The LaPorte Pop Warner Midget Squad at Wide World of Sports in Orlando, FL. (Click on photo to enlarge)

The LaPorte Pop Warner competition cheer squads would like the to thank the community for its support and dedication to all 75 members of the competition squads during the 2011 season.

The community’s support allowed three squads to travel to Illinois for regional competition, and the Midget cheer squad of 27 cheerleaders and 4 coaches to travel to Florida to compete nationally. The Midgets finished their season placing 10th nationally and gave their best performance and received their best score all season.

Pop Warner participants look forward to doing it again in fall 2012 and hopefully taking all three competition squads to Florida.

The Jaycees, along with help from the Roof Sit Committee, local schools and many generous community donations, were able to take more than 400 of our community’s deserving children shopping. The night began with a warm meal donated by McDonald’s, followed by a visit with Santa Claus, and concluded with shopping for needed coats, boots, mittens, clothes and a toy.

On behalf of the LaPorte Jaycees, The Roof Sit Committee and the Deserving Children of LaPorte, thank you for your generous donations and your tireless volunteer efforts!

A special thank you to the following: Walmart, Kmart, McDonald’s, Western Inn, American Licorice, General Insurance Services, Boy Scouts of America, LPHS Girls Reserve, LaPorte County Fairgrounds, Mike Seitz, Roofsit Committee, 1st Source Bank, LaPorte Community Schools and staff, Westville Elementary School and staff, Rolling Prairie Elementary School and staff, Prairie View Elementary School and staff, Wanatah Elementary School and staff.

And a very special thank you to all the escorts for volunteering your time to make a difference in this holiday event!

If there ever is a question about our city, please call or stop me on the street. I will try my best to get an answer for you.

To the candidates who lost, thank you for running. I hope you stay involved. I know you had the best interest of the city at heart.

Thank you again,

Cary Kirkham

LaPorte City Council At Large-elect.

Best of all, perhaps, is feeling a deep-seated respect for the other three candidates in my race and a camaraderie with candidates of both parties throughout the campaign, but especially in spending time with a number of them on Election Day at the Civic Auditorium (on a surprisingly pleasant fall day). It just makes one realize how beautiful and pure the electoral process can be on a small scale (when the mudslinging is left out) and how “religious” it feels when a group of my brethren are willing to put themselves out, nobly, for love of city and its people. (Really, it’s not all about ego!)

Yes, I came up a tad short in my race … and that’s frustrating. Yet I’m touched and gratified that the narrow margin of my defeat affirms my credibility, in the public’s eyes, as a city-wide candidate. I want to thank my supporters for their encouragement, their expression of faith in me and my abilities, their votes, and their condolences.

Finally, my congratulations to the winners in my race, Cary Kirkham and Joe Mrozinske, our new mayor, Blair Milo, and all the winners. Godspeed in the execution of your mandate to bring about the change our citizenry has indicated they are seeking!

Timothy Stabosz

I stated in my announcement speech on Feb. 3 that we would do what is hard and we would achieve what is great. On Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011, we proved that message. In that same speech on Feb. 3, I acknowledged that creating a thriving LaPorte leadership is crucial but useless without a team who works together. This campaign was not about me, but about us and what we will do together. Tuesday’s victory was not mine, but ours, just as the challenge to move LaPorte forward continues to be ours.

We face difficult issues and choices in the days ahead, but I am confident that with a mindset that builds on what we can do instead of what we can’t, what’s possible instead of what’s not, and a focus on innovation and efficiency, we can create the LaPorte we all know our city can be: a LaPorte that is a competitive community to live, work and raise a family; where our citizens are safe, workforce is qualified and people are inspired.

Because I know that we’re up to it, I challenge you again:

We will do what is hard and we will achieve what is great.

Blair Milo

Mayor-elect of LaPorte

In fact, some recyclables collected near the end of the fair may end up in landfills because of contamination. I noticed on Monday dozens of boxes of whole, unpeeled potatoes were thrown by an unknown vendor into a large recycling Dumpster.

Throughout the week, I continually struggled with trash being thrown in the blue recycling bin near my booth in the Conservation Building. I was forced to fish anything from dirty napkins and food-smeared plates to dead goldfish out of the bin before I emptied it. It was the same kind of bin we all have at our homes – easily recognizable as for recycling only.

I will probably never know whether everything in the recycling Dumpster I mentioned had to be thrown in a landfill, but it very well could have been. When garbage, especially food, is mingled with recyclables, it contaminates the recycling stream and sometimes renders entire loads useless if those items aren’t easily removable. That is why we have separate bins for trash and recyclables. It is also why we ask people to rinse their food containers before they are put in recycling bins.

Some form of recycling has been available in LaPorte County for nearly 20 years. Unless we care about and educate others on the importance of keeping these waste streams separate, our recyclables run the risk of becoming contaminated and end up in the landfill. As LaPorte County Solid Waste District Director Clay Turner says, sometimes recycling has to be more than a “feel good effort.” It takes work to make the program successful, and I don’t want any of our work to literally go to waste.

Alicia Ebaugh

Education and Public Relations Coordinator

Solid Waste District of LaPorte County

   According to figures released by the American Red Cross, there were 21 productive units donated at the Michigan City site and 49 productive units donated at the LaPorte site.

   The Red Cross reports that every blood donation can help up to three people; for the five hours that donations were accepted on Thursday, June 16, 2011, a potential now exists to help 210 people.

   I would also like to thank the LaPorte County Board of Commissioners for allowing the use of the meeting rooms at the County Complex, the American Red Cross and its staff of professionals, Barb Mossman for her great organizational skills, and of course everyone who took the time to donate in honor of our state’s fallen police officers.

Sgt. Mike Kellems

LaPorte County Sheriff’s Dept.

   While these issues are challenging, they are not insurmountable. By focusing on jobs and business, tackling the drug problem and providing leadership to the community and the city workforce, we can make LaPorte a strong community for our children. Here’s how I’ll address each of those challenges:

Focus on jobs and business

   Business owners have a lot of decisions to make when looking to start, expand or relocate a business. The government’s job is to help business owners make those decisions easier. Establishing a business-friendly environment for the city is crucial for moving LaPorte forward. Additionally, we need to aggressively promote the outstanding opportunities LaPorte offers, with our proximity to interstate highways and railroads, low cost of living, beautiful parks and lakes and great school systems, to attract different kinds of business to LaPorte. Finally, we must work on addressing the needs of current business owners by ensuring our workforce is qualified for the jobs that are available and are able to pass a drug test.

Tackle the drug problem

   Eliminating the presence of illegal drugs in our workforce, neighborhoods and schools must be a priority for LaPorte. By setting measurable goals that the public can hold my administration accountable for, as well as improving code enforcement, we can take the steps necessary to combat illegal drugs in our community.

Provide leadership to our community and city workforce

   As your mayor, I will provide leadership to the city by establishing and promoting a vision and plan for LaPorte to be a competitive community so that our children can raise their own families here. Having been responsible for over 1,200 Sailors and Marines, I know how to inspire, motivate and most importantly earn the respect of the team I lead. I’ll use these skills to lead an effective and efficient city workforce. Additionally, I’ll provide leadership throughout the budget planning and management process to make sure our city is able to best meet the needs of its citizens during tough financial times.

   I’m asking for your vote on Tuesday, May 3, because I have a vision and plan for LaPorte. I have unique qualifications and experiences to help LaPorte succeed. I know how to effect the changes that I’m talking about and I have the passion and dedication to make it happen. Thank you very much for your vote!

Blair Milo

Republican candidate for LaPorte mayor

   Recently retired from 40 years of teaching, I have the time available to dedicate myself to the job, to the city … and to my potential constituents. I will conduct regular ward meetings, at least one every two months, in order to make sure that your concerns are being heard, and in order for me to be accountable to you. I will spend my everyday time in LaPorte, because I believe that that is important to providing the necessary level of representation. I will respond to all phone calls, all e-mails, and all correspondence. When problems or concerns are brought to me, I will listen, give thoughtful consideration, and do everything within my reasonable power to help.

   Finally, indicating my respect for you, the 3rd Ward voter, I have put out letters to the editor (like this one), to provide you with a basis for knowing what my qualifications are, and where I stand on the issues … thereby allowing you to fully “examine” my candidacy. (I believe transparency is important.)

   With all of this in mind, it is my hope that you will give my candidacy your consideration at the polls on May 3. I’m energized by the potential to be of service, and fully aware of the work that needs to be done. It would be a significant honor for me to be your choice for the next 3rd Ward councilman, and I respectfully ask for your vote!

Ron McAtee

Republican candidate for 3rd Ward LaPorte City Council

   No surprise to the residents of Monroe Street and Indiana Avenue that this is an everyday AND night experience. If elected your 3rd Ward councilman, I will push to change this scene. We need to get truck traffic out of our neighborhoods. The best way to do this is to advance a project that has been on the drawing boards for a generation. We need to build the Boyd Boulevard bypass!

   It’s crazy to have five major highways converge on our downtown, and pass through our some of our most densely populated residential neighborhoods! An extended Boyd Boulevard would become the new State Road 4 and U.S. 35 truck bypass, forcing truck traffic to take this route instead of through the heart of our city. This would improve the quality of life for residents around Indiana, Michigan, Monroe and Madison; improve public safety; and have the added benefit of making our historic downtown more suited to shoppers, walkers, and sidewalk cafes, thereby pumping dollars into our downtown. Finally, it should make the truckers happy, helping them avoid traffic, tight corners, etc., in the downtown. (Trucks and planters simply don’t mix!)

   The long-overdue Indiana Avenue rebuilding would have a better chance of lasting without the huge volume of trucks using it. When the full bypass is completed (the lion’s share paid for by state/federal monies), we could ask the state to relinquish control of Indiana and Monroe to the city, which would complete the vision.

   Have ideas or suggestions? See my “LaPorte 3rd Ward” Facebook page, e-mail me at laporte3rdward@yahoo.com, or call 363-3342.

Ron McAtee

Republican candidate for 3rd Ward LaPorte City Council