Greencastle Banner-Graphic: Opinion

Local Columnists

Still some good ones out there (03/19/10)
I received a nice reminder Saturday that for all the moaning we may like to do, there are still good people out there. It started somewhere around noon. I was trying to convince body to go back to sleep, and it was only sort of working. My phone rang, and it was my editor...

Statehouse Report (03/17/10)
INDIANAPOLIS -- This has seemed like the longest short session of the Indiana General Assembly but I am happy to report that our work is done for 2010. During the final push of completing our legislative session, we were able to pass a number of substantial proposals to benefit the people of our state...

Rockin' our 40s (03/17/10)
Well, it happened. The first of my set of high school girlfriends turned 40 a couple of weeks ago. Sarah's birthday was on March 5. This will be followed by my 40th birthday May 23, Michele's birthday on Aug. 24, Emily's birthday on Nov. 3 and Traci's birthday on Nov. 10...

Ag Week is next week (03/15/10)
Putnam County's Agriculture Week starts next week, March 15 through 20. To all of us in the industry, we call it Ag Week. The importance of agriculture is showcased during the week at the Putnam County Fairgrounds. Ag Week gives us a glimpse of what agriculture is like today and understand why farmers do what they do...

It's more than just drawing (03/12/10)
While scanning for substitute teacher jobs recently, I spotted a two-day stint as an art teacher. "No problem," I thought. "It'll be easy and fun." Famous last words, my friends. Famous last words. So I arrived at school shortly before my start time to find I had a first hour prep period. Luckily, I brought along a book for just such an occasion. The first hour was a breeze...

I don't know if I'll make it (03/10/10)
I'm not sure I can make it until June. That's the next time I have a vacation scheduled. It will be the annual mini-getaway we take each June -- three days. We take a week off in August, and we usually go out of town for one or two days and spend the balance of the time doing things around the house that have fallen by the wayside in the hustle and bustle of daily life...

Registration now open for spring Dining with Diabetes session (03/08/10)
The Putnam County Office of the Purdue Extension Service and Putnam County Hospital will be offering the 2010 spring series of Dining with Diabetes cooking classes on four consecutive Wednesdays starting April 7. The class is limited to 14 participants. The spring classes will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. each Wednesday. The classes will be held on the third floor of the Putnam County Hospital on Bloomington Street in Greencastle...

The age of distraction (03/05/10)
At 2 a.m. Thursday I was sitting awake in bed. I scanned channel after channel after channel, just looking for something worth watching. Finally, I found something worthy of my attention: a senior bowling tour event from sometime in the mid-1980s. I wish I weren't kidding...

Nancy Michael Statehouse Report (03/03/10)
INDIANAPOLIS -- As we head into the final days of the 2010 session of the Indiana General Assembly, lawmakers will work together to pass legislation to improve the employment environment in Indiana. Reaching a final decision on this legislation will be the primary objective as we near the end of this session. We do expect to be finished before our mandatory March 14 deadline...

Don't be quick to judge (03/03/10)
Every time we here at the Banner Graphic cover something that goes on at Putnamville Correctional Facility, we get flak for it. Generally, that flak comes from people who post story comments on our Web site. What usually ends up happening is that people of differing opinions start arguing back and forth. The comments often take a very ugly turn and become almost impossible to police, so the commentary just gets shut down altogether...

Brother by another mother (02/26/10)
After three years, it's still happening. When I first arrived here in Greencastle in March 2007, it was as the Banner Graphic sports editor. I had one other guy on my sports staff: a short, shaggy-haired, chubby guy with glasses named Caine. This made me feel right at home because I was (and remain, I suppose) a short, shaggy-haired, chubby guy with glasses named Jared...

'Spring into spring' with Master Gardeners (02/22/10)
Please come and join us on Saturday Feb 27 for a full day of Gardening programs. We have great speakers line up for this program. Trees by Pam Maus, Indian DNR, Weill Discuss how to pick a tree, planting the tree in the proper way, and caring for your tree, Indoor Gardening by Tom Commins, Owner of Apple House in Terre Haurt Indiana will provided information you need to know about caring for you indoor plants. ...

Entering the homestretch (02/22/10)
INDIANAPOLIS -- As lawmakers enter the final weeks of the 2010 session of the Indiana General Assembly, members of the House have been spending most of our time recently debating bills sent to our chamber from the Indiana Senate. From the start, I believed our attention should focus on ways to provide more jobs for Hoosiers, address the financial concerns of our schools, and create effective policies that will meet the needs of the people of our state...

Letters to the Editor

Why won't Congress listen? (03/19/10)
To the Editor: Our elected officials in Washington are poised to take a healthcare vote that will devastate families and small businesses. Not only does the plan spend $900 billion that we don't have, but it's paid for on the backs of small business. Most Americans know reform is needed -- but this is not the reform we are asking for -- we need reform that lowers our healthcare costs, and the bill Congress is trying to jam through simply does not do that...

More effective smoking policies necessary (03/19/10)
To the Editor: I want to thank you for the recent mention of the new report, "County Health Rankings," by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This report serves as a timely reminder that the health of our community affects us all. Putnam County ranked 11th for health factors, which includes tobacco use as one of the measures...

Requesting more smokefree air legislation (03/19/10)
To the Editor: If you've ever thought that where you live matters to your health, then you'll want to check out the results of a newly-released "County Health Rankings," a new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin. Every county in Indiana was ranked on how healthy people are and key factors that affect health. You can find it online at www.countyhealthrankings.org...

Beware of 4-H release forms (03/19/10)
To the Editor: Beware 4-H parents! In all 92 Indiana counties, a "4-H Youth Development Projects, Events, & Activities Release Form" is required for participation in 4-H. It reads like this ... "I understand that participating in 4-H activities can involve certain risks to my child. ...

Antibiotic dependence a problem (03/19/10)
To the Editor: Antibiotic dependence in Hoosier confined animal feeding operations is consequential. Agricultural antibiotic use contributes to resistant bacterial infections in humans, which the CDC ranks as "top concern ... worldwide." What we do in Indiana impacts the entire world...

Thanks to festival sponsors (03/17/10)
To the Editor: A big thank you goes out to the many sponsors of the Feb. 12 Deer Meadow Primary School Winter Festival. The amount of local support and generosity was overwhelming and greatly appreciated. The night was filled with good food, fun games and exciting raffle prizes - all of which would not have been possible without the following sponsors and their donations...

Homelessness awareness event a success (03/17/10)
To the Editor: The DePauw University participants in the Winter Term in Service course to San Diego would like to thank the many individuals and organizations who made the March 4 event "Home Sweet Home: Exploring the Facets of Homelessness" possible...

Soldier's family overwhelmed by outpouring (03/12/10)
To the editor: My name is Mason Cooper, and I am the uncle of the Marine Cpl. Gregory Stultz, the serviceman from Brazil who was killed in action while serving Afghanistan on Feb. 19, 2010. I was asked by several members of Greg's family to write this letter of appreciation to the local newspapers and media regarding their coverage of this event and the outpouring of support we have all received from the community...

'Open carry' a bad idea (03/12/10)
To the editor: As a native son of Greencastle and Vietnam veteran, I wanted to bring this issue to light. The "open carry" of a pistol in the state of Indiana is being considered by many. The current laws certainly need to be followed. Should we consider going back to the days of the .44 revolver straped to the hip with a holster tied to the leg? Perhaps the person who would openly carry such a weapon should realize that the bullet that is shot from the pistol will travel approximately 300+ feet before finding its final resting place. ...

Efforts of Sheriff's Dept. appreciated (03/12/10)
To the editor: A few weeks back during one of our "snow events," my daughter was released from Hendricks Hospital in Danville to go home to Greencastle, but she couldn't get any farther than my home here at Heritage Lake. She was cut off from her medicine and oxygen tanks, and I couldn't get my car out of the garage because of the snow. I had a real medical emergency on my hands...

2010 Red Cross chili supper largest to date (03/05/10)
To the Editor: The American Red Cross Wabash Valley Chapter, Putnam County Unit, would like to extend our sincerest thanks to all that made this year's chili supper our largest to date. Money raised will be used to assist families that have been affected by home fires right here in Putnam County...

Presentations were appreciated (02/26/10)
To the Editor: I want to thank Dr. Dennis Knuth and Greencastle Hometown Dental for the wonderful fifth and sixth grade dental presentations on Friday, Feb. 19, 2010. Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us. Sincerely, Rita Bain South Putnam Elementary Nurse...

Thanks for making festival a success (02/26/10)
To the Editor: Fillmore Elementary PTO would like to thank the following donors for helping make our winter festival a huge success: Bright Futures, Monical's Pizza, Putnam Inn, Family Video, Sonic, Auto Zone, Indianapolis Indians, Children's Museum, GLS, Papa Murphy's Pizza, Treasures on the Square, Mason's Jewelers, West Central Vet Services, Indiana State Museum, Holiday World, Almost Home, Curves, Teachers Credit Union, Clark's Excavating, Indiana Beach, Wal-Mart, Mike's Carwash, Banner Graphic, O'Reilly Auto Parts, Craftmakers 2 Gift Shop, South Putnam Athletic Department, Eitel's Flowers and Gifts, American Eagle, Bert & Betty's, Bev's Clippers, Big Bounce Rentals, Cross Cuts, Jackson's Family Restaurant, Rave Movie Theaters, York Pontiac dealership, Casa Grande Mexican restaurant, Snap Fitness, Conner Prairie, Jenette Summitt, Usborne Indiana, Eiteljorg Museum, Identity Hair Design, Hendricks County Power, Martin's Emporium, Endeavor and Dance Workshop.. ...