CHEERS
... to Louisville-based UPS employees who volunteered Thursday to help paint and do cleanup chores for Bliss House, Too, in Jeffersonville, which helps women recovering from addictions.
UPS has racked up about 250,000 volunteer hours in the area, according to Dan Thomas, employee relations manager.
— Editor Shea Van Hoy
CHEERS
... to plans to consolidate and, seemingly, simplify the Clark County courts system.
At present, there are three Superior courts and Circuit Court, a distinction that probably doesn’t mean much of anything, other than to judges and lawyers. State laws for what case goes where are vague and the system can led to confusion for those going through the legal process.
The new system would put the judges of those four courts under one Circuit Court system — with one of the judges acting as an administrator on a rotating basis.
At some point, the court would look to hire a full-time administrator to allow all four judges to be on the bench full-time, if funding is available for that hire.
Often, the simple solutions are the best ones.
— Editor Shea Van Hoy
CHEERS
... to a bill which has cleared committee at the Statehouse banning texting while driving.
The legislation, written by state Rep. Joseph Pearson, D-Hartford City, would bring class C infraction punishment and an up to $500 for those caught texting behind the wheel. Indiana would join 19 states that already ban such dangerous activity.
I’ll admit it. I’ve texted while driving more than once, but am happy to report that lessened when I got my new phone — which requires two hands to text, really.
I think the bill would make me stop completely, and even though it could be difficult to enforce, that’s the hope of legislators in support of the bill.
The bill moves on for full House consideration.
— Editor Shea Van Hoy
CHEERS
... to Ford Motor Co. — a company which employs man Hoosiers at its two Louisville plants — for posting a $2.7 billion profit in 2009, its first since 2005.
Ford — and to a lesser extent, GM — seem to be getting it right, finally. I covered the auto industry at my first newspaper, the Kokomo Tribune, the early 2000s, a time when the Big Three were getting lapped by Japanese automakers.
The past few years are the first in a long time that U.S. automakers are churning out a number of cars people want to drive. Ford has revamped its car line and pushed fuel-efficiency and technology; GM scored with the revamped Malibu and more fuel-efficient sport utility vehicles, as well as the well-priced Camaro.
In my opinion, it’s that simple — make good vehicles and the rest will take care of itself. That practice is what has made Honda so good for so long.
— Editor Shea Van Hoy
READER CHEERS
... to Bob Manor and his crew at Jeffersonville Parks Department for clearing the snow and ice from the Red Cross parking lot this month. Our staff, volunteers, clients and visitors appreciated it very much.
Thanks for keeping us safe!
— Phyllis Wilkins, executive director,
American Red Cross, Clark County Chapter, Jeffersonville
READER JEERS
... to the jerks who insist on trying to turn left into Meijer in Jeffersonville off Allison Lane before they get to the very nice stoplight with a turning arrow designated just for them.
Just about every day during the afternoon rush hour there is gridlock on 10th Street as we try to make the right-hand turn onto Allison Lane.
Between the volume of traffic, Thornton’s, Meijer, Kohl’s, Kroger, two drugstores, McDonald’s and several banks, this stretch of Jeffersonville is a nightmare. Now, we are going to add a chicken restaurant to this mess.
Please help by going to the light and using what little help we have in this area to get home safe and sane.
— Phyllis Kreutz, Jeffersonville
Do you have someone or something to cheer or jeer? Submissions should be sent to Editor Shea Van Hoy at shea.vanhoy@newsandtribune.com or by mail at 221 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 47130.
