SELLERSBURG — Ninth District Rep. Baron Hill, D-Seymour, met with local residents at Jay-C Food Store in Sellersburg Saturday morning. His message was that Congress has passed key bills to lower gas prices and make America less dependent on foreign oil.
“Immediate relief requires re-regulating the economics market,” he said. “If you base the price of gas or barrel of oil on supply and demand, speculators on the commodities market are buying futures and artificially driving up the price, but we’re paying for it. So re-regulating the commodities market can be a short-term solution.”
Longterm solutions, Hill said, were “to wean” America off foreign oil.
“We have to move away from corn, because that’s driving up the corn prices. We need to look at prairie vegetation and other alternatives for fuel.”
As Hill stood near the checkout lanes at the main doors greeting customers, a few people stopped to ask him questions.
One man expressed concern over the cost of his health insurance as he had recently been prescribed a medication costing more than $500 a month.
Another man, a local trucker, expressed concern over the rising cost of diesel fuel and its affect on both truckers and farmers.
“I’m not making enough to pay the bills,” the trucker, John Adams of Sellersburg, said. “This time last year, I was driving six days a week for 10-12 hours, now I’m lucky to work for five days.”
Hill surmised that diesel prices were tied to gas prices and promised to look into the issue.
Adams brought up the Iraq War, asking Hill why he felt the troops needed to be brought home.
“I talked to a woman whose son is over there. She said they’re rationing water and food,” Hill said.
Adams countered that he had a nephew there and that soldiers had signed on with the military knowing there would be sacrifices. Hill responded again that the troops needed to come home, and Adams said that removal of the troops would allow Iran and Syria to invade creating a larger mess than prior to the war. Hill said he disagreed and indicated the discussion was over and Adams left.
One woman expressed her concern that there was too much focus on gas prices and not enough focus on healthcare issues. She noted that people were “so reliant on the government” and compared to other countries did not have a concept of poverty.”
Hill had noted earlier that he was hearing a lot of “angst” as he met with residents in the district, with people expressing frustration over higher taxes and property taxes as well as gas prices. He said the measures Congress was currently taking could “possibly” bring relief before the end of the year.
Ivy Tech’s Southern Indiana Executive Director of Development, Andrew Takami, greeted Hill.
Hill said Ivy Tech was instrumental in helping create a skilled workforce for the growing life sciences industry in the state.
“Life sciences is key to business development,” he said. “I was in Bloomington, meeting with college professors who are involved in growing life sciences and building a laboratory-incubator facility. There’s a lot of people who are starting companies, trying to start research, but who cannot afford the cost, the investment into a lab. A university laboratory would allow them to have a facility available at a low cost.”
Hill said bio companies were springing up around the state with the exception of the Southern Indiana area, and he hoped to promote the growth of that industry in his talks with local government officials.
A woman approached Hill to discuss domestic violence laws and Hill took her information to follow up with her inquiry.
Her children provided some comic relief, when she apologized for her 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son looking “a little like rug-rats.” Her son denied they were rug-rats and her daughter eyed Hill and proclaimed him a “rug-rat.”
Hill and the girl jokingly bantered the word back and forth before mom stepped in to end the debate and encouraged her daughter to apologize.
Clark County
Hill talks gas prices, relief
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Half of Jeffersonville Fire Department overtime budget already gone
During the closing moments of the meeting Councilman Matt Owen said he was shocked by Mayor Moore’s plans and comments pertaining to two Jeffersonville Parks and Recreation Department matters reported in the News and Tribune during the last week.
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Charlestown resident makes appeal for filtration plant
“I understand that manganese is a secondary contaminant and it’s not something that’s necessarily harmful to health,” Burchett said. “I would much prefer that the water that comes into my home have as little manganese in it as possible, as well as anything else. I just want water.”
Continued ... - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 7, 2012
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Student sues to wear breast cancer bracelet
An Indiana eighth-grader sued his school district in federal court Monday for the right to wear a bracelet promoting breast cancer awareness with the message “I (heart) Boobies.”
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Elderly man robbed outside Jeffersonville bank
The man returned to his car and sat down to close the car door when Williams grabbed the door and reached inside the vehicle, Hollis said.
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A fair fee? Indiana imposing fees for 4-H participants for the first time
Allen said his hope is the fee being charged by the state and the county will be enough to cover costs and that 4-H members will not be asked to cover any more expenses.
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“They have never had to pay a program fee,” Allen said. - News and Tribune briefs for Feb. 6, 2012
- Feb 5, 2012
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CAPITOL CROSSROADS: Bauer tactics unite, divide outnumbered Dems
Democrats like Rep. Peggy Welch, who was drawn into a more Republican district last year, refused to boycott with Bauer.
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Greater Clark begins Fitness Calendar Challenge
Teresa Stengel, health services coordinator, said if other family members get involved with students, children might be more likely to continue with exercise routines and watching their diets.
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Man struck, killed on I-65
The preliminary investigation shows Jones was struck by a northbound Chevrolet Penske rental van driven by Patrick Shroering, 26, of Mount Washington, Ky.
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