July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Another yes on jail (10/24/2008)
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
I am writing this letter to encourage the good voters of Jay County to vote positively to expand the county jail.
Sheriff Newton encouraged the people to tour the facility to see the present conditions for themselves. The facility equipment is nearing the end of its useful life.
The structure is sturdy and worthy of saving and can be revamped to be a part of an efficient functional expanded jail. The new structure will be more efficient and safer for jail personnel and prisoners alike.
I would like to inform you that the county has no bond debt. The council and commissioners run a pretty tight ship with the help of departmental supervisors. Bonding is the only method to pay for major projects or large maintenance expenses.
The new proposed jail will be able to safely segregate prisoners according to state law and good operating procedures. The present jail is at or near capacity. The renovation/addition will alleviate overcrowding, thereby avoiding potential lawsuits and making the facility safer for prisoners and staff. The average homeowner will see a tax increase of about $54 per $100,000 assessed valuation. This will give all of us a safer community in which to live.
Should the referendum fail it will be two years before it can be voted on again. Costs will be up 10 percent, conditions at the jail will continue to deteriorate, causing us to cover additional appropriation monthly.
Council members and commissioners have done their homework and concluded expansion is the most cost effective step to take. Your positive vote will serve the county well. Do your patriotic duty and vote Nov. 4.
Thank you to Sheriff Newton for opening the jail to the local county to see for themselves.
Thank you.
Fred Bailey
District 3 County Councilman
Portland
Intimidation
To the editor:
Since I began working for Jay Schools a number of years ago, I never really contemplated needing to write a letter such as the letter I find myself writing today.
I have watched the attitude and morale in Jay Schools shift over the last year or year and a half. It moved from one of creativity and positive attitudes and dedication and striving to do what is best for students and the community to one of fear and second-guessing that has been brought into play by a leadership style that relies on intimidation and superficiality.
This is of course not real leadership in the truest sense of the word.
It is especially ironic that "leadership" has selected over the last year or so to focus on materials that have instructed us all in the pillars of character and the dysfunction of teams.
Even these tools have effectively stifled any real discussion about the core of these subjects because any honest discussion would have brought forth the ire of "leadership." Ire cloaked in smiles and backslapping and glad-handing is still ire when professional people get attacked and indeed abused verbally for making things not happen the way "leadership" demands that they happen.
You cannot build character or pillars of any sort while you are currently undercutting and weakening the fabric of a team. Kids deserve better than that from all of us. In fact, we are required to provide better than that.
When I read the mission statement of the Jay School Corporation, I am dismayed that the "leadership" has created an atmosphere of self-serving rather than a partnership with families or the community. Rather than an educational program being created and put forth in the community, "leadership" has chosen to focus on curb appeal and people are verbally chastised for crabgrass in the cracks of the sidewalk rather than focusing on the real issues that face the schools and the larger community in 2008.
Rather than empowerment there is rampant disempowerment that will cost this community and the county for decades to come. That cost is incalculable.
Rarely in my almost 30 years as a trauma therapist have I seen such dysfunction in "leadership." The even sadder part of this is the level of intimidation that keeps so many silent.
The "leadership" program in place is focused on the whims of a few, and the students and the community are left hanging in the balance. The hard work of so many families and students and staff is being ignored or discarded by the side of the proverbial road like so much refuse.
I hope for the sake of the kids and their families the Jay School Corporation steps up and takes a responsive approach to what is happening today in the district and begins to redirect the "leadership" that is currently doing a disservice to you all.
I expect nothing from this letter except that the school board become more aware of what is going on currently behind the screen of affability. I have moved on in life. I have enjoyed serving the families and the kids of the Jay School Corporation, and I know that I have contributed in a positive manner in the lives of many of them.
Rick Ritter, MSW
Fort Wayne
Tweaking
To the editor:
"To tweak or not to tweak," that is the question. Andy Schemenaur, the Democratic challenger for state representative in District 33, says the property tax reforms put in place in the last session need some "tweaking."
(It makes me wonder what else Mr. Schemenaur might want to tweak.)
Incumbent Bill Davis disagrees.
He says any tweaking is done until the time that we can get out of property taxes altogether, replacing them with another source of revenue.
Bill Davis has helped accomplish what he went to Indianapolis to do: Create jobs, lower taxes, and reduce the size of government. In spite of the lowered taxes, the state enjoys a surplus.
As a small businessman, Bill Davis provides a job for 25 employees, meets a payroll, and has a good understanding of all that involves.
He is invested in this district.
Before he became our representative, he served on many boards, including the Jay County Development Corporation.
I have had an opportunity to observe Bill Davis up close. He is a family man. He and his wife Mary are a real team.
When possible, his children and grandchildren come home to Jay County to walk in parades and help with events.
He has served on his church board and is pro-life, receiving the only endorsement of Indiana Right to Life in the District 33 race. He supports the sanctity of marriage consisting of one man and one woman.
I have volunteered to help Bill in his three races and have gotten to know him. I trust his decisions; it's a simple as that.
I hope you will join me in sending Bill Davis back to the Statehouse.
Linda Peters
Portland
Jack's thanks
To the editor:
All I can say is: "Thank you so much" for the wonderful way you honored me at the festival. My family had a great time, and they certainly understand why I feel the way I do about my home town.
It was great seeing friends I grew up with, and I'm very honored and proud of those signs that say, "Portland, Indiana, is my Home Town."
Again, thank you for making this an experience Norma, I, and family will never forget.
Love to you all,
Jack Imel
Springville, Calif.
Angel time
To the editor:
Just thought you needed an update on our community project.
Starting Nov. 6, our Angels will be available for adoption.
The trees will be located at Dollar General, First Merchants Bank, and the service center at Wal-Mart.
Our deadline for returning items will be Nov. 29 because we will distribute the gifts and food on Dec. 5.
Family adoption will be available on Nov. 1 by going to the Wayne Township trustee's office where Denise will help you.
As of Oct. 21, we have received over 400 names and the deadline is not until Friday the 24th, and of course with fall breaks this Thursday and Friday there will be more coming in after that date. Elderly applications are still available for those who qualify. That deadline is Nov. 4.
Applications are at Community and Family Services, 521 S. Wayne St., Portland, and the Wayne Township trustee's office, 210 W. Main St., Portland.
Once again we want to say thank you for all the support you give to this project. As I have said in the past, we could not do it without all of you.
If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to write us at Angel Tree Project, P.O. Box 515, Portland, or give me a call at (260) 726-2148.
In the spirit of giving,
Kay Strausburg
Portland
We are Santa
To the editor:
Yes, banking systems of America, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as the greed, avarice and corruption exists within your disingenuous souls! And you know that they abound and give to your lives its highest beauties and joys.
Alas, how dreary the world would be, Oh no, how screwed the United States banking system would be if Santa Claus did not exist.
Santa Claus looks upon us all, each morning, as we shave or put our make up on, standing before the mirror in our bathrooms we see his reflection.
Santa Claus is us, Merry Christmas to the banks.
The sheriff is dead, shot in the head with the POTUS pen which signed the bill which allowed these thieves, to steal our futures (the sarcasm is intended)!
If you and I were to rob a bank we'd most likely become wards of the Federal Government in a distant prison, a justifiable residence for a convicted bank robber!
You see, in most instances bank robbing (stealing other people's money) is a crime most of the time.
We'd eat government food, sleep on government mattresses and would only know "government love" (if you get my drift) from a cellmate provided by the government.
Begs the question, what the hell do we do when the banks steal our monies from us?
Please pause, I must answer the phone, Cordell Hull is calling from Strike it Rich, it's a Heartline call!
Bless the Lord above who has created the minds of the people we've elected to save us from ourselves when we wander into the land of mass punishment, that's mass punishment as in Eight Hundred Fifty Billion dollars worth of mass punishment!
That's how we're going to punish these thieving bastards, were going to "drown them in our money", talk about "cruel and unusual" dichotomies!
The next time you see or hear one of those touchy feely, we're keeping America and its hometowns going commercials, think "Et tu Brute"!
No jails, no justice, no Jesus to save us from the "money changers" and "dove sellers"!
Power of positive thinking time, if you awake on the morrow and at the foot of your bed there is a pile of horsey poop, relax fool and think positive; look diligently and earnestly, for with all that horsey poop there has to be a pony somewhere.
With apologies to Francis Pharcellus Church who wrote the reply to the "yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus letter", which I so shamefully paraphrased (OK, plagiarized if you insist, see the bankers for my punishment) at the beginning of this nonsense.
Phil Lutz
Bryant
Speedway open
To the editor:
It's harvest time and the Maria Stein "Speedway" will be open.
It's on Jay County road 1100 West.
Some can run the stop signs. I can't.
Please don't tell the sheriff. You five people didn't do anything wrong.
We the taxpayers love to feed and keep you.
William Murphy
Dunkirk[[In-content Ad]]
I am writing this letter to encourage the good voters of Jay County to vote positively to expand the county jail.
Sheriff Newton encouraged the people to tour the facility to see the present conditions for themselves. The facility equipment is nearing the end of its useful life.
The structure is sturdy and worthy of saving and can be revamped to be a part of an efficient functional expanded jail. The new structure will be more efficient and safer for jail personnel and prisoners alike.
I would like to inform you that the county has no bond debt. The council and commissioners run a pretty tight ship with the help of departmental supervisors. Bonding is the only method to pay for major projects or large maintenance expenses.
The new proposed jail will be able to safely segregate prisoners according to state law and good operating procedures. The present jail is at or near capacity. The renovation/addition will alleviate overcrowding, thereby avoiding potential lawsuits and making the facility safer for prisoners and staff. The average homeowner will see a tax increase of about $54 per $100,000 assessed valuation. This will give all of us a safer community in which to live.
Should the referendum fail it will be two years before it can be voted on again. Costs will be up 10 percent, conditions at the jail will continue to deteriorate, causing us to cover additional appropriation monthly.
Council members and commissioners have done their homework and concluded expansion is the most cost effective step to take. Your positive vote will serve the county well. Do your patriotic duty and vote Nov. 4.
Thank you to Sheriff Newton for opening the jail to the local county to see for themselves.
Thank you.
Fred Bailey
District 3 County Councilman
Portland
Intimidation
To the editor:
Since I began working for Jay Schools a number of years ago, I never really contemplated needing to write a letter such as the letter I find myself writing today.
I have watched the attitude and morale in Jay Schools shift over the last year or year and a half. It moved from one of creativity and positive attitudes and dedication and striving to do what is best for students and the community to one of fear and second-guessing that has been brought into play by a leadership style that relies on intimidation and superficiality.
This is of course not real leadership in the truest sense of the word.
It is especially ironic that "leadership" has selected over the last year or so to focus on materials that have instructed us all in the pillars of character and the dysfunction of teams.
Even these tools have effectively stifled any real discussion about the core of these subjects because any honest discussion would have brought forth the ire of "leadership." Ire cloaked in smiles and backslapping and glad-handing is still ire when professional people get attacked and indeed abused verbally for making things not happen the way "leadership" demands that they happen.
You cannot build character or pillars of any sort while you are currently undercutting and weakening the fabric of a team. Kids deserve better than that from all of us. In fact, we are required to provide better than that.
When I read the mission statement of the Jay School Corporation, I am dismayed that the "leadership" has created an atmosphere of self-serving rather than a partnership with families or the community. Rather than an educational program being created and put forth in the community, "leadership" has chosen to focus on curb appeal and people are verbally chastised for crabgrass in the cracks of the sidewalk rather than focusing on the real issues that face the schools and the larger community in 2008.
Rather than empowerment there is rampant disempowerment that will cost this community and the county for decades to come. That cost is incalculable.
Rarely in my almost 30 years as a trauma therapist have I seen such dysfunction in "leadership." The even sadder part of this is the level of intimidation that keeps so many silent.
The "leadership" program in place is focused on the whims of a few, and the students and the community are left hanging in the balance. The hard work of so many families and students and staff is being ignored or discarded by the side of the proverbial road like so much refuse.
I hope for the sake of the kids and their families the Jay School Corporation steps up and takes a responsive approach to what is happening today in the district and begins to redirect the "leadership" that is currently doing a disservice to you all.
I expect nothing from this letter except that the school board become more aware of what is going on currently behind the screen of affability. I have moved on in life. I have enjoyed serving the families and the kids of the Jay School Corporation, and I know that I have contributed in a positive manner in the lives of many of them.
Rick Ritter, MSW
Fort Wayne
Tweaking
To the editor:
"To tweak or not to tweak," that is the question. Andy Schemenaur, the Democratic challenger for state representative in District 33, says the property tax reforms put in place in the last session need some "tweaking."
(It makes me wonder what else Mr. Schemenaur might want to tweak.)
Incumbent Bill Davis disagrees.
He says any tweaking is done until the time that we can get out of property taxes altogether, replacing them with another source of revenue.
Bill Davis has helped accomplish what he went to Indianapolis to do: Create jobs, lower taxes, and reduce the size of government. In spite of the lowered taxes, the state enjoys a surplus.
As a small businessman, Bill Davis provides a job for 25 employees, meets a payroll, and has a good understanding of all that involves.
He is invested in this district.
Before he became our representative, he served on many boards, including the Jay County Development Corporation.
I have had an opportunity to observe Bill Davis up close. He is a family man. He and his wife Mary are a real team.
When possible, his children and grandchildren come home to Jay County to walk in parades and help with events.
He has served on his church board and is pro-life, receiving the only endorsement of Indiana Right to Life in the District 33 race. He supports the sanctity of marriage consisting of one man and one woman.
I have volunteered to help Bill in his three races and have gotten to know him. I trust his decisions; it's a simple as that.
I hope you will join me in sending Bill Davis back to the Statehouse.
Linda Peters
Portland
Jack's thanks
To the editor:
All I can say is: "Thank you so much" for the wonderful way you honored me at the festival. My family had a great time, and they certainly understand why I feel the way I do about my home town.
It was great seeing friends I grew up with, and I'm very honored and proud of those signs that say, "Portland, Indiana, is my Home Town."
Again, thank you for making this an experience Norma, I, and family will never forget.
Love to you all,
Jack Imel
Springville, Calif.
Angel time
To the editor:
Just thought you needed an update on our community project.
Starting Nov. 6, our Angels will be available for adoption.
The trees will be located at Dollar General, First Merchants Bank, and the service center at Wal-Mart.
Our deadline for returning items will be Nov. 29 because we will distribute the gifts and food on Dec. 5.
Family adoption will be available on Nov. 1 by going to the Wayne Township trustee's office where Denise will help you.
As of Oct. 21, we have received over 400 names and the deadline is not until Friday the 24th, and of course with fall breaks this Thursday and Friday there will be more coming in after that date. Elderly applications are still available for those who qualify. That deadline is Nov. 4.
Applications are at Community and Family Services, 521 S. Wayne St., Portland, and the Wayne Township trustee's office, 210 W. Main St., Portland.
Once again we want to say thank you for all the support you give to this project. As I have said in the past, we could not do it without all of you.
If you have any questions about this project, please feel free to write us at Angel Tree Project, P.O. Box 515, Portland, or give me a call at (260) 726-2148.
In the spirit of giving,
Kay Strausburg
Portland
We are Santa
To the editor:
Yes, banking systems of America, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as the greed, avarice and corruption exists within your disingenuous souls! And you know that they abound and give to your lives its highest beauties and joys.
Alas, how dreary the world would be, Oh no, how screwed the United States banking system would be if Santa Claus did not exist.
Santa Claus looks upon us all, each morning, as we shave or put our make up on, standing before the mirror in our bathrooms we see his reflection.
Santa Claus is us, Merry Christmas to the banks.
The sheriff is dead, shot in the head with the POTUS pen which signed the bill which allowed these thieves, to steal our futures (the sarcasm is intended)!
If you and I were to rob a bank we'd most likely become wards of the Federal Government in a distant prison, a justifiable residence for a convicted bank robber!
You see, in most instances bank robbing (stealing other people's money) is a crime most of the time.
We'd eat government food, sleep on government mattresses and would only know "government love" (if you get my drift) from a cellmate provided by the government.
Begs the question, what the hell do we do when the banks steal our monies from us?
Please pause, I must answer the phone, Cordell Hull is calling from Strike it Rich, it's a Heartline call!
Bless the Lord above who has created the minds of the people we've elected to save us from ourselves when we wander into the land of mass punishment, that's mass punishment as in Eight Hundred Fifty Billion dollars worth of mass punishment!
That's how we're going to punish these thieving bastards, were going to "drown them in our money", talk about "cruel and unusual" dichotomies!
The next time you see or hear one of those touchy feely, we're keeping America and its hometowns going commercials, think "Et tu Brute"!
No jails, no justice, no Jesus to save us from the "money changers" and "dove sellers"!
Power of positive thinking time, if you awake on the morrow and at the foot of your bed there is a pile of horsey poop, relax fool and think positive; look diligently and earnestly, for with all that horsey poop there has to be a pony somewhere.
With apologies to Francis Pharcellus Church who wrote the reply to the "yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus letter", which I so shamefully paraphrased (OK, plagiarized if you insist, see the bankers for my punishment) at the beginning of this nonsense.
Phil Lutz
Bryant
Speedway open
To the editor:
It's harvest time and the Maria Stein "Speedway" will be open.
It's on Jay County road 1100 West.
Some can run the stop signs. I can't.
Please don't tell the sheriff. You five people didn't do anything wrong.
We the taxpayers love to feed and keep you.
William Murphy
Dunkirk[[In-content Ad]]
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