Published: July 08, 2009 10:50 am      

LETTERS: July 8, 2009

Reader: Clark County government not doing its job

I reside in New Albany. I have been divorced for almost three years and separated a year before that. My divorce went through Clark County, as did the child support order. My ex-husband has paid two child support payments in the four years, for a total of $100. I have tried to get this enforced in both counties.

The child-support prosecutor in Clark County, Mr. Andrew Steele, says the crime of nonsupport is happening in Floyd County, therefore they cannot do anything. I have contacted the Floyd County child support office, only to be told that I need to deal with Clark County — it’s that county’s order. Mr. Keith Henderson refused to see me when I asked for help. Andrew Steele will not return messages.

The noncustodial parent is behind $25,000, which, by the way, is a felony.

I have provided both offices with the phone number and last known address for the noncustodial parent. Why is it we can spend so much money to try a man — David Camm — three times on the taxpayers’ dime, but can’t enforce this?

Why is it that all these elected officials know your name when they want your vote, but after they are elected, they forget you?

— Becky Northern, New Albany

Reader stands up for Larry Wilder

This letter is in response to a recent column by Tim McDonald. You stated that you don’t personally know Larry Wilder. If you knew him, you would never have written the column. What right do you have to judge him? Are you one of the saints on earth?

Judge not, lest you be judged. Larry has been blessed with intelligence and is a hard-working person, instilled in him by his parents, Harry and Sharon. One of his many attributes is honesty.

Quoting from Webster’s Universal College Dictionary, integrity is defined as “uncompromising adherence to moral and ethical principles, soundness of moral character.”

Larry is all of the above.

Those of you that have been convicted of DUI are noncaring persons who do not regard the safety of others.

— Mary Ellen Kennedy, Jeffersonville

Reader looking for daughter’s dog

I am writing this letter in hopes that someone who can make a difference in this situation will read it.

When my daughter — now 20 years old — turned “sweet 16,” I bought her a black and white shih-tzu puppy for her birthday present. She had wanted a puppy for a long time, so I gave in and got her the dog.

My daughter was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive lymphoma in December. She endured six months of horrifying tests and high dose chemotherapy in an intensive-care unit for at least two weeks per treatment. She recently, at the end of May, finished her last round of chemotherapy.

On June 21, which was Father’s Day, her dog somehow got out of the yard and he did not return home. When we realized the dog was missing, we made fliers, went door-to-door, scoured the neighborhood and made signs in our efforts to find her dog. We did not have any success.

We think someone may have picked him up to maybe give him a new home. My daughter really misses her dog and would love more than anything to have him returned with no questions asked.

If anyone reading this has any idea of where the dog might be, or has the dog, would you please call 812-725-0374. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this wish come true for my daughter.

— Kim McPeak, Jeffersonville

Reader unhappy with use of American flag

As a person who has spent the last 25 years defending our nation’s precious freedoms, I should let you know that a large consensus of American fighting men and women are offended by people who commercialize the American flag. Displaying the flag during our nation’s celebration of July 4th is meant to be associated with the remembrance of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; it’s not meant to advertise real estate agents.

Every year we wake up on July 4th to have our front yards littered with Schuler Bauer Real Estate advertisements stapled to American flags.

It is disgusting and offensive to those of us who defend the flag in uniform. I implore the Schuler Bauer company to stop this practice of disgracing our flag, and more importantly, the memories of those who defend it.

— Joey Rivera, New Albany



Schuler Bauer states its case for flag distribution

Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services appreciates Mr. Joey Rivera’s opinion, and we are glad to know that we can count him among our fellow patriots. The flag and the identification card — attached to its base — to which Mr. Rivera refers has been distributed by Schuler Bauer’s agents for more than 15 years.

During those years, more than 350,000 flags have graced front yards in neighborhoods throughout Floyd, Clark and Harrison counties over the Fourth of July holiday. Schuler Bauer, and its agents, are proud of this display of patriotism, as well as our numerous other efforts to support people who make our safety and freedom possible.

Through the years, we have had a few property owners express their displeasure with this small gift. When such a complaint is voiced, we take time to remove the flag and send the property owner an apology. Since Mr. Rivera’s flag was thrown into the yard of one of our associates, we did not have the opportunity to remove it. We hope Mr. Rivera takes this response as our apology.

Although we do receive a few negative comments on this project, the overwhelming response is one of gratitude. We mean no disrespect by placing the identification card with the flag, and we will take the overwhelming positive response to our actions that the general public appreciates our efforts.

It is a shame Mr. Rivera took seven years to realize how offended he was by this activity. Mr. Rivera moved to his present home in 2001, and every year since, our agent has placed a flag and identification card alongside his mailbox. If his objection had been handled normally, we would have stopped the placement long ago. Why he hasn’t noticed, or objected before, is a mystery to us.

Schuler Bauer has within its ranks a number of veterans. Currently, a number of our associates’ children are serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. To say we are commercializing the American Flag, or our men and women in uniform is, quite frankly, insulting. We seek not to exploit, but to honor those special people and families who make great sacrifices in service to America.

Mr. Rivera has dedicated the past 25 years of his life in defense of our liberty, and furthering the cause of freedom around the world. We are deeply grateful for his commitment and service, too, which makes his objection all the more puzzling.

We are sorry if the placement of an American flag and attached identification card offends anyone. However, we are pleased that more than 99 percent of the flags seem to be well-received and appreciated. We plan to continue this tradition, and apologize the distribution this year was not as widespread as it has been in the past. We hope to improve on this effort next year.

— Matt Williams, chief operating officer for Schuler Bauer Real Estate Services