• EDITOR’S NOTE: Noon on Friday is the deadline for submitting election-related Orchids and Onions, which will be published Saturday. Election-related Orchids and Onions will return after the Nov. 8 general election.
Orchids to …
• Rick Miller of R Miller Excavating for donating his time and equipment to help replace a water line for a local Columbus resident, from United Way of Bartholomew County.
• Tracy Embree for being an amazing inspirational speaker at our luncheon and a Wonderful Woman, from all FFY Great Girls.
• the animal control officer and everyone who helped us find and catch Oscar, the little black dog.
• Lisa Deaton for a wonderful letter because more Americans need to wake up and see what will happen if the wrong person gets in the White House.
• Sterling Garage Door Co. for a quick response in fixing a door, and especially to Jessie who installed it.
• Brandon Zeigler for giving me a ride to HK Auto, from David.
• the polite teenage boy who entered a pizza place then stepped back to reopen and hold the door for me to exit, from Peggy Zornes.
• Robin, we miss you on your route, from the Wilkersons.
• Cristina at the east-side Walmart east for exceptional service on Tuesday afternoon, questioning a total on a bill.
• the 2017 officers of the South Central Indiana Christian Men’s Fellowship.
• Mike Malinsky and George Albers for their challenging, truthful and inspiring letters.
• the nice lady who wished to remain anonymous and donated 105 Beanie Babies and 12 stuffed animals to the pediatric unit at Columbus Regional Hospital, from all of the pediatric nurses and patients.
• Arnold Krause for his right-on letter to the editor in Saturday’s paper about the media being biased and not reporting the proven “bad stuff” about Hillary.
• President Barack Obama for being the best president of all time.
• the state highway department that services Bartholomew County for picking up the mattress and box springs on State Road 11 past the fairgrounds.
• Georgianna for all the food and doing my ironing after my surgery, from Beverly.
• all my friends for all the cards, flowers and meals after my surgery, from Beverly Ellis.
• George Albers and Mike Malinsky for their wonderful letters on the current situation in the election in Thursday’s paper, from Jim Roth.
• the staff at Silver Oaks, from the cleaning crew to the administrative staff, for the wonderful care while I was rehabbing, from Sandy Dooley.
• our wonderful EMTs and firemen for getting me off the floor and to the ER when I fell and broke my leg, from Sandy.
• my precious Flintwood Wesleyan Church family as I could fill this column and not begin to touch my love and gratitude, from Sandy.
• to all the family and friends who helped Sam Bennett celebrate his birthday with cards, visits and gifts.
Onions to …
• county law enforcement for not being proactive.
• those who create scare tactics by generating the false narrative of voter fraud, when in reality voter fraud would be nearly impossible to conduct due to the stringent voter ID laws.
• anyone who thinks the Republican presidential nominee will be a strong leader when all he does is whine, complain or declare bankruptcy when things don’t go his way.
• the boss who tries to intimidate his employees because he is incompetent.
• the downtown lunch customer with a chip on her shoulder who always stiffs the wait staff.
• elected city officials that continue to refuse the will of the people.
• the bank teller so consumed with chit-chat at where I bank that I’m not sure she did my transaction correctly.
• the waitress who is so hateful to other employees.
• to careless drivers who do not watch out for little squirrels who are busily preparing for winter, and run over them.
• county officials who force officers to work unwanted shift hours while they enjoy their weekends off.
• the beautician who charged my mother $75 for a perm even though she didn’t even get a haircut with it.
• voters who do not research the candidates and issues but expect someone to do it for them.
• those who wear athletic clothing that goes against school dress code.
• people who hold up traffic because they don’t know you can turn right on red.
• those at the jail who do not use the crosswalk when crossing the street in the dark.
Happy Birthday to …
• Aimee Overshiner, from your family and Donna.
• Deborah Ellison
• Jason Stroup
• Cathy Boch
• Donavan Schrougham, from Nana.
• Spencer Lee Darringer, on No. 20, from your family.
Happy Anniversary to …
• Trey and Stacy Tapke, from Grandma Hege.