The Mail-Journal, Volume 26, Number 36, Milford, Kosciusko County, 21 October 1987 — Page 4

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THE MAIL-JOURNAL — Wed., October 21,1987

Editorial

Want to keep your freedom? VOTE! Casting a ballot at the polls on Tuesday, Nov 3, will do more than seat town board members. It will send a message to the world that you want to keep your freedom. It will say you have exercised your right as an American and voted for the candidates of your choice. No, it’s not a national or state election! The ballots are small. They are different in each of the Lakeland communities. And, only in Milford will voters find a full slate for both parties. That worries us a bit. Don’t the Democrats at Syracuse and North Webster care enough for their communities to fill their slates? We know party leaders tried. But there was no response. What if this happened on the national level? What choice would we have? What would become of democracy? Voting in the three communities will be simple. All are using the county’s ballot cards. You can vote a straight party ticket or you can split your ballot and vote for the candidates of your choice. In this case, all are good people. All will do their best to serve their individual communities. What each needs to know is that he of she has the support of the community behind him or her. That’s another reason to vote. — Predictions are for a light vote. Let’s show those who have made this prediction that as far as the Lakeland area is concerned, they are wrong. Let’s show the world that the people of this area are concerned about their freedoms. They are concerned about their communities. And, they are taking a few minutes to show this concern by casting a ballot. News items on the election appear in this week’s paper and will appear in next week’s paper. Read them. Study the candidates. Then ... VOTE on November 3. Right on! Most Americans welcome the appointment of Linda Chavez to head the nationaJ campaign tn make English the official language of the United States. That campaign is being waged by the organization called U.S. English, and Chavez, who is herself a Latina, is an ideal choice for the $70,000-a-year post. She is a former member of the Civil Rights Commission and ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in Maryland last year. Chavez thinks those who oppose establishment of the English language as the nation’s official language do Hispanics a disservice. She feels some Hispanic leaders opposed to U.S. English have selfish interests. When confronted by Hispanics who seek a dual-language country she recently explained: “I think the worst thing that could happen to the Hispanic population, particularly immigrants, is for them to remain unable to function in English, because that dooms them to second class citizenship.” Chavez says U.S. English will focus on the positive — teaching people English, not on the negative. And she adds, “I view myself as an American having achieved the American dream, from a poor background ... English played a very important role.” Most Americans support retention of English as the national language, not because of prejudice but because it is a bridge to better understanding and national unity. It is also the traditional American way of every immigrant group which came to this country. * The unifying effect of one language, which enables all to understand the laws, history and customs of the country, is of vital importance to future stability, unity and strength. The danger of a dual language culture can be seen only too clearly in countries like Canada and Belgium, where intense friction and disunity have often paralyzed governments and even threatened civil war. Smile! Few of us realize the power of a smile. Many clergymen do, as do politicians and salesmen. But many who could benefit enormously by a cheerful smile seldom use it, or practice it. Some are, naturally, shy — in a fast, loud world. Some are, understandably, burdened by problems and worries. Others are under various forms of tension, pressure or emotion. So it’s not always easy. Nevertheless, practice smiling. The results will astonish you, in making friends, better friends, better business and a better bank balance! Exercise! One of the often unrecognized killers of our time is lack of exercise. American males more often die of heart attacks than those of any other country. Many don’t get regular exercise. Experts advise males and females to devote some time every day to exercise. One should not, of course, begin strenuous exercise at middle or advanced age without working up to it. It’s best to exercise regularly, throughout life. What others say — 1988 Old Farmer's Almanac An old friend arrived in the mail this week. Seeing the 1988 Old Farmer’s Almanac for us signals the real beginning of fall and a guarantee that winter isn’t far away. It’s as basic as noticing the leaves turning color outside the window. The familiar yellow-and-black book has been an America tradition since 1792. Even the hole punched in the upper left-hand corner is still there... waiting to be hung in a handy place for easy access, much like it was in the you-know-what out back many years ago. Folks usually refer to the publication — some in jest and some in earnest — because of its upcoming year’s weather predictions. What makes it so fascinating, in particular to us, is that it does come so dam close to picking the weather. \ But thee’s much more than the weather forecast. There are dozens of tables, gardening hints, puzzles, rainy-day amusements and a variety of features. In its 234 pages there are facts and chuckles galore. For us, few publications can be more enjoyable to browse through, whether for entertainment or in earnest. PCC - THE VERMONT STANDARD

SAMPLE INSTRUCTION BALLOT NOTE: IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. RETURN YOUR BALLOT CARD TO tHE ELECTION OFFICIAL AND OBTAIN ANOTHER. TO VOTE IN THE PRECINCT YOU MUST

lUSE BOTH HANDS TO INSERT ■ BALLOT CARD ALL THE WAY INTO POSITION. 2 FIT THE TWO SLOTS AT TOP OF YOUR . CARD OVER THE TWO RED POSTS. v 3 TO VOTE. HOLD THE PUNCH • STRAIGHT UP. PUNCH STRAIGHT DOWN THROUGH BALLOT CARD FOR THE CANDIDATES OR '’ISSUES OF YOUR CHOICE. DO NOT USE PEN OR PENCIL. 4 AFTER VOTING. REMOVE BALLOT • CARD. PLACE YOUR BALLOT CARD x—«L THE ENVELOPE BEFORE YOU LE>VE THE VOTING DEVICE. THEN TURN IN THE BALLOT TO THE ELECTION WORKER STATIONED AT THE BALLOT BOX.

What others say —

Talks About Company By BURTON L. SHOWALTER This is a response to the editorial in the Goshen News dated Sept. 26, titled “NIPSCO in the News.” While the editorial asked many questions. but gave few answers. The end product of that particular editorial, when one considers unbiased constructive journalism, leaves much to be desired. In my opinion, the editorial left its readers with a very distorted view of the local utility company and its problems. First of all, the editorial see'ms to point an accusing finger at union employees for making too much money and just recently signing a new contract “boosting wages even mere." Tnis is a very misleading statement. It is true that NIPSCO workers will get a one-time bonus check of SSOO, payable in January 1989, but what is not mentioned in the editorial is this... NIPSCO workers agreed to a wage freeze for the life of the contract and gave away our cost of living clause. The cost of living concession would have amounted to a lot more than SSOO over the life of the contract. - Also missing in the editorial was the possible reason that utility wages are generally higher nationwide compared to other industry. Remember a few vears ago when the air traffic controllers were upset about their wages in relation to the stress that they were conironted with, day after day? News commentator Paul Harvey, stated on WOWO radio station at that time, that he was not too sympathetic with their grievances because government classifications that were a lot more stressful than theirs. One of the jobs that he mentioned as being more stressful was the job of utility line man. One may have a different opinion on this subject, but until you have “walked a wire" in my shoes, especially for 20 years, you simply cannot comprehend the stress factors involved. Since approximately only six cents out of every dollar goes toward union wages, I resent the insinuation that union wages are to blame for NIPSCO's present financial condition. The Sunday edition of another local paper had a similar story about NIPSCO's troubled condition. The writer of that article did not have any answers for NIPSCO's problems, but at least he took the time to research the facts before his typesetters went to work on his article. Basically, his article was accurate because he mentioned the loss of the Bailey Project and the recent court rulings that have gone against NIPSCO. These things have cost NIPSCO almost 500 million dollars. These are the main reasons for NIPSCO's present condition. The citizens' action coalition uses the term “mismanagement" when it speaks of the above mentioned problems. NIPSCO's lawyers use the term “Adverse litigation” when they speak of the above problems. Whatever term one wants to use to describe NIPSCO’s present problems or condition, one should keep this fact in mind ... no union personnel were involved in the decisions that were made that contributed to these problems. About five years ago, I personally approached NIPSCO management with the suggestion of making monthly utility bills a little easier on elderly people and those on fixed incomes. When I offered an hour’s pay a month, I also asked management what contribution, if any, they would be willing to donate. I told management that I would bring up such a proposal to the union leadership because I knew that other NIPSCO workers felt as I did. This idea was refused by management. Several months later when I found out that there was a freeze on middle-management’s wages, I personally, verbally, gave management my permission to freeze my wages. I did this because I realized that other workers felt like I did. If the company is in a healthy financial condition, that meant job security for us. If the company was indeed in a financial bind, most of us felt we could tighten our belts too. This offer was rejected by management at that time, but I do not know why. I, as well as other NIPSCO workers in the Goshen area, feel that we have bent over backward in our attempts to lessen some of management’s problems and we get sick and tired of being verbally poked in the eye with a sharp stick by the news media for the problems we are trying to help solve, but did not create. I feel that I have some of the solutions to some of the problems but I doubt that I’ll ever be asked my opinions. The NIPSCO picture can be painted at this point in time as a warrior in a losing battle. His nostrils bleeding profusely from the court ruling on the coal disputes, the fighter has been disembowled by the crippling Bailey decision. In a desperate attempt to shed weight and to stay on his feet, the fighter has now turned his knife on himself by carving away his vital flesh in his reduction of the work force, when in reality, the workers have the potential of being the greatest asset, as the company founders in an attempt to remedy the sad situation. I have been at NIPSCO for over 20 years and I remember the policies that were in effect under the leadership of Dean H. Mitchell. When Mr. Mitchell retired, and again when he passed away, literally thousands of words were spoken in relation to the outstanding job he did as chief executive officer. What I can’t figure out is, if he did such a good job, why aren’t we still following the policies that prevailed when he was in command? NIPSCO morale is at an all-time low. Every employee that I talk to has an attitude toward management that is somewhere between contempt and outright hatred Until management can learn to change the attitudes of their employees from what it is now, back to what it was under Mr Mitchell, the problems will worsen. Until management learns to lead and direct the work force in a more positive manner, rather than the “bludgeon into submission” attitude they now have, they never will get the most they can from their human resources, and in this day and age, this topic should be foremost in management’s minds. — Mr. Showalter has been a Northern Indiana Public Service Company lineman for 20 years and resides at 66761 C R. 31, Goshen.

Court news Small Claims The following judgments have been awarded in small claims division, Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrett Presiding: Morris Folke d/b/a Snap-On-Tools vs Marvel Spears. Judg ment for plaintiff $103.62 plus costs. Bonnie Moore d/b/a Moore’s Climate Control vs Dean Green. (Continued on page 5)

THE MAIL-JOURNAL (U.S.P S. 3258-4000) Published by the Mell Journal every Wednesday and entered as Second Class matter at the Post Office at Syracuse, Indiana 44567 Second class postage paid at 103 E. Main Street, Syracuse, Indiana 46567 and at additional entry offices. Subscription: *l7 per year In Kosciusko County; *23 outside county. POSTMASTERS: Send change of address forms to The Mall Journal, P.O. Box IM, Milford, Indiana 46542

"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE"

E FOUND out something by visiting San Francisco last week. We found out J we qualify as a Geezer.

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We didn’t say “Old Geezer,” mind you. We picked up the term from a column in the San Francisco Chronicle, the original paper in the Hearst chain, written by Herb Caen. Caen is widely read and widely quoted on the West Coast, for his somewhat salty daily column in the Chronicle. He comes up with these unique terms, and soon has all of us saying the same thing. In short, Caen said a Geezer is someone who believes in old, time-proven values, like the certain return of old Mae West and Will Rogers movies; he believes 5 cents is enough for an ice cream cone and not $1.05; he gets excited over a home town sesquicentennial parade; and he still thinks kids should be made to read aloud in the classroom and be made to learn to cipher. The list goes on. This gets interesting, for we think most of our friends qualify as Geezers, though most would not want to admit it. This column was written during the past two weeks by two well qualified Geezers. Bank employee Jeanne Gardiner, for instance, who filled this space on October 7, is a real, for-sure Geezer in her approach to improve the community of Syracuse through her work on the Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations. We’re almost afraid to invite her as a columnist again: she might end up as a competitor in one form or another. She filled her column with a lot of local names, and asked what was their motivation. In each instance, those named were what we call prime movers in the community within their own sphere. She mentioned Bill Beemer, Mavis Vanderveer, Jim Caskey, Jim Evans, Kip Scnumm, just io mention a tew, and in each case these folks are positive thinkers. As expected, Jeanne did an excellent article, and brought new ideas to this space. Don’t discount Terry Skaggs as a Geezer. He makes a good one. Terry, an account executive at a Goshen radio station, turned in a provocative piece for last week’s issue. He got us all to thinking what the future holds with his speculation on the year 2,000 when his (and Beth’s) son, Ryan, would be graduating from highschool. Terry sees a future when we’ll handle very little if any cash, and when sophisticated computers will do all the work. He cites his authorities as pharmacist Wilma Lenaway, school principal John A. Naab, athletic director Hal Traviola, counsellor Steve Snyder, bank vp Mike Mangas and radio exec. Bill Musser, all of the Syracuse community. Terry’s qualifications as a blue-blood, full fledged Geezer comes through loud and clear. Anyway, Geezer or not, Terry turned in a good, readable column that had a lot of thought for all of us. We’re just wondering: Could we come out with a Geezer of the Week? We think everyone knows plenty of friends who qualify for this dubious distinction. —o— THE OCCASION for our absence from this space was an annual trip to the National Newspaper Assn, conclave, held this year at Portland, Oregon. It included representatives of at least some of the nation’s 7,057 community newspapers (primarily weeklies), many of whom we had met before and/or traveled around the world with. Alex Haley, author of the widely-read Roots, was a principal speaker, and he made the most of characterizing the folks he knew in his youth in Henning, Tennessee, pop. 400. Portland has to be one of the most beautiful cities of the northwest, with colorful flowers, mostly multi-colored roses, everywhere one could look. Some real planning has gone into the floral beauty of Portland. Portland is at the foot of Mt. Hood. We took the customary tour around Mt. Hood, ending up for dinner at the Timberline Lodge, Where we could look down from this 6,000-foot perch, through clouds, to the city below. It reminded one of Hitler’s “Eagle’s Nest” near Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. Our Portland stay coincided with this writer’s birthday and two surprises awaited us. One was a bottle of bubbly sent to our hotel room, courtesy of our good friend, Bob Westfall, of the local NIPSCo branch, whose thoughtfulness was much appreciated. The other was an in-person

WANNA BUY A BUILDING LOT? — There appears to be one for sale at the corner of the Milford-Syracuse Road and County Road 300 East, and it appears to be a multiple listing at that. Sometime during the night Monday pranksters gathered up 15 or 20 real estate yard signs and put them up on the lot just west of the home of Robert K. Burke. And it’s not even Halloween yet!

visit while we were attending the Phillip Morris Advertising Institute by what some might call a voluptuous chick, in 1880 s dress. She called herself May East (not to be confused with Mae West, though she looked like a youthful version of the latter), from the EastenrOnion (not Western Union). All in good fun, even though the occasion was a welcomed surprise. Sounds very much like a trick we’d play on someone ourselves. Later we drove northwest along the Columbia River to the mouth of the river where it flows into the Pacific Ocean. There was nowhere to go from there but south, along the ocean on Highway 1. This scenic road runs along the entire Pacific coast of the country, and ranks among the most scenic of all highways. Going into California was another story. No one who travels in northern California wants to miss the Giant Redwoods. One knows they are old, something of a national treasure, but to see one with a sign that states it is 5,000 years old staggers the imagination. We drove our rental car through two of the trees — and again went through the usual picture-taking routine. The Napa Valley (wine country) proved something of a disappointment. Miles upon miles of grapes, to be sure, and wineries where a free sip is aimed at loosening one’s purse for a bottle of vintage spirits to take home to friends. And finally, San Francisco, a city that overflows with tourists from almost everywhere, First, we drove through town, on down to Monterey where Bing Crosby and friends played golf at the Pebble Beach Country Club, and into Carmel where actor Clint Eastwood holds forth as the celebrated mayor. We were told by our hotel clerk, a lady of about 50, when asked if she knew Mayor Clint, “Oh, yes, and we just love him!” He’ll be a tough act to follow. But Carmel-by-the-Sea does what it does as a tourist town better than most such towns. “We’re making the most of the popularity Eastwood has brought ♦« Carmel ” we were told. Then there’s San Francisco, where we spent four delightful, although tiring days. The fabled cable cars — that the city fathers voted to do away with until a little old lady reminded them that the cars were the city’s most appealing tourist attraction — are in full operation and bringing in money to the city coffers. Literally thousands of tourists and “home folks” ride the cars, and at a fair price. Get this: $1.50 for n adults, 75 cents for youths — and 15 cents for seniors over 65 years of age! The cable cars and the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) system are reasonable means of transportation and move people around the hilly city with ease. We took a city bus tour, which took us across the historic Golden Gate Bridge with a luncheon drop off at aifashionable restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf. During this day’s outing, we and many tens of thousands of others were entertained by six Blue Angels, naval planes shooting across the sky at 400 MPH, and doing all sorts of di-does. These young pilots in their 20s flew every which way, zipping across the sky at low altitude upside down. They flew straight up in absolute, and what seemed close, formation; they spun off like a large flower unfolding, only to re-form and come across the Wharf at record speeds. One never heard the sound until they planes had gone by. It was also shore leave for 30,000 naval personnel while we were in SF, with 12 ships and an aircraft carrier in port. My, These sailors look young! Fisherman’s Wharf is real fun. There are all sorts of restaurants, from the posh to the common, and all sorts of sea foods are available. Vendors offer small cardboard cartons of shrimp, crab meat, lobster, with little wooden sticks, and off one goes. All the while we found the Bay City consumed with “Giants Fever,” as the National Baseball League had its play-offs with the St. Louis Cardinals. No one talked of much else during that high-fever period. The SF Examiner bannered UMMM BABY across the top of page 1 in four colors; we were never quite sure of its significance, but it was on many tongues just the same. (Note: The Giants won their home games but bowed to the Cardinals at St. Louis, putting them (the Giants) out of the running for the World Series Pennant.) At times we felt like white Caucasians such as ourselves were in the minority in San Francisco. This city in particular is loaded with Hispanics, most of them we would assume coming up from Mexico, originally as laborers in the vineyards. But there are many Vietnamese, (Continued on page 5)