Front Page

Volume 140, Number 7 Thursday, February 18, 2021 Published Weekly in Danville, Indiana

A Little Holiday Decor, Please

The Republican’s office got an early Valentine treat from Miss Madeline Gulley last week. She thought some decorations were in order, so with color markers and sticky notes in hand, she mades some hearts to adorn one of our plants. This just might become a February tradition.

LawsonSteps Down

Indiana’s longest-serving Secretary of State, Connie Lawson, announced that she is stepping down after a 32-year career in public service.

The Hendricks County native’s career began here in 1989 when she was elected County Clerk.

In 1996, she was elected to the State Senate. In 2006, she was the first woman selected as Senate

Majority Floor Leader.

CONNIE LAWSON

She was appointed Secretary of State by Governor Mitch Daniels on March 2012, to complete the term of Charlie White, elected in 2010, after he was removed from office after being convicted of voter fraud, theft and perjury. She successfully ran for re-election in 2014 and 2018.

As Indiana’s chief elections officer, she focused on ensuring the integrity and security of elections. She championed sweeping election reforms and led the effort to clean Indiana’s voter rolls. Thanks to her efforts, all Indiana counties now have access to cybersecurity tools to protect elections.

Secretary Lawson educated Hoosiers about smart money decisions and fought for stringent penalties for white collar criminals. She directed substantial innovation and cutting edge technology to improve how businesses interact with government by through the State’s business onestop portal, INBiz.

As a public servant, Lawson has been a true inspiration to women in government, an agent of change for Indiana counties and a determined advocate for the prevention of diseases that would rob us of our loved ones. In addition to her public work, she and her husband Jack own Lawson & Company, an auctioneer and real estate company.

“I have dedicated the last 32 years of my life to public service,” said Secretary Lawson. “I have served with all of my heart and soul. It has been an honor to serve, but it is time for me to step down.

“Like many Hoosiers, 2020 took a toll on me. I am resigning so I can focus on my health and my family. I will work with Governor Holcomb to ensure our next Secretary of State is up to the task and has the tools and resources to hit the ground running.”

Governor Eric J. Holcomb issued statement on Lawson’s announcement:

“Indiana’s own Iron Lady, Secretary of State Connie Lawson, has long defined what true public service and leadership is and ought to be all about. Throughout her time in county, legislative and statewide office, she set the standard for commitment, composure, class and credibility.

“A trailblazer, holder of state records, even serving alongside three Governors as Secretary of State, through it all, Connie has remained universally respected by veterans and the next generation alike.

“I’ll forever count myself fortunate and proud to say, ‘I served with Connie Lawson. And, while she’ll no longer be just down the hall from my Statehouse office, I know that she will continue to be a trusted advisor and great friend.

LINK Public Transit Service

LINK Hendricks County provides public transit service to persons of any age (including wheelchair transport, portable oxygen, attendants, and service animals). Services are available to anyone needing a ride within Hendricks County. Those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. If your child falls under the Indiana Child Seat Law you must provide a state approved car seat.

LINK service is scheduled on a first come, first served basis, so riders are encouraged to call as soon as possible, up to three (3) months in advance.

Curb to curb transportation is available Monday through Friday, during the hours of 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Service is not available on holidaysor when inclement weather prohibits safe boarding and/or travel.

This is a fee-based service, $6 round trip within a town; $8 round trip within the county. The service is scheduled by calling LINK at 317-718-4474 and requesting LINK transportation.

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Virtual Chair Yoga with Jan

Hendricks Countu Senior services offers Virtual Chair Yoga with Jan Dorsey, Mondays and Wednesdays at 11 a.m., at the HCSS Facebook page.

Chair Yoga is a general term for practices that modify yoga poses so that they can be done while seated in a chair. These modifications make yoga accessible to people who cannot stand or lack the mobility to move easily from standing to seated to supine positions.

While seated on chairs, participants can do versions of twists, hip stretches, forward bends, and mild backbends. In addition to a good stretch, chair yoga participants can also enjoy other health benefits of yoga, including improved muscle tone, better breathing habits, reduction of stress, better sleep, and a sense of well-being.

This class is taught by Jan Dorsey, a Yoga Alliance Certified Instructor.

The highest reward for a person’s toil is not what they get for it, but what they become by it.

John Ruskin

Delivery Problems

We have been getting calls from subscribers about problems with the delivery of their newspaper. Some have been receiving them later than usual or not at all.

The papers for Danville, Avon and out-of-county subscribers are taken to the Danville post office on Wednesday. The papers to be delivered to all other Hendricks County towns are taken to those individual post offices the same day. The out-of-county papers go to Indianapolis, then on their way to their destination, which usually adds days to the delivery time.

On its website, the U.S. Postal Service has posted that it is “experiencing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19.”

Please let us know if you don’t get your paper on the usual day so we can try to find out where the problem is.

In-Home Care

While some activities at the Senior Center are suspended due to COVID-19, there other in-home service programs that can assist helping seniors stay in their homes as long as possible.

There are three levels of in-home care provided:

Respite Services: Hendricks County Senior Services can provide a caring attendant in the home while the caregiver is away. Assistants provide companionship, supervision for safety, support with bathing, dressing, and grooming, mobility assistance, escort to medical appointments, medication reminders, food preparation, light housekeeping tasks, and laundry services. A limited number of grants are available to help caregivers who are unable to afford respite care.

Attendant Services: Caring and professional attendants provide assistance and supportive services that

include: companionship and planning of daily activities of living; supervision for safety; transportation to medical appointments; assistance with bathing, grooming and dressing; medications reminders; nutrition assistance with meal planning and food preparation; light housekeeping tasks and laundry services.

Homemaker Services: Homemaker Attendants provide basic, light housekeeping; laundry and change of bedding; assistance with meal planning, food preparation and grocery shopping.

Respite, Attendant, and Homemaker services are provided for a fee. The agency accepts Medicaid Waiver. For more information and to discuss rates, call the agency at 317-745- 4303.

Reminder: It’s Wintertime

In case it had slipped anyone’s mind, Winter brought a reminder. A two-day snowfall, from 6-10 inches, made a definite change in the scenery. On Danville’s Court House Square, mini-mountains snow appeared on the corners of the intersections, the results of DPW’s street plowing. County offices were closed Tuesday because of the hazardous conditions ______________________________________________

Join Vandalia Trail Brisk Bike Rides At Plainfield

In its third winter, the Vandalia Trail Brisk Bike Rides series in Plainfield is hosted by the Friends of the Vandalia Trail (www. nrht.org/vandalia).

The rides take place on the third Saturday morning each month, November-March.

Whether you’re a regular cold weather rider or would like to try it for the first time, come on out and enjoy a relaxed opportunity to try out your cold weather gear and exchange strategies on staying warm on the bike.

The gathering point is right behind Biggby’s Coffee and the Metro Diner and in front of Meijer, convenient for a hot drink before and a warm breakfast and shopping after. The riders launch off to the nearby Vandalia Trail, part of the cross-Indiana National Road Heritage Trail, Inc. initiative, ride at a leisurely pace to its west end, then back to and down the White Lick Creek Trail a bit, finally returning to the Vandalia Trail for the last stretch back to breakfast.

This route is about 10 miles, but the group or individuals can choose more or less, depending on the conditions. The out-and-back routing gives a lot of flexibility on distance. In the past, ride temperatures have ranged 11-45 degrees.

Riders participate at their own risk. Minors must be accompanied by an adult who is responsible for them. If icy conditions exist or if it is raining or snowing, the ride will be canceled. For more information,visit www.nrht.org/ vandalia. ______________________________________________

HCHS Pet Food Pantry

Hendricks County Humane Society’s Pet Food Pantry is still operating. You don’t have to be an existing Pet Food Pantry recipient - just call 317-745-3338, answer some simple informational questions, and you can receive dog or cat food (& litter) as available. Arrangements will be made for pickup.

The HCHS Pet Food Pantry is part of the County Food Pantry Coalition, and also participates in three Gleaners Mobile Food Pantry distributions. For more information about the Hendricks County Humane Society, visit the website at hendrickshumane.org.

Gleaners Mobile Pantry 2020-21

Gleaners Mobile Food Pantry’s schedule in Hendricks county for 2020-21:

Danville: 1st Friday of each month, 1-3 p.m., 4-H Fairgrounds, 1900 E. Main.

Stilesville: Every other 1st Wednesday, Oct., Dec, Feb., Apr., Jun. & August, 4-6 p.m., Christian Church, 8425 Morgan St.

Pittsboro: Every other 1st Saturday, Nov., Jan. 9, Mar. May, Jul 10, Sep. 11, 10 a.m. - noon, Pittsboro Christian Church, 216 N. Maple St.

It’s News To Us

Birthday parties, new babies, anniversaries, visits from long-lost cousins -- these are the items that make up local news, the kind of news you only find in the pages of The Republican. If you have a local news item to contribute, you can call or fax us at 745-2777, send an e-mail to therepublican@ sbcglobal.net or drop by the office at 6 East Main in Danville.