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Thursday, May 22, 2014
The Ralls County Herald-Enterprise • rallshe.com
VIEWS AND COMMENTS
Primary Election
From the Editor
August 5, 2014 RE-ELECT JENA L. EPPERSON
Democratic Candidate
by Editor Carolyn Trower As a result of my upbringing and years as a teacher I am a strong advocate for young people. I was always encouraged to pursue my dreams and was never talked down to or treated like my opinion didn’t matter just because I was a kid. I’m convinced that the times I “discussed” various issues with my parents led me to know that everyone has opinions; some based on fact, some on an emotional response. And those discussions taught me that I had to listen to others who had more experience than I did and had learned some lessons the hard way. I knew my parents wanted me to have it easier than they did. They wanted me to go to college and most of all, they wanted me to be happy. Like any other kid I listened, but I didn’t always follow through. I learned some lessons the hard way and I made plenty of mistakes. But I was always supported and encouraged and that made all the difference. As a teacher I loved the fast-flying exchanges of opinion and belief that resulted from reading “Hamlet,” “Lord of the
Flies,” a hundred poems and song lyrics, and our own creative writing attempts. Being able to hold forth with your thoughts and opinions, listening to others and sharing ideas was how you learned to think creatively and critically. I think this was a lesson well suited for real life experiences. That was why I so enjoyed spending the morning with New London and Center Elementary when they each held their first Leadership Day events. Both schools have adopted the “7 Habits of Happy kids” based on research by Dr. Stephen Covey. As one teacher said, “Kids always know what they’re supposed to do, now they know why.” The Leader in Me program gives each student the opportunity and resources to develop life-long habits of thinking before you act and making wise choices, looking for ways to work with each other, and maintaining a balance in your life. Today they balance homework with having fun. Later they’ll balance a work load with healthy choices of exercise and spending time with fam-
ily and friends. They learn how to make choices that include everyone and how to listen to each other respectfully. The goal is “to provide a leadership centered environment that honors the greatness in every child.” Even the youngest student can tell you how to achieve a win-win situation on the playground. Compromises can be made without anger and working together is usually the best solution to a problem. Accepting the why takes the sting out of consequences. Every student is empowered by daily interaction with both students and adults that builds tolerance and appreciation for others. As I have been in the past, I continue to have faith in our young people. Not every kid had the childhood I did, but programs like the 7 Habits can teach lessons that some young people don’t get at home. This is a vital part of educating our children and I applaud the teachers and administrators for believing in it. And I applaud our young ones for striving to be the very best they can be.
visited Capitol Hill offices during the conference to discuss a wide range of issues, including climate change, energy efficiency and other topics of importance to rural communities. Lynn Hodges, assistant manager of Ralls County Electric Cooperative in New London, was part of a 62-strong group of rural electric leaders from Mis-
BALL OF TWINE Governor Brownback and the Kansas legislature have been criticized for lowering taxes, and cutting services and funding
for the poor and education. That doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is they are committing fraud with a new televi-
Ralls County
Herald-Enterprise An Independent Newspaper Continuing the Tradition Of:
The Ralls County Record (1865) The Perry Enterprise (1888) The Center Herald (1904)
Published Every Thursday at New London, Missouri rche@tds.net •rallshe.com
Paid for by Jena L. Epperson
ELECT JOHN K. PALMER
LONG MAY SHE WAVE
souri who took part in the annual legislative rally. With Congress still in session, the timing of this year’s rally couldn’t have been better. “This was a critical time to be meeting with our elected officials. They need to hear our message that rural people can not take another hike in their electric bills,” said Barry Hart, executive vice president of the Associa-
Well, here we are, about to observe another Memorial Day. Legislators started their observance last Friday by recessing for the campaign trail. All those lunches with lobbyists are really exhausting. I lost count of how many days of their 131 day total legislative schedule Washington has devoted to constituents. There are many facets of government that, like interest on a bank loan, seem to have a life of their own and grind glacier-like across our lives. Commissions are noted for this, and many are empowered to exert their policies with little or no legislative supervision. Of course, in cases like the ongoing VA debacle, hearings are held and legislators strive to pile up enough carnage to hide their lack of oversight. (But you can only do so much in 131 days at work.) In FiveTimesFive comments this past week, sadly, all five gave a vote of no confidence to government in general; and Illinois government in particular. One federal commission (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – or FERC) stimulated local headlines recently: “Proposed electric line gets key federal approval.” While eye-catching, the headline failed to convey the full context of the FERC’s action. The approval is limited to permission to negotiate contracts with shipping and receiving customers. In short, it is a preliminary order allowing them (Clean Line) to negotiate, but it is not an order allowing them to operate. Undoubtedly, this news flash did excite a number of people who are still communicating with Missouri Public Service Commission staffers and Missouri legislators. Among
other issues, opponents want to stress in future PSC hearings and to state legislators are the threat of Clean Line being granted “eminent domain” and the power to force their project upon land owners, and answering questions such as why the easement is wide enough for two towers when only one line is being advertised and how many “hitch hikers” (fiber optic, pipeline, even high-speed rail) could the holder of the easement “piggyback” once the land is in their grasp? In this world where government and corporate business want our lives in a fishbowl, maybe it’s time the people got some answers and a voice. Isn’t that kinda the reason we celebrate Memorial Day to honor those who served to protect what colonials put their lives on the line to create? In the next few days there will be parades. There will be sales. They’ll lay a wreath at Arlington. There will be sales. VFW and American Legion posts will honor the fallen with a proud display of our nation’s colors. There will be sales. And, there will be many gatherings where families and friends can “peacefully assemble.” How you choose to celebrate Memorial Day is a right of your choosing, and that is exactly why, somewhere in the process, the reason we celebrate this day should spend some time in your conscious thought. For my own part, I plan to spend some quality with a B17 pilot who missed his 23rd birthday by two days; a sailor who was in Tokyo Bay for the surrender; and (most of all) an infantry Sgt. Who was part of Patton’s push to victory.
tion of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. Missouri’s delegation met with their respective U.S. representatives, including Sam Graves, Vicky Hartzler, Jason Smith, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Ann Wagner, both Sen. Roy Blunt
and Sen. Claire McCaskill, in addition to urban legislators Emanuel Cleaver and Lacy Clay. The cooperative leaders found strong support from the entire Missouri congressional leadership.
sion commercial urging people to visit Kansas for their vacation. In the commercial they show scenes of a Capitol dome, a field full of sunflowers, a herd of buffalo, and a rodeo. I spent four months at Fort Riley in the winter time and can assure you Kansas is the most miserable state in the Union. It was cold and the wind blew all the time. We finally got a pass to come home and when we crossed the state line the wind quit blowing. A few years ago, Laura and
I took the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff, Arizona. The train left Kansas City at midnight. When we woke up the next morning, we were in Colorado. Even Amtrak doesn’t torture their customers by showing them the state of Kansas. Actually, Kansas has two tourist attractions, the world’s largest hand dug well, and the world’s largest ball of twine. One time I was driving to Liberal in southwest Kansas to look at a mobile home park that was for sale. I kept seeing signs adver-
tising the world’s largest hand dug well. When I got to Greenburg I needed a break so I pulled in. When I found out they charged I headed on down the road. I would rather be seen driving a Japanese car than to pay for looking at a hole in the ground in Kansas. I later found out there are several hand dug wells that are larger in both Italy and Greece. I will concede one thing, they do have the world’s largest ball of twine. It is located in Cawker City. There is enough twine in the ball
Missouri’s rural electric leaders attend national association legislative conference
Making sure that electric bills are affordable to consumers across the nation was the focus of the nearly 3,000 electric cooperative leaders who descended on Washington, D.C., May 4-6 for a legislative conference sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Representatives from the 900-plus electric cooperatives nationwide
Ralls County Treasurer
Senior Editor - David Eales Editor - Carolyn Trower Advertising Manager - Nancy Pipkin Periodicals Postage Paid at New London, Mo. Send address changes to: Ralls County Herald Enterprise, P.O. Box 426, New London, MO 63459
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Paid for by John K. Palmer
RE-ELECT GINA JAMESON
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Circuit Clerk and Ex-Officio Recorder of Deeds Paid for by Gina Jameson
ELECT WILEY HIBBARD
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Presiding Commissioner
Paid for by Ralls County Citizens to elect Wiley Hibbard. Ann Miller, Treasurer; Bob Poage, Chairman
RE-ELECT ROBERT L. SEE Republican Candidate
Ralls County Presiding Commissioner
Paid for by committee to elect Bob See; Jim Ross, Treasurer
ELECT PANSY KOLB Republican Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Paid for by Pansy Kolb
ELECT SANDRA (SANDY) LANIER
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Clerk
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Sandra Lanier, Susan Lane Treasurer
RE-ELECT CONNIE BERRY
Democratic Candidate
Ralls County Collector
Paid for by Connie Berry
To advertise on this page contact
Ralls County Herald Enterprise
Ad Manager Nancy Pipkin Contact Nancy by email at nancypipkin@ rallshe.com or call her at 573-985-3420 to reach 1,510 miles. The people in Kansas who can’t afford to vacation at the Lake of the Ozarks or Branson go up to Cawker city and add a few more miles to the twine ball every year. The next time I see the commercial, if I don’t throw up first, I am going to turn off the television. Jack can be reached at PO Box 40, Oak Grove, MO 64075 or jackremembers@aol.com. Visit www. jackremembers.com.
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