenues in the eighties. And society in general will benefit from the maturing. Fewer young people will be entering the labor market, thus easing unemployment. Crime and accident rates should be affected, since a greater portion of the nation’s citizens will be older — and crime and accident rates among the young are highest. < In one area, however, the effect will be inflationary. The pHce of homes will continue to rise as so many new families are formed, creating wide demand. On the whole, however, the effect on business will be good, thanks to the 1955-64 baby boom. August 1980 August, named after Caesar’s nephew, Augustus, is remembered as the month in which World War II finally ended. President Truman announced on August 14,1945, Japan had surrendered. Colorado Day is the Ist (the state was admitted that day in 1876), Columbus sailed on the 3rd in 1492 for the new world, and the first atom bomb used was dropped on Hiroshima August 5,1945. Three Presidents were born in August. Herbert C. Hoover, the 31st, was born at West Branch, lowa, August 10, 1874. Benjamin Harrison, 23rd, was born at North Bend, Ohio, on the 20th in 1833. And Lyndon Johnson, 36th, was born near Stonewall, Texas, on the 27th, in 1908. Davie Crockett, son of a Revolutionary soldier of Irish descent, was born on the 17th in 1786 in Hawkins County, Tennessee. The famous jousting tournament near Staunton, Virginia, dating from 1821, is held each year in mid-August. The American frigate “Constitution” won her great victory over the “Guerriere” August 19,1812. On St. Bartholomew’s Day (the 24th) in 1572 began the mass murders of French Protestants, sending so many to America, and on the 29th, at Cambridge, Mass., in 1809, one of the country’s great thinkers was born — Oliver Wendell Homes. Dog Days Dog days usually begin in July and can last until September, especially in the South. They are often sultry, humid and extremely warm. If one can find no other excuse to escape work, the existence of dog days is a good one. And this year has produced a bumper crop!
What others say —
Let Walter stay “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe f ree ...” — provided, of course, they will be quickly self-sufficient, assimilate easily into the melting pot and not be underage. As for 12-year-old Walter Polovchak, he’ll have to go back to the Soviet Ukraine with his parents. You can usually assume that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, which can turn a refugee problem into a massive debacle, makes stupid decisions when it gets down to particular cases. But the decision to grant Walter asylum in this country — though certainly controversial — is hardly stupid. If we were talking about a 90-year-old Cuban, a trifle senile perhaps, who had willy-nilly joined some friends to escape Fidel Castro, you can be sure where the American Civil Liberties would be — upholding the right of the old man to choose, however dimly, where he wants to live. But take a bright Ukrainian lad, who tells his father I know the difference between life in a free nation and life in the Ukraine. Well, the ACLU can t wait to get into the act on the side of the elders, the shell-shocked diplomats at the State Department and the Soviet government to undo Immigration’s decision. The 1979 Year of the Child turns out to have been a farce, at least insofar as Walter Polovchak is concerned. Like most American youths, he belongs to the class of people whose principal right is to wait. The Soviet dissident, the atomic scientist, the ballet star, the man of letters - these we egged on in their pursuit of freedom. But we will practically dragoon any Pied Piper who comes along to invite children to assert human rights. It’s no surprise many Americans object to granting Walter the right to choose freedom when our own children are still subjected to paddlings in the public schools and otherwise denied rights adults would go into the streets to demand. Meantime, Walter is living with his older sister, all of 17 — whose decision to stay in this country nobody protests, by the way — and a cousin on Chicago’s North Side. Within that community of other Ukrainian exiles, Walter says he’s found something better. So he has. And it’s only fitting that if he can “know the difference” he should also have the right to practice it. Welcome, Walter, to the land of the free. — FORT WAYNE JOURNAL GAZETTE
ABT ’ * * • *** * Ar jt J "Miss Milford,” Amy Speicher, the 1979 Kosciusko County fair queen, will reign over festivities next Monday when the 64th annual county fair opens at Warsaw.
Voice of the people A column on the opinions of the people of the Lakeland area ...
QUESTION: "How will next week's county fair affect your life? Are you going to be exhibiting anything? How do you think the fair could be improved?
JANET HERMAN Milford (secretary) “No, not really. I hadn’t really thought about it. I’m not going to be exhibiting anything. This will be the first year we’ve been residents of this county, so I can’t compare it to fairs past.”
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FLORENCE DUNCAN Milford (nurse’s aide)
“No, JI won’t be exhibiting anything. I’ll probably go to see what everyone else brings. I think they should have better entertainment at the grandstands.’’ KATHLEEN MOCK 601 S. Front Syracuse (loan teller) It won’t affect my life. We normally go one night out of the week. We have no connection. We enjoy going over and looking at the displays and animal sale. No comment, not that familiar with it.”
Court news
COUNTYCOURT Violations The following residents of Kosciusko County have had fines assessed and have paid those fines in Kosciusko County Court, James Jarrette, judge: Speeding — Janet Vanator, 29, North Webster, S4O; Wallace Slemmer, 78, North Webster, $35; Isa Smith, 58, Leesburg, $35; Jeffrey Smith, 20, North Webster, S4O; Stephen Collins, 35, Syracuse, S4O; Joi Kissell, 21, Leesburg, $45; George Spohr, 50, North Webster, S4O Expired license plate — Mary Kiser, 39, Leesburg, $35 Insufficient life savers — John Lowe, 29, North Webster, $35 10 miles per hour after sunset —David Ruley, 32, Syracuse, $35 Disregarding stop sign — Alfred Loide, 59, Syracuse, $35; Robert Buffer, 16, Leesburg, $35; Bevin Lursen, 21, Leesburg, $35; Stuart Lewallen, 18, Syracuse, $35; Herbert Webster, 71, Leesburg, $35 Illegal consumption — Stanley Kroh, 20, Syracuse, Vincent Williams, 19, Syracuse, $54; James Willits, 20, Syracuse, $54 Exceeding posted speed limit — Mary Koklowicz, 59, Syracuse, S4O Operating while intoxicated, property damage accident — Todd Eyer, 16, Syracuse, $248 plus driver’s license suspended for 60 days Exceeding urban speed Theresa Kauffman, 30, Syracuse, S4O Small Claims The Collection Bureau of Warsaw has filed claims against the following people: George Cinqmars, 413 Albert Street, Argos, $99; Gennelle Hurley, Lincoln and Jefferson Streets, Warsaw, $93.35; Janet Shaw, 218 E. Boston Street, Syracuse, $183;
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LINDA SIMON Syracuse (Clerk)
Little enjoyment. No. I really can’t think of anything off hand. ” CHESTER REED Ligonier (retired) “It won’t effect my week any. I don’t know that. I’ve never went.”
MRS. BURL WARREN r I Milford (homemaker)
“I haven’t been to the county fair for I don’t know how many years. We don’t go anymore. There’s not anything down there that’s interesting anymore since my daughter’s gone. Improvement? Get rid of some of those games.”
Verlin and Mary A. Bules, box 144 Etna Green, $148.79; Roger Busz, 407 S. Washington, Pierceton, $1,471.68; Antoinette Smith, r 9 lot 27 Warsaw, $996.35; Wesley and Rita Sexton, 308 Sunset, Winona Lake, SBS; Donna Smith, 524 S. Main Street, Syracuse, $64; Larry Richards, 1401 Blue Bird Street, Warsaw, $155.87; Shirleen Bradley, 703 S. Buffalo Street, Warsaw, $627; Gertrude Chadwick, 703 S. Buffalo Street, Warsaw, $253.57. MARRIAGE LICENSES The following couples have filed for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciusko County Clerk N. Jean Messmore: * Eisenhour-Carvajal Tommy Max Eisenhour, 21, r 1 Milford and Beatriz Carvajal, 20, box 453 Milford Adkins-Almack Gary Adkins, 26, r 1 box 320 North Webster and Cecilia Almack, r 1 box 320 North Webster
THE MAIL-JOURNAL (U S P S 325 840) Published by The Mail-Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office at Syracuse, Indiana 44547. Second class postage paid at 103 E. Main Street, Syracuse, Indiana 44547 and at additional entry offices. Subscription: Sil per year in Kosciusko County; sl3 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of add ress forms to The Mail Journal, P.O. Box 188, Milford. Indiana 44542.
tfiUZIN
(EDITORS NOTE This week s Cruzin Around Cuse column was written by Tom Kitch, juvenile officer with the Kosciusko County Sheriffs Deportment Kitch s column is a look at today 's county police deportment) THE ROLE of the county sheriff today has grown from rather simple functions in the community into diversified areas requiring increases in manpower, training and the use of modern technology. The many roles of the sheriff today include housing of prisoners, civil process services, transfer of in-s mates to various institutions, patrol and accident investigations, criminal investigations, crime prevention and the reserve force. » By law the sheriff is charged with the duty of housing of all prisoners taken into custody within his county, whether arrested by local, county, state or federal police. Last year 1.600 prisoners were lodged at the Kosciusko County Jail. The maximum number held at one time reached 52 with the daily population averaging 24 prisoners. The jail houses the prisoners until such time as they appear in court or they post a bond. In addition, prisoners sentenced to the various institutions throughout the state are returned to the jail to await transportation which is supplied by the sheriff’s department. The average stay of a prisoner is less than 24 hours. However, it is not uncommon for a prisoner to remain at the jail for up to two months pending court action and in extreme cases a few prisoners have remained for over six months. Food is prepared and served by the jail matron and one assistant who prepare the meals in the jail. Last year over 22.000 meals were prepared. Segregation of the prisoners according to sex and age is required at all times, which creates logistical problems given the limited facilities available. In adddition, new requirements call for segregating the misdemeanor offender from the felony offender, which cannot be accom-
'*«i»****2£iaf*S sgWMp—J ■ ■ i■■ oWis •. m A TWO SERVICE STATION? — Auer’s Auto, Main Street, Syracuse, does not offer both Mobile and Standard Products. The management is in the process of changing from Mobile to Standard. The two signs side-by-side made an interesting photograph. (Photo by Kim Hieher)
Newspapers should turn tables on TV
By DON RICHER The time has come when print reporters should pioneer a new field in journalism by turning the table on TV reporters. That is because TV reporters have become public persons and are thus deserving of fair comment. The TV reporters proved beyond a shadow of a doubt at the Republican convention that they are part of the news-making process and are thus deserving of being interviewed the same as any other politician. You will recall that all three television networks convinced the nation that former president Gerald Ford had been chosen as Ronald Reagan’s running mate, and I think the American people are entitled to know how this huge mistake came about. Print reporters should conduct in-depth interviews with television reporters and examine every facit of television’s news-gathering process. To keep things in proper balance, - print reporters should ask television reporters the same embarrassing, insulting and loaded questions that television reporters ask politicians and other public persons. t For starters I have compiled a list of questions print reporters should ask television reporters: Question to Barbara Walters, that pulchritudinous bag of bones. Is it true you are able to interview so many famous men because you agree to go to bed with them afterwards? Question to Walter Cronkite, you were once considered the most believable man in America, but
Items stolen in two Syracuse incidents
Florence Reed, 137 W. North, Syracuse, had her boat docked east of the Front Street Bridge on July 22 when the gas tank and
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plished in the present facility. The sheriff is mandated by law to serve the various papers which are issued by the courts. In Kosciusko County these include Circuit. Superior and CountyCourts. Last year over 4.000 papers including summons, subpoenas. executions and jury venires were served by sheriff personnel. In excess of 500 papers received from other courts, were also served. In order to stay current with this type of paper load, more than 12 papers each day. seven days each week, have to be delivered. Because many papers come through with either no or outdated addresses, the postal department plays an important day to day role in assisting the county police personnel. Maintaining the records and returns for the paper service is currently an additional function of the matron due to the limited availability of office personnel within the department. Each week the department transports one or more prisoners to one of the various institutions in the state, which includes the Indiana Girls School, the Indiana Boys School, the Indiana Diagnostic Center, the Indiana State Farm. Pendleton Reformatory and Michigan City State Prison. Many transfers are also made for the mentally ill to Logansport State Mental Hospital. Marion VA Hospital or other public institutions for mental health. * Another major responsibility of the sheriff is to provide county highway patrol. When possible two cars are assigned to patrol operations, one car north and one car south of U.S. 30. While on patrol they serve the court papers and respond to accident and criminal calls within the county and observe for possible criminal activity, each car being responsible for approximately 600 miles of road. Approximately 1.000 accidents are investigated each year with 80 per cent being property damage only and 20 per cent involving personal injury or death. Two full-time investigators are assigned to the department, one to investigate criminal violations where adults are involved and the other to investigate violations where juveniles are involved, as well as to serve as liaison where the schools are involved. Over 900 criminal complaints were filed
has your credibility begun to slip because it’s going to your head? Question to Dan Rather. How can you be objective when crowds of people follow you around wanting to be interviewed? Question to Tom Pettit. When Bush beat Reagan in lowa you s;aid it was the end of Reagan. Did you apologize for saying that? Question to Mike Wallace. Your tough questions to crooks have resulted in wrongs being righted but do you have to be so snotty to decent people? Question to Mike Wallace’s son Chris Wallace. You asked senator Richard G. whether he lost the vice-presidential bid because he was boring. Would you have considered it boring if Lugar had given you a knuckle sandwich? General questions, If you really don’t believe you have a private pipeline to God, why do you act like it? Reporters are supposed to report the news, not make it. What went wrong? Did the TV monster create you or did you create it? If you don’t think TV reporting is an honorable profession why don’t you quit? If you don’t think these questions are fair, is it because this is the fiirst time you’ve been subjected to the same indignities you subject other people to? Last question. If you intend to retaliate against me for asking these questions is it because you can dish it out but can’t take it? Okay, print reporters, I’ve given you a start. Now sic’em.
hose were stolen from the boat. The stolen objects were valued at S6O. Linda Reardon, S. Harrison St., Syracuse, had her
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last year with the department covering every type of crime imaginable, major and minor. The sheriff is actively engaged in keepitng the people in the county abreast of crime trends within the county and works closely with local and state police agencies in areas of mutual concern. Monthly reports are made available to the news media and the sheriff meets with various clubs and organisations in an effort to provide input and to solicit responses. Todays police officer has to be highly trained and knowledgeable in his professional field. Where testimony was once an acceptable and for the most part unchallenged truth in court, it is ho longer the case today. On the contrary, every piece of evidence and every word of testimony is subject to the close scrutiny of the legal profession. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that the police officer be aware of and utilize every resource available to him to insure that his evidence and testimony is supportable. Some of the tools available to the police officer today are: 1. photography, color, and black and white 2. forensic laboratories for examination of evidence 3. ballistic laboratories 4. polygraph examinations 5. voice stress examinations 6. hypnotism 7. autopsy , 8. radar equipment 9. composite sketches 10. computer terminals To fulfill his mission, the county sheriff is authorized 12 officers with a staff of four radio operators, two jailers and two matrons. In addition to the fulltimestaff, the sheriff maintains a reserve force of 25 personnel trained in basic police procedures to assist. Areas when? the reserve serves the department include in-house jailing procedures, court assistance, prisoner transportation, private security details and water safety patrol. The department is fortunate in retaining its personnel. Today nine of the 12 sworn officers have over six years of experience and two have in excess of 15 years. In an age when private industry pay scales are high and fringe benefits are available, the county can consider itself fortunate in retaining the high caliber of personnel that in fact exists.
car parked in front of her house on July 22 and 23. Around 10:30or 11:30 p.m. on July 22, tapes, keys and motor top of an ice cream freezer were taken from her car.