Never forgotten
While there wasn’t a ceremony, National POW-MIA Recognition Day was observed in Bartholomew County and beyond on Sept. 18.
Health concerns canceled the local, annual gathering at the POW-MIA Plaza in Columbus, but that didn’t stop a group of Girls Scouts from commemorating the day.
Harmony Black and Natalie Lewis of Troop 3063 created a 3-feet by 5-feet banner for the 20th anniversary of the plaza’s dedication, and are planning on working on an even bigger project for the future.
Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop has asked Troop 3063 co-leader Kathleen Lewis if members of her troop can take more time over the next 12 months to come up with a more elaborate and permanent banner that can be displayed in subsequent years.
While Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day are widely celebrated, more need to recognize POW-MIA day. Efforts like those made by the Girl Scouts help aid that effort.
Making your voice heard
There’s no time to lose — the deadline for the 2020 U.S. Census is Sept. 30.
Each decade, the census is taken to determine representation in Congress. It also helps determine how some $675 billion in federal money is allocated to states and local communities for education, Medicaid, food assistance, roads, playgrounds, after-school programs, low-income housing, and more.
Indiana receives around $18 billion in federal funding each year based on population data from the U.S. Census Bureau, equaling out to about $2,710 per person.
Overall, 72.4% of Bartholomew County households had responded to the U.S. Census as of Sept. 17 — 22nd highest out of Indiana’s 92 counties, which is up from 70.5% in 2010. As of last week, a total of 74.2% of households in Columbus had responded, up from 71.5% in 2010.
It’s encouraging that more families are participating in the census, but the community should strive for a higher percentage. The few minutes it takes to fill out the census will influence what Bartholomew County looks like for the next 10 years.
Visit 2020census.gov for more information.
Open communication
Most voters know the big names on this fall’s ballot, but there’s more than congressional and presidential races taking place.
Lower-profile, but incredibly important, positions need to be filled at local levels statewide.
One of those races that needs attention is school boards.
In Bartholomew County Consolidated School Corp., there are three school board seats up for grabs in 2020.
Earlier this week, for the first time in at least six years, candidates answered teachers’ questions in a public, community setting via an online forum.
During the town hall, candidates answered 10 questions gathered from submissions by teachers belonging to the Columbus Educators Association, in addition to making opening and closing remarks.
A recording of the livestream, which was only open to 1,000 viewers, will soon be uploaded to the CEA social media accounts.
In the future, the CEA and Indiana State Teachers Association should continue to hold these forums — whether they be in-person or virtual events.
Voters want to go to the polls well-informed, and measures such as those taken earlier this week help accomplish that.
