Despite the posted 20 mile per hour limit along CR 700 North, motorists routinely exceed the limit by between 20-30 miles – occasionally more even. This creates a very dangerous situation as many families, including young children, cross the street to access the lake from their homes on the other side of the road. On numerous occasions, we’ve all experienced drivers whose excessive speed and inattention have nearly resulted in tragic situations. The close calls, frankly, have become rather commonplace.

In the time you were here, we noticed that you were able to stop many vehicles. We hope that your presence serves as a notice to those in the area that speeding in our neighborhood is a serious and dangerous problem. We are grateful for your assistance and support in drawing attention to an issue we face here on an ongoing basis. We hope you’ll be back – and we’re sure you’ll easily catch a few more.

Sincerely,

The Romano Family

The Bean Family

& the residents of Loon Lake’s South Shore

Recently, an analytical letter of generalized opining got lost in the (e-)mail or in the translation or deep down inside a newspaper publisher's waste-basket.  This piece (of mind) dealt with the resultant shoddy performance of land-line telephones following any short-lived electrical outage-"blip" and theorized that costly "package plans" offered by our walkie-talkie corporate conglomerate of phone companies may indeed be the culprits setting off a domino effect and knocking out or de-programming "service",  though temporarily yet highly annoyingly. 

Me?  Simply, maybe controversially, sharing the wealth of information gained from typing into the search engine bar, "What the heck happens to CALLER ID and similar phone company features when the LIGHTS GO OUT IN GEORGIA, i.e. electrical power poofs away and surges back again?"  One strong recommendation from cyber-engineer types?  Remove any and all cell phone equipment from the vicinity of the land-line phone, as a mystical polarization becomes an other-worldly, spooky prime mover, causing the temperamental land-line cleverly-marketed "incentive package" to trigger "ker-flooey-ness".  Cell phones and land-line phones must never co-habit the same vicinity. 

Wonder of wonders.  Items of interest float about every day.  For instance, have you heard that Moses "broke" his own TEN COMMANDMENTS (tablets).  Maybe you puzzle over whether passengers on the Ark might have ever enjoyed bridge or canasta when Noah constantly stood on the deck?  Feeling a bit like a non-profit prophet myself.  The news-world now a-buzz with warnings:  "DO NOT EVER place a cell-phone on your night-stand too near your sleeping head, as ionized micro-wave energy may likely enter your snoozing ear canal and devour your brain."  MY earlier similar deductions, having gotten squelched by the press, no longer characterized as "Chicken Little reports the sky as falling", I feel, somewhat remorsefully, redeemed.  On the Record, so to speak. 

However, "unavailable" Verizon, Nokia, Sprint, Cingular, T-Mobile, Cricket, Motorola-nextel/wirefly,  and Jitterbug all "refuse to comment"....as Arte Johnson once concluded, "Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry interrrrrrrresting!"

Susie Duncan Sexton

Columbia City

third annual Pop Tab Drop on Monument Circle. I have recently learned that his subsequent passing has inspired a positive action in Whitley County and the surrounding areas. We are extremely grateful for your support.

Sara Risley

Indianapolis

Kevin Whaley

http://abeautifulcity.org

Jane Zahm

Columbia City

As we all know “carnies” don’t necessarily have a good reputation.  However, two workers stood out from the entire crowd last night.  We had just started our jaunt down the street taking in the sights and sounds when we are motioned over by one of the workers.  Surprisingly enough it was not to try and get dad to win his child a prize.  No, he just wanted to say hi and make a little girl (who has in just two minute’s time been stared at like she has third arm) feel special. 

No, he did not want dad to win the prize, but give that little girl a prize.  He then proceeded to go to the game booth right next to his and get her yet another prize.  The worker at the second booth even tried to make that little girl feel special and made her a balloon apple (how on earth he did that I will never figure out). 

We couldn’t help but thank those two gentlemen profusely, and to repeatedly tell them that it was not necessary to just give her the prizes.  So a big thank you to the gentleman running the booth where you shoot the little star with the air powered rifle and the other worker at the booth directly east of his (where you pop a balloon with a dart to win a picture).  It’s good to know that in this day and age there are still a few truly good and nice people out there.

Tony Payton

Pierceton

Plead, "In with the new...";  replace another forlorn eyesore.

Money's no object?  Fluid statistics?  Arguments all!

Children pay sharp attention to our building of each wall.

Harold Krider

Secretary- Mizpah Antique Power Club

Obama's "media mafia" caused the removal of that gubernatorial, fashionable pump to lose its impact; after the fact, the at-home viewing audience learned that this Maxwell Smart gesture was creatively improvised to hush the booing, throughout the Joe Louis Arena, which swelled in response to Granholm's gracious acknowledgement of Hillary's valiant, nearly victorious campaign for the Democratic nomination. 

Have those who call themselves Democrats lost their collective marbles?  Wondering now if Obama's handlers will discourage the rumored possibility of Granholm's appointment as United States Attorney General in synchronization with the suggestion that he deliver another of his ground-breaking explanatory speeches disavowing his currently beleaguered, yet uniquely qualified, wife Michelle.  This championship-season post-modern candidate requires no impassioned pastor, no enlightening town-hall debates, no free-thinking spouse, no Muslim ladies wearing hijabs (traditional head scarves) in attendance at rallies, and certainly no veep named Hillary who might upstage him even as she assures his election.  "Stop the World; I Wanna Get Off!" 

Susie Duncan Sexton

Columbia City

Disenchantment truly set in, witnessing his occasional snideness toward both Clintons, disavowal of his once sought-after minister,  waffling over "tis more patriotic NOT to wear a flag pin", and, tellingly, the youthful candidate's confusing smugness and dismissiveness regarding "clinging to guns and thumping Bibles".

Actually, a plethora of his hippie-like, sixties generation stances wowed me once, but now Barack prefers to be regarded as a "good guy" (actually stated such in a debate--lately, he avoids debates) and steps away from what generated his initial notice and resultant genuine popularity.  Yet, the odd breathless momentum continues--cheers and adulation for a hollow man.

Yep,  Senator Obama reverted into just another pandering politician whose wife frequently makes much more sense than he does.  However, that poor soul, Michelle, may only emerge as just another First Lady whose every move and cogent thought will assuredly be demeaned and vilified by her husband's over-adoring, star-struck media mafia.

The possibility of the Clintons' return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue might deserve a thoughtful second look. 

Susie Duncan Sexton

Columbia City

Whitley County is extremely fortunate to have a wealth of dedicated individuals. The staff of Whitley County EMS has more than 503 years combined experience in the delivery of pre-hospital care to the people of Whitley County.

I would like to personally thank all of the Dispatchers, First-Responders, Fire Departments, Police Departments, EMTs, Advanced EMTs and Paramedics that spend countless hours in specialized training to enhance their life-saving skills. It is through their commitment and efforts the survival and recovery rate of those who experience sudden illness or injury have been dramatically improved.

Thank you for your dedication and continued service to our communities.

Duane Ginder, Director

Whitley County EMS

Parkview Whitley Hospital

Ben Gordon,

Proud father of Specialist Gabe Gordon MP.

Eight Belles, the valiant filly, nearly won the Kentucky Derby this past weekend; Senator Hillary Clinton, who urged us to place our bets upon that beautiful horse, seems to have broken both ankles on May 6th according to the rationalizing pundits!  Still, continuing her persistent, tenacious campaign in West Virginia the "day after",  her graceful stride and sure words bring to mind the regality of Queen Elizabeth--actually, Hillary cuts a figure that is beyond "presidential".  How fortunate for our country that there remains a strong possibility that she will return to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2009.

Leadership Whitley County , currently seeking applicants for its eighth year, is a program designed to develop servant leaders for our community.  Often, the question is asked – What is Leadership Whitley County and what is servant leadership?

Imagine what it would be like if more local people were charged up and inspired to build an extraordinary community, possessed the desire and confidence to assume new leadership roles and were empowered to make sound decisions and achieve strategic goals they truly understood.

Leadership Whitley County provides the tools to reach these goals through a program designed to educate and inform local residents and employers about the functions and challenges of social issues and other topics relating to the future direction of Whitley County, Indiana .  The program is built upon the belief that local residents are best suited to create a vision for their community and should be empowered to do so.  From homemakers to company owners, Leadership Whitley County provides networking opportunities and skill building activities for a variety of individuals.  These assets can then be carried back to homes and workplaces, resulting in a positive experience for all who are touched by the LWC program.

Servant leadership, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, Second Edition, is “a person employed to perform services for another” (servant) and “the position of guidance of others” (leadership).  But, to those individuals who serve as alumni and current participants of Leadership Whitley County, servant leadership is much more.  It composes an attitude of humility, provides an example of integrity, recognizes servant intentions, builds upon the importance of respect for others, and responds to guidance.

People feel served when they have been valued, trusted, supported, respected, challenged, rewarded, inspired and appreciated.  Servant leadership is the design for people to give back to themselves, individuals and their community.  It involves character, truth, integrity and standing behind your word.  It is not demonstrated by what you say, but by what you do.

Effective Leadership starts on the inside.  Are you prepared to be a servant leader for your community?  Leadership Whitley County would like to extend their appreciation to the alumni and most recent class of the program who have dedicated their time and effort to making Whitley County a better place to live.  A sincere thank-you goes out to the business and industry of our community who have supported this program and its goals.

As Frances Hesselbein of the Drucker Foundation said, “The future, whatever it brings, needs leaders at every level who focus on the spirit within and their commitment to the common good.”

Leadership Whitley County provides the opportunity for those living and working in Whitley County to make a positive contribution to their community and garner self-improvement, both personally and professionally.    The future of the community is in your hands…are you ready?

Kelley Sheiss serves as the Program Coordinator for Leadership Whitley County.  For more information on LWC, contact Kelley at 799-4045 or via e-mail at 3dsheiss@whitleynet.org.

Visit Leadership Whitley County’s website at www.leadershipwc.org