Weekly wrap: Monday, April 20, 2009

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April 20, 2009

Anonymous The Kokomo Tribune Mon Apr 20, 2009, 12:42 AM EDT

Excerpts of recent editorials from Indiana newspapers:

On health fair benefits:

A record 352 people flocked to the Central Noble cafetorium in Albion April 4 for the free health fair hosted by Noble County Extension Services in partnership with Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville.

Blood pressure checks and bone density scans were free. The charge for blood tests was a small fraction of the fees outside a health fair setting. For $25 a person could get routine blood tests that would cost perhaps 10 times that amount in a hospital or medical clinic. If you multiply that $200 savings by 352 (the number of attendees) you get a savings that day of $70,400.

Let’s say about five health fairs are held a year in one county. That’s a $352,000 savings in one county alone. Multiply that by 92 counties and you’re talking over $32.4 million. Multiply $32.4 million by 50 states. $1.62 billion. A million here a million there. Real money.

What would happen if health fairs were held once a month in every county? What would happen if all insurance providers (including public insurance providers like Medicare) requested that non-emergency blood work and routine screening, such as blood pressure, bone scans, etc. be done at monthly health fairs?

Might this reduce health care costs? You bet it would.

— The News-Sun, Kendallville

On violence in Indianapolis:

Pain and passion rise in Byron Alston’s voice as he describes how another young black man lost his life to violence in Indianapolis.

It’s become such a common and frustrating story that it’s tempting to believe that such outrages are inevitable — that nothing will change — no matter how many resources are committed, no matter how much the community rallies to help.

But such cynicism, born of despair, cannot be accepted, given how high the stakes are in terms of lives both lost and ruined.

Today, members of the City of Peace Coalition, including Alston, who is the mentoring director with the city’s Ten Point Coalition, and other faith leaders in the black community, are pushing back against both the violence and the despair. They’re challenging the community, everyone who calls central Indiana home, to enter into a covenant to resist the societal forces that leave children vulnerable to violence, that tear families apart and that promote a disregard for the law and moral values.

So the pastors and members of their congregations will be out on the streets at night, heading off violence in tough neighborhoods, checking up on young people and encouraging residents to help themselves by helping their neighborhoods.

Those may seem like tiny blows lodged against the giants of gang, drug and family violence. But changing a culture, and saving lives, may well have to come from the ground up to be effective.

— The Indianapolis Star

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Opinion

White shouldn’t return to office
The issue: The conviction of Indiana’s secretary of state.

Our view: Charlie White’s ouster from office should be permanent.

February 9, 2012
Editorial - Feb. 8, 2012: Grand success for Indianapolis
The issue: The Super Bowl.

Our view: Indianapolis left a great impression on thousands of visitors.

February 8, 2012
Letters to the Editor: Feb. 8, 2012
As Hoosiers celebrate the conclusion of a truly remarkable Super Bowl experience, there is even more good news that should fill us with pride. More Indiana students are graduating from high school than ever before.

February 8, 2012
Which religions will we include?
The Indiana Senate last week approved a bill that would allow public schools to teach creationism, as long as they include theories from multiple religions.

February 6, 2012 1 Photo
If you say so
In an opinion piece we published Thursday, state Rep. Mike Karickhoff announced why he voted against “right-to-work” legislation. His reason: The community told him to.

February 5, 2012
Cheers and jeers - Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012
Karickhoff acted ‘cowardly’

The Rev. Robin Wentworth Mayer and Horst G. Mayer of Kokomo send the Jeer for state Rep. Mike Karickhoff’s silence during the “right-to-work” debate:

“Mr. Karickhoff, for someone who’s new to office, you’ve certainly learned the art of talking out of both sides of your mouth.

February 3, 2012
Let’s drug test our lawmakers
Perhaps it’s appropriate that a measure passed by the Indiana House this week would ask not only welfare recipients but Indiana lawmakers to consent to a drug test.

February 3, 2012
Editorial - Feb. 2, 2012: Peru delivers a message
The issue: Peru’s collection of $20,000 last year from property owners who failed to keep their yards mowed.

Our view: Aggressive enforcement can help a city’s finances, but the benefits go beyond dollars and cents.

February 2, 2012
Karickhoff: Reason behind my ‘right-to-work’ vote
There is no doubt the “right-to-work” debate has brought mixed emotions, not only to our state but District 30 as well. There were only a handful of House Republicans who did not vote in support of this legislation. Let me explain why I felt it was necessary for me to vote in opposition to right to work.

February 2, 2012
Heinig: ‘Right-to-work’ law to arouse continued resistance
I wouldn’t call Gov. Mitch Daniels a charismatic leader, but he does possess some leadership skills. If he didn’t, he couldn’t have brought us this far along the happy trail to his economic Valhalla.

February 2, 2012
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