Public forum, Jan. 24

Let’s invest in our future

In response to Deanna Crispen’s plea for suggestions on how to improve Cass County, I submit the following.

When I think of our county and Logansport, two things come to mind, rivers and railroads. This should be more than enough to make Logansport a “Destination City,” much like Peru and the Circus, Fairmount and James Dean and Bean Blossom and covered bridges.

The Little Turtle Waterway folks have done amazing things along the Wabash, but much more could be accomplished. How about vacating Melbourne Avenue and building all kinds of shops with a railroad or river theme?

If we could get something started, in time it would spill over into the old downtown area with new buildings and business growth. Pie in the sky? You say! How could you make that happen?

There’s only one way — Government. Our elected officials would be required to take the lead using their power to make it happen. Say what you want, and I’m sure several of you will, but the action taken by the present federal administration has saved us from a far worse fate by getting involved in business.

We cannot “save” our way out of hard times; we must “invest” our way out. Yes, I know, every day in this publication something else is bad. Less money for schools, firemen posing as crossing guards and citizens paying for trash removal. Even ol’ Joe continues to find something bad to write about.

Since our small town does not have the luxury of printing money, it will require more creative ways to rebuild our community. That’s where government comes in. The mayor and the city and county councils must put aside “any and all” personal aspirations to accomplish a common goal. If your representative can’t see past the end of their nose, then fix it during the next election.

Government can provide land; it can convince lending institutions to make loans, it can invest in building buildings to be sold later to an entrepreneur. It can work on grant money and help to find outside investors. If those out-of-town investors build Super Walmarts, Holiday Inn Express and Sonic Drive-ins, they will invest in our downtown, but the plan has to be right.

So to answer Deanna’s question, I want a beauty salon, a barber shop, a ladies’ apparel shop, a hardware, drug store, food mart, shoe store, sporting goods and an ice cream shop. All downtown!

Sherman Kantzer

Twelve Mile



Get protection from flu virus

What does it take to convince the citizens of Cass County to take advantage of the extraordinary opportunity to protect themselves from the H1N1 influenza virus?

The Cass County Health Department provided an immunization clinic at the mall with ample amounts of vaccine and plenty of personnel and no waiting and free to all.

There is no specific treatment available for the H1N1 infection. This leaves immunization; the only rational solution to prevent the illness. People can die from the flu. No one should take that risk.

There will be another opportunity to get immunized so watch for announcements from the health department and get immunized. There is no excuse for not protecting yourself and your families.

Richard L. Glendening, M.D.

Logansport



Thanks for help at time of loss

The family of Barbara A. Shafer would like to thank the following individuals who provided assistance during the passing of our mother: Memorial Hospital paramedics, emergency room personnel, Dr. Matthew Steiner, Memorial Hospital second floor staff, Logansport police, Logansport fire, Logansport Municipal Utilities, Father Mike McKinney, Deacon Juan Rodriguez, Father Jeff Martin, Mike McCord, Steve Gwin, Kyle Rans and Louis Marocco of Marocco Funeral Chapel and All Saints Rosary Society and the ladies who served lunch.

A special thanks to Deloris Woolington, who helped Mom on numerous occasions. Also, we would like to thank our family, friends and other individuals who offered prayers and support during this difficult time.

The families of Steve, Tim, Tom, Pat and Scott Shafer and Melissa Ambre.

Steve Shafer

Logansport



Christians work to ease suffering

Even I have been a bit surprised by the number of local Christian individuals, churches and organizations already involved in Haiti prior to the earthquake. Local newspapers, radio and television stations have highlighted men and women on Christian mission work trips in Haiti at the time of this disaster. The truth that comes to light is that Christian individuals, Churches, and organizations have been using their precious resources to do what we can to bring relief to poverty stricken areas around the world for decades.

Meanwhile, atheist organizations have been applying their precious resources in attempts to prohibit Christians from the public expression of their faith. Instead of meeting the humanitarian needs of those suffering around the world, they seek to silence those who proclaim Jesus Christ as the source for compassionate action. Quite an interesting contrast, isn’t it? In reality, the atheist has no basis for compassion. I am not suggesting that anyone proclaiming atheism is not compassionate; I am merely pointing out that there is no source of compassion in their worldview of evolution. Indeed, evolution declares that the chief end of the species is survival and that survival goes to the fittest.

While atheists have been spending their money buying cute billboard and bus ads declaring their relief that there is no God and attempting to replace the Christ in Christmas with an X, Christian individuals, Churches, and organizations quietly and patiently continue to expend their energy sharing the compassion of Jesus Christ with the “least of these.” So it is that we find Christians, not atheists, already at work in Haiti even as the first tremors shook. Thus it is that we will find Christians, not atheists, hard at work in Haiti long after the media and politicians have found other concerns for their front pages. Gives you something to think about, doesn’t it?

Charles A. Layne

Bunker Hill



Resignation offers officials opportunity

With the decision to resign from the Cass County 9-1-1 director, local officials now have the perfect opportunity to fill the position with someone who has no other agenda than to make the dispatch center the best it can be for everyone.

It would be a clean breath of fresh air to see someone put into this position who just wants everyone to succeed rather than to be another person to do what a specific group of people want them to do.

This is a charge to the local officials to keep politics out of your decision and place a director who will do the job as it should be done regardless of how a vote will go.

This person should provide qualified and properly trained dispatchers, who listen to detail and will begin to provide a higher standard of services than have been provided thus far.

The citizens of Cass County are entitled to a safe and reliable 9-1-1 service, and that should start with the new director.

Kristina Felker

Logansport



Long-time teacher won’t be forgotten

I too, like my old classmate Anthony (Tony) Boatman, am sadded by the passing of a fine man and teacher, L’Dean Cornelius.

I had him (actually there was a question about who had who) for English literature and grammar. He also was the co-editor of one of my favorite books, “Where Two Rivers Meet,” a history of Logansport in words and pictures published in 1978 by the Cass County Historical Society.

I and literally hundreds of others are better people and citizens because Mr. Cornelius came our way.

My deepest condolences to the surviving members of his family.

Steve Steckel

LHS class of 1961

Las Vegas

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