Published: July 19, 2008 08:36 pm         

Public forum

Father’s identity wasn’t relevant

I have a complaint about the article you wrote about Jeff McClain (Pharos-Tribune, July 11). He is 37 years old and able to stand on his own two feet. Who he is the son of has no bearing on the incident.

It looks to me like you are throwing a little politics into this incident.

Robert Heckard

Logansport



Thanks to store for its support

I read this part of the paper every time and the recent subjects have been regarding negative topics — taxes, politics, etc.. I would like to tell everyone about one of the best businesses in our community, Marsh Supermarket. I am not writing because they have the best deals, service or the best food, although this is true. This is being written because they have the best employees.

My mother has struggled with cancer for the past two years. She is also employed by Marsh. She has spent the majority of the last two years on sick leave with the exception of a few days here and there. I have worked for employers who would have written her off by now and forced her out. Marsh has not done anything like this. She has been allowed to work when she felt good enough and she has been able to maintain her benefits during the times she was unable to work.

I know of several people in this community who had serious illnesses and were forced out of employment because of this. I think it is inportant to recognize the best of the best employers in our community.

I would also like to thank each and every one of the employees of Marsh at 315 14th St. for always helping my mom and for the care and concern they show her. I would also like to encourage the community to shop at Marsh and support one of the best stores in town.

Thank you.

Toni Colter

Logansport



City doesn’t need any more alcohol

Since the Logansport City Council has given preliminary approval last week to an ordinance that would allow the sale of alcohol at Dykeman Park Municipal Gold Course, there has been a lot of talk around town how people truly feel about this ordinance.

I attended the first preliminary meeting and the 2nd, but it seems that the City Council had already made up their minds before folks in the community could express their concerns. What is the point of putting folks in their office (which is elected by the public) if the council is not willing to take into considerations the people who speak up at these city meetings?

It makes no sense to add more alcohol to a community park when Logansport is noted for the number of taverns (bars) locally that the public can honor with their presence when they want to have a drink or two or three or more. 

The statistics of Cass County compared to the other 91 counties in Indiana tells it all:

• 75 percent of accidents are related to alcohol

• 90 percent of arrests are for Public Intoxications

• 55 percent for DUI arrests, again alcohol

• 75 percent for liquor law violations

• 55 percent for fatal car accidents related to alcohol

Check out the Web sites yourself to keep up to date in Indiana. 

Why would the people of Logansport want to encourage another place for alcohol because the golfers want to drink, play golf and drive home, adding to the potential of more accidents? It sure does not make any sense to me.

But what do I know? I have just been born here locally, raised here and graduated from Logansport High School, graduated from Indiana University at Kokomo, Indiana Wesleyan University and Kennedy Western University and worked here in this community for most of my life in banking, nursing, mental health, Circuit Court, school system and local public health department. What could I possibly have to offer the community to consider not allowing more alcoholic beverages to be sold at the Dykeman Park/golf area and/or Little Turtle Waterway?

I want to see our community stand up for wanting a better environment to raise our children, grandchildren and their children in the future. 

Come to the third floor of the City Building on Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. and let your voices be heard.

I'll be there, will you?

Dr. Patricia A. Badt

Logansport



Sentence should have been tougher

I am outraged, as should be this whole community! I am sickened by the slap on the wrist Daniel Kniesly received. His second sexual offense in three years! Come on!

I have read court reports where first offense drunk drivers receive far worse. What is it going to take to put this creep behind bars till he dies of old age?

I mean, a one year sentence with the probability he will be out on the streets again in five months? People charged with animal cruelty get more public outrage than this. Our children are not safe doing something as innocent and traditional as selling lemonade? And why in the world did Kniesly not receive harsher treatment for assaulting a girl at gunpoint?

This dirty old man will offend again. He has already proven that.

Lois Hunt

Logansport



This country needs change

“The clock is ticking on George W Bush’s presidency, with his approval rating stuck at 23-percent. Since Bush took office in 2001, the US national debt has ballooned by $4 trillion dollars, and 2.6 million manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas. The U.S. banking industry is mired in its worst crisis since the Great Depression, and the U.S. economy has lost 432,000 jobs over the past six months. Washington is spending $10 billion per month in Iraq, and the American electorate wants change.”

I cannot take credit for the above statement, but I think in many ways it sums up our situation. President Bush has managed to double the national debt in a period of eight years. How can anyone spend that much money? Worse yet, most of our loans are held by foreign governments or multinational corporations who are getting spooked as the value of the dollar drops. If even one major lender, were to call in their loans to us the entire economy would collapse. The Chinese own us. How did we get in so much trouble in such a short period of time?

People are losing their homes at the highest rate in history. But worse than the big visible bites in our economy is the slow trickling effect of lost buying power with our wages as the dollar weakens and inflation charges.

The clock isn’t ticking on President Bush or leaders of multinational corporations, it’s ticking on the common person who is being crushed by current economic policies. The cost of everything we buy goes up, our salary stays the same. Actually what our salary will buy goes down.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for a change. I think it is time to get on the Obama express. We need someone young, with new ideas to tackle this mess we are in. We need a leader who can verbalize the situation to us and lead us forward. Obama has my support. He needs yours.

Gordon Southern

Walton