Some question Linton's new utility policy, two-hour delays
Did anyone else have a hard time getting motivated Thursday and Friday mornings?
Cars and water pipes aren't the only thing hurt by the sub-zero temperatures. Old bodies can be tough to move when it's -4 degrees outside.
But life goes on. It will warm up! As each day passes, it's a day closer to spring.
Mowing grass. Playing golf. Working in the garden. Taking a walk. They are all good reasons to remain positive for a few more months.
But before that happens, let's talk about a few topics:
Linton utility policy
The Linton City Council passed a new utility policy at its meeting Jan. 12. Some on this newspaper's Web site are taking exception to the changes.
Here's an example:
"The United States finally decides that our country is in a recession and everyone knows that Greene County is one of the most poorest counties in Indiana if not the tri-state area. So why not make it more difficult to live in this town! There isn't anything fair about the new policy with the utilities! I for one struggle month to month to pay the darn "GUESSTIMATED" bill anyway! Why can't there be a way to make payments throughout the entire year and allow people to catch up with their tax check or something! I know something could be done better more for the less fortunate who have kids and rent a nonsufficient home as far as insulation and bad windows things beyond their control that effect their utilities! As far as punishing someone who resides in a mobile home I think that's ridiculous that the city of Linton would nickel and dime those folks like that. WOW!!!!!!!!!"
The poster is correct. This is a very hard time for Lintonians, Greene Countians, Hoosiers, and all Americans. We can only hope President-elect Barack Obama and Congress can do something soon to right the ship.
Not only is it a tough time for taxpayers, it's also a hard time for city town, county, and state governments.
Gov. Mitch Daniels is tightening the state's belt, which means counties, cities, and towns must do with less.
In the case of the utility policy, Linton can only go so long allowing people not to pay their bills. In the long run, it hurts the majority.
Is there an easy answer to help those who can't pay their bills? Unfortunately, no.
There is help available through local churches and civic organizations. Check with the Linton-Stockton Chamber of Commerce on who to call, or call 2-1-1 for that information.
Delaying school
Since area schools returned from Christmas break, there have been a few two-hour delays ... including Thursday and Friday.
A story appeared in the GCDW earlier in the week that allowed Linton-Stockton School Corporation Superintendent Ron Bush to explain the reasoning behind the delays.
It boils down to student safety. And it's better to error on the side of safety than to put students in danger.
Not everyone agrees. A poster on the GCDW's Web site had this to say:
"Two-hour delays would not be so common if everybody's pay was reduced or the time had to be made up. Get with the program and teach the kids when things get tough the tough get or keep going. Two-hour delays are being way over used."
We've all heard this argument before. "When we went to school, they didn't cancel school for anything. It used to snow 6 or 7 inches and we'd still go to school."
Maybe that wasn't the right thing to do, and we all got lucky and weren't involved in a bus accident like the one in Putnam County a few weeks ago. There was another bus accident near Frankfort before that.
Is it really worth sending our children to school just so teachers can earn their pay? I believe our children are much more valuable than that!
Online readership growing
The newspaper's Web site -- www.gcdailyworld.com -- continues to grow. The following statistics prove the point:
* From Jan. 12, 2009 -- 4,016 unique visitors (3,370 from the year before on the same day), 40,758 pageviews (31,489), and hits 193,934 (149,507).
* From Jan. 13, 2009 -- 4,149 unique visitors (3,614 from the year before on the same day), 42,502 pageviews (33,403), and hits 194,754 (163,930).
* From Jan. 14, 2009 -- 4,411 unique visitors (3,578 from a year ago on the same day), 43,662 (33,021 from the year before on the same day), and 195,440 hits (162,192).
* From Jan. 15, 2009 -- 4,272 unique visitors (3,467 from a year ago on the same day), 45,401 pageviews (35,360), and 207,296 hits (164,356),
Have you ever wondered when people look at the site the most?
Here's a breakdown of the top four times from Wednesday:
* No. 1 -- 7-7:59 a.m.
* No. 2 -- 7-7:59 p.m.
* No. 3 -- 6-6:59 p.m.
* No. 4 -- 5-5:59 p.m.
- -- Posted by old linton native on Fri, Jan 16, 2009, at 2:39 PM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 2:40 AM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 2:44 AM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 2:53 AM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 8:30 AM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 8:53 AM
- -- Posted by Mr Reasonable09 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 9:17 AM
- -- Posted by nutzz6934 on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 11:52 AM
- -- Posted by Lorhagatha on Sat, Jan 17, 2009, at 2:20 PM
- -- Posted by maggiemay50 on Mon, Jan 19, 2009, at 5:36 AM
- -- Posted by new2GC on Mon, Jan 19, 2009, at 6:30 AM
- -- Posted by LT on Mon, Jan 19, 2009, at 7:14 AM
- -- Posted by POP on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 10:16 AMChris Pruett's response:Thanks for your positive comments. Everything in this world isn't positive, but it should would be nice if more people had a positive attitude toward everything. More might get accomplished!
- -- Posted by T0ADH0P on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 2:46 PM
- -- Posted by Lorhagatha on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 4:10 PM
- -- Posted by POP on Wed, Jan 21, 2009, at 5:49 PM
- -- Posted by Lorhagatha on Fri, Jan 23, 2009, at 9:20 PM
- -- Posted by Oldcmw on Tue, Jan 27, 2009, at 11:44 PM
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