Better Newspaper Contest

Page 19 Best Editorial Page/Category 21 First Debbie Blank & Diane Raver The Herald-Tribune (Batesville) Great selection of local and regional voices, including Staff-written editorials. A somewhat traditional look, but executed cleanly. Second Staff The Times-Post (Pendleton) Page has an unusual and aesthetically pleasing look. Also excellent selection of local voices. Unclear who some of them were, though. Is this a Staff member? A politician? Suzy Citizen? Tag lines with commen- tary are important to help readers (and contest judges) understand the position from which the opinion is being articulated. Third Joe Awad The Journal-Press (Aurora) Content is OK, with some local voices. Need to work on a cleaner look. Some copy wraps too close to mugs. Some headers run too close to text. Gray scale all-caps headers send a passive aggressive message to readers. Best Use of Graphics/Category 22 First Kyle Lewis The Times-Post (Pendleton) I liked the use of color throughout the entry. The Spirit to Survive graphic was straightforward but visually provides insightful information to go with the text of the story. The Carrying the Torch graphic is another great use of color to help make the page pop and pull a reader in. Second Beth Welty The Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly The Where Should I Eat pages were a lot of fun to look at and did a great job of getting me to think about my next meal. There were lots of information on local places and the pages were very engaging and would certainly get a reader to stop and look. Third Denise Freitag Burdette The Journal-Press (Aurora) The license plates graphic was a fun way to get a reader to think about what the story was telling them and to imagine what it could me for them. The use of the colors for the County Parks graphic helped create an inviting look to the page. Best Website/Category 23 First Debbie Blank, Diane Raver & Will Fehlinger The Herald-Tribune (Batesville) This is a comprehensive local news site that includes national news. We like that the top stories are featured when the cursor hovers over the category and that there's a "next up" feature that slides in. We like the local connection story to Hurricane Irma and the "most popular" feature and the calendar of events on P1. Second Staff Hendricks County Flyer (Avon) This site has the same web design as Batesville paper, yet Batesville has more content. Some of the same features, such as "Don't miss this" at bottom of P1). As with the Batesville website, one can get national news and opinions on this site. Flyer Group a nice mix of news, arts, sports, activities on P1. Like the reporter's Twitter feed with real-time actions. Third Staff The Times-Post (Pendleton) Presentation of the front page is easy to view with easily seen cat- egories of stories. We like the news drop-down menu for viewers to easily go to features, sports, news, or other categories. We like the large candid photos vs. posed photos. Best Sports Section/Category 24 First Staff The Times-Post (Pendleton) Outstanding writing with a variety of storytelling techniques, with fresh, creative designs. Very well done! Second Will Willems Zionsville Times Sentinel Very solid job. There's a large variety of sports covered, which is something I'm sure the community appreciates. It's obvious the sports editor/Staff have a tremendous work ethic. Division 1 LAURA WELBORN Regional Publisher DEBBIE BLANK Managing Editor LISA HUFF Circulation Manager The Herald-Tribune (USPS 241- 640), (ISSN 0746-2042), is pub- lished every Tuesday and Friday, 52 weeks a year, 475 N. Huntersville Road, Batesville, Indiana 47006. Phone (812) 934-4343. Periodical postage paid at Batesville, Indiana and other post offices. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to The Herald-Tri- bune, 475 N. Huntersville Road, Batesville, Indiana 47006. Copyright 2016,The Herald-Tribune. All rights reserved. All property rights for the entire contents of this publication shall be the property of Community Holdings of Indiana, Inc. No part, hereof, may be repro- duced without prior written consent. SUBSCRIPTION RATES In State One Year, In county $53.00 One Year, Out of county $58.00 Member Hoosier State Press Association The newspaper reserves the right to reject and also omit or change portions of advertising and news materials submitted for publication in accordance with standards of journalism and business ethics. Opinions on this page, except for the editorials, are those of the writers only and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Herald-Tri- bune. The Herald-Tribune reserves the right to refuse letters for publication and limit the number of letters on a particular issue. Form letters are not accepted. "Thank you" letters to the editor can not list more than 10 individuals or businesses. "Thank you" letters are still encouraged and welcomed, but are required to meet guidelines. COMMENTARY THEIR VIEW READERS WRITE www.batesvilleheraldtribune.com Tuesday, September 27, 2016 | The Herald-Tribune 9 Become an informed voter Dear Editor, John Gregg, candidate for governor, stopped in Bates- ville and said, "Hoosiers are tired of an administration that deals with social issues." I'm sure Mr. Gregg would like Hoosiers to ignore his Democratic party's platform on social issues. Let's have a look at both parties' pub- lished platforms as com- pared at www.PoliticalRe- sponsibility.com. Democrats oppose all restrictions on abortion for any reason, at any time, and want taxpayers to pay for them. Republicans assert the sanctity of human life and affirm that the unborn child has a fundamental right to life which cannot be infringed. Democrats want to con- tinue to use taxpayer monies to fund Planned Parenthood. Republicans oppose the use of public funds to perform or promote abortion or to fund organizations like Planned Parenthood. Democrats will appoint judges who see the Constitu- tion as a blueprint for prog- ress. Republicans support the appointment of judges who respect traditional fam- ily values, the sanctity of innocent human life and a requirement that all official actions conform to the Con- stitution's original meaning. Democrats feel climate change is an urgent threat and a defining challenge of our time. Republicans believe environmental prob- lems are best solved by human ingenuity, not through regulations that sti- fle economic growth and cost thousands of jobs. Democrats wholeheart- edly support Obamacare and want to expand the program to universal government-run health care. Republicans want to repeal Obamacare, reduce mandates, increase health care options and con- tain costs. Democrats applaud last year's decision by the Supreme Court that rede- fined marriage. Republicans condemn the lawless ruling in which five unelected law- yers robbed 320 million Americans of their legitimate constitutional authority to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Please become an informed voter and consider the social issues of each party. Economic growth means nothing if we lose our souls in the process. Kevin Chaffee Batesville Leising thankful for firefighters' heroic actions Dear Editor, I want to thank the Olden- burg fire department for the water rescue of my husband and I from the Harvey's Branch flash flood on Thurs- day, Sept. 8. Driving home from a meeting in Richmond, we had no idea of the inches of rain that had fallen in Old- enburg. We had never seen flooding on Harvey's Branch Road and were completely surprised as we drove into a few inches of water that turned without warning into several feet of water. Without the efforts of our brave young volunteer firemen, we would not have survived. I have worked closely with the Volunteer Firefighters Association at the Statehouse and have had great respect and admiration for more than 800 volunteer fire departments in Indiana. This experience has given me an even better understanding of the risks in which our volun- teers place themselves to help others. I have learned to never enter into any amount of water when it is dark and you can't be certain what is ahead of you. I would urge everyone to take extreme caution with water. The dam- age that the Harvey's Branch flash flood caused in Olden- burg is unbelievable. Thanks again to those brave strong men who held the rope to allow for a res- cue. Please support all of our volunteer fire departments as they continue to protect all of us in emergency situa- tions. Sen. Jean Leising Oldenburg Farmers proud to help fuel bicentennial torch Dear Editor, Two hundred years of Indiana. Two hundred years of farming. Hand-in-hand, the two have grown and adapted to the needs of the communities they serve. As the Indiana Bicentennial Torch Relay races off across the 92 counties – courtesy of some 2,200 dedicated com- munity patrons as torchbear- ers – the Hoosier spirit will be aflame thanks to Hoosier farmers (and E85 corn etha- nol). Corn farmers are proud to say that our homegrown energy fuels the torch that signifies the growth, prosper- ity and drive of Indiana. From the farmer that grows the corn to the etha- nol plant that refines it, to the 200 pumps across Indi- ana fueling the nearly 500,000 Hoosier flex fuel vehicles, today's consumers have the ability to support homegrown in a whole new way. And there's nothing more local than fueling up with something grown just down the road. The ethanol industry is just one great example of Indiana ingenuity. Etha- nol-blended fuels are good for the environment, local community jobs, the state economy and our country's energy policy. Fuel up and take some pride in support- ing a Hoosier win-win indus- try. So, as we celebrate over 200 years of Indiana, let's also celebrate 200 years of the Indiana corn farmer. It's a proud day for us: helping fuel the Indiana bicentennial torch and rural economies, all with a little E85. Gerald Gauck Indiana Corn Marketing Council vice president Milan Knights of St. John appreciate support Dear Editor: The Knights of St. John Commanderies from Bates- ville, Hamburg and Olden- burg would like to thank those businesses and individ- uals who donated dollars or prizes for the Sept. 16 golf outing at North Branch Golf Course. We would like to thank our hole sponsors. Special thanks to the Knights of St. John and Ladies Auxiliaries' members who served a deli- cious chicken dinner. The committees from Batesville, Hamburg and Oldenburg Commanderies are sponsors for the tourna- ment, and all proceeds bene- fit the Tri-County Council for Special Children. Jim Hortemiller, Dan Nobbe and Ron Obermeyer Knights of St. John members Businesses back Batesville Rotary golf outing Dear Editor, The Batesville Rotary Club would like to thank those businesses and individuals who helped make our Bates- ville Rotary Club's Ron Simons Memorial Golf Out- ing a success. We are very grateful to ETC, Heartwood Manufac- turing, Friendship State Bank, FCN Bank, Batesville Tool & Die, Enneking Auto Body, Ron Simons Co., Mar- garet Mary Health, Seig Sur- veying and On Target for their hole sponsorships. We also appreciate all the monetary donations and great items that we received to use as prizes and door prizes. Cricket Ridge again served a great lunch and organized a golf skills com- petition. And, of course, thanks to the golfers who participated; everyone had a great time. The day was a great success, raising funds for our local projects such as the food pantry, third-grade dictionary project and Bates- ville Community Education Foundation and global proj- ects such as polio eradication and Shelter Box. We couldn't have done it without your generosity. You made it a fun event while supporting a good cause. Thanks again. Margie Walke and the Batesville Rotary Club Many keep city pool operating Dear Editor, Another season has come and gone for the Batesville Memorial Pool. The pool originally opened in 1947 and has been running strong ever since. All of this could not have existed over the years without help from such a great community. There are many people to thank for all of their help and support. Most importantly, I'd like to thank the Batesville Street Department for all they do for the pool day in and day out, night or day, weekday and weekend. One call to Scott Miller and our prob- lems are fixed. Thank you, Scott! Also assisting are the mayor's office and all city departments. It also couldn't be done without assistance from WRBI, The Herald-Tri- bune, Gillman's Do It Best, Adam Israel and The Big Four Café, Greg Lep- pert of Biker Dude Ice Cream, Cecil Ison of Ison's Family Pizza, Diane Tekulve of Water-Tek and Robert Dorsey, who kindly donates his sound equipment for our movie nights. Because of the generous people at local businesses, the BMP remains open and afford- able for all. I'd also like to acknowl- edge Michelle Schwett- man, BMP assistant man- ager. Her endless energy made it possible for all our private parties, early morning swims for hun- dreds of people, delicious concession stand treats and many, many other daily events (planned and unplanned). Her love and passion for swimming and drive for success were a crucial part in the past three year's positive improvements. She has hung up her whistle for both swim team and the pool and she will truly be missed by the staff, swim team and swimmers of all ages. Thank you all for sup- porting the BMP. I hope that your support contin- ues in the future as our facility ages. Elizabeth Hall BMP manager READERS WRITE Prepare now for cold days T he 2017 Farmers' Almanac now is avail- able online. And the longtime weather prognosti- cator forecasts a cold and snowy winter for the Kokomo area, unlike our last one. Caleb Weatherbee – not a real person; just a name used by the publication's weather forecaster for decades – says Indiana will be "numbing cold and snowy" this winter. It sounds bad, but no worse than Weatherbee's forecast for the Northeast ("ice cold and snow filled") or the Southeast ("penetrating cold and very wet"). The Old Farmer's Alma- nac, on the other hand, fore- sees a warmer-than-normal winter and above normal pre- cipitation – mostly in the form of rain, not snow. Indiana utility companies haven't forecast home-heating costs for the coming winter just yet. It's still very early for such predictions. But if the Farmers' Almanac is right, Hoosier households will use a lot of energy for heat this win- ter because of the coming cold temperatures. Families with incomes up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level are encouraged to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Pro- gram, known as LIHEAP. All assistance is paid in a lump sum to the applicant's utility. If you and your family don't meet the income require- ments, there are ways to manage your home-heating costs this winter. Take advan- tage of "budget" programs many utilities offer. Such plans allow customers to spread the gas costs over an entire year. Program par- ticipants pay an equal amount each month and know how much to budget for their bill. Utilities also advise other cost-saving measures: • Schedule a furnace inspection. Filter cleaning and upgrades could be com- pleted now before evenings turn colder. • Take a look at your regis- ters and ducts. They trap dust, lint and other debris that reduces the efficiency of your furnace. • Inspect caulking and weather strips on your out- door windows. • Install storm windows if your home has them. Do what you can now to make your home more ener- gy-efficient and natural gas bills less volatile. Kokomo Tribune Millennials deserve truth about student loan debt F or centuries, schol- ars have said "knowl- edge is power." In the computer age, we say "information is king." Both phrases highlight the importance of knowing the facts before making big decisions. The same principals unequivocally apply to stu- dent borrowing. As educa- tion costs continue to rise, students must know pre- cisely the cost of education when deciding whether and where to go to college. Average student loan debt tripled over the last two decades. According to the U.S. Department of Education, in 1992-93, about half of bachelor's degree recipients gradu- ated with total debt averag- ing slightly more than $10,000. This year, more than two-thirds of college graduates will graduate with total debt exceeding $35,000. In fact, total stu- dent loan debt now exceeds $1 trillion nation- ally and accounts for more personal debt than credit cards or auto loans. The results are chang- ing the living patterns of an entire generation. Mil- lennials are being forced to forgo or postpone home ownership, and they are delaying marriage and child bearing like never before. Worse yet, a recent study by the Brookings Institute found that roughly half of all first-year students in the U.S. seri- ously underestimate how much debt they have. About 14 percent of stu- dents who have loans think they don't have any debt at all. This lack of information is unacceptable. While cur- rent federal law requires colleges and universities to provide financial counsel- ing to borrowers at the beginning and end of their studies, there are no requirements for counsel- ing while students are in school – when they are actually taking out loans. Recognizing this prob- lem, Indiana University launched a program in 2012 to educate its stu- dents about their debt and its post-graduate implica- tions. The university sent annual letters to ever y stu- dent estimating their total loan debt and future monthly payments. Four years later, officials at IU say federal student loan borrowing by its students has dropped by 23 percent. Inspired by this success, Indiana, Wisconsin and Nebraska passed state laws requiring institutions within their states to send similar letters to students. All U.S. students deser ve this information. That's why I introduced the Letter of Estimated Annual Debt for Students Act other wise known as the LEADS Act. Modeled after the IU program, the bipartisan bill requires higher education institu- tions that accept federal aid to send an annual letter to ever y student estimat- ing their total loan debt and future monthly pay- ments. Knowledge is power. And it's past time to empower students to make better-informed decisions about their edu- cation, finances and future. IU's program shows that if you warn stu- dents about the dangers of borrowing, they borrow less. Millennials are smart and savvy. They deser ve information to make the best decisions possible. And, in the end, less stu- dent loan debt is a better result for almost ever y- body. Rep. Luke Messer U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

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