Reader questions health care letter



This letter is in response to Ken Easterday’s letter to the editor in the Sept. 2 edition of The Evening News about Rep. Baron Hill’s health care forum. Mr. Easterday must have attended a different forum than the one my wife and I attended.

1. If the meeting was by invitation-only, how did all of those anti-people get in there? I’m sure those that booed and jeered when Rep. Hill was introduced were not the “pro-health care group of federal workers.” It was embarrassing that the Indiana University Southeast representative who introduced Rep. Hill had to quiet — at least — half of the crowd that showed how classy they were by exercising their constitutional right to be rude.

2. Rep. Hill did not call people “violent.” He did express his hope that the meeting would not turn into a Jerry Springer-type event, which was heeded by some of the less vitriolic anti-reform citizens, by no means all of them.

3. As far as I know, the only person that was dealt with by the police was an “anti” in the crowd who was loud and abusive in the courtyard outside of the hall.

4. This is my personal favorite. I loved how those “everyday good Hoosiers” booed and hooted at the mention of Sen. Ted Kennedy by Rep. Hill. The guy is barely cold in his grave. Does the word respect have any meaning at all to those “everyday good Hoosiers?”

Anyway, I’m glad Mr. Easterday enjoyed his meeting, because he couldn’t have been at the one I attended.

— Edward T. Muller, Jeffersonville





Reader wants county to go green



I support Jeffersonville City Councilman Keith Fetz’s ideas for the greening of the city; of course, this writer believes the greening of Clark County would be even better.

With a countywide effort, codes could be written for more energy efficient homes, porous asphalt for parking lots, green roofs, community gardens and much more. Even with a citywide effort a lot can be done, as was noted in a recent column in The Evening News.

Right off the bat, I can think of one idea that would be a big help to the city the next time a storm stalls over the area. Areas such as the vacant lot across from Walgreens on 10th and Spring Streets could be turned into a small park with topsoil, grass, a few trees — thousand of gallons of water would have stayed out of the sewers, and would have stayed out of the streets.

Just think, the taxes from Andy Hampton’s flooded and now closed business would have paid for topsoil, trees and grass! This reader believes the city needs to look at all vacant areas and see how the land could be utilized — until someone develops said land.

Vacant areas could also be turned into community gardens. There are always areas near freeway exits that could be turned into attractive gardens. What a visual effect Jeffersonville would present to people arriving in this city.

Imagine it’s a two-for — a greening of Jeffersonville, and an attractive entrance at the same time.

Bike paths and lanes, improved recycling, less business with drive-through windows that cause parking lots full of vehicles parked and polluting — these are all idea-starters.

I’m sure other readers could add to the list — enough ideas to keep Keith Fetz busy for the next 15 years.

— Steven Fetter, Jeffersonville