— Americans must work together

My name is Rick Ricks, and I am a lifetime resident of Logansport. I am also one of the 47 percent Mr. Romney spoke of.

My father worked at Wilson Foods. He worked six days a week to support his family of fie children the best he could. He taught us many good lessons about hard work, respect and helping others.

When it came time for college, he could not help me financially, so I got PELL grants, worked and took out loans (which I paid in full after 10 long years).

I have worked at Logansport State Hospital for 27 years and tried to help the mentally ill individuals who come from poor backgrounds like myself. After all these years, I would have to work 6 years at my current rate of pay to make the $250,000 Mr. Romney believes is middle class income.

I do not think Mr. Romney is a bad person. Just a man like me. Our life experiences have taken our thought processes in different directions.

Republicans are in favor of this trickle-down theory which in essence believes if we make the rich richer, they will make the rest of us 47 percent feel we are victims or that we are dependent on government to take care of us.

We are hard-working people who go to work and do our jobs every day. And another thing, Mr. Romney, many are even educated.

Though I describe myself as Democrat, I also will tell you that I am a conservative. I voted for Mr. Lugar every election. I felt he was a good man and would do the right thing regardless of party affiliation. In the end, this cost him his job with his own party.

My point is this. We are in an election year, and we are being blown away with ads. Ads tell you what they want you to know about their person and take a couple of shots at the opponent. We all need to do our research and vote for the best person for us. Though some Democrats and Republicans will blindly pull the lever for their party and consider it over, many will research and make the best choice for them. Regardless of the outcome, we must all be Americans and

work with the winners to keep this country great.

Rick Ricks, Logansport



Taxpayers deserve their own bonus

When the council met Sept. 18, it proposed giving 140 city employees a 2 percent raise for 2013 and a bonus of $1,000 for 2012.

That is a 5 percent raise for 2012 and 2013.

That is more than the 4 percent proposed on Sept. 6, 2012.

Teresa Popejoy said, “this council is very adamant that it is going to treat everyone fairly. That is the taxpayers and the employees.”

That gives the 5,890 householders that pay the trash collection fee nothing for 2012.

Let’s give the 5,890 households in Logansport two months of trash free, a bonus of no payment.

Attend the council meeting at 5 p.m. Monday on the third floor of the City Building and let the council know how you feel.

Margaret VanVleet, Logansport



Thanks for your support

The Harrison Township Fire Department would like to thank all those who supported our hog roast recently. We appreciate all who helped make it a success. We would like to mention the following local businesses and encourage you to support them when possible:

Baker Brother Farms; BASI Farms, Logansport; Community State Bank, Royal Center, Kewanna and Twelve Mile; Country Sales & Service, Logansport; Crimmins Farms LLC, Lucerne; Dykihas Farms, Holland, Mich.; Hair to Dye For, Logansport; Harrison-Metzger & Rans Funeral Homes, Kewanna and Royal Center; Herd Agri-Enterprises, Logansport; Ideal Pest Control; Kitchel Insurance Agency, Logansport; Kneller Manure Management; Logansport Automotive NAPA; LRM Farms, Lucerne; M&M Auto Repair, Logansport; New Holland, Logansport; North Central Co-op of Central Indiana; Dr. Tim Ravencroft, Rochester; Smith Lawn Care, Royal Center; and Zagajewski Construction, Logansport.

Again, thank you to all! We look forward to seeing you on  March 16, 2013, for our pancake and sausage breakfast and on Sept. 21, 2013, for our annual hog roast.

Robert G. Cree, secretary-treasurer, Harrison Township Fire Department



How to catch trash dumpers 

I don’t travel the road or visit the Georgetown preserve area to see the trash that was dumped there. But from reading all the articles in the paper, I can imagine. It’s a shame many of our county, state and national preserves get dumped on by irresponsible citizens. As the years go by, it seems like more and more people have less respect for anything, including public and private properties. Or, maybe they’re just lazy, its easier to toss their bags of trash out the car window than taking it back home and putting it in the dumpster. As long as it doesn’t effect them these people could care less if their bags of trash litter the  countryside. BUT! Toss a bag of trash on their property and they probably would cry bloody murder. 

I don’t know if my idea has been discussed or not. If not, I really think it would help. It could be costly, but in the long run through collecting fines it may pay for   itself. My idea is to hide a few “no flash infrared” trail cameras in heavy dump areas that would take snapshots of people and their cars in the act of dumping trash.

They would need to be infrared. In low-light conditions a trail cam with flash would alert the violator and give away the cam’s position, which would probably lead to the cam being stolen or destroyed.

I would suggest putting the cam up high out of hand’s reach and camouflaging it with tree limbs/leaves.

To get a idea of the cost for one cam I did some research. The cheapest place I found was actually on eBay at an average cost of $105 to $120. To find them I used the search words “no flash infrared camera” in the sporting goods category. Anywhere else and they’re $200-plus. 

Here’s a thought. If the cost is too high, make up some big signs stating the preserve has hidden infrared cameras and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Even if there are no cameras, violators won’t know that and may decide to take their trash back home.

Charly Small, Logansport