Published: May 10, 2008 10:46 pm         

Public Forum

Lifting alcohol ban not a good idea



I am opposed to the sale of alcohol at Dykeman Park Municipal Golf Course and during special community events at Little Turtle Plaza.

Let the Logansport Parks and Recreation Board know how you feel. Call, write and attend the parks board meeting on Wednesday, May 21 at 5:30 p.m. at the council chambers on the third floor of the City Building.

Let them know that people of Logansport can have a good time without alcohol. And no amount of money is worth the increase of alcohol in Logansport.

Margaret VanVleet

Logansport



Twelve Mile should be part of county



Twelve Mile, like many small towns in Indiana, is a small farming and bedroom community. The people are very friendly and I’m sure it is a great place to live. It is in the northern part of Cass County but sometimes feels as if it isn’t part of any county. 

Located on Ind. 16, also known as 700N near 800E, it is just a few miles from Ind. 25 to the west and U.S. 31 to the east. The town is near the border with Fulton County, and it isn’t much farther to Rochester than it is to Logansport. The children go to school at Caston in Fulton County. People go to work in all directions.

The area has few homes for sale, no wifi, few if any available jobs and no library. No wonder it doesn’t feel a connection to Logansport or the rest of Cass County. It does have the Old Mill General Store, which is closing, Sanhill Farms, Wray Contracting and the Community State Bank. While not an incorporated town, Twelve Mile, still has its own post office, 46988, and a sense of community.

Much of the sense of community may center around the local churches; Old German Baptist Brethren and Twelve Mile United Methodist. The community center has many wonderful old pictures from when Twelve Mile had its own school. Another indicator of a sense of community and pride in community was the turnout for a recent benefit breakfast. By the way, they had super biscuits and gravy.

It is time that the institutions in Logansport did more to make Twelve Mile feel more like it is part of the county. Perhaps the Pharos-Tribune needs to do more coverage on community events for the area. Maybe the radio stations need to highlight Twelve Mile more in the their community events. Perhaps the county council and county commissioners should meet there, once. Maybe the highway engineer could take a look at the Twelve Mile Deep on 800E that frustrates everyone. Perhaps it’s time the Logansport-Cass County Library placed a branch library in Twelve Mile. 

The northeastern part of Cass County is very underserved with libraries. Galveston, Logansport, Royal Center and Walton all have libraries or branches while there are none in the northeast part of the county. Perhaps it’s time to draw Twelve Mile back into the community by placing a branch library there. What do you think? I think no part of our county should be left behind or left out.

Gordon Southern

Walton



LHS newspaper article off base



Appalled. Disgusted. Worried.

What should I do Monday morning? Homeschool my children? I wish it was that simple.

I’ve just read the March/April 2008 issue of the Logansport High School’s Magpie newspaper. Parents, if your teenagers attend LHS read this issue. How can LHS allow such smut to be printed in their newspaper? Glamorizing boys talking about their boyfriends and girls talking about how they like having girlfriends and boyfriends. My teens aren’t at school to learn about their peers’ sexuality! This is not the place for minors to be exposed so blatantly to such indecent topics.

I have actually received a phone call from this school when my child was seen using the library as a shortcut to get to his next class because, evidently, that is unacceptable at LHS, but advertising you are gay is not! Priorities — Where are they? Not to mention morals, values and restrictions! These should be considered before printing this kind of trash. Sexuality topics should stay in porn magazines, where to my knowledge, it is still illegal to sell to minors.

I cannot be the only parent who feels this way! Speak up parents, it is not the school’s privilege to expose our children to what they think is acceptable. They are still our children, and we override anything that is said or done at that school. If I am not alone with this view, speak up and speak out, parents! Our children’s minds are at stake here.

So, shame on you, LHS. No wonder you have low ISTEP scores. What are you teaching?

A very concerned parent,

Erin Young

Logansport



Ivy Tech plans not practical



Let me first affirm that I’m happy that the new Ivy Tech campus and related educational facilities are soon to be a reality. This will surely be a great future benefit to the community. However, I believe that designers for this facility have already gone the usual route of most public sponsored projects and especially those involved with education. Architectural designers and others responsible for this project are just typically not in the least way practical.

I’d like to cite just two items that could perhaps inspire others in the community or in Ivy Tech management to take a closer look at the plans.

First, I daily drive past the first of what I understand is one of two entrances to the new campus. The drive off 18th Street is in process, and I believe another is planned off Main Street. I was surprised or rather dismayed to see a dual lane entrance with a parkway being built. It may look nice, but just how many thousand cars will be using this fine dual lane road? I think this is a waste of space and money and will only increase future maintenance cost.

Secondly, in the May 7 newspaper, I see a listing of the various spaces to be included in the buildings. Lo and behold, the new educational center will include a fitness center. And I’m sure that if it has that, then they’ll have to also include a large shower and dressing room for both male and female students. What in the world do we need a fitness center for? This is supposed to be an educational center to help people learn how to be better employees. Several private and public fitness centers are already available locally. If the students want exercise between classes, I suggest buying a dozen push lawn mowers for summer use and two dozen snow shovels for winter use.

As far as I’m concerned, Ivy Tech should be a facility dedicated to teaching knowledge and skills, and let the students find their way to physical fitness off campus.

Ivy Tech’s job is to build brains, not brawn. I hope the planners get a strong message from the public. A fitness center is just plain stupid.

Here’s an idea. Since the planners most surely have included an expansive landscaped campus, why not offer free or reduced prices to students not ashamed to actually work a little and let them take care of most routine maintenance chores. Purdue used to do this for football stars.

Dave Grisez

Logansport