> SOUTHERN INDIANA — Return Thunder to the way it was



When the Thunder Over Louisville celebration first started, it was a community event. There were families with kids in strollers, grandparents with their lawn chairs and just an all around good time.

Now that we have discovered that areas can be fenced off and admission can be charged, the families have been pushed back. This has caused many to either stop coming or finding other venues.

It is a shame that our desire to make a buck has allowed us to completely change the Southern Indiana festive atmosphere. I believe that the fencing and the removal of the speakers has greatly lessened the pleasure to the hot-dog-eating, souvenir-buying, cash-spending public. The music, in my opinion, is a large part of the enjoyment. The people that buy the tickets to the restricted areas do not spend money with the local vendors. Their tickets, on some occasions, are the only money they spend. This lessens the amount the city collects from sales.

If the city were to decrease the fenced areas and return the speakers, the full enjoyment could be experienced by all. The fees that the city is hopefully charging to permit a fence to block a public sidewalk could be increased to cover the cost of the speakers. The restaurants could increase the price for their tickets to cover the increased fees, thus involving the attendees to defray the costs.

I believe that it is time to return the Southern Indiana Thunder celebration to the public.

— R. Lynn Biggers, Southern Indiana resident, 19-year attendee



Reader calls for vote for Winningham



The current representation for the 9th Congressional District is not in keeping with the strong leadership that our residents have enjoyed for most of the past 40 plus years. We need to take the first step toward restoring that leadership. That first step is nominating Robert Winningham as the Democratic candidate to represent the 9th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

I have known Robert personally and professionally for a number of years. I can assure everyone that he will do everything to see that the people and the interests of the 9th  District are fairly represented. During this short campaign, he has reached out to educators, employers and employee groups to better understand concerns on all sides of many issues. Through his experience in creating jobs, Robert understands it is not just jobs that are needed, but well-paying jobs and careers. Through his experience in coaching, Robert has come in contact with many young adults and understands the roadblocks and challenges they face in trying to secure the education and training to get these jobs and careers of the future.

Winningham is the most viable Democratic candidate in this election. We need to elect a person who will move this office from the current obstructionist position to one of consensus building and Robert is that person. I am giving Winningham my full support in the Democratic primary on May 8. Then, in the fall, we can return our district back to the time when it was one of the most revered in the United States.

— Steven Bonifer, New Albany



A look at Lugar’s voting record



When going to the polls on Tuesday, May 8, please remember that Sen. Dick Lugar voted to:

• Support a host of anti-gun legislation including a concealed weapons ban;

• Support raiding the social security trust fund to fund general budget appropriations;

• Support the “Bridge to Nowhere”;

• Support adding $52 billion in new spending to Barack Obama’s stimulus bill;

• Support TARP;

• Support giving the IMF more money;

• Support the tax credit and tariff on ethanol;

• Support increased foreign aid spending;

• Support an expansion of highway spending that would bankrupt the Highway Trust Fund;

• Support increasing the loan limit to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac;

• Oppose school choice for victims of Hurricane Katrina;

• Oppose $13 billion in new mandatory spending cuts; and

• Oppose a one year earmark moratorium

The above information was taken from “A Voter’s Guide to Dick Lugar,” which lists all of the votes referenced. This voter’s guide was published by Freedom Works for America.

— Teresa J. Ballew, Clarksville