The Mail-Journal, Volume 28, Number 2, Milford, Kosciusko County, 22 February 1989 — Page 4

THE MAIL-JOURNAL —Wed., February 22,1989

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Editorial

Let your wishes be known Death and taxes are said to be a certainty. A new tax for this county could be in the offing, but it is not yet a certainty. A bill allowing home rule for a food and beverage tax in Kosciusko County recently cleared the Indiana State House and looks likely to clear the senate as well. While it is not project specific, meaning that the proceeds from the tax have not been earmarked for one county project only, the tax is slated to benefit parks and recreation. Amazingly, this tax' which could generate as much as $500,000 in revenue for the county, seems to have stirred up little public interest. In fact, Representative Dave Wolkins (Winona Lake), who has backed the bill in the house, has received little to no feedback on the subject from his constituents. Most citizens feel cut off from government decision making; the concept of “for the people and by the people” seems little more than a slogan. This needn’t be the case for the food and beverage ts X Once the food and beverage bill becomes a law, it is up to local county government whether or not to implement the tax. The bill does not automatically force the tax on the county, it simply opens up a chance for discussion. •> The decision the commissioners and council make will almost certainly be influenced by the wishes of their constituents. Now is the time for countv residents to make their wishes known on the subject of the tax? Voters should tell the elected county officials directly involved with the tax exactly how they feel about it; whether for or against it. The people in this county neetjjo be active, not reactive, when it comes to a possible tax. Information gathered thus far seems to support the implementation of the tax, if its proceeds will benefit parks and recreation on a county-wide basis. County-wide should be interpreted to mean parks and recreational facilities throughout the county, in different towns and areas; that includes the greater Lakeland area. There's little, despite all of man’s best efforts, to be done about death. The certainty or uncertainty of the food and beverage tax is up to the people of this county. New Am erica n hos tage! The Ayatollah Khomeini has succeeded as never before in his quest to stir up rabid anti-Western sentiment. More importantly, he has managed to take hostage, through terrorism, one of the United States most precious freedoms, the virtually unrestricted right to distribute books. Despite the Iran-Contra mess, terrorists have had little success, to date, in the United States. This time, however, they have struck paydirt. Because of terrorist threats, which appear to be thought wholly justified by some Muslims, Salman Rushdie, author of the now infamous “Satanic Verses,” is in hiding. Fearful of the safety of their employees, booksellers here and in many other western countries, have yanked the book from their shelves. What is left is a precious freedom held hostage to violent religious fanatics, and a man with a big price on his head whose life is likely ruined, if indeed he has much life left. Chances are. he doesn't. After all, the Ayatollah has guaranteed a one-way ticket to Paradise should one of the faithful lose his life while trying to take Rushdie’s. Then, of course, there’s the $5.2 million bounty the Muslim religious leader has offered for the author's life: that murder incentive plan should bring every assassin-for-hire out international woodwork. One of tne faithful who succeeds 4n killing Rushdie and staying alive will undoubtedly get the brass ring; earthly riches and joy in the hereafter, , , ~ ~ . , ... . Religions should be treated with respect; most people hold their faith dear and do not suffer its ill-treatment lightly. However, without reading it, it is impossible to say whether or not Rushdie’s book is offensive. Since it is banned in Moslem countries, it’s doubtful that many in those regions have actually read the b ° Ok Ignorant of the facts, they may be, but terrorists are holding hostage a basic freedom. There is little to be done on the part of Americans. After all, booksellers are justified in fearing for the lives of their workers. Terrorism has officially debuted in America. Hopefully, itwill be a short run. The best way to sleep soundly is to live sensibly and think sanely. Never underestimate your ability; others will do it for you. The gardener is now having a field day with expectations.

What others say — Pandora's Box opened As expected, passage of Proposition One last November has provided the key to Pandora’s Box as proven by the proliferation of bills and amendments to legalize any activity that involves gambling. » Billed as the “lottery bill” by those who were promoting a state lottery and big bucks, passage of Proposition One removed all language prohibiting lotteries from our State Constitution. In so doing, the door was open for our state lawmakers to legalize any form of gambling their minds can conceive. Those who supported a state lottery in the belief that all other forms of gambling would be ignored must have had their heads in the sand, or worse yet, in the dream world of cashing in on a bet-your-life existence. In recent weeks our state legislators have been kicking around everything from bingo to off-track betting parlors. If there’s a game of chance, you can bet your shirt that the odds favor some bill or amendment will be introduced to legalize it. The special interest groups are coming out of the woodwork. If our state legislators are so eager to get into the gambling business it would seem logical to try one at-a-time, rather than trying to cash in on all the false get-rich-quick promises at once. At least, most legislators seem to have accepted the fact that revenue from a state lottery or any form of gambling is unreliable and nothing to hang a budget ° n We can only hope that the dollar signs in the eyes of our Legislators don’t Mir d them to the reality of losing your shirt today while you try to win a wardrobe for your future. _ HENDWCKS COUNTY GAZE TTE

*».’* ' . ■ . 4 . . - _ • -• -' - Parks in the greater Lakeland area could benefit from the proposed new county tax. However, area residents need to be sure the commissioners and council are aware of the fact that some of the money, if the tax is approved, should be used to benefit these parks, too. It's time to let your feelings be known.

Court news

County Court The following persons have paid fines and costs in Kosciusko County Court, Judge James Jarrett presiding: Speeding — Lorraine Maggart, 49. North Webster, S6O; Denice L. Calhoun, 24, Syracuse, $65; Tracy L. Thornburg, 23. Syracuse, $80; Gregory R. Garman, 17, Leesburg, SBO. Disregarding Automatic Signal — Joseph J. DeWitt, 23, Syracuse, S6O; Jeff M. Enright, no age. Leesburg. S6O. County Court Goshen Division The following fines have been levied and paid in the Elkhart County Court, Goshen Division: Speeding — Bridget K. Johnson. 27, Syracuse, SSB; Darrell G. Allen, 38. Milford. SSB; Dennis E. Bogart, 18, Syracuse, SSB; Sheila M. Bogart. 20. Syracuse, $63 Driving while intoxicated — Randall L. Blackburn, 27? Milford, fined $2,200 with $1,700 suspended, plus costs, sentenced to two years in Indiana Department of Corrections with all but five days suspended, remainder suspended on condition that defendant be placed on probation for two years Disregarding automatic signal — Scott A. Carter. 19. Syracuse. SSB

Meals for older Americans

Meals for Older Americans are served each day at the following locations: The Scout Cabin. Syracuse; the Pierceton Com munity Building; Mentone Com munity Room in the fire station , the Retired Tigers Center, 320 W Main, Warsaw; Free Methodist Church, Winona Lake; and the Church of the Brethren. North Webster. Meals for Older Americans is for persons 60 years or older and is a chance to meet new friends and enjoy hot, nutritional meals The sites are opened several hours each day including noon for programs. Meals for Older Americans is not associated with welfare but is for the promotion for better health for the older population Donations are ac cepted for the meals. The site directors request all persons planning on attending the ' meals to make reservations by 1 p.m the day prior to attending Phone 457-2631 for Syracuse transportation and reservations February' 23-March 1 THURSDAY .— Orange grapefruit juice, sliced roast turkey, bread dressing and gravy, creamed corn, whole wheat bread w/margarine, plums, milk, tea, and milk FRIDAY — Pineapple juice, stuffed cabbage in tomato sauce.

fl | s OCIA E SECI *UTy fl fl p j fl Q. What’s a realistic figure I can expect to get from Social Security when I'm ready to retire in 10 years? A. You can obtain an estimate of your benefit by calling the toll free number 1-800-234-5772 and requesting a form SSA-7004 You complete and mail the form in and receive a printout of what you can expect to receive in today’s dollars.

City Court The following fines have been levied and paid in the Goshen City Court: Criminal conversion — Peggy F. Perry. 36, Syracuse, dismissed Driving while license suspended — Ryan R. Slusher, 20, Syracuse, dismissed Marriage Licenses The following couples have applied for marriage licenses in the office of Kosciukso County Clerk Jeanne Weirick: Swick-Knisley Daniel Wesley Swick. 27. r 1 box 120, Claypool, and Dixie Colleen Knisley. 28. 401 E. Boston. Syracuse. Collins-Mitchell David Samuel Collins, 197 109 E. Prairie St.. Leesburg, and Sonya R. Mitchell. 23. 105 W. Prairie St.. Leesburg. Tavlor-Johnson Donald Rex Taylor. 22. r 2 box 213-D-2, Leesburg, and Donette Dee Johnson. 18, r 2 box 213-D-2, Leesburg. Circuit Court The following petitions have been filed in Kosciusko Circuit Court, Judge Richard Sand presiding. Complaint For Damages Mutual Hospital Services, Inc., no address given, versus Arthur L. Buffer and Bonnie L. Huffer. PO Box 574. Syracuse. Petitioner seeks $4,530.42 plus interest, attorney fees and costs.

seasoned carrots, cottage cheese w/chives, cracked wheat bread w/margarine, frosted brownie, milk, tea. and coffee MONDAY — Pear nectar, smoked Polish sausage, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, rye bread w/margarine. sweetened cherries, milk, tea. and coffee TUESDAY — Orange juice, spaghetti w/meat sauce, parmesan cheese, seasoned green beans, Italian bread w/margarine. mixed fruit, milk, tea, and coffee WEDNESDAY - Apple juice, breaded baked chicken quarter, scalloped potatoes, steamed spinach w/bacon garnish, cracked wheat bread w/margarihe. butterscotch pudding, milk, tea, and coffee Lisa Ann Shear on dean's list Lisa Ann Shear, Lubbock. Texas, is on the dean’s honor list for the fall, 1988, semester at Texas Tech University. She is majoring in psychology. The dean's honor list is for students who have attained a grade-point average of 3.5 or better for the semester. Lisa graduated from Alpine High School in Alpine, Texas, in 1986. She is the daughter of F.W. and Joan Shear of Syracuse.

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"CRUZIN AROUND 'CUSE”

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OORAY FOR our swim team! Nine members of the Wawasee swim team have qualified for the state meet

scheduled for this Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis at the IU natatorium. All seven of the team’s seniors qualified for the honor. Those attending the meet are Matt Fryback, Aaron Dial, Skip Winnebald, Scott Rozow, David Keener, Dave Neterer, Scott Berkey, Brian Neff, and Eric Hood. This is the largest number of qualifiers that Coach Tim Caldwell has ever taken to the state meet. The team's record this season is 12-2. They placed third in the sectional, against Warsaw’s first and Concord's second place finishes. DON BYRD has leased Wawasee Golf Club to Rick Baker for a three-year period. Baker, who has been greenskeeper for Maxwelton Golf Club for the past 15 years, will have responsibility for the course, club, and restaurant. Byrd, Wawasee Golf Club owner and pro for 35 years, will perhaps finally have the opportunity to spend some time on the greens — just for the fun of it. X t Stay posted. —o— BEAUTIFICATION WILL be the subject of the Chamber of Commerce’s bi-monthly luncheon, scheduled for Wednesday, March 1, at CJ’s. Bill Beemer. Beautification chairman, and Sally Cotton, Chamber president, are coordinating the luncheon and speaker plans. —o— SOMETHING DIFFERENT in a fundraiser. The Lakeland Youth Center has ordered presealed containers, each containing seven emergency candles. The containers will be sold door-to-door and to family and friends during a one-week period after the order has been received by the LYC (probably in a week to 10 days from now i. According to project chairman, Belinda Claybaugh, the sales force will consist of the boys who participate in the Youth Center’s basketball program. All proceeds will be used on YC improvements, such as a new floor, entryway, windows ... —o— TOP BRASS in town. The Syracuse Jaycees are sponsoring a Winter Social for the northern region of Indiana. Representative? from 19 chapters will attend the February 25 event at Syracuse's American Legion. Special guests will be Jaycee State President Darrell Voelker, and National President Andy Tobin. —o— ABOUT THAT bridge at Pickwick Road and Chinese Gardens, the State Highway Department culvert replacement began February 20, with the road being traversable for the first couple of weeks while utility lines are put in. The entire project is estimated to take 45-60 days, which would place the reopening at either the first week of April or mid-April. Sure sounds better than the originally-planned May-June work! —o—- • THE ROBINS are flocking,” according to Jim and Sylvia Griffith of Secrist lake and Fort Myers, Fla. They sent word to grandson, Jay Griffith, in Syracuse that the Florida-based robins are preparing for their annual northerly travels. —O—AND IF that doesn’t bring you hope and thoughts of spring, then perhaps just knowing that in Knoxville, Tenn, on February 23 the town will celebrate its 4 Dogwood Arts Festival House and Garden Fair — with 'beautifully landscaped gardens and thousands of flowers in full bloom.” It's coming this way, honestly. —o— IS GAMBLING legislation "out of control" as some are saying? The voters of Indiana said "yes" to a state lottery, but now it appears that the pressure is on our legislators to add parimutual betting and casinos. This could very well change the "flavor" of our home state from "wholesome and homey" to something many of us are just as happy to leave to other states. —O'PUT DOWN your knitting, your book and your broom ... the Enchanted Hills Playhouse Guild is looking for a “few good theater lovers” as new members. The next three EHP Guild meetings are planned as evening meetings —7 p.m. on March 16. April 20 and May 18 — so that prospective members can attend and learn how they can get involved with this active group. —o— TWENTY-SIX LANGUAGES were spoken on board the ship that Ralph and Mildred Enoch cruised the Caribbean on,recently, thanks to an international crew and passengers. They flew to San Juan and boarded The Festival, a Carnival Line cruise ship. For a week they travelled from San Juan to St. Thomas, St. Maartin, Barbados, and Martinique and "had a wonderful time!" according to Mildred. A favorite side trip was a visit to the rain forest on Martinique. Although other passengers were talking about a visit to a "nude beach” when they returned to the ship, the Enochs were quite pleased with their choice of attractions. Mildred kept busy filling shopping orders for her friends as she checked out the best buys on each island. , Both Mildred and Ralph actually lost a few pounds during the cruise — even with five different mealtimes offered each day. They say that they learned that you don't need to eat

everything in sight when on a cruise. You only have to spend time afterwards trying to “take it off again.” SPEAKING OF "taking it off,” Mildred Enoch tells a delightful story on herself. She and Ralph were in Nassau over the holidays. To celebrate the New Year, they dressed up and went to the casino to watch the people and the action. Mildred was wearing a long sequined skirt which was secured at the waist by a velcro strip. She had noticed some trouble in keeping it snugly closed. After spending some time twisting and turning in their chairs “to oogle well-dressed, beautiful people,” the Enochs decided to call it a night and Mildred rose to take leave — but her skirt didn’t get up with her, it sank to her ankles! “Oh, my.” She pulled it up in her ladylike manner and, firmly pressing the velcro, strode out of the casino on the arm of her husband. —o— LOTZA TALK about the proposed Food and Beverage Tax going on around the county. If enacted, it is expected to bring in between $300,000-$500,000 annually for the county. Some people are taking a hard look at where they can apply some of the funds, should the 1 percent tax become a fact and each town be able to take advantage of a return. If House Rep. Dave Wolkins is assuring Winona Lake that it would receive a “fair share of revenues,” estimated at $19,000 for his constituency; and if the county commissioners are mentioning using revenues to help the ailing county fairgrounds; and if Warsaw Mayor Jeff , Plank is locking forward to some help from this fund for his proposed CCAC, then perhaps Syracuse should be making some plans for future growth of its park system “just in case” the tax, earmarked for benefiting parks and recreation, actually is passed by state and county officials. —o— THE CALENDAR as you know it now was created by Pope Gregory XIII on February 24, 1582, and corrected the Julian calendar, which was then 10 days in error. The new calendar became effective on October 4, 1582, in most Catholic countries, in 1752 in Britain and the American colonies, in 1917 in the Soviet Union and at various other dates in other countries. It is the most widely used calendar in the world today. —O'MARK HUBBS, Big Wheel's manager, and his family are back from vacationing in West Virginia and southwestern Ohio, visiting their parents and “showing off the new baby. Mark kiddinglyt?) told us that before leaving on vacation he gave special instructions to his staff to keep the parking lot picked up and clean as he didn’t want to find Big Wheel pictured in this column as a "bad example.” He paid compliments on the effectiveness of our beautification program. —o— WITH THE announcement by Tom Tuttle that Tom 11, recently graduated from college, will be assuming control of the restaurant and lounge of South Shore Golf Club, we began to think of how many family -owned/operated businesses, with offspring working in the business, there are in this area: Love Furniture — Gerald and Dina Hubartt; Rich and Lisa, son and daughter-in-law. Syracuse Hardware — Lee Carboneau; sons Chris, Dominic, Damien, and Victor. Todd Realty — Joe I & 11. Logan-Rogers Realty — Ernie Rogers; son. Scott Rogers. Dunnico/NNN — Hugh Dunithan; son, Mark Dunithan. Living Quarters — Linda Phillabaum; son, Mark Phillabaum. J A Business Service — (a reversal here) Judy Wallace; and mother, Carol Wallace. Hagen & Hagen — John & son Steve, attorneys. The Mary Ann — Peter & Helen Pang; daughter, Teresa and son, Michael. Thornburg Drugs — John Kroh; Sons Tim. Steve. Wawasee Bowl — Joe & Wynona Sheets; son. Jodv. Beer Realty — Phil & Milly; daughter, Chris Doty. Buhrt Builders — Ray and Leona; son. Michael. Augsburger’s Super Vaiu — John & Oweita; daughter Angie; son-in-law, Jim Evans. Sportsman’s Center — Clem Lisor and (. lem, Jr. With so many towns crying because they are losing their young people to the big cities, it’s quite a compliment to the quality of life in the Syracuse-Wawasee area to note that we appear to have a high percentage of “keepers!'' —o— WE NOTE the recent retirement of Capt. Earle Waltz, Jr. from the Goshen Police Department after 32 years of service. He is the son of Earle and Jo Waltz of Lake Wawasee and Lake Worth, Fla. The two Earles, both’SCUBA divers, plan to spend some quality time together — underwater as well as topside. o —o—- - JOG SYRACUSE PUBLIC Librarian Rosalyn Jones may have some difficulty in collecting overdue books, but nothing like Winter Park. Fla., Public Library Director Robert Melanson has been faced with.-o President George Bush, who was presented with a book "Fishing For Fun and to Wash Your Soul" while in the Florida Keys in January, brought the book home with him. It is now past due. The book is a collection of yarns written by former President Herbert Hoover. - (Continued on page 5)