The Mail-Journal, Volume 23, Number 58, Milford, Kosciusko County, 4 February 1987 — Page 17

* - - - - V -•— - Herbie's embarrassing Valentine

IB* M. LYNN GRAY “ I Guest Feature Writer | Hfifibie Mouse couldn’t keep his wind on the problem written on UK UUUTU. The little mouse just couldn’t keep his eyes from glancing at Lizzy Mouse, who sat between Tina Turtle and Eric Spider. Lizzy was such a pretty little “Herbert Mouse, please give me the answer to this problem! ” demanded Mrs. Owl. “Oh ... uh ... hmmm ...” stammered Herbie, as he quickly looked at the board, then proudly answered, “Hmm ... three mice, take away one mouse ... that leaves two mice! ” “Very good, Herbie, but in this case, one of the two mice wasn’t paying attention and a big, fat cat ate him. There was only one mouse left, Herbie,” Mrs. Owl said, scowling at the little mouse over the top of her glasses. “Now, then, is there something wrong with Lizzy Mouse? You seem to be paying her more attention than is needed. Wouldn’t it help your grade if you were to look at the board, instead?” the teacher asked. Lizzy Mouse looked at Herbie and giggled. Herbie had never been sooo embarrassed! He slid down in his seat until the only thing showing was the tip of his little mouse nose. “Welt, then, if there are no further questions,” began Mrs. Owl, slapping her ruler on the desk, “we will put away our books and wait for the dismissal bell.” Just as Mrs. Owl finished speaking, a loud ringing could be heard and the students jumped from their seats to leave. “Don’t forget about the Valen-

EXTENDED COVERAGE

■ By DON ARNOLD

A thousand people a year die from electrical accidents, according to the National Safety Council. Children are especially vulnerable to electric shock because they don’t know what to avoid. Basic rule: Don't use hair dryers, radios, electric curlers, or other small appliances near tub or sink. They're dangerous when plugged in. even if turned off. Don’t run wires under rugs or furniture; friction can cause insulation to wear off/ causing shock or fire. Do unused outlets with plastic inserts to protect inquisitive little fingers. Don't leave bulb sockets empty. Some electrical appliances are immersible; most are not. Moisture inside an unprotected appliance could cause a shock when it is used next. Your safety is our concern. For all your insurance needs, see:

LITTLE & CLARK INSURANCE AGENCY SR IS North, Milford Phone: 658-9468 A Division Os Hall S Morose

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tine’s Day Party tomorrow,” Mrs. Owl called to the departing students. “Bring your cookies, candy, and drinks .. . and don’t forget your Valentine cards!” IXAwUkin ho 11 of Oak Elementary and out into the bright sun of February. Most of the heavy snow of Winter was gone in the meadows and farmland, but large areas still remained in the deep woods. Here and there you could still find an icicle dripping from a tree branch, or a pile of snow drifted around a large Elm tree. Herbie pattered to one of these large drifts and chattered in little mouse fashion. A portion of the drift moved and Spot, Herbie’s dog-friend, shook off the snow that had covered him while he waited for school to get out. “Let’s get home fast, Spot,” said Herbie, climbing to his seat under the puppy’s collar. “I have a lot of work to do this evening! ’ ’ The two friends dashed through the bare cold forest and soon arrived at the fallen Oak that served as home for Herbie, Mother Mouse and Grandmother Mouse. They were just in time for hot cinnamon-flavored Lady Bug’s milk and roasted acorns. Herbie knew that Spot didn’t think too much of this menu, but he also knew that he was mu£h too pblite to say anything. Grandmother Mouse patted the black and white neck as Spot licked the bowl clean. “Do we have any colored leaves left in the store room?” Herbie asked his Mother. “Yes, I think we do,” said Mother Mouse. “What do you need them for?” “We are having a Valentine Party at school, and i want to make some cards for Mrs. Owl and some of my friends,” Herbie explained. 8 “Oh, I know just what you want, then!” exclaimed Grandmother Mouse, shuffling to the storeroom. She came back with a small, flat box tied with a long vine. “This is just what I want!” Herbie exclaimed happily. The box was filled with yellow, pink, brown, tan, black and red leaves. Herbie very carefully cut out

Warsaw business burglarized

iflrime |®PERS

Warsaw business burglarized Crime Stoppers, a non-profit organization involving the police, the media and the public in the fight against crime, offers anonymity and cash rewards to persons who furnish information leading to the arrest and the filing of criminal charges against felony offenders. The following “Crime of the Week’* was furnished by the Kosciusko County Crime Stoppers organization: The burglary of a business in Warsaw is the “Crime of the Week.”

heart-shapes and glued them on the leaf cards. Herbie was so pleased that he clapped his small mouse paws in excitement; Spot thought that this was a umntod tn nlav The large puppy rolled over and bumped the table where Herbie was working. “No, Spot, not now,” said Herbie, patting his friend's whiskered nose. “I need to finish a card for Lizzy Mouse and Mrs. Owl, then we can play.” After Herbie cleaned up the leaf scraps and put the glue away, he and Spot played around the fallen Oak until Mother Mouse called Herbie in to go to bed. “Goodnight, Spot. See you in the morning,” said Herbie, as he went into his snug, warm mouse house. When Herbie got to school the next morning, he found that Mrs. Owl had decorated the room with strings of colored leaves and clumps of dried grass. There was Lady Bug milk, acorns, moss, corn and maple sugar candy for everyone, and then it was time to pass out the Valentines. Herbie had written a special verse for each of his friends and they all read them aloud. Then it was Lizzy Mouse’s turn. “Thank you, Herbie,” said Lizzy Mouse. “I didn’t know you were such a poet!” The wisest creature in the room, Doesn’t need to swing a broom, As a Teacher, you’re a Peach, And that will end my little speech. Something was wrong. That wasn’t what Herbie had put on Lizzy’s card! Oh, no, thought the little mouse, growing red. When Spot bumped the table, I must have glued the Wrong verse to Lizzy’s card. Then that means... “I agree, Lizzy. Herbie might not be good in Math, but he certainly has a flair with words! ” Oh, sweet Lizzy, You make me dizzy, When you are around, I don’t hear any other sound. Please be my Valentine! Happy Valentine’s Day!

On the morning of January 26, a burglary was discovered at the Ramsey News Company, located on East Winona Avenue in Warsaw. Entry had been made by climbing a wall between two buildings and breaking out a window. Once inside, the office doors were forced open and a large amount of damage done to office equipment. Taken in this burglary were three blue bank bags and one orange bag containing a large amount of checks and a quantity of cash. Persons with information concerning this burglary are asked to contact Crime Stoppers, tollfree, at 1-800-342-STOP. Crime Stoppers will pay up to SI,OOO if the information leads to an arrest or indictment. Crime Stoppers also pays cash rewards on other felony crimes and the capture of fugitives. Callers will be assigned a code number and will not be asked to reveal their names.

Class slated on aging parents Frequently, middle-aged adults are caught between the needs of their aging parents and the needs of their own children. The Bowen Center at Warsaw is offering a workshop which focuses on this relevant topic including clarifying the needs of adult children, understanding the needs of aging parents, and ways in which to look at the situation. Opportunity will be given for participants to discuss specific concerns. The class will meet Tuesday evenings, Feb. 10 and 17, 6-7:30 p.m. To register, call toll-free 1-800-342-5653 or 219-267-7169, ext. 279.

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Margaret Freeman Outside Sales ■i■■■MMWWIMBWMiMM■■■■■M ARUBA - The "Happy Island" located 18 miles off the coast of Venezuela. Aruba is a 77-squore-mile melting pot — simmered from Dutch stock, seasoned by the Caribbean, and spiced with Latin flavor. Its dry. sunny climate means year-round summer and outdoor activities. Only about 20 inches of rain fall annually, and the island is completely outside the hurricane belt. The lock of humidity has produced on unusual —for the Caribbean — desert terrain. Sightseeing blends historical, natural and manmade attractions. Also not to be missed is Aruba's duty-free shopping, found in a six-block shopping district in Oranjostad and at various hotels. Aruba is one of the Caribbean's liveliest islands after dark, a big draw being the casinos — oil six of them. The variety in hotel sizes and prices makes vacation planning a flexible affair — see us for details, abc TRAVEL SPECIALISTS. 1301 N. Detroit St., Warsaw Or call 269-6771 269-1415 or 1-800-342-5521. Hours are Mon.-Frl. 9-5:30 and Sat. 9-1. Most major credit cords accepted.

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SOCIAL SECURITY I

By Dorcas R. Hardy Commissioner of Social Security

By DORCAS R. HARDY Commissioner of Social Security

There’s one thing I’ve learned in my first few months as Commissioner of Social Security — beneficiaries are clearly aware of important Social Security issues. Take the “notch” issues, forexample. Hardly a day goes by that you don’t hear about some discussion of the “notch.” For those not familiar with the term, it originally was used to refer to the difference between benefit amounts payable to workers born in 1917 and to those born in 1916 and earlier, with similar earnings histories and retirement ages. This difference resulted from a change made by the 1977 amendments in the methods used to compute Social Security benefits. These amendments were necessary because the benefit computation method, enacted into law in 1972, overcompensated for inflation. Increases in both wages and prices were taken into account in the calculation of benefits. This improper indexation would have ultimately

Social Security Replacement Rotes fa* flge-65 Retirees mith flverage Earnings

60 « J % 50 \ Persons Bom \ /in 1917-21 £ w X. — £ -Ik. § s - E 40 S 0 “ 30 Old Law Current Law 20 —»— ; Year of Birth 1900 19C5 1910 1915 1920 1925 Year of retirement: 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990

The chart shows replacement rates by year of birth for hypothetical age-65 retirees who always earned average wages. The chart slows that people born in 1917-21 are not receiving benefits that are unjustly low, but rather certain workers born from about 1910 through 1916 are receiving overly generous benefits. The chart shows that replacement rates for people born in 1917-21 compare favorably to the rates for those born later or for those born before about 1910, who did not gain from the unintended increases that resulted from the faulty 1972 law.

Wagon Wheel presents Sid Caesar

In 1978. Sid Caesar looked at himself in his dressing room mirror after the first act of "Last of the Red Hot Lovers” and said “Sid, do you want to live or do you want to die?” At that moment he said he made his most important decision — he opted for life. Sid Caesar went from Yonkers to Hollywood to Broadway to television stardom — through alcoholism, pill addiction and paralyzing insecurity — Today this artful comedian looks back at the dark years and can stand tall. Since his decision to live, Sid Caesar has learned to deal with reality and become friends with himself. "My life has entirely changed," he says. “My friendships were all based on drinking, so I had to change my friends. I had to find a new personality. I read a lot, and talk to myself in a tape recorder every morning about whatever comes into my head. I verbalize my feelings to get them out of my system.” According to Caesar, it was a classic case of “too much, too soon” for the entertainer who rose to the pinnacle of success in his early 20s with the now-classic “Your Show of Shows’ and ‘Caesar’s Hour.” The programs dominated the airwaves for most of the 50s and Sid Caesar became

created benefit rates higher that a worker’s preretirement earnings. When benefit levels began to increase very rapidly, because of the unusually high inflation in the 1970’5, Congress realized that something had to be done to restore more appropriate payment levels and maintain the financial soundness of the program. In 1983, a new definition of the “notch” became popular following the publication of a newspaper advice column in which the phrase “notch babies” was first coined. This column gave an incorrect impression that people born in the years 1917-21 were singled out to receive benefits lower than those years. In reality, all workers bom in 1917 and later have their benefits computed under the new method established by the 1977 amendments. While it is generally true that people bom in 1917-21 receive less in benefits than those with similar earnings histories bom before 1917, it is not tree that they also receive less than those bom after 1921. In fact, persons bom in 1917-21 actually have some advantage. They receive a benefit

the undisputed "King of Saturday Night Comedy" with his unique style of sketch acting and pantomime. In addition to his numerous Emmy Awards, Caesar has a long list of accomplishments. His film credits include: “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World;” "Grease I and II; ” “Airport ’75;” ‘‘Silent Movie;’’ and "Stoogemania.” Some of his most recent television credits have been: “Saturday Night Live;” Steven Spielberg’s "Amazing Stories;” “Love is Never Silent;” and “Christmas

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SID CAESAR Snow.” In the early 1980 s he published a deeply honest autobiography entitled “Where Have I Been?” To stay in shape, Caesar does 1,500 exercises, six days a week. Every morning he exercises for a least an hour and his 64-year old

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uaseu on me mgner oi: a modified form of the “old” computation method, or the “new” indexing computationmethod. Benefits for persons bom after 1921 are figured only under the new indexing method. But it is important to note that the “new” computation method is the one that provides replacement rates (benefits as a percent of preretirement earnings) more in line with the program’s intent. Several legislative proposals introduced in the 99th Congress would reduce or eliminate the difference in benefits under old- and new-law computation procedures by increasing benefits provided for people who were bom in 1917 and later. However, the cost of such proposals is usually quite high. For example, H.R. 1917, introduced by Representative Edward Roybal (D., CA), would increase Social Security benefit payments by about S7B billion through 1990 and about $193 billion through 1995. The General Accounting Office (GAO) is expected to complete a study for the Congress in the spring of 1987 that will include cost estimates for various proposals t to increase benefits of people fected by the “notch.” The “notch” issue will likely be considered by the 100th Congress after the GAO report is received. Whatever happens in the future, though, it is important to remember that the benefit levels established by the 1977 amendments reversed the trend of spiraling replacement rates and helps ensure a stable, soundly financed Social Security system in which both today’s and tomorrow’s workers can have confidence.

Cirrent Law

body is in remarkable shape. A video cassette, “Shape up With Sid,’’ has been made, demonstrating exercises for people over 40. With a new outlook on life, health and happiness, Sid Caesar has decided to go back to performing before live audiences. "People don’t know what live is today,” says the comic. “Kids grow up thinking that all of life is on tape. Life is not a rehearsal.” Sid Caesar will be performing at the Wagon Wheel Playhouse in Warsaw on Saturday, March 21. There will be performances at 6 and 9 p.m. For ticket information. call the Wagon Wheel box office, 267-8041; Serving our country GREGORY S. BAUMGARTNER Navy Seaman Gregory S. Baumgartner, son of Roger and Sandy Baumgartner of Milford, has completed recruit training at Recruit Training Command, Orlando, Fla. During Baumgartner’s eightweek training cycle, he studied general military subjects designed to prepare him for further academic and on-the-job training in one of the Navy’s 85 basic fields. Baumgartner’s studies included seamanship, close order drill. Naval history and first aid. Personnel who complete this course of instruction are eligible for three hours of college credit in physical education and hygiene.

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WAYNE THE CLOWN AND KAYLIN — A laugh a day chases the gray away! This year’s Mizpah Shrine Circus promises laugh after laugh with many clowns from clown alley, including clowns Wayne and Kaylin. The circus will also feature the youngest and only femalecannon ball in the world today. Aerial acts will capture the spectators' fascination as thasflying trapeze artists show their silver ability, performing rare and unique aerial acts from high above the coliseum floor. ■ Bears, tigers, trapeze acts, clowns, pretty girls, juggling, sword balancing, elephants and much more will be seen at the 1987 Shrine Circus to be held February 6,7 and Bat the Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne.

Special tax credit aids workers

The Earned Income Credit is a refundable tax credit available to certain working taxpayers who earned less than SII,OOO in 1966, the Internal Revenue Service said. The credit will be paid to taxpayers who qualify even if it exceeds tax owed or if the taxpayer could receive a credit of as much as $550, according to the IRS. To be eligible for the Earned Income Credit, taxpayers must: 1. Have both an “Adjusted Gross Income” and “Earned Income” (including those of the spouse, unless the taxpayer qualifies as an unmarried head of household) of less than $11,000; and 2. File as married filing jointly, head of household, or qualifying widow or widower; and 3. Not have excluded any income earned in a foreign country or a US possession, or claimed a deduction for a foreign housing amount; and 4. Live in a home with dependent child for more than one half ofjthe tax year, (all year for a qualifying widow(er) in the United States. A taxpayer who files as bead of household or married must qualify to claim an exemption for the child, even if they’ve released the exemption deduction to the other parent, in writing, or by a divorce or separation agreement effective prior to 1985. A qualifying widow(er)*s child is a son or daughter or any other child the widow(er) cared for all year as his or her own child. The child must be the widow(er)’s dependent. Taxpayers may elect to receive their credit in one of two ways. If Milford restaurant broken into first of the week The Chateau restaurant, downtown Milford, was robbed sometime between the afternoon of February 1 and 7 a.m. on February 2. Taken was $55 from the cash register. There was no forced entry made. Footprints were outside of the backdoor that led to the alley but could not be detected on the alley. The prints appeared to be size 9-10 running shoes. No known vehicle was used. Phyllis Roy, owner, told Milford Town Marshal David Hobbs and Deputy Marshal Aaron Rovenstine that when she arrived on Monday morning the money from the cash register was missing. She stated that she was having trouble with the backdoor lock in the cold, stating it wasn’t always locking. The robbery remans under investigation > Import tariW President Reagan has ordered retaliatory trade sanctions against the European Community that are intended to halt U.S. sales of British gin, French brandy, inexpensive white wine, many gourmet cheeses and other foods.

they are eligible, they can receive it as a refund when they file their return, or they may choose to have their employer include advance payments in their paychecks throughout the year, the IRS noted. Additional information on the Earned Income Credit and advance payments can be found in available by calling or writing the IRS. 1987 highway map highlights Indiana's amateur sports Indiana Department of Highways director John P. Isenbarger has announced that copies of the 1987 official highway map are now available to the public. This year’s theme centers on amateur sports and is a tribute “to the athletes and all people who work long and hard to realize their dreams.” Isenbarger noted that “with the Pan American Games in Indianapolis and the Special Olympics in South Bend, 1987 is a big year for amateur sports in our state! With over 20 sports organizations making their national headquarters in Indiana and an unprecedented 10 major sporting events scheduled in the Hoosier state this year, there’s no doubt that we’re America’s amateur sports center.” The new map contains color photographs of various amateur sports events in Indiana, a listing of Indiana-based sports organizations and a schedule of 1987 Indiana amateur sports events. The map cover highlights the torch lighting ceremony for the 1982 National Sports Festival in Indianapolis, still considered “the most successful ever held.” Regular features of the map include a state-wide mileage chart, telephone numbers of all Indiana State Police posts and basic street maps of 16 major cities. Other standard features indude boundaries delineating Indiana’s time zones and a Department of Natural Resources directory of state forests, parks, fish and wildlife areas, museums and memorials. Everyone who has ever called Indiana “home” is also reminded on this year’s map to “come home for Hoosier Celebration ’88.” Hoosier Celebration *BB is a chance to rediscover the state's heritage and history, showcasing each and every Indiana community’s origins, progress and developmaits. The 1987 state Highway Map is now available, free of charge, from the Indiana Department of Highway’s Public Information Office, 1106 State Office BuHdhw, 100 North Senate Avenue, Inmanapolis, Ind. 46264-2249. Maps will be available at other ritea around the state at alater date To obtein more fabts about the many attractions Indiana has to 700. Indiananoita *ni* call 1-800-2WANDEFL \ * *