The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch H Random thoughts Continued from page 2 another boxer's home town? Whatever the political benefits of making decisions by committees, the need for consensus virtually guarantees the lowest common denominator. A bipartisan committee with people of widely differing views has to paper over these differences and issue mushy pieties, like those of the Baker-Hamilton report on Iraq. I don't feel any different as I get older. However, I do notice that, when I am out biking, a lot of other bikers seem to be passing me and I don't seem to be passing anybody. What is especially disturbing about the political left is that they seem to have no sense of the tragedy of the human condition. Instead, they tend to see the problems of the world as due to other people not being as wise or as noble as themselves. The next time somebody says that the government is forced to intervene in the economy to protect the poor, ask why the government is forcing taxpayers to subsidize municipal golf courses, the ballet, opera and— the biggest subsidy of all— surrounding affluent communities with vast amounts of expensive "open space." Some days I don't seem to have much energy. Perhaps worse yet, I don't particularly want much energy. One of the scariest aspects of our times is how easy it is for glib loudmouths to turn us against each other, weakening the whole framework of society, on which we all depend. Despite the shameless propaganda of the environmentalist zealots about the loss of animal habitat, more than 90 percent of the land in the United States is undeveloped. Animals already have vastly more habitat than human beings have. How much is enough? As much as I have enjoyed traveling, the older I get the sooner I become homesick. The Detroit "big three" top automobile manufacturers in America have already become the "big two," as Toyota replaced DaimlerChrysler as the third largest seller of cars in the United States. An internal memo from the Ford Motor Company indicates that they expect Toyota to replace them in the number two spot. It is hard to think of any word that has confused more issues than the word "rights." Nowadays, almost anything that anybody wants is called a "right"—a magic word that does away with the need for evidence, logic or even common sense. Many of the same people who are urging us to get out of Iraq are also urging us to go into Darfur. They say we should "do something" about the murderous horrors in Darfur. But you cannot simply "do something." You have to do something specific. Those who are urging intervention won't take the responsibility for specifying what we are to do— and at what cost in American lives. Compact disks are especially valuable to people who listen to classical music. Through CDs, they can now enjoy the music without having to watch the antics and rituals of classical concerts. We can only hope that the rumor that Israel is going to take out Iran's nuclear weapons facilities is true. If they do, Israel will be widely condemned by governments that are breathing a sigh of relief that they did. Court report Criminal Docket Pike Circuit Court Keith E. Perkins charged with count I domestic battery in front of a minor child, a class D felony and count II strangulation, a class D felony. Traffic and misdemeanor Pike Circuit Court Shawn A. Heacock charged with count I possession of marijuana, a class A felony and count II possession of paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor. David Edward Hammock sues Marcy Nichole Hammock for dissolution of marriage. Dustin Taylor sues Adrienne H. Hamm and Cincinnati Insurance on complaint for damages. Small Claims Pike Circuit Court Pike County Development sues Mariah Diamond on complaint for rent. Schools still in financial crisis To the Editor: We want to take this opportunity to remind the residents of Pike County that the Pike County schools are still in the midst of a financial crisis. We also want to let you know that the Pike County Teacher's Association (PCTA) is continuing to do its part to assist the school district in emerging from the financial crisis stronger and better able to educate your children. From April through August, PCTA met in good faith and negotiated the 2013-14 collective bargaining agreement. This document specifically addressed the financial deficits of the school district by agreeing to a three percent reduction in teachers' salaries. It was at these discussions, that the school board and the teachers verbally agreed that all employees should share equally in the burden created by the financial crisis. On Nov. 11, the school board failed to live up to their end of the bargain and unanimously voted to extend the administrators' contracts for the 201415 school year without a pay cut! The school board would like the community to believe the administrators shouldered their portion of the cut with outof-pocket increases in health insurance. The reality is the administration has just now started to pay the same amount that the other school employees have paid for years. The Pike County School employees have always thought of themselves as a family. A family that has shared the salary increases in the good times and should share the decreases in the bad times. Unfortunately, the school board demonstrated poor family values on Nov. 11 by not treating all employee groups equitably. The school board has another chance on Dec. 9 to do the right thing. Vote to share the burden equitably. Pike County Teacher's Association Angie Baker and Randy Meece The facts about Center for Women's Ministries To the Editor: During the past few months, several misconceptions have been reoccurring concerning the Pike County Center for Women's Ministries (PCCWM). Many people believe PCCWM is a place to house battered women. In May of 2012, a few women met to pray for the possibility of a free nonprofit, non-denominational ministry promoting emotional and spiritual healing for women who just needed someone in whom they could confide. In August of 2012, a meeting at Pike Central High School attracted several women who signed up to help with this ministry. In November of 2012, several women took peer counseling classes. Sixteen women finished 26 weeks of training to become peer counseltion's government is our ad- ors. Currently, we now have 22 volversary. The American peo- unteers. Six new volunteers just finple provided $74 million in the first year after Cyclone Nargis to Myanmar, where the government was hostile to America. "Private charities, as well as contributions to public purposes in proportion to everyone's circumstances, are certainly among the duties we owe to society," Thomas Jefferson once said— and Americans have been living up to that creed ever since. That's something we can certainly be grateful for this holiday season. Ed Feulner is founder and former president of the Heritage Foundation. ished another training. This ministry now provides free peer counseling for women and teenage girls, 13-yearsold and older, who are in need of emotional and spiritual healing. So instead of being a place where abused women are housed, this ministry provides one-on-one individual peer counseling, support group and Bible study. Currently PCCWM is looking for a permanent location for our center. We have been meeting in several different places in Pike County until we can find a place. Another misconception is that we are a church group. PCCWM is a non-denominational group. Our goal is to help women find their way as we provide a safe, confidential place for counsel and direction. If along this journey, women find spiritual strength through Christian scripture, the center has achieved anoth- er goal. The CWM headquarters began in Bloomington, Ind., in 1989. Pike County is one of 15 centers in Indiana. Today there are centers in Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Internationally, we are in China, Honduras and West Africa. With the need for help spreading to all parts of the world, Pike County now has a definite need to provide a location that will provide rooms for counseling, study and office space. Therefore, we are not a home for battered women, instead, the Pike County Center for Women's Ministries will provide guidance and healing to women who just need someone to listen and understand the hardships they are facing. Sue Ann Burns CONNECT your student H Someone cared Continued from page 2 "had been given a second chance at a life outside of French Lick, and he wanted to take it." Hodges said in a recent interview "When I got in the business, it wasn't about money. It was about relationships. It was about teaching. It was about making a difference. It was about pushing a kid to somewhere that kid didn't think he could get." The moral of the story is Leonard D. Hutchins charged with count I possession of marijuana, a class A misdemeanor and count II possession of paraphernalia, a class A misdemeanor. Civil Docket Pike Circuit Court Carmen D. Sterling Robinson sues Ronald Eugene Robinson for dissolution of marriage. Dawnya Snider sues William Snider or dissolution of marriage. C-3 Letters to the Editor H Spirit of America Continued from page 2 nated $1.3 billion to help rebuild the devastated island nation. The largest percentage of donors (37 percent) reported making donations through their places of worship. The generosity of the American people doesn't decrease because of poor economic circumstances at home. For example, the donations to the Haitian relief efforts were made at the height of a major recession in the United States. Americans have donated billions of dollars in relief funds to aid every naturaldisaster relief effort around the globe, even when that na- Wednesday, December 4, 2013 obvious. The unknown history of the world is littered what could have been— but never was. But because of another's influence, patience, and ability to see past an apparent handicap, life turned out differently. Today we call that mentoring. Who are you mentoring for stardom? A material gift fades with age, but the time given to another is priceless. 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