Great community
To the Editor:
My wife and I retired and moved to Madison two years ago from Cincinnati. This past Saturday my daughter and her husband came to visit us.
We had tickets to see “Ladies of Liberty” and got to Vevay early so we could have dinner at Shell’s before the show. We have to make frequent trips back to Cincinnati and always make it a point to stop at Shell’s when we go through Vevay. The food and service is always excellent.
But, “Ladies of Liberty” made this an especially enjoyable night. What a great evening. The show itself was fabulous, and being in a theater filled with patriotic folks made it even more inspirational. We would like to thank the people responsible for putting on this event, and look forward to future visits to Vevay.
Bud and Bea Callaway
Madison
Misinformation
To the Editor:
I would like to take this means to reply to the letter to the editor concerning a new truck for the Switzerland County Health Department.
We traveled to Walmart in Madison to purchase 25 child car seats which we distribute to the parents of children who don’t have the means to purchase them for children’s safety. Our truck is a small vehicle with a cover for hauling equipment and supplies for our county sanitarian. We had access to a larger truck and had to pay mileage to pick up the merchandise. When we returned to the office, an informal conversation among only health department “employees” discussed the purchase of a larger truck for our department.
I am surmising Mr. Saul has received some misinformation concerning this situation. I would like to request Mr. Saul to come to the Health Department and speak with me, as I was the one to bring up the topic.
Betty Lucas, Administrator
Switzerland County Health Department
4-H rules
Dear Editor:
To my 4-H Family:
This was the letter I read at the November 16th 4-H board meeting about the new rule on grooming. The rule passed and will be added to the green handbook. 4-H as you know is a wonderful program, a traditional organization in a world that is becoming sadly less and less traditional. I would be gravely devastated that by asking the community to help me persuade the fair board against or for an issue would discourage any family or individual to give this program a try. I feel it is important that the general public knows that though we may not agree on what plays to make at what time we all still play on the very same team. Even though the board will not waiver on this issue now does not mean they will not tomorrow, meaning please don’t give up because I won’t either.
*
Dear Fair Board:
I would like to, once again, visit the new rule proposed by the rules committee that regulates who may groom a 4-H’ers show animal. Please consider the following points:
1. Not all 4-H’ers have the knowledge, finances or support of their families to have the proper tools, shampoos or adhesives to properly groom their animals at the fair before entering the arena. As a leader this rule prohibits me from stepping in at the last minute to help a 4-H’er finish their animal.
2. Vocational teaching is an effective form of education and with this rule in place it will hold back leaders from taking the opportunity during fair week to spontaneously act on that opportunity.
3. Not adding leaders to the list sends a message that leaders are in some way an unacceptable resource for youth to use for learning during fair week.
4. Restricting leaders and neighbors from sharing their knowledge and supplies will also restrict 4-H’ers from trying new projects, which directly contradicts our motto, “To Make Your Best Better.” If a child perceives that a project looks too hard or expensive that child will most likely not take that project, thus missing the opportunity to expand their knowledge and experience. However, if a child visually sees that there is open support available during fair week it opens the door of possibility.
5. Current 4-H’ers are often times busy with their own animal projects to share and it is their moment to shine also, so by not allowing the 4-H’ers who graduate out of this program and return during fair week to share their wisdom (hands-on) is a disservice to the entire community. This rule excludes the community instead of draw them back to the program.
Three questions I would now appreciate the board to answer for me are:
1. If eliminating the rule is out of the question would you at least consider adding leaders to the list?
2. What on earth happened during fair week that even made you consider this a good idea?
3. Is t here even one out of 21 of you who can see from the perspective that this is a bias and unfair rule and won’t you please try to stop it from being added to our handbook?
Thank you for your time.
Trina Hart
Pleasant
Indiana job creators?
To the Editor:
I recently read the following article in the Gallatin County News November 9th edition and wanted to share it with readers.
*
An Indiana based company is considering building a $470 million biomass fuel production plant in Gallatin County, according to a report in Business First, a Louisville newspaper.
Nature’s Fuel Gallatin LLC, a subsidiary of Fort Wayne, Ind.-based Nature’s fuel, has received preliminary approval for up to $35 million in tax incentives from t he Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA).
According to documents submitted to the KEDFA board, the company would build a facility on 115 acres off U.S. 4 2 in western Gallatin County. It would employ about 280 people with an average hourly wage of $20.47.
Naure’s Fuel would use the facility to convert wood waste, construction waste, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and manure into renewable bio-crude oil.
“We don’t know all the details yet but this could potentially be a great shot in the arm for our country,” said Gallatin County Judge/executive Ken McFarland. “I have met with company and state officials and it looks good but there are many details we need to look at.”
The company would use only about 30 to 40 acres of the property for the facility, said J. Don Goodin, direct loan programs director for the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. The remainder would be used as a buffer because of odors that will be generated at the plant.
Nature’s Fuel anticipates the plant would produce 77.5 million gallons of bio-oil once the plant is fully operational, according to the documents.
The company applied for a state tax break under the Incentives for Energy Independence Act, which provides incentives for up to 25 years for eligible projects. It has not yet asked for any tax incentives from Gallatin County.
According to the KEDFA documents, “the Energy and Environmental Cabinet and the (University of Kentucky) Center of Applied Energy Research has determined the project meets the conditions outlined in the state statute.”
The documents also said company officials had indicated they had alternative locations for the project but chose Gallatin County because of the state tax breaks.
In 2006, Nature’s Fuel built a fuel facility in Atwood, Ind., that went into full production in 2009 and can produce more than 14,000 gallons of bio-oil every 24 hours, according to the KEDFA documents. The company has decided to relocate that facility to Michigan because of its proximity to a residential neighborhood.
The company also has begun construction of a facility to process municipal solid waste at a landfill in Huntington, Ind., the documents said.
*
What’s up with Indiana job creators?
Why have the last seven new factories been built in Gallatin and Carroll counties and almost zero here?
All these places in Kentucky pay livable wages and employee many.
Bob Schneider
Florence