VOTER APATHY OR BURN OUT?

We’ve got a primary election coming up in our city on May 2. So far, early voter turnout has been pathetic. According to our county clerk, only 2.2% of registered voters have shown up to vote and there isn’t much time left. What’s keeping folks away from the polls? Is it voter apathy or burn out?

The truth is, most of us don’t vote in primaries unless there’s something controversial on the ballot. Like increased taxes for new schools, or whether or not we should allow a casino to move in and fleece the surrounding populace. Those issues get people to the polls. But most of us have found that no matter who we vote for, some things in the city never really change.

The city council is controlled by one party, so naturally the other party is pretty much staying at home. The current mayor represents the opposing party, but he’s been in office long enough to have a firm base of supporters who like things just the way they are.. As an Independent, I can’t see declaring a party affiliation just so I can vote in more of the same.

A perfect example is the on-going, abysmall state of our side streets and roads. District councilmen live in these neighborhoods, but they do nothing to improve the pothole issue for their constituents. And they’ve been getting away with it forever. Folks in low income neighborhoods have learned not to expect much.

VOTER APATHY OR BURNOUT? No matter who is elected, the city streets remain the same — VOTER APATHY OR BURNOUT? Folks have learned that the potholes will remain long after the election.

Sometimes, they attempt to cover the potholes with lumpy piles of asphalt or whatever they use to avoid re paving a tire-killing street. The council dithers around about how to allocate taxpayer and other, unexpected sources of revenue. God forbid they would do anything to lower the profits of car dealerships and repair services.

A pothole can puncture your tire or bend or crack your wheel. It can damage your tire’s sidewall or belts. Even a minor impact may knock your vehicle out of alignment. A pothole strike can damage your shocks or struts, or harm your suspension. They can cause fluid leaks under your car. But never mind, your local dealership or repair service will gladly fix all the damage.. Drivers pay an average of $600 for pothole repair work . It’s estimated one out of every ten drivers in 2021 sustained vehicle damage significant enough they needed immediate repairs after hitting a pothole.

Do local citizens believe that voting in the primaries will fix the city’s potholes? No, they’ve given up on that years ago. Which begs the question: Are voters apathetic or burned out?

April 9, 2022April 9, 2022

JEWELER ARRESTED FOR CHASING THIEVES

If you’re getting low on dough, you might dig through your drawers for an old wedding ring or gold bracelet. There’s a jeweler in our local mall who seems to be a friend in need. Because he has a steady flow of customers with valuables they need to sell. But last week, a couple of men invaded his store, grabbed a bunch of gold stuff, and ran off without paying. The jeweler didn’t take it well, and went after them with a gun. Even fired a few shots in their direction. The irony is: they got away, but the merchant got arrested for chasing the thieves.

He’s actually facing one to five years in prison for criminal recklessness. Seems someone was sitting in their car with a couple of kids and feared they might get caught in the crossfire. But apparently, the merchant had a pretty good aim, and could see exactly where he was pointing his gun. No one was shot or injured. The robbers haven’t been found.

At any rate, there’s quite a controversy going on now. A lot of small business owners think he had every right to go after the thieves. However, the prosecutor, a Republican, said an owner can only defend his property INSIDE his store—not outside. A prominent Democratic lawyer quickly stepped up to his defense. Politics?

At first, the prosecutor said the store owner had to post the full bond of $25,000. But the judge let him out on 10%. And now, they’ve scheduled a jury trial to take place in the fall. That’s going to be a circus. You have to wonder how a 72 year old, respected businessman in the community would have to spend time in prison for trying to catch a pair of thieves. Those two must be having a good laugh. It’s not often that the thieves go free, and the victim goes to jail.

October 27, 2021October 27, 2021

DO CELEBRITIES COMMIT MANSLAUGHTER?

Usually, if someone accidentally kills another human being, there is some kind of investigation to determine if charges should be filed But, when actor/director, Alec Baldwin, accidentally shot cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, the sheriff immediately stated it was an accident and there would be no charges filed. This type of exoneration doesn’t usually happen to an ordinary person. Here in Indiana, I know of at least two cases where accidental deaths resulted in someone going to jail. I guess it depends on who you know, how much money you make, or how famous you are. Do celebrities commit manslaughter?

The first case that comes to mind is a young woman who accidentally killed three children running to catch a school bus. She was taking a child to the baby sitter, while rushing to her low wage job. The sky was pitch black and it was raining. She mistook the light from the school bus for something else. She wasn’t drunk or drugged. Didn’t intend to kill anyone. It was a terrible, tragic accident, but she was sentenced to four years in prison.

The next case was an accident involving two teenagers. The older boy’s mom had left a loaded gun in her bed table, and gone on vacation , leaving the kid with the house all to himself. Naturally, he had a party and yes, there was drinking. Sometime during the night the kid started fooling around with the mom’s gun, thinking it wasn’t loaded. But it was, and he killed his best friend. Yes, he did go to prison, but his parents must have hired some good lawyers because he got out on probation after awhile.

These three scenarios have all the earmarks of manslaughter. But only one has escaped culpability for being involved in a tragic accident. I’m sure all of these people are immensely sorry, and probably none of them will ever be the same. But two of them went to jail and other one won’t.

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021

CROSS COUNTRY MEET INSPIRES HOPE

According to recent polls, nearly 80% of Americans are feeling fearful and angry. The issues that provoke these feelings are the coronavirus pandemic, the economic downturn, the Afghanistan retreat, and civil unrest spreading across America’s cities. Last year at this time, we thought things would be better by the summer of 2021. But they’re not. We thought the vaccine would take us back to normal. Trouble is, half of our citizens refuse to get vaccinated, so we’re back to the crisis level. Hospitals are filling up once again with cases of the delta strain. After a year and a half of misery, we’re discouraged, and worried how it’s all going to affect our grandkids . But yesterday, I felt an emotion I hadn’t experienced for a long time. Seeing my grandsons running their hearts out at cross country filled me with optimism. Attending a state wide cross country meet inspires hope.

These boys and girls have been in lockdown at a time when they should have been going to class, attending parties, seeing their friends and having a carefree teenage life. The only thing I can compare it to is my own teenage years following World War II. Although we weren’t so isolated, we grew up scared. I remember waking up at night, hearing the sound of a distant train, worried that the Germans were coming. Our brothers, fathers, uncles and cousins went to war and often didn’t come back.. Some of them endured torture in Japanese prison camps. No wonder we became the “silent generation.”

Silent generation characteristics included interpersonal respect, self sacrifice, determination and most importantly, resilience. Those same characteristics are required to participate in cross country.

Cross Country Meet Inspires Hope. Our children are resilient. — Cross Country Meet Inspires Hope. Our children are emerging from the pandemic strong and resilient.

Yesterday, thousands of boys and girls throughout Indiana raced across the grass , and returned covered with sweat. Some of them did very well and came in close to the top. However, others came in toward the end. But here’s the thing. I was in a place where I could watch them returning from the race. There was an incredible camaraderie and affection in the air. Slower runners congratulated those who’d made better time. There didn’t seem to be many winners or losers. Kids walked with their arms around each other. Parents and grandparents glowed with pride. The sun was shining, It was a beautiful day filled with the joy, love, and hope.

I predict the “covid” generation will share some of the same characteristics of the silent generation. The previous “me” generations had everything handed to them, and didn’t have to worry about going to war. Generally speaking, they were spoiled and unappreciative of what they had. My grandchildren know that life is unpredictable, and they have learned to deal with that. In some ways, they are more mature than their parents were at the same age. These are the children who will grow up to lead our country in the years to come. And the lessons they have learned will serve this nation well.

Want to feel hopeful again? Come out for a high school cross country meet.

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021

CITY CAN’T MANAGE TRASH CANS

Should someone be paid if they don’t do their job? Obviously not, in ordinary circumstances. The lawn service get paid when the grass is cut. A food server gets paid for the hours they’ve worked. But when it comes to city contracts, it’s a different story. In the case of trash pick up in our city, the Waste Management contract is awarded by the Board of Public Works. I’m not sure what those people do after the contract is awarded. Apparently, they turn the whole thing over to an office administrator, and that’s who you call if you don’t have enough trash cans. Trouble is, that person seemingly has no control over what the Waste Management company does or does not provide. If you complain about busted or missing trash cans, the reply is: “all I can do is e mail them.” And if they don’t do what you pay for? Repeat: “all I can do is email them.” Why such a flaccid response? Obviously, the city can’t manage trash cans.

The Board members, themselves, are appointed by the Mayor, but the entire process is shrouded in mystery. If you go to the Board of Public Works website, you can’t find the names of the board members. I did see a notice on the internet from 2009 that a new man had been appointed to the board after someone retired. But that was twelve years ago. Actually, the decision on who to hire for trash services is a fairly major decision, amounting to more than half a million dollars. But do any of these four people feel responsible for the efficacy of local trash pickup? Do they care if you have busted trash cans or fewer than you need for your rental property? Who holds the Waste Management Company accountable ? Some cities fine companies for violating contracts.

The company won’t empty overflowing trash cans, but the cans are overflowing because there aren’t enough of them. As Winston Churchill once said, “ It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma” Why does our Waste Removal contractor have such a stranglehold on the Department of Public Works? Seems to me that the city can’t manage trash cans. Or maybe they don’t want to.

June 30, 2021June 30, 2021

TRAIN TOWNS TEST YOUR PATIENCE

Do you live in a train town? You don’t have to wonder if you do. You’ll know it when your car trips are timed with the possibility of being stopped to wait for a train. Consequently, you may end up early for appointments, but at least you won’t be late. For decades, we had only one overpass running North on the West side of town. Finally, they built another running East– miles away– on the South side. The politicians who run the city apparently think the blocked train crossing problem has been solved. But it hasn’t. Because the inner city is surrounded by train crossings. An overpass doesn’t help if you’re trying to get to city hall, the University campus, the hospital, the library, or many of the businesses and homes that are located in the town’s inner core. Train towns test your patience.

CSX, a country wide rail service , has had a terminal here for over 100 years. Sadly, they decided to run their tracks right through the center of our town, and they aren’t about to move them. Fire trucks, ambulances, and other emergency vehicles are often hampered while waiting for a train. Frequently, if you’re running errands , you will be stopped not once, but twice, and sometimes maybe even three times while getting from point A to B to C.

Outwardly, our city seems like a desirable place to live, work, and raise a family. We have five colleges . One is a top rated engineering school. We’re blessed with numerous parks that are well maintained Housing is inexpensive compared to the rest of the country. Why, then, do people leave? Our population peaked out at 72,000 in 1960 . Now, it’s dwindled down to about 60,000, and it’s still falling. Looks like folks are eager to get out of this train town.

Many of the “natives”(people who’ve never lived anywhere else) are puzzled. With all that our city has to offer, why don’t people want to stay? Let’s say you’ve moved here from a train-free city. All of a sudden, your life has changed. Unless you live very close to downtown, you’re shocked to find that you will have to wait for a train to pass several times a week. Sometimes, you have a lucky streak. Not a single wait for a train all day. . But that’s an anomaly.

I can remember living in Florida, and driving 1500 miles without waiting for a single train until arriving in my hometown. If you’re a long termer, you’ve developed coping mechanisms to deal with the waits. A book or magazine. . Perhaps a few minutes of meditation. And there’s always the cell phone, unless your battery is getting low.

Every once in awhile someone announces that CSX will be fined it they make you wait more than five minutes at any given crossing. But the rules are seldom enforced. Sometimes, a train will come to a dead stop in the center of town at 5 p.m. Traffic backs up for miles. When the track finally clears, everyone rushes home to collapse.. CSX breathes a sigh of relief. They’ve gotten away with another traffic stall, because everyone is too tired to report it.

But here’s the bright side. Train towns test your patience and develop your frustration tolerance . Consequently, we must be one of the country’s most patient cities.

May 21, 2021May 22, 2021

UTILITY MONOPOLIES SQUELCH COMPLAINTS

Most of us never give a thought to our electricity. It’s either on, or off. Power outages leave us at the mercy of providers like Duke Energy. If we’re dissatisfied with some aspect of our service or the fees we pay, there is absolutely nothing we can do. We may complain, shout, threaten. But to them, we’re a tinkling cymbal or sounding brass. They know they have us in a chokehold. We have to have electricity, and they’re the only game in town. Utility monopolies squelch complaints.

ELECTRIC MONOPOLIES SQUELCH COMPLAINTS. They'd rather wait for a tree or pole to cause a power outage than try to prevent it. — Electric utilities squelch complaints about potentially dangerous situations. Rather than asking someone to trim a tree, they’d rather wait for an actual power outage.

We live on the edge of town, surrounded by ancient trees that are often uprooted or drop massive limbs after a storm. In an odd arrangement decided decades ago, the electric company placed poles in every other yard, rather than on each customer’s own property. In this particular case, a neighbor’s tree dropped a huge limb as it lurched forward, hovering over the pole and power lines leading to our house.

We’ve experienced power outages before, and they are not fun if you don’t own a generator, have a gas stove, or other source of energy. The house is dark and cold. You can’t make coffee or heat up a can of soup. If it goes on too long, you try and find a motel where you can spend the night.

Consequently, I called the electric company to alert them to a possible power outage if the neighbor’s leaning tree and pole continue their downward trajectory. In addition, several lines are entangled in the wayward tree limbs, causing the lines to sag under their weight. I asked if someone could come out and evaluate the situation. They rudely replied, “we don’t trim trees and we can’t ask a homeowner to trim his tree.” This translated to a refusal to spend a few minutes checking on a potentially dangerous situation. Yes, I argued and complained, but they didn’t budge. It appeared they would rather wait for the tree or pole to fall , rather than doing anything to prevent a power outage.

In desperation, I resorted to an analogy. I said, “What if I called the police and reported that some deranged person had an unauthorized gun. Should they check it out or fall back on some legal reason not to? Would you agree with their decision to ignore the situation until the gun was actually used to commit a crime?.” The Duke Energy representative had no response. I think the question had her flummoxed.

Electric Utilities squelch complaints in some states. But other states are trying to change taat. — Electric utilities squelch complaints in Indiana. But some states are eliminating electric company monopolies.

When I called the city engineer and contacted the mayor’s officer, I hit a brick wall. After I repeated the above analogy, I heard the same mantra:: ‘the electric company is a private entity, over which the city has no control.” Therefore, what I’m hearing is that no one controls the electric utility company service in our city. They can do what they please, and get away with it.

As a result, we must live in suspense, watching and waiting to see if the tree and utility pole’s forward movement continues, which would destroy our fence and cut off our power. It may not happen. But if it does, it will be a costly accident that could have been prevented. Utility monopolies squelch citizens complaints and should be abolished.