Wednesday, July 06, 2016 - 7:35 am
9/25/15GMO labeling should be allowedDear Editor,On July 23, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that bars states and the federal government from passing GMO labeling laws.Tim NorrisSeapines Lane&&&&Appreciates mayor keeping his wordDear editor,I would like to acknowledge Mayor Gore for keeping his work about getting the cemeery cleaned up and looking nice. After my letter last year, when I was very digusted with the way the cemetery looked, he promied to get it cleaned up and looking nice.Elizabeth PolingEast Fourth Street9/4/15Area healthcare professionals often underappreciatedDear Editor,The healthcare professionals of Marysville work long shifts under difficult circumstances.&Their dedication to, and love of, the job that they do every day is often overlooked and under appreciated. &Patients and families of patients are vulnerable, confused, and stressed due to the life-and-death situations encountered at hospitals and nursing facilities.&We can forget to take the time during our visit to say how much we appreciate all that is done on behalf of the patients/residents at these facilities, and how fortunate the community of Marysville is to have such resources available 24/7/365. &John Kerr,Marysville&&&&Park upkeep must now be funded by taxpayersDear Editor,It was with interest I read the article about dogs in Partners Park. Is the water at the splash pad being checked on a regular basis? Columbus has had to close the splash pads in Columbus Commons various times because children have used them for bathrooms. Sharon Parrott,Retreat Lane8/14/15Older residents should be cautiousDear Editor,If any of your readers remember the Ruth Lyons Fifty-Fifty Club Show which aired each weekday on WLW Cincinnati back in the 50&s and 60&s, you may remember some of her guests, like Rosemary and Nick Clooney, Bob Braun, and Johnny Mathis, but do you remember her sharing advice on how to put on your hose and slacks? Well, as my mother often reminded me, Ruth Lyons says &you should always pull them up while standing to improve your balance.&Doris GriffithKinney Pike, Richwood 7/24/15Safety concerns remain despite school board concessionsDear editor,I appreciate the families who have voiced their concerns regarding busing cuts to Mill Valley and safety issues on the same. I appreciate your emails, your encouragement and your participation. After countless conversations and meetings with the board, board president, superintendent, assistant superintendent and the former transportation director - finally last week, the school district has made some concessions regarding the safety concerns brought forward for students walking to MHS and MECHS. Justin CaltriderSassafras Lane&&&&Writer says Mill Valley parents should take responsibilityDear Editor,I am writing in regards to local resentment towards the busing of high school students.In about 2008, all high school students that lived within two miles of the high school had to walk to school except those in Mill Valley. The students in Mill Valley have had a &free ride& since then. Now that things are finally fair, their parents are having a fit.Sharon MarshDanville Avenue&&&&Election rules unfairDear Editor,In the fall, we are having an election for mayor of Milford Center. Only one person is running and, therefore, is running unopposed, which really isn&t an election.Al Zill,Milford Center&&&&Reader feels a mockery has been made of marriageDear Editor,If we make it to Oct. 3, we will have been married 68 years. Now the wiseacres in D.C. have made a mockery of our marriage today. Made a mockery of the Holy Bible that we read and a mockery of the question posed by Jesus: &Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female & and they twain shall be one flesh?&Paul M. WoodCollins Avenu7/3/15&Cleansing& is a dangerous practiceDear Editor,George Orwell&s 1984 was the first thing that entered my thought upon reading the article in the Thursday, June 25, paper entitled &Capital&s Confederate statues prompt debates.& It says in effect that after the tragic shooting in South Carolina, congress is considering removal of confederate statues from the U.S. Capital&s Statuary Hall. The thought process being, what does this teach our children?Nancy DanielsWest Ninth Street5/29/15Student doesn&t like that busing was cutDear Editor, My name is Alex Hettel. I am writing you a letter for a language arts assignment in school. Alex HettelMill Valley&&&&Projects lead to debtDear editor,I am writing this letter in regards to the article in the Journal-Tribune on May 23 &Device on the new bridge creates a scare.&Merrill RauschMarysville&&&&Memorial Day parade was disappointingDear Editor,As the granddaughter, daughter and mother of a veteran, I was very disappointed in the participation in the Memorial Day parade. Kudos to those who marched, but where were the others?Sandra HowsmanMarysville5/22/15High school student calls for ramp improvmentsDear Editor,I am a junior at Marysville High School and am writing concerning the Route 31 exit ramp off U.S. 33 East. I exit this ramp on weekday mornings on my drive to school. The problem is, so do most of the Marysville school buses, as well as countless students, parents and other motorists that travel this same commute to work or school each day. Hannah Neate&&&&Musical program was excellentDear Editor,I just came back from attending my granddaughter&s end-of-school year fourth grade music program at Edgewood Elementary. Wow, I am still feeling the rhythm. That music program was the best rhythmic, innovative and just plain fun program I have ever attended. Barb HobbsRoute 315/15/15Mother feels CIT training is valuableDear editor,I would like to acknowledge the Journal-Tribune for the May 1 article on CIT training or law enforcement and Memorial Hospital security guards. For the one out of every four of our families who has a loved one with a mental illness, CIT is vital training.Marcha RoweMarysville&&&&Incidents occur because of criminal activityDear editor,This letter is a response to the Journal-Tribune&s April 30 page one article titled &Thousands in other cities protest death of Baltimore man.&Wade HammondBoord Road&&&&Choir is a treat to hearDear Editor,Three &wows.& At least that&s how many people near me I heard quietly whisper the word as the Chancel Choir at Marysville First United Methodist Church sang the introit at worship last Sunday. No doubt others felt the same, as the congregation was in rapt attention the whole time. Angie Howard and Brian Luke, as director and accompanist, have brought the very best out of each person in the choir, and as they continue to do so, their numbers grow and the sound is only stronger than it was just the week before. John ConnollyRestoration Drive5/1/15Writer feels community center would be expensiveDear editor,Hats off to the Taylor Township Trustees for their effort put into presenting the property in Broadway (formerly Woda Automotive) as a potential Community Center. .Crystal Rausch,Yearsley Road&&&&Group appreciates city supportDear editor,The Union County Master Gardeners would like to express our appreciation to the City of Marysville for its outstanding cooperation at McCloud Park.Julie Jones and Dixie Bowen,Co-chairs of McCloud Park&for the Union County Master Gardeners4/10/15Project Linus continues to give comfort those in needDear Editor,I was once again reminder why I feel blessed to make Union County my home.& About seven years ago an angel came into my life and the lives of many Union County families.& Mary Ann Conley,MarysvilleWriter does not like what happened to MacIvor propertyDear Editor,I grew up in this town with memories of &how it used to be.& Marilyn Raines,Marysville4/3/15Lawmakers should continue fight against tobaccoDear editor,Since April 1 has recently passed us by, I urge State Representative Dorothy Pelanda and State Senator Dave Burke and all lawmakers not to be fooled. The tobacco industry will spend an estimated $394 million marketing in Ohio this year and we must remain vigilant in fighting back against tobacco use in the state.Brenda George,Marysville3/27/15Saddened by progressDear editor,As my husband and I entered Marysville for our weekly trip from North Lewisburg, we were saddened by the changes taking place in the name of progress. Jayne LeiterNorth Lewisburg3/20/15Jordan a true RepublicanDear editor,&On page 1 of the Marysville Journal-Tribune on Tuesday there was an article by an unnamed AP writer. It was a total &hit piece& on U.S. Representative Jim Jordan. The Federal government spending is out of control. The national debt is no over $18 trillion and we are putting a huge burden on our future generations.Dan Fogt,Todd Court3/13/15STEM school student says school is challengingDear editor,My name is Jordan Ellington and I am a newspaper deliverer. The topic of which I am writing is the Marysville STEM school. Jordan Ellington2/13/15Vaccinations do not always workDear Editor,If I may, I&d like to explain an experience I had with&vaccines. To be short, I spent 8 years in the military. In that time, I received approximately 10 to 12 Hepatitis B vaccinations. Recently, I had a titer test for Hepatitis B to test for immunity. I am not immune. I have been vaccinated yet the vaccination did me no good. I have no Hepatitis B antibodies.So that your readers will uAndrew StahlRaymond2/6/14February is Love the Bus monthDear Editor, February marks Love the Bus month, the American School Bus Council&s annual recognition of school bus drivers and monitors across the country who dedicate themselves to providing safe transportation each and every day. Rick MorrisLocation ManagerFirst Student/Union County 1/30/15Medicaid extension must continueDear editor,Approximately one year ago Ohio extended Medicaid health coverage to some of our most vulnerable citizens. For the sake of these individuals and our community, Ohio needs to continue extended Medicaid.Dana VallangeonCEO Lower LightsChristian Health Center&&&Events should not have been on same nightDear editor,At the Jan. 9 Marysville basketball game, I was privileged to be a speaker for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. As always, it was a great program.Spencer SchalipMarysville class of 1969&&&Writer says county needed to clear ice Dear editor,Tuesday morning I came to town to pay taxes. I first arrived at the county building at 8:10 a.m. to be told by another person leaving that they open at 9 a.m. I had just gotten to the first two steps and noticed ice built up over both steps.Gerald WarnerTitus Road1/2/15Writer praises Fairbanks& new class offeringDear editor,I want to compliment the Fairbanks Board of Education, Bob Humble, superintendent of Fairbanks Local Schools, and Kim Wilson, superintendent at Tolles Center and Technical Center for making plans to introduce an ag bioscience program to seventh and eight-grade students on the Fairbanks campus beginning next fall.Roger C. NicolMiddleburg-Plain City Road12/5/14Academy provides insight into sheriff&s office operationsDear editor,When was the last time you had an emergency? Did you dial 911? And what happened? That dispatcher took the details of your emergency and began a chain reaction of response. And so it begins, the provision of a safe and secure environment for the more than 53,000 residents of Union County. Emergency telecommunication, although vital, is only one part of the Union County Sheriff&s responsibilities.Barbara NicolMarysville11/28/14Young girl&s card was appreciatedDear Editor,Tuesday evening I was shopping at a local grocery store picking up the final items for our Thanksgiving feast. I must admit that uppermost on my mind was getting home and away from all the crowds.& Connie StooksburyBroadway11/21/14Wind energy projects would benefit TriadDear editor,This letter is to encourage the Champaign County Commissioners to support the Buckeye Wind projects and to grant the Pilot program. More than $1 million would be generated for our county, townships and schools annually.Tammy BullardCable11/14/14Reader appreciates J-T providing articles for scrapbooks Dear editor,I wanted to write this article three years ago after my son graduated from high school and I just never took the time to do it and then put it by the wayside.&& Valerie BarnhorstScott Circle10/10/14Voting is a responsibilityDear Editor,Election Day, Nov. 4, is just around the corner.Lois GruenbaumFladt Road10/3/14Writer says reporter& is not objectiveDear Editor,To paraphrase a journalism professor of mine from Ohio University in 1979, &When you buy the ink for the newspaper you own, you get to have an opinion.& When you use the ink for the paper for which you work, you don&t.& The only thing that becomes public fodder are the facts you&ve been hired to cover.& That&s your job.&Joseph MitchellMarysville &&&&&Good, old fashioned conversations& don&t workDear Editor,I am writing in response to the Sept. 24 article entitled &City Commission Continues Discussion on Stray Cats.&& I would like to know in wAngela ParrettBanjo Road9/19/14Writer urges readers to be informed about warDear editor,President Obama, former Vice President Dick Cheney, many members of Congress and the talking heads on TV are once again pounding the drums of war, intensifying their banter after the August 2014 beheading of American journalist James Foley and the subsequent murder of Steven Sotloff. The Sept. 6 edition of this paper featured and editorial titled &Bomb ISIS now.& At 27 years of age, I have become all too familiar with war. After eight years in the Army, every day the horrors of the wars in the Middle East hit close to home for myself and many veterans, as I&m sure it does for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq, and all the war torn areas of that part of the world. Fortunately, Americans have the privilege of being insulated from those horrors. The new enemy, we are told, is the Islamic State and from what we are told all we know is that we must stop at nothing to stop them.Andrew Stahl,Rapp Dean Road9/12/14Writer defends city, cemeteryDear Editor,I am writing in response to a recently submitted letter regarding the condition of Oakdale Cemetery.& Sandi ScheidererMarysville9/5/14Condition of cemetery a disgraceDear editor,This Labor Day weekend I was at Oakdale Cemetery. It is a disgrace to the city of Marysville. Ever since the city took over the cemetery it has gone downhill. It was not recently mowed nor was it trimmed. Grass was very tall around the monuments. For a holiday weekend, and the end of summer when people are taking off flowers from the cemetery, it was horrible.Elizabeth PolingMarysville8/29/14Skateboarders show thirst for dangerDear editor,On the last night of the Uptown Marysville event, I was driving west on Fourth Street, near the intersection at the Post Office. I followed one or two other cars, had one or more behind me, and there were a few more in the opposite lane driving east. In other words, the street was full of vehicles. Donna RieglerMarysville&&&&My &aha& momentDear editor,We have all experienced it, that &aha& moment when the answers to those vexing problems suddenly present themselves. Mine happened Friday about 1:35 p.m. in the afternoon.Steve DuntonMarysville8/8/14Remembers working at Ray Lewis and SonDear Editor,I found it ironic on the day of the Meijer grand opening, that manufactures nothing, just buys and sells product, that &an infamous structure, namely the Ray Lewis and Son manufacturing facility was seeing its final day. Having been employed there for a number of years myself, it hurt to see it go.Sharon Brashears,Marysville8/1/14Summer learning loss can be avoidedDear Editor,Children spend nearly triple the time playing video games or watching TV than they do reading during the summer, according to the results of a survey conducted by Reading is Fundamental that was recently released.Nichelle Harris
SACC and BASE Director
Marysville Exempted Village Schools&&&&Extracurriculars open to home schoolersDear Editor,A change in Ohio law came in June 2013 which allows home-educated students the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular activities offered at the public school to which the student would otherwise be assigned. In July of last year, Ohio High School Athletic Association, OHSAA, quickly responded with a change in its policy, informing its member schools that they would be required to admit homeschoolers without having to enroll in any classes.Sam and Julie DeanRoute 736&&&&Resident believes tourism report is flawedDear Editor,The Friday, July 25, Journal-Tribune had an article on the TourismOhio report. This report has estimated the economic impact of tourism in Union County at $103 million. Scott WestfallPalm Drive7/25/14Impressed with musicalDear editor,We are so impressed with the talent that was witnessed by this year&s production of &Legally Blonde.& So great to see so many young adults involved in the production, performing and all technical aspects of running a show. Five local schools represented, seven weeks of rehearsals, three performances and a lifetime of memories. It was another reason Union &County is special.Liz Newsome7/18/14Losing our community&s storyDear editor,As it stands, an Ohio historical marker will never stand proudly in front of the home of William H. Frank. &Visitors&coming to Historic Uptown Marysville, as advertised on&signs at the edge of town,&will not&pause to read the interesting story of the man who built&the home. Families&enjoying Partners Park will not have the opportunity to take a&photograph&in front&of the home to record their special moment&at a special place in the heart of Marysville.&The 164-year-old William H. Frank home located at&222 S. Main St.&is about to&be lost. &Another of the oldest surviving buildings from the first 30 years of Marysville&s history will be razed in the name of progress and&parking.&&Just five short years before the celebration of Marysville&s bicentennial anniversary.Crista Miller Catalpa Court7/11/14Writer recognizes area groupDear Editor,The Happy, Happy Hookers are at it again & still up to their odd tricks. It seems they never stop, or even slow down, as long as there is a need for their time and talents.Esther BurrowTerrace Court&&&&Writer appreciates congressman going the extra mileDear Editor,Recently, I was inducted into the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in Columbus.Catherine Rockenbaugh,Marysville7/3/14Unhappy with use of senior fundsDear Editor,As a local senior citizen, I was very unhappy to see my local tax dollars squandered on a political rally. Stella HughesMarysville, OH6/27/14Cyclist appreciates new signsDear Editor,I would like to commend the leadership of the city of Marysville for the planning and persistence that culminated in the recent posting of multiple &Share the Road& signs.& Mary Applegate, MDMarysville&&&Writer seeks community help identifying hit-and-run driverDear Editor,I am writing to ask for community help to identify a hit-and-run driver. Heather JepsenMarysville&&&&Historical Society comments on house main street issueDear Editor,Let me set the record straight concerning the house at 222 S. Main St. in Marysville. It is very simple. That building is 164 years old. It is one of the four oldest buildings that survive in our town.Robert W. Parrott, President Union County Historical Society 6/20/14Writer praises Meal on WheelsDear editor,I am writing to praise some wonderful people who are truly angels in our community. Carolyn MulletWolford-Maskill Road6/13/14Writer disagrees with design board&s decisionDear editor,I am writing to express my disappointment in the Design Review Board&s decision Wednesday night to deny the city&s application to demolish the home at 222 S. Main St. I do not doubt that the board reached its decision in good faith.& However, I believe the board applied an overly narrow reading of the city&s code. This mis-reading of the code will have profound implications that could harm future development aimed at preserving and enhancing Marysville&s historic downtown.Tony EufingerMarysville&&&&Fire department has attack plan for certain propertiesDear Editor,Following an article that was published in the Marysville Journal Tribune on May 12 regarding thefire that occurred at the WindsoMarysville Fire Division.Jay Riley, Marysville Fire Chief&&&&Coach reflects on seasonDear Editor, As Head Coach of the Jonathan Alder Lady Pioneers softball team, I would like to use this forum to publicly recognize multiple parties that played a memorable part in the success of our very special 2014 season.& This team will go down in school history as being the first team to win a DII district and regional title, upsetting the defending state champions in the state semifinal game, and making it all the way to the 2014 state championship game.& The team has so much to be proud of and has planted seeds for future generations and young girls that will follow them.Coach Dave McGrewJonathan Alder Lady Pioneers Softball6/6/14Acknowledges efforts of committeeDear Editor: I was secretary/treasurer of the Marysville Memorial Committee for almost 60 years and remember the concerns voiced by the World War II veterans about the future of the ceremonies. Lois Gruenbaum 5/23/14Veterans are the reason for the freedoms we shareDear editor: To veterans: I want to acknowledge you for preserving our country&s independence and the personal freedoms I enjoy here in America. I understand that you made great sacrifices in defense of our nation. What you and your fellow veterans have done for me is forever etched in my memory. Merrill and Ruthann ReedMarysville&&&&Recital was fabulousDear editor:I attended my two granddaughters& dance recital at Marysville High School last night. It was absolutely fabulous.Mrs. John Evans 5/9/14Five things my mother taught me Dear editorAs most of us know, mothers sacrifice their whole lives in an attempt to raise children properly and to provide them more opportunities than they had. That is the instinctive nature of mothers. If not for this attitude and life ambition, most of us would be lost and misguided. Since it is mother&s day season, I would like to expound on five golden nuggets my mother, Blanche Irene Sampsel, taught four boys, one girl, and a host of friends to consider throughout the path of life. Although she passed away recently, she will always be remembered as an influential part of our lives and an uplifting spirit to family and friends. Number One. Always SmileMy mother&s favorite line to use was &when life hands you a lemon, make lemonade&. Our mother&s smile was a signal that everything was OK. She would always tell us that it took more facial muscles to frown than to smile. Keep this in mind. When life has got you down, mothers always seem to come to the rescue. At times, mothers may seem annoying or intrusive, but the motive behind their actions, are always to make sure we are secure, safe, and sound&and they say it with a smile. Bill SampselNorthwest Parkway5/2/14Writer says Milford Center is in bad shape overallDear editor,When is Milford Center going to take pride in the community like we did when I was young? At one time it was a vibrant, attractive place to live. Homes were well kept and we had businesses here. Now this town just needs so much to be done to restore it to its former glory. You name it & we need it. It makes me very sad that our elected officials are not doing the things necessary to fix our community. I was raised in Milford Center and I truly love it and my neighbors. The following are just a few of the concerns I have:Al ZillMilford Center&&&&Principal touts pride in JA districtDear editor,I have only submitted a Letter to the Editor a few times during my career. Four years ago I felt compelled to share my thoughts when the Jonathan Alder &no name& Pioneers baseball team won the state championship by upsetting two teams that were highly regarded by the &experts.& That was a major source of pride for the Alder community and people are still talking about the number of Pioneer fans that were in Huntington Park that day.Phil HarrisJon AlderHigh School Principal&&&&Appreciates kindness of Good SamaritansDear editor,I would like to acknowledge the two kind gentlemen who stopped midday Sunday at the railroad tracks on Industrial Parkway. I was riding my bike and miscalculated the turn. I hit the pavement and my front tire ended along the rail, ultimately with the front tire bent.Cindy SankeyPrice Hilliards RoadPlain City&&&&Writer urges residents to voteDear editor,&Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the American people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting.& &&Franklin D. Roosevelt&(32nd&U.S. President).Chris SchmenkChair, Union County Republican Party&&&&Superintendent sees problems with charter schoolsDear editor,My name is Bob Humble and I am the superintendent for the Fairbanks Local Schools. I am writing to you regarding my growing concerns about charter schools.& My concerns rest not only with the loss of dollars to public schools, but more importantly with the poor quality of education our students receive from many of the charter schools currently operating in Ohio. The businesses that operate most of the charter school programs clearly have little interest in student achievement, with their primary focus being to make a profit.the Ohio General Assembly. Bob HumbleFairbanks Superintendent&&&&Mayor in favor of Issue 1Dear editor,On May 6, Ohio voters will have the opportunity to renew the State Capital Improvement Program, State Issue 1. Voting yes for State Issue 1 will authorize the State to sell $1.875 billion in infrastructure bonds over the next 10 years. Proceeds from the bonds are used to provide loans and grants for local infrastructure improvements.John GoreMaryville Mayor&&&&Bank CEO urges passage of Issue 1Dear editor,I encourage your readers to vote yes on state Issue 1 on May 6.State Issue 1 renews a very popular and effective bond program. The program provides grants and loans to local governments through the Ohio Public Works Commission (OPWC) to construct local infrastructure. Your vote won&t increase your taxes.Chad L. HoffmanPresident/CEORichwood Banking Company&&&&Commissioner supports Issue 1Dear editor,I urge all your readers to vote yes on Issue 1.Issue 1 represents the third renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP) benefiting local governments including counties, cities, villages and townships.Eligible projects include road and streets, bridges and culverts, water and wastewater treatment plants, water and sewer lines and storm sewers.Steve StolteUnion County Commissioner4/25/14Tri-Rivers needs levy passageDear editor,Tri-Rivers Career Center is focused on providing a well-trained workforce for Marion and its surrounding counties. As students participate in Career Tech labs, they acquire skills that can be applied to the workplace. Upon graduation, students have several optio they can go on to college, enter an apprenticeship program or go into the workplace. As a Career Development Specialist at Tri-Rivers, it is my responsibility to try to get young people thinking about careers at an early age. Elementary students in the KAPOW (Kids and the Power of Work) program, a business/school partnership, are taught lessons about the world of work by business volunteers from our community. At the middle school level, 1,100 eighth grade students from Marion, Morrow and Union counties, tour Tri-Rivers, MTC and OSUM each fall to get a glimpse of career choices and educational opportunities available to them at the local level. The Transitions Program at Tri-Rivers, offers sophomore students a year&s experience rotating through several different career tech programs before choosing a career focus for the junior and senior years. Alice BaileyMarion, OH&&&&Climate change a tool of the UNDear editor.As we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, please note that the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), who are promoting the notion, with extremely limited scientific evidence, many credentialed scientists say no evidence at all, yet bolstered by the continuing pandering of the liberal media, never mind that the science is settled, posit that man caused climate change is destroying the Earth as we know it, is a United Nations (UN) sponsored organization. It is interesting to appreciate that the IPCC, who is promoting the concept that global climate change, where warmer temperatures indicate global climate change, and cooler temperatures indicate global climate change, and more severe storms indicate climate change, and fewer severe storms indicate climate change (you get the picture) is a disaster of globe spanning scope that all nations need to be troubled by.Bryan ButlerRaymond Road&&&&JA levy needs supportDear editor,No one wants to pay higher taxes, however, a case can be made where one tax is less painful than another. School boards across Ohio have had a revenue problem for a long time. This is due to poor method of calculating what state aid districts get from Ohio. It rewards the wealthiest districts and penalizes the poor districts because the calculation relies heavily on real estate values. The legislature has been ordered by the Supreme Court to resolve this revenue issue several times but they ignore the court order. Over the past six years (the Jonathan Alder school) district has not seen an increase in state aid.Higher property taxes place a greater burden on those individuals that own real estate in smaller districts, such as JA, where those taxes cannot be spread over a wider group of people. Larger school districts do not have this problem. Also, compounding property tax is real estate ownership in the JA district is quite often our senior citizens who cannot recover the higher property tax increase due to fixed income. Jerry D. May, Former board president of Jonathan Alder Local School DistrictPlain City &&&&Engineer urges passage of Issue 1Dear editorI urge all of your readers to vote &yes& on State Issue 1. Issue 1 will provide for the sale of bonds to continue the funding of the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP) for another 10 years. The State Capital Improvement Program was originally authorized by the voters of Ohio in 1987 and renewed in 1995 and 2005. Since then, there has been included in every biennial state budget a line item to retire the bonds. No new taxes will result from the passage of Issue 1.SCIP provides grants and loans to fund local infrastructure projects. Typical projects include roads and streets, bridges and culverts, sanitary sewers and waterlines, water and wastewater treatment plants, storm sewers, etc. Counties, cities, villages and townships are eligible applicants.Jeff Stauch, Union County Engineer4/18/14Triad School Board seeks support for levyDear editor,The Triad Local Schools Board of Education acted to place a tax levy on the ballot for the May 6 election. We are asking for approval of a new two-year 0.5 percent income tax levy for permanent improvements.& &This money can only be used for improvements that will last more than five years and cannot be used for employee salaries or benefits. Before last November&s defeat of a new levy voters had not been asked to approve new money since 2004.&This shows that the board, administrators and teachers have been good stewards of taxpayer money.& Chris Millice, PresidentOn behalf of the Triad Local School Board of Education&&&&Writer supports JA&s levyDear Editor:I am writing to support Jonathan Alder Local School District&s levy on the May 6 ballot because the funds would allow the district to strengthen course and program offerings as well as technology.As a result of over $1 million in cuts made in 2013 and reductions in state funding, many of the services and programs offered to district students were negatively impacted and/or reduced, class sizes are larger, there is no wireless connectivity and campus computers are more than 7 years old. Students are performing at high levels while the district received approximately the same amount of funding from the state as it did back in 2007.Richard C. Lewis
OSBA executive director&&&&Supports Triad tax levyDear editor,As a nine-year educator in the Triad district, I have been witness to many of your children passing through my classroom and becoming wonderful young adults. I have many of your children now and I will have many more in the years to come. I enjoy teaching in the district, and I respect our hard-working community.&We come together to celebrate successes, and we support each other when our community experiences a loss. I am asking for us to unite as a community and approve the two-year improvement tax on May&s ballot.Melissa (Lasley) Scoville & 5th grade math teacherRichwood&&&&Agrees with previous letterDear editor,In regard to Ray Zimmerman&s letter to the editor of April 4, let me at first commend him for his remarks about the publicity of the Kruse family. There are those of us who totally agree with everything Mr. Zimmerman said. Let&s lovingly support this family no matter what the outcome, but let&s assume they are innocent until proven guilty. Sharon CarroneMarysville4/4/14Proud of our J-T paperboyDear editor, Tuesday,&when the heavy wind&was blowing trash cans into the streets, our Journal-Tribune paperboy, John Huddy, was making sure&our neighborhood was safe.With every paper delivery he also took the time to bring&along the&empty trash/recycling tote and placed it safely outside of the garages.Henk and Marianne BerbeeMarysville2/14/14Gas and brake are too close togetherDear editor,I was very interested to read the article in the Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, Marysville Journal-Tribune about the safety in driving for the senior citizens. I recently had an incident while driving.I was driving on a two-lane country road in November. There was no problem with the weather, road condition or traffic. My vehicle, a 2003 Ford Focus, was in good repair and I was lucid and in good health. I got on the berm, overcorrected and w over corrected once again, went over a small ditch, through two yards and come to a stop in a field about 150 feet from the road. I had slammed on my brakes immediately, but the car kept going until the mud in the field stopped the car.Sincerely,Helen WatsonPlain City&&&Bluegrass Series fun for everyoneDear Editor,Last month, my wife Mardy and I attended the first of four concerts of the Marysville Winter Bluegrass Series at the First United Methodist Church in Marysville. The series has been planned and is presented by the United Methodist Men. The music in the opening set was well-performed by the Kenton-based Whitaker Brothers. They warmed up the audience for the headliners, Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers. The Ramblers treated us to some of the best bluegrass music you will hear anywhere.Steve StolteMarysville&&&&Animals can be savedDear editor,Hi. I am Emma Crusey, previously a member of the Union County Humane Society. I am only 10 years old, but I love animals and want to help them get into good homes. Many animals are put down, about one every 11 seconds. And the worst part is, these animals are perfectly healthy and would make wonderful pets. Being an animal lover, I hate learning about how many beautiful animals are constantly slayed. However, donations to the humane society could help get animals, at least in Union County, off of the street. Something that would really hSincerely,Emma CruseyRichwood2/7/14TV station showed unrelated homeDear editor,While watching the TV news last evening (2/4), the local affiliate ran a news segment pertaining to two teenage girls from Marysville who had been apprehended regarding their threats to carryout a crime at the local High School. The story went on to say these teens had shared their scheme to &shoot up& the high school and had asked a young man for assistance in obtaining weapons. This young man reported their intention to law enforcement, and they were apprehended without incident. The reporter on the story showed footage of the Marysville High School, and then the area where the t but rather than a &pan& of a neighborhood, my house was shown (we live in Mill Valley), on the television screen.Leon RonzanaMarysville&&&&Officer saved the dayDear editor:I would just like to let the people of Marysville and the Marysville Police Department know that they have a great officer in Nate Stone.My day did not start off well as my alarm did not go off. My daughter woke me up. The next thing I know the kids are getting on the bus and I turned around and my son left his gym bag on the couch.& Shelly SkaggsMarysville12/27/13Writer does not support city projectsDear editor,Green space, splash pads and a community gathering place. To me, that sounds like all the parks that Marysville already has doesn&t it? Are you telling me that we can&t spend $1.16 million on much more needed things in our community?We had trees at one time uptown and then we spent a small fortune to get rid of them, as they were dirty. What is wrong with the sidewalks we have now? They are fairly new. People have walking and biking trails all over town, why would people want to fight the traffic and lights uptown?Joyce FrazierMarysville12/13/13Community gave visitors a warm welcomeDear Editor,On behalf of the City of Marysville, I am writing to acknowledge our community members for their support and participation during the recent Yorii-Machi, Japan, delegation visit. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the several local businesses that participated in the visit as well as our schools. During their stay, members of the delegation expressed how impressed they were with our community and how welcome everyone made them feel.& Hearing the positive comments from our visitors made me extremely proud to work for such a fine community and further exemplifies that Marysville and Union County are indeed a great place to live, work and play.John GoreMarysville Mayor11/22/13Appreciated service from area funeral homeDear editor,When a loved one dies, I think most people hope they will work with a funeral home that offers faithful, compassionate, service. What people may not expect is having coffee served while the funeral directors work with your family for over two hours to get the wording of your mother&s obituary &just right.& They may not expect funeral directors laying out and printing the bulletin for your mom&s service three times because some changes were made or anticipate them working to find the most comfortable chair for your father to sit in during the visitation. While some may expect the placing of favorite pictures and a beautiful power point presentation of your loved one&s life, it may never occur to them that some funeral directors offer refreshments during the visitation and go out of their way to support and offer creative suggestions for &non-traditional& ways to help your family celebrate your loved one&s life. For instance, like having chocolates and flower bulbs on hand for friends to take with them as a special remembrance or helping plan a time when your mom&s favorite candy can be passed out during her celebration of life service.The Rev. Leslee Lyndon WrayAlbemarle, North Carolina&&&&Applauds decision on parkDear editor,Green space, splash pad, a community gathering place, where is it being built? In our Uptown Historic District of course. The pavilion will be a great tool in revitalizing the core of our city. This project will bring our citizens to the Uptown. I want to praise the mayor and administration for allowing a monumental park to be built. This park will forever alter the way we build in the Uptown.I know parking is a concern for some. We do not have a parking problem in our Uptown. We have a destination problem. As a younger resident of our great city I never had trouble finding a parking stall, have you? There are plenty of parking lots that sit empty. Donald Boerger Marysville11/8/13URE responds to letter to the editorDear editor,I would like to respond to the letter to the editor published on Friday, Nov. 1, referring to URE making a $100,000 donation to the uptown Marysville City Partner Park.& First, the URE board has not formally approved or committed to a donation to the park.& Mayor Gore made a presentation at our September board meeting desiring a $100,000 sponsorship at $10,000/year for ten years.& The URE board and management is very supportive of this project but the board took no action.& I mistakenly gave the mayor&s office the indication the board had committed to a $100,000 sponsorship.Roger Yoder,President, URE11/1/13Excellent schools matterDear Editor,We are writing to encourage readers to vote &yes& in support of Marysville schools on election day.& On Nov. 5, Marysville Exempted Village School District is asking the community for continued support with the five-year renewal of a 6.56-mill operating levy. This levy has been in existence for over 20 years and funds the high quality programs and excellent teachers our students need to be prepared for college and careers.& It provides over $3 million to our schools. Voting for the levy means no increase in your tax rate.Rich BairdChris SchmenkCo-Chairs, Citizens for Schools&&&&Donation seems excessiveTo The Editor:Towards the end of your recent article about the proposed hospital pavilion, mention is made of a $100,000 contribution from Union Rural Electric Cooperative.& Really? $100,000?& As a customer/member of this member-owned, non-profit cooperative, this causes me some concern.& A gift of $5,000 or $10,000 surely would have been adequate. This over-the-top amount makes it appear UREC is trying to curry favor from the city.& Perhaps our recent rate iSharon MerrimanCradler Turner Road&&&&Appreciates act of kindnessDear Editor,On Sunday, Oct. 27, I was having breakfast at the counter of the local Frisch&s. A younger couple came in and sat next to me. I returned to the buffet for seconds and when I returned to my seat, they had left. The waitress informed me that they had paid for my meal. I had never seen this couple before and did not have an opportunity to thank them for their random act of kindness. Sandra HowsmanMarysville10/25/13Hospital&s customer service was top notchDear editor,I am writing to give a big &shout out& to Memorial Hospital of Union County and The Gables. In recent years the hospital has received a number of well-deserved awards. The list includes &Best place to work in Union County& both lo Recognized as No. 1 in Ohio and No. 10 in the natio Listed as Top 5 percent in the nation for Outstanding Patient E Chip Hubbs received the Excellence in leadership A Two recent Auditor of the State Awards for excellence record keeping and the list literally goes on and on.Shari and Jim MarshMilford Center&&&&Bridge isn&t freeDear editor,It&s comforting to know that some things never change. No matter what the level of government it&s the same old thing & they do whatever they want no matter what their constituents say. The city of Marysville wants a pedestrian bridge (that maybe a handful of people will use) and by gum, they going to get their bridge. After all, the money is free. It&s just lying around in some federal government coffer so why not use it? Who cares if the United States is a trillion dollars in debt? Marysville needs that bridge, by gum. Angela ParrettMarysville&&&&Support Triad&s levyDear editor,It takes a community to raise a child. Having grown up in the Triad community, I have always been thankful for the people in Triad district who cared enough to help me receive a quality education. My children were given that same opportunity, and now it is time to pay it forward once again. Yes, times are tough, yes, sacrifices will have to be made, and, yes, our&students are worth it.Nancy SpainSouth Sycamore Street, North Lewisburg& & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & Citizens for Triad Local Schools9/20/13Agrees with letter about golf outingDear editor,I have to agree whole-heartedly with Steve Knox&s letter to the editor of Sept. 13 stating the appalling conduct at the Marysville Golf Club on Aug. 16. That children were present is even worse.I have contacted the golf course regarding this and hope more in the community will do so. We need to stand together concerning our values.Sharon CarconeWatkins Glen Court 9/13/13Golf outing was distastefulDear Editor,I am writing in regard to an annual outing held at Marysville Golf Club (MGC), which involves the presence of &strippers& from the Columbus area. On Aug. 16 this outing (sponsored by Columbus Gold) was once again held at MGC. So you know, youth were on the course. Yet at no time were they informed of the outing & not prior to play and definitely not after the strippers arrived. As a result, the following was witnessed and/or occurred: Steve KnoxMarysville&&&&Writer feels Japan trip a good ideaDear Editor,Konichiwa. I recently read an online story about Marysville Mayor John Gore and Eric Phillips&upcoming trip to Japan&on behalf of the City of Marysville and Union County and I must say that I am very excited to hear it. I, too, am a Marysville native, but have been living just south of Tokyo for almost two years and have felt that Union County and Marysville in particular should really take full advantage of the unique relationship we have with our Japanese businesses, and I believe that this trip will be taking a firm step towards further solidifying that relationship for years to come. Michael W. GeorgeSecond Class Petty Officer, U.S. NavyNAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka, Japan9/6/13Reasons for United Way&s lofty campaign goalDear Editor,I am often asked why we&ve established a $1-million goal for our 2013 campaign. Here are the top ten reasons why the United Way of Union County needs to raise $1 million this year:Please give generously when you are presented with giving materials at work.&Or you can give right now at www.unitedwayofunioncounty.org. Shari L. MarshExecutive Director, United Way of Union County8/9/13Game Room was a gathering place for seniorsRecently a terrible thing happened to Marysville&s seniors & the Game Room was shut down. Don&t get me wrong, if there was illegal activity, it&s well justified. However, I believe this all was initiated by the casinos to lure people into real gambling. Latica MillerMarysville&&&&Writer urges fair board to be more openDear Editor:The Wednesday, July 31, paper had the write up &Two resign from county fair board,& and several points were made as to questionable actions taken or not taken by the board. In defending those actions, one com a comment from President Jeff Medly: &Medly said he doesn&t feel any of the inner workings of the fair board are the public&s business.&Mr. Medly should read the bylaws of the Agricultural Society of which he is president.Bylaws:Gene MooreFair Participant/Bake Sale buyer asThe Cutting Edge Sharpening7/12/13Resident questions state speed limitsDear editor,A question: If our national goals are to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and increase highway safety, why is Ohio raising their speed limits?J.R. SniderMarysville6/21/13Exchange student appreciated experienceDear editor,As an exchange student in Fairbanks High School, it has been an amazing year.& To my many friends, my friends& parents, teammates, teachers, coaches, and of course my host family you have all so kindly made me a part of your lives this year.& I am so grateful for that and I will never forget you and all of the memories. It&s been such a privilege to be an exchange student and part of the Fairbanks Community. It hasn&t always been easy, but you all showed me that I could do it. You opened up your homes, your school and your teams for me and I always felt welcomed and part of it, which was very important for me.& Elna GudingeYFU Exchange Student from Sweden6/7/13Health department helped spread awarenessDear editor,I would like to acknowledge the Union County Health Department for partnering with the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Ohio AAP) to help promote Bike Helmet Safety Awareness Week, held May 6 to 10 by hosting a bike rodeo April 27.Participation in Bike Helmet Safety Awareness is critical in helping the Ohio AAP reach the Put a Lid on It! campaign&s goal: to raise awareness of the importance of safe biking among Ohio children and to continue encouraging adults and children to wear their bike helmets.Sarah Denny, MDInjury Prevention Committee Co-ChairOhio Chapter, American Aacdemy of Pediatrics&&&&Previous letter updatedDear editor,I had written in February regarding the high tax valuation of a foreclosure property I had purchased. I appealed the value and was pleased to receive an adjustment from the auditor&s office recently that I believe fairly and accurately represents the true value of the property. For someone who has a healthy skepticism of government in general, this was a pleasant surprise.Vicki Watson5/31/13Reader doesn&t like firehouse decisionDear editor,I am writing in regards to the Hyland Firehouse. I have lived in Marysville all my life. I have always known it to be the Hyland Firehouse. I can&t understand why people want to change everything that the forefathers started. Mr. Hyland and his family had a home in the firehouse where they lived. Mary Jane Alexander SnodgresMarysville&&&&Writer appreciates special eventDear editor,I just wanted to give some recognition to a business in your city that I thought did a wonderful thing. My youngest daughter lives in North Lewisburg and works in Marysville. She saw that Salon 31 was running an essay contest for a Mother&s Day makeover so she entered me. Betty HallDeGraff5/24/13Group tirelessly donates creationsDear editor,Once again it is long past time to publicly acknowledge several lovely caring ladies from Union County.These ladies belong to a knitting group her in Windsor Manor. Theay are a non-Profit organization and the amount of good will they are responsible for is awesome.Esther &June& BurrowTerrace Court5/17/13Writer concerned with elimination of recessDear editor,I am sending this letter concerning Creekview Intermediate&s decision to get rid of recess for the fifth and sixth graders next year. I am hoping to let all Creekview parents know that they need to e-mail the principal of the school and the superintendent of our schools to let their voices be heard. I&m sure there are many parents that would volunteer some time to help watch children at recess if this has to do with staffing issues.April EllingtonBuerger Street&&&&&Vote made clear statementDear editor,&Several weeks ago I wrote a letter to your newspaper explaining that the school levy was so important to programs many people don&t think about, such as the excellent special education programs which Marysville schools provide.& Jeff MerklinWedgewood Drive5/10/13Superintendent appreciates supportDear editor,I want to acknowledge the community for approving the zero tax increase levy on Tuesday.& The Board of Education and staff in Marysville Schools understand that we are living in extraordinary economic times and, with this ballot issue, comes tremendous responsibility and accountability on our part.As stewards of your tax dollars, we remain committed to ensuring that those dollars are spent efficiently and used to support student learning. The board of education spent countless hours studying funding options that would least impact students and taxpayers in our community. With the renewal of these funds, we will continue on a path of financial stability in our schools with no additional tax to residents.Diane Mankins,Superintendent5/3/13Village asks voters to approve levyDear Editor,On May 7, the Village of Richwood respectfully asks that the citizens of Richwood to visit their polling locations and cast a vote of &yes& for the levy that the village has placed on the ballot.The levy is new, and will collect about forty cents for each $100 in tax valuation of homes in the village. If your home is valued by the auditor at $100,000, then your annual tax for this levy would be $141. Currently the only other levies the village has on property within its limits are for the park (generates about $13,900 a year) and two other operating fund levies that are two and four years old (generates about $74,000 per year). Mayor William L. NibertRichwood&&&&Former superintendent stresses need for levyDear Editor:I am urging support for the upcoming May 7 levy request being made by the Maysville School District.&Importantly, the levy request is a renewal levy so it will not increase any local taxes on property owners as it continues to generate the same local tax currently being collected.&But, more importantly, all residents should be aware that if the levy fails the community loses $644,145 per year of state assistance tied directly to the levy. If the levy is defeated, that yearly state money will be lost forever.& I urge you not to give this money back to the State of Ohio.&They have already taken enough from this community. Former Marysville Superintendent&&&&Design project could have more opportunitiesDear editor,Congrats to Zach Balch for mentoring eight young people into the world of innovation.Pretty hard these days to create a distraction from the idiot tube, cell phones, and ear buds.Doug TronSherwood Avenue&&&&Senior citizens support school levyDear editor,As we approach the May special election for the Marysville School District&s renewal only levy, we as senior citizens urge you and all other Marysville School District citizens to vote yes. Please remember&there will be no increase in taxes because this levy is a renewal. We want today&s students to continue to have the opportunities our &Excellent with Distinction& district has provided. We want to show our support for the teachers and staff who have worked so hard for our students and our community. If we don&t vote yes, our district will be forced to cut more programs, and that will be bad for students, bad for teachers an staff, and bad for our community. Mary Jane Crothers, London Avenue, and 10 senior citizen friends&&&&Community has rich history of school supportDear Editor,A yes vote for the school levy is a yes vote for the city of Marysville and the district. From the time Marysville began educating its youth in log cabins and the homes of its teachers to our beautiful schools we now possess, we, as a community have always taken responsibility for educating our children. Our past eerily echoes the present. Whether it was adding more teEric DemchakDeer Crossing Drive4/26/13Educators like Traucht are why levy is so imporantDear Editor:&I read with interest the front page article regarding Ellen Traucht, who is retiring from her position as Director of Special Education Services for Marysville Schools.&&As a parent who has had family members involved with Marysville&s special education department, I can say that Ellen will be sorely missed by the school district and everyone who is involved with a child who has a legally recognized disability. Fortunately, most peo
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