Opinion

PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin — Peabody, Kansas

Take a lesson from Middle East

We, Americans, tend to take many of our freedoms for granted — the ability to come and go as we please; traveling from one city, state, and even country to another, and the freedom to choose jobs we want to work, where we live, and those we want to elect to public offices.

How many elections have there been in Marion County and hardly anyone voted? How about those times when there were no candidates to fill positions.

We think, “Oh, well. That’s just the way it is.”

There are no elections in the county right now but I was reminded of our apathy while reading and watching national news coverage of elections in Afghanistan.

There are people in that country who are willing to die for the right to choose their councilmen and president.

Would we be willing to do the same?

I would be willing to bet that most Marion County voters are 60 years old and older. What’s going to happen when those people no longer are able to vote? Will there be anyone participating?

Some younger people vote in every election. Good for them. But there are more who do not. Many have never voted and they are in their 30s and 40s.

What’s going to happen when few show up to vote and few care about what’s going on with our lawmakers?

Unfortunately, unwelcome changes could be made on state and national levels because we don’t care enough to pay attention. We could end up living in a country similar to Afghanistan — with few rights.

This can’t happen to us, can it? I sincerely hope not but we have to be diligent in staying aware of legislators and decision makers. Electing competent people to serve on every level of government is the first step.

Don’t worry. I’ll remind you again to get involved and vote when election time rolls around.

— susan berg

days of yore

from our archives

By MARILYN JONES

Compiled from past issues

10 years ago

1999

Benny Nellans, 1999 graduate of Peabody Burns High School and former student in the Hutchinson Community College Area Vocational School Welding program in Newton, placed fifth in the welding competition at the 1998-99 National Leadership and Skills conference.

There will be a celebration of Mildred Windsor’s 90th birthday from 2 to 3 p.m. in the activity room of Peabody Community Living Center on Saturday, Oct. 2.

Ralph Ewert will be 90 years old on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 1999.

25 years ago

1984

On Aug. 20 at 6:30 a.m. Marc Hughes was driving his 1976 Honda car five miles west and 2 ½ miles south of Peabody when he noticed a fire in the back seat. All the windows were down and the whole back end was on fire. Hughes got his toolbox out but the car was a total loss, according to June Jost, sheriff.

A super auction of unusual quality and dimension claimed the attention of Peabody folks and out-of-town buyers all day Saturday. The many and varied possessions of Mrs. Lucy Clausen were displayed through most of the 500 block on Walnut Street and some 270 bidders were present to claim the array of antiques, collectibles, house furnishings, period clothing, kitchen ware, clothes, magazines, and other items.

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Levy and children, Toby, Amie, and Will, returned home Sunday evening after their trip to Texas.

50 years ago

1959

Mrs. Harry Scrivner was taken to Axtell Hospital at Newton Saturday after receiving a severe cut on her foot when a hay loader fell. The cut penetrated the bone but missed the tendons and 17 stitches were taken to close the wound.

For the umpteenth time in recent years, the location of the bus depot has apparently been shifted, although the bus company has made no mention of the change. Two buses a day will stop at the Peabody Hotel, the eastbound at 11:10 a.m. and the westbound at 1:43p.m. Three buses still stop at Frank’s Skelly Service station on flag stops. They are at 5:30 a.m. and 11:11 p.m. and another at 4:10 p.m.

Thomas M. Potter, Kansas state director of the Farm Home Administration, was named the president of the Great Plains Agricultural Council at the July 29 meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

100 years ago

1909

Arthur Herbert purchased a Reo automobile from Davison & Company this week. There are now more Reos here than any other three makes.

Dorothy Bauslin returned on Monday from Denver where she had visited the family of her uncle, W.M. Irwin.

E. A. Walden and Miss Bertha and C.M. Nusbaum and wife started Monday on an auto trip to Colorado Springs.

125 years ago

1884

Lucien Hoyt, George Amborn, Harry and Charyl Christ were in Newton last Saturday.

F.H. Kollock is down near the state border this week, at Medicine Lodge and Sun City.

Jas N. Gaines has returned to sunny Kansas and is seen on our streets again.

Little blue soldiers

The city sanitation squad has issued a new rule. Trash poly carts are to be placed in the gutter adjacent to the curb or at the edge of the pavement on those streets that have no curb and guttering. This is just on trash pickup day, of course. They would be a real nuisance hanging out in the street the other six days of the week.

I think there was a notice in the latest water bill that informed all of us about the change in poly cart positions. The reason for the change is to try to keep the heavy trash trucks from pulling next to the curb or the side of the street to pick up containers and dump them. By pulling into the same area every week, the asphalt near the trash cart breaks and then water seeps in, weakening the street surface further. Bingo — Potholes ‘R’ Us!

The arm on the trash truck that lifts poly carts has an 8-foot reach on both sides of the truck. If it can stay in the middle of the street, it still can reach trash carts and empty them, as long as residents remember to place them in the gutter with the wheels next to the curb, or just at the edge of the street where there is no curb and gutter. City council is hoping this simple measure will preserve the integrity of the pavement.

An alternative is a smaller, lighter trash truck that would have to make more trips to the transfer station, increasing the cost of operations. And just take a guess who would have to absorb the cost of an increase? Right, thee and me.

So, this is a no-brainer. Instead of leaving poly carts on lawns or in driveways, as we have all done for the past 10 years or so, snuggle them up against the curb. Make them look like little blue soldiers, from one end of your avenue to the other. Maybe we can save some money and skip another fee increase.

What do you think of that?

— Susan Marshall

Letters

to the editor

Handling thieves in the good ole days

To the editor:

I’m sitting here, pondering this jail issue. I’m 85 years old and probably don’t have many more years to go.

I like to remember the old days when I was about 10 years old.

There wasn’t much to buy. We raised our own food on the farm. We had a lot of rough days but you know what? Our daddy got us go to Sunday school every Sunday and church.

The only thieves I can remember were at night. We would be awakened by barking dogs and squawking chickens. Someone might be stealing a sack of roasting ears from our cornfield or a few hens from the hen house.

Dad got up, grabbed his old shotgun, aimed it above the field, and fired it. We could see dust fly and car lights go on. It was a race to town.

Wow. What excitement to talk the next day. We knew every one of them. The next Sunday, they would be singing in the choir.

Dads and moms, take your young children to church to learn what God says about stealing.

Bea Klein
Marion

To the editor:

Last week’s edition of the Marion County Record had a letter from Marion County Farm Bureau Board of Directors to the cities of Hillsboro and Marion requesting that they drop out of a class-action lawsuit against the makers of atrazine.

The health problems associated with atrazine have been known and publicized since the 1990s.

I wrote letters in this paper about the presence of atrazine in Marion Reservoir more than 10 years ago.

Atrazine should have been banned years ago, but the powerful industrial agribusiness interests lobbied hard to stop any efforts in protecting human health.

Research indicates the consumption of endocrine disruptors in low levels via drinking water may contribute to an increase in birth defects and human reproductive problems.

On a June 2007 EPA Draft List of Chemicals in the EPA Endocrine Disrupter Screening Program the chemical name atrazine appears as No. 8 on a list of 73 chemicals.

The Farm Bureau letter refers to best management practices (BMPs) recommended to reduce atrazine runoff. In the Kansas State University Extension paper “Atrazine Herbicide Best Management Practices for the Little Arkansas River Watershed” the No. 1 BMP is to “incorporate atrazine into the top two inches of soil.”

This begs the question of how to accomplish the two-inch soil incorporation in a no-till farming operation.

The publication referred to is available at www.oznet.ksu.edu.

The Farm Bureau letter also states the potential loss of atrazine as a production tool would result in a loss of profitability and efficiency for farming operations.

Steve Baccus, President of Kansas Farm Bureau, was the No. 1 recipient of USDA Farm Subsidy payments in Ottawa County, receiving $908,700 in payments from 1995 to 2006; $826,453 was in the form of commodity subsidies (information source: www.ewg.org).

I am going to assume, for the sake of argument, that he uses atrazine in his farming operation. If the atrazine is such a vital part of profitability, then why was there a need for $80,000 per year in government funding to supplement farm income?

I think the answer lies in the fact that no matter how effective the chemical inputs, the profitability lies in the market price for commodities within the supply/demand dynamic dictated by the fundamentals of capitalism.

The bureau would better serve its membership by working hard to obtain market prices that reflect a decent margin for farmers.

The true beneficiaries of U.S. Department of Agriculture farm programs are Cargill and ADM, which process large quantities of wheat, soybeans, and corn bought at less-than-production cost prices that produce very good profit margins for their shareholders.

Our system of government allows for redress of issues in a court of law. While flawed, it is a system that is vital in protecting our rights.

It is completely within the rights of Hillsboro and Marion to enter into a lawsuit and have the question reviewed before a judge and jury. To bow to pressure from a group based on political or economic pressure would be an insult to democracy.

Harry E. Bennett
Marion

August 26, 2009 — Page 2

PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

USPS 424-280

Published weekly, every Wednesday, by Hoch Publishing Co. Inc. Periodical postage is paid at Peabody, KS. Circulation records are available for review by postal officials at Hoch Publishing, 117 S. 3rd St., Marion, KS. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to P.O. Box 278, Marion, KS 66861-0278.

© 2009, Hoch Publishing Co. Inc.