Dear Editor:
Sometime April 26 or 27, 2012, vandals tipped over seven large monuments in one area of the cemetery, and in an infant section destroyed many keepsake items placed on infant graves. The police were notified and the investigation is ongoing.
Merrill Memorial Park is offering a reward leading to the arrest and conviction of these vandals. It is believed there was more than one person that did this.
The stones that were tipped over had some damage done, and the damage cannot be repaired or replaced. The statuary in the infant section was completely destroyed.
Merrill Memorial Park has contacted as many lot owners in the affected areas of the cemetery as it could.
It is obvious that the vandals have no respect whatsoever for graves in the cemetery or for people that have lost their loved ones buried there.
If you have information on the vandalism, please contact the Merrill Police Department or Merrill Memorial Park at 715-536-2297.
Dan Caylor –
Superintendent
Merrill Memorial Park Cemetery
Dear Editor,
May 13-19 is Law Enforcement Week. Citizens for Decency Lincoln County will again be distributing blue ribbons to churches and organizations who wish to display them as a show of support for our local law enforcement and in memoriam of fallen officers.
Every day police officers put themselves in danger to keep our community safe. Here are just a few statistics: Every 59 hours a law enforcement officer dies in the service of his or her community. Two police officers are assaulted in some form every day. There is a 300% increase in heart attacks in 19 year police veterans when compared to the civilian population.
What can you do to show your support? Remember that officers are working to protect your life, be courteous when pulled over. Pray for the safety of our officers and for their families. Remember that your children learn from you, show and teach them respect for civil authorities. Display your blue ribbons to let our local law enforcement know that they are appreciated and that you remember those who have died in the line of duty.
Ribbons are available for churches and organizations through CDLC. Contact Marlee Schreiber at 715-536-4126.
Sincerely,
Laurie Sarasin
Director, Citizens for Decency Lincoln County
Editor:
Feb. 9,2012, is a day that will live in “infamy” in our history. It’s not a day we’ll want to celebrate or make a National Holiday for. It does deserve to be a day of grave concern. It is the day our National Debt ($15.6 Trillion) surpassed our Gross Domestic Production ($15.4 Trillion). The Bureau of Economic Analysis recently reported this data. Our economy grew 2.2% the first quarter and our National Debt grew 9.4%. This is 3 years into the Obama Administration’s first term!! No nation can sustain itself with a debt rate 5 times its economic growth rate that is a fact that should be of concern to every citizen of the U.S.A.!
The Obama Admin. pushed for and congress passed a bill to give we taxpayers a cut of 2% which came from our Social Security fund tax. This started in 2011 and has created a $95 billion shortfall in SS funding. I ask does that make any sense?? The fund is on the verge of bankruptcy and they cut funding $95 billion. Merrill Area Public School 3rd graders could tell you that doesn’t make sense mathematically.
With all of those crazy actions they managed to lose the coveted AAA credit rating and are on course to lose another A if they aren’t careful.
Add to all of that $4 gasoline, groceries going up about 10% per year, housing values dropping off the cliff, 8.2% reported unemployment another 2% unreported because they quit looking, about 50% of our college grads not being able to find work.
This country’s financial condition is comparable to Greece, Italy, Spain, France and others. This has to change and change soon. We have been for many years a world leader in almost anything one could imagine. With this current trend we’re on, we are headed down the path of financial ruin which generally leads to turmoil!!
Another 4 years of this and our country will be toast! Vote wisely the next few elections especially in November. Thanks for your time and attention.
Regards,
Chuck Bolder
Merrill
Editor:
It seems to me the overwhelming majority of MAPS area public opinion opposes the permanent closing of Pine River Elementary School and the major remodeling of the site into a 4K-Early Childhood-Head Start facility.
This project is not a simple remodeling job. It is a major expensive project, consisting of a total remodeling of an ordinary elementary grade school, in an attempt to accommodate a use that it was never originally constructed for, that of a special building for younger pre-school children with special needs including some with disabilities.
Questions abound, and rightly so, such as why was this so quickly and swiftly pushed by school officials without public input, no public hearings or forums, and no referendum?
Did you know that when the BoE voted on Jan. 5, 2012, to approve closing the Pine River School for good and to remodel the building into a 4K-Early Childhood-Head Start facility by a slim 5-4 majority, that the board took this action without knowing ANY of the costs involved?
Talking about costs, code required construction updates to convert an elementary school to a 4K-EC-HS facility include at least electrical, disability access, more bathrooms and heating, the costs of which are now estimated at $379,000. Needed new roofing is estimated at $300,000-$350,000. Additional costs yet unknown are fencing required for younger children, considerable blacktopping, playground type equipment, and interior furnishing and dècor. There will also be architectural and engineering costs.
So, realistically start thinking in terms of $1,000,000. Note also, these projected costs are not fixed in concrete. We all know that construction costs more than originally planned, especially those of a remodeling and expansion.
We also know there will be greater student transportation costs. And, keep in mind there are anticipated lower MAPS student enrollments due to students leaving MAPS for open enrollment in other school districts for a loss of $6,000 in state aid per student per year. Students transferring to parochial schools and into home schooling will result in a loss of about $10,000 in state aid per student per year. MAPS knows some will transfer. The question is, how many? Pick any number you want, but for example if 10 to 20 were to transfer for an average of 10-12 years in school (assume pre-K to 12) at $10,000 per student per year MAPS would lose state aid of $100,000 to $200,000 per year. If any additional numbers were to transfer out or never enroll in subsequent or consecutive years the loss is arguably astronomical and potentially millions.
In comparison consider that in June 2011 the BoE approved the blueprints to remodel the existing 4K-EC-HS building on Sales Street at the cost of $85,000. This was to be fully funded by a state grant – at no cost to MAPS. My understanding is this grant could be as high as $100,000 as it is based on the number of students in just the 4K program. Now that raises this question: if the BoE can adequately update the property on Sales Street to meet the needs of the students for a cost of $85,000 when a grant was obtainable for up to $100,000 if in fact more improvements were needed, why spend up to a million dollars to meet the same needs and thereby destroy a good and highly rated elementary school in the process? Especially when the Pine River School is projected to have a useful life expectancy of at least 50 years.
So it seems, at least to me and those I have spoken with, that if we can adequately serve the needs of the special children in the present 4K-Early Childhood-Head Start facilities on Sales Street at no additional taxpayer cost and keep PRS we should just fix the roof, properly maintain the building and keep a good school in full operation that in many respects is the pride and joy of the Pine River area community.
Thank you for your time,
Tom Sazama
Merrill
Editor:
The Lincoln County Pheasants Forever Chapter recently held our annual fundraising banquet and would like to thank our sponsors and donors for their support. The Lincoln County Pheasants Forever Chapter is dedicated to promoting wildlife conservation, our outdoor traditions and hunting heritage to youth and their families in Lincoln County. We could not accomplish our goals without the support of our local sponsors and donors.
Thank you
Lincoln County
Pheasants Forever