Published: May 06, 2009 06:05 pm      

LETTERS: May 7, 2009

Reader: Thievery hits a new low in New Albany



Sometime on April 29, 2009, the thievery elements of our fair city hit a new low. Aside from the all-too-common theft of bicycles, car stereos, and anything made of copper that is not under armed guard, a person or persons walked up to the front of my home and stole from us a monetarily inexpensive item, but an item of great sentimental value — the nostalgic value of this object is based in patriotism and remembrance of a recently deceased loved one.

Shortly before my father-in-law passed away, he had given to me and my family a new American flag to replace one that had been flown in front of my house for the better part of a decade. The tattered old flag was retired, and the new flag had gone up on a freshly painted pole.

The flag was mounted on the front brick column of my home, and at 6 feet, 2 inches, I could barely reach the mount to place the flag, and yet a kleptomaniac could not resist the urge to trespass and steal a symbol of our country and a last gift to our family from a dying man.

Shame on the person or persons who stole this flag, for what ever means they felt the need to steal it. The ugliness of this crime is in the fact the perpetrator(s) do not stand to gain monetarily from this crime, and by stealing this symbol of our country, they have defiled our flag and everything it stands for.

— Christopher S. Drake, New Albany



Reader: Beware unethical credit card charges



The purpose of this letter is to point out what most anyone would consider an unethical business practice of getting a credit card number and charging someone without their knowing approval. What happened to us is deceptive and should be illegal. Companies, like the ones I am about to describe, are making money through small or one-time transactions.

Our first example comes from my daughter of all places. A college freshman, she signed up for a “free” trial offer for a grant writing service. She understood that she was to be notified before the service would be chargeable; she was not. She experienced her first bounced check. My daughter is a bright student, but she was deceived. My advice to her was that nothing in life is free, but that does not mean these kinds of business practices should be legal.

I was caught on a similar scam years ago by Shell Oil Co. for a discount membership that I never used and got an automatic renewal the following year for $45. These are legitimate companies making unethical monetary gains, period.

My second recent example is when my wife and I were introduced to the practice of credit card tagging as it was named by the representative from Shoppers Discounts, whose company was charging $10 per month for a membership we did not knowingly join. Suzette had sent flowers via e-mail to her father, and Shoppers Discounts had somehow got her credit card from the transaction and began charging its membership fee. The first month, I dismissed it after a brief conversation with Suzette as to what it was. When it showed up on the next statement, I called 800-622-3911, the number provided by the transaction on my statement. I was told by a very helpful representative that we had been tagged at a floral shipping site, and we could discontinue at any time. I told her that we never knowingly signed up and wanted the $20 refunded. She replied by saying we had to start by canceling the service. We asked her to do so, but that was not the end of it. She still very politely tried to get off the phone without refunding the money! And it appeared to be carefully scripted.

We are pretty savvy folks, but I can think of many young and old that could get taken by these business practices. The fact that I started to write about the one Shoppers Discount example and could think of three examples involving my immediate family off the top of my head speaks volumes. Legislate this kind of fraud out of existence.

— Brad Wright, Georgetown



Reader upset at lack of vest funding



I will begin by saying I am prejudiced. My son is a county police officer. While assisting the Indiana State Police, he was wounded and almost lost his life.

Therefore, I know first hand how it feels to be called out at midnight and told that your son was shot at close range with a shotgun. That’s why I am writing after reading a news article stating the Charlestown police officers are trying to raise money to buy bullet-proof vests.

I find this disgraceful and an insult to our community when our mayor can find money to buy three staff cars — all unmarked — fund weight-loss programs, build a concession stand in the park, remodel City Hall, spend $100,000 to remodel Quonset huts that still belong to the federal government, get the redevelopment commission to appropriate $100,000 to “Light Up Charlestown” at Christmas and other feel-good projects he wants. All this while, our police officers have to beg for needed equipment. I commend Chief Steve Dean and his officers for putting safety first in doing what they can to get this equipment.

I will agree that a SWAT team is not a high priority on may people’s list, but these vests can be used when responding to a domestic or drug call.

So let me ask: Would the mayor rather have three staff cars and all the other projects he has spent money on or a live policeman?

Mayor, I hope you never have to present our flag to a wife or mother of a fallen officer, but if you do, and I pray that you won’t, then I hope you think about how it could have been prevented.

In closing, you should have given the police department the raise you received, which in your own words, you said, “I did not ask for a raise and did not campaign for one.”

I suppose the Aflac Duck put it in the budget!

— Harold Goodlett, Charlestown



Driving drunk is OK in Clark County?



Last week, we saw Clarksville Redevelopment Director Rick Dickman arrested for drunken driving. Not only was he arrested for drunken driving, but he was driving a car owned by the town of Clarksville. On a lesser note, Dickman also was cited for a operating with a suspended driver’s license and an improper registration.

This news story reminded me that we also recently saw Clark County Animal Control Office Mike Ettel arrested for drunken driving March 5. At the time of his arrest, Mike Ettel was driving a pickup truck owned by Clark County.

We need our government agencies to hold these people accountable for their actions. In short, this means that they should be terminated. They should be terminated for knowingly choosing to drink and then drive a company vehicle. Termination is what would take place in most private businesses, and we should hold our government employees at least as accountable and arguably to a higher standard.

These two men have made a choice to take their company vehicle and drive drunk. They placed themselves, the general public and Clark County at risk when they made this choice.

Our court system will have to sort out what is proper from the criminal side; however, from the employment side, it should be an easy choice. Termination — it’s the right thing to do.

— Jeff Kaps, Memphis



CASA needs your help

I am a lifelong resident of Jeffersonville and was once again surprised by the outcome of the people coming to CASA’s, or Court Appointed Special Advocate, open house April 21, despite the downpour of rain.

I am sure everyone that attended, including me, had a good time and enjoyed the food and prizes. (I tried to win, but my number is still trying to find itself at the bottom of the drawing cup.)

With April being Child Abuse Prevention Month, I feel this was a great way to inform our community that even though we don’t want to admit it, child abuse does exist here. It is sometimes easy to just turn our heads and let the abuse exist. Many think it is none of their business, but like myself, I can no longer accept the fact that our children need intervention. Aren’t they our future? Abuse and neglect of a child affects all of us.

Statistics show in 2007, 37 children died in Indiana from abuse and neglect. I feel this is 37 children too many, and must ask myself if I could have helped just one of these children. This is one reason that I decided to be a CASA volunteer — to help make a difference in a child’s life. With the help of Elizabeth Wilson, director of Clark County CASA, I have been able to achieve my goal.

To everyone that came and signed up be become a CASA volunteer, we thank you. The more CASA volunteers, the more children we can help. I can’t help but feel that with families struggling with our economic times, we are going to be needed even more. Abuse and neglected children know no boundaries.

For the ones who aren’t sure if they can make a difference or have thoughts about becoming a volunteer, just call CASA and remember there is a child that needs you. My heartfelt thanks to everyone that made this event happen

— Susan Steinberg, Jeffersonville