FLAT ROCK
Jeff K. Forrest, 39, of Flat Rock, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019 at his home.
Surviving is his wife Deanna Forrest.
Arrangements are incomplete at Barkes, Weaver & Glick Funeral Home.
Barbara Kaltenbaugh
DELPHOS, OHIO
Barbara Kaltenbaugh, 77, of Delphos, Ohio, formerly of Edinburgh, Indiana, passed away on Monday, July 1, 2019, at her residence.
She was born March 26, 1942 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, to Homer W. and Margaret L. (Ickes) Rawlings. They both preceded her in death. She was united in marriage to Glenn W. Kaltenbaugh on April 7, 1962, he survives in Delphos.
She is survived by a son, Cory (Chelsea) McManues of New York, sister, Sandra (Ronald) Alwine of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and one granddaughter, Luci McManues.
She was a former member of Free Methodist Church in Columbus, Indiana and had been a teacher’s aide at Fodrea Elementary. Barbara enjoyed doing crafts.
A funeral service will be on Friday, July 5, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. at Eskew-Easton Funeral Home in Edinburgh, Indiana, with visitation from 12:00 until the time of the service. Burial will follow in Rest Haven Cemetery in Edinburgh. Memorial contributions go to the family.
Sharon Joyce Warren
COLUMBUS
A memorial service for Sharon J. Warren, 72, of Columbus will be conducted 8p.m. Monday, July 8, 2019, at Hathaway~Myers Chapel on Pearl St. Calling from 6 p.m. to service. Inurnment will be private. Complete obituary on funeral home website.
Frederick Earl Clemens
NORTH VERNON
Frederick Earl Clemens, 76, of North Vernon, passed away on May 25, 2019 at Majestic Care. A memorial service will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses of North Vernon.
Robbin K. Smith
COLUMBUS
Robbin K. Smith, 65, of Waycross Dr., passed away June 30, 2019 at her home.
Robbin was born July 3, 1953 in Columbus, IN to Donald and Vivian (Kelly) Barnett.
Robbin was Property Manager at The Villa Apartments for 28 years. She enjoyed painting, playing bingo and going to the casino.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, July 6, 2019 at Jewell-Rittman Family Funeral Home with Virgil Clotfelter officiating. Calling will be from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Entombment will be held at Garland Brook Cemetery Mausoleum.
Survivors include her son, John C. Smith of Columbus; sisters, Troyia (Al Moen) Barnett of Greenwood, IN, Vickie (David) Hoeltke of Columbus, IN and Tina (Rick) Leonard of Bend, OR; a niece, Amanda (Matt) Smith; nephews, Ross (Katie) Leonard and Alec Hoeltke.
Robbin was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents, Herbert J. and Dorith Kelly and a nephew, Zerric A. Barnett.
You are invited to light a virtual candle and send a message to the family via the internet.
Information: www.jewellrittman.com.
MARATHONS GALORE AND NETFLIX’S ‘LAST CZARS’
— The night before July 4th is a traditionally slow night of television. Not even "First Responders Live" (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) is live. And the cable hit "Yellowstone" (10 p.m., Paramount, TV-MA) takes the night off, sharing instead a five-minute "Sneak Peek" of next week’s intrigue.
Some networks are already in holiday marathon mode, offering continuous prime-time episodes of "The Walking Dead" (AMC); "Planet Earth" (BBC America); "Storage Wars" (FYI); "Last Man Standing" (CMT and WGN); "South Park" (Comedy Central); "Homestead Rescue" (Discovery); "Going RV" (GAC); "The Wrestlers" (Viceland); "Forged in Fire" (History); "NCIS" (Oxygen); "Criminal Minds" (Sundance); "The Big Bang Theory" (TBS); "Impractical Jokers" (TRU) and "Law & Order" (WE).
— Netflix begins streaming "The Last Czars." Blending documentary history and expensively produced re-enactments, "Czars" recalls the eccentric Romanovs under Czar Nicholas, a headstrong autocrat whose resistance to change would inspire revolutionary tumult in 1905, leave Russia ill-prepared for WWI and finally result in two revolutions in 1917 — one that had the family deposed and another that saw them executed.
The limited review snippets made available show "Czars" to be long on melodrama, costumes and palace decor. Something to nibble on while awaiting the yet-unscheduled return of "The Crown." This also offers a nice complement to the Amazon streaming series "The Romanoffs," a quirky anthology loosely organized around living descendants of the decadent monarchs.
This "Czar" and "Romanoff" programming is only one way the two streaming giants appear to be winking at each other. In Netflix’s popular Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler movie "Murder Mystery," a running gag involves the idea of buying an Amazon gift certificate for an anniversary gift.
Recently, an authoritarian religious group petitioned Netflix to cancel "Good Omens," an apocalyptic comedy starring David Tennant as the Devil and Michael Sheen as an archangel. Only Netflix doesn’t stream "Good Omens"; Amazon does.
In a cheeky retort, Amazon promised Netflix that it would cancel "Stranger Things" if they went ahead and canceled "Good Omens."
For the record, Netflix’s "Stranger Things" begins streaming its third season tomorrow.
— When film historians survey the career of Faye Dunaway ("Bonnie and Clyde"), they will probably overlook her turn in the 1996 kids comedy "Dunston Checks In" (7 p.m., HBO Family), co-starring Jason Alexander ("Seinfeld") and an orangutan.
Rupert Everett and Paul Reubens appear as well in a film described as "gut-wrenchingly horrible" by The Washington Post and "disturbingly graphic" and "definitely not appropriate for kids" by the Los Angeles Times.
They just don’t make ’em like they used to!
— Viewers who like the over-the-top vanity and vulgarity of the "Real Housewives" franchise might find reasons to stream "Yummy Mummies" on Netflix. This Australian docu-series follows rich and ostentatious women who have turned their pregnancies into a stage on which they strut their expensive clothes and accessories for all the world to see, gawk and groan.
Season two begins streaming today.
TONIGHT’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
— The New York Yankees visit the New York Mets in interleague MLB action (7 p.m., ESPN).
— "Rivers of Life" (8 p.m., PBS, check local listings) surveys the mighty, muddy Mississippi and its impact on a good half of the lower 48.
— Rocky Carroll narrates two episodes of "NCIS: The Cases They Can’t Forget" (9 p.m. and 10 p.m., CBS, TV-PG).
— A killer concentrates on the same school on "The InBetween" (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
CULT CHOICE
A case of mistaken identity sends a dapper advertising man (Cary Grant) on a cross-country trip with secret agents, foreign and domestic, in the 1959 suspense classic "North By Northwest" (8 p.m., TCM).
SERIES NOTES
Stuck inside on "Big Brother" (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) … Audience members volunteer to play "Ellen’s Game of Games" (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) … Tastes like chicken on "MasterChef" (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) … "Press Your Luck" (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) … Illusionists audition on "Penn & Teller: Fool Us" (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG).
John Legend appears on "Songland" (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) … "Card Sharks" (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) … A dream assignment proves distracting on "Jane the Virgin" (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) … Alec Baldwin hosts "Match Game" (10 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14).
LATE NIGHT
Kevin Nealon appears on "Conan" (11 p.m., TBS, r) … Mindy Kaling and Seth Green are booked on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" (11:35 p.m., CBS, r) … Jimmy Fallon welcomes Amy Poehler, Ryan Eggold and Vampire Weekend on "The Tonight Show" (11:35 p.m., NBC, r) … Eric Bana, Billie Lourd and Emily Heller appear on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" (12:37 a.m., CBS, r).
Tired mom wants to skip teen years
Dear Amy: I have an adult son, a college-age son, and a teenage daughter.
I have been divorced for the last 11 years.
I’m finding that, although my daughter still has three years of high school left, I am worn out with parenting!
Although it’s not an option, I feel like I could just skip this last stage completely.
What can I do to reignite my passion for parenting?
It doesn’t help that my daughter is going through a mouthy teenage stage and can be very difficult to deal with.
— Tired Mom
Dear Tired: I don’t know if you can realistically reignite your passion for parenting. You get parenting props for merely hanging in there and not giving up. Passion might be a little much to expect. But please do not give up. Your teen daughter needs as much parenting as a toddler — it’s just a different kind.
I’m going to assume that parenting your sons through this stage was different for you. You were younger, for one thing. And sons typically (though not always) experience their teen years with their parents as a discreet pulling back, where daughters tend to charge forward and confront.
Please try to see this as a young woman finding her voice, even when you know she is just being obnoxious.
My experience with girls (five of them) is that they seem to want to describe their own lives and experiences, while pushing back and/or outright rejecting parental response or counsel. You will do a lot of listening. She will seem to do very little.
Your older sons might be of some help to you now. You should urge them to keep in touch with their sister. They can help to translate some of your decisions for her. She might be less mouthy toward you if she feels supported by them.
You should also seek the help, support and counsel of other mothers — perhaps the moms of daughters in your teen’s peer group. Commiseration and a glass of wine have helped many mothers of teens live to fight another day.
And here I will quote my own (wise) mother, who saw her own three daughters through many stages, sometimes with a sigh, saying, "This too shall pass."
Dear Amy: I work in a government job. I am hardworking, detail-oriented, and a perfectionist. I take my job seriously and always try to do my best. My work is solitary and independent. I spend most of my time at my desk, by myself, quietly editing documents, preparing mailings, etc. I am definitely an introvert.
The boss in my workplace wants everyone to get to know one another and to socialize. This involves lunchtime potlucks (off the clock) and get-to-know-you activities at meetings that would make any introvert want to crawl into a hole and never come out.
My question is this: to what extent do we HAVE to participate in these things, if at all? They are NOT a part of my work program, whatsoever. Any advice would be appreciated.
— Introverted Professional
Dear Introverted: You should disclose your discomfort to your supervisor and very honestly ask if you can be exempted from some of these get-togethers.
Your boss’s motives are to provide a more positive professional experience. Social interactions at work can help to create cohesion, and — for many — might enhance their experience, communication, and work performance. Other people find these forced social interactions fake, unnecessary, or boring.
But for you — these gatherings may throw you off your game and impede your performance at work.
You will probably have to find ways to tolerate some of these team-building exercises if they are folded into meetings. But yes, you should not have to attend a potluck if you don’t want to.
If you haven’t already, read the groundbreaking book, "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking," by Susan Cain (2013, Broadway Books). Your boss should read it, too.
Dear Amy: Thank you for your response to "Knows Too Much," who faced an awkward situation when her friend’s wife complained bitterly about him behind his back.
Wow, this sounds like my parents. My father was Mr. Wonderful to the outside world. The fact is — at home, privately — he was a monster. He completely hid this to the outside world. Friends did not believe my mother’s account of the abuse because he was "so nice!" She became more open about the abuse to others, hoping that someone would listen.
— Survivor
Dear Survivor: I hope someone finally heard (and believed) her.
Job growth is elixir for generational strife in the office
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board wrote this editorial.
You never know what your cubicle mate is thinking, but recent research identified a source of workplace friction more serious than Jim from accounting’s use of the office microwave to heat up leftover fish: Younger workers wonder why older workers are hanging onto their jobs for so long. Time for those older folks to retire already!
A recent poll by The Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 4 in 10 respondents ages 18 to 49 consider the aging workforce to be a bad thing for American workers. Just 14% of those age 60 and older said the same. A survey by consulting firm Willis Towers Watson seemed to put its finger on the problem: 37% of employers worry that older workers will block the promotion pipeline for younger workers.
The potential for tension is real because members of the massive baby boomer generation continue to occupy workspaces with younger generations who are advancing up the ladder. An aging population, high health care costs and financial setbacks from the Great Recession are likely contributing to a graying workforce, the AP reported. Nearly 20% of Americans over 65 were employed or actively looking for work last year, up from less than 12% two decades prior, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This is an issue with a sensible solution everyone in the workforce should want: continued robust economic expansion. When existing companies grow and innovation spurs the creation of new firms, employers will need to hire and promote.
Stoking this healthy cycle allows strivers of all ages room to excel. Meanwhile, older workers can benefit from growth in their 401(k) investment accounts, so those who are ready to retire can feel confident walking away from a paycheck.
To make this point another way, consider the inverse: Unemployment is now at a 50-year low. What would be the impact on hiring and advancement if the economy tanked? Job opportunities for young people would dry up. Older employees would anticipate death stares all around the office.
This would be a shame. Older workers provide wisdom and experience. Millennials bring urgency and a baked-in understanding of the digital world. They’re ready to join members of Generation X, 39 to 54 years old, in leadership roles. Competition for promotions is a necessary aspect of business, and we don’t want to take sides in any generational tug of war.
We’d rather root for everyone to have as much opportunity as possible. That happens when the American economy is growing at a strong clip.
Vaping ban OK, but bacon ban would have me fuming
I was recently listening to the radio and heard the venerable John Clark give an update on the important news of the day. He reported that Columbus Regional Health and Healthy Communities was encouraging the Columbus City Council to ban bacon.
Banning bacon? That is going too far. Is banning bacon just the start? Are milkshakes, donuts and ranch dressing next?
Bacon brings a lot of happiness to the people of our community. Comedian Jim Gaffigan calls bacon “the most beautiful thing on Earth.” A bacon cheeseburger is not the same without bacon. A BLT is just a lettuce and tomato sandwich without bacon. No one will eat that.
Bacon makes everything better. I love the smell and sound of bacon sizzling in my kitchen. The government should not take that away from us.
My great aunt is in her 90s. She grew up on a farm and they did not have a lot of money. As a child, she usually ate some sort of pork product for breakfast. It was usually sausage gravy. Like many people in rural Indiana at that time, she was very poor. But farmers often had to rely on pork to feed their families. I usually only have a cup of coffee and a yogurt for breakfast. I would much rather have biscuits and gravy. And I will be lucky to live past 90.
I want to live in a healthy community and I know bacon is not good for me. But this is a ham-handed effort to improve our health. Consuming bacon is my choice. This is America. I am pretty sure that eating bacon is one of my constitutional rights. I think it is probably in the Ninth or 10th Amendment — somewhere in there.
It will become an act of civil disobedience to eat bacon and eggs. Is outlawing bacon the first step on the road to despotism?
This is pork prohibition. An ordinance will have a negative impact on our economy. Pork production is an important industry for Indiana. Banning bacon will only create a bacon black market. You will have to get your bacon fix from a dealer or go to an underground pork speakeasy. The markup on the contraband will be outrageous. The wealthy will hog it all.
In addition to this column, maybe I should start some sort of social media campaign to put a stop to the bacon ban. We should organize a protest. We could openly flaunt the new ordinance by dining on a few slices on the steps of city hall.
It turns out, though, that I did not hear John Clark correctly. He said “vaping” not “bacon.”
The city council was listening to the Columbus Regional Health and Healthy Communities’ suggestion to add e-cigarettes to the city’s smoke-free ordinance. Oh. Well, that is different. I support that.
Please do not call the mayor or a city councilperson to protest a proposed bacon ban. There is no such thing. Do not start leaving Onions in this newspaper about the regulation of pork products in the city. No one in Columbus is considering a bacon ban. I completely misunderstood the news.
But I did not let that stop me from going off half-cocked. I escalated things all out of proportion. I was sure that I was right and that I should offer my opinion even if I was clueless about the reality of the situation.
I was offended and outraged without having all of the information or the context. I was too pigheaded to learn more. I did not let my ignorance stop me from providing disinformation and spreading ridiculous notions. I am sure that I am the only ill-informed person who has or ever will assert their political opinions without having all the facts — when pigs fly.
Letter: USMCA has serious flaws
From: Ann Jones
Columbus
I wrote my opinion on NAFTA and then the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), both negative. I had hopes for what President Trump might pull together in the United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA). Let me sound an alarm once again about the corporate greed and malevolence laced into it.
My hope is that we pay attention and act while there is time to change it. While Trump promoted it as “fair and good for everyone,” that is not the case as it stands. It seems to be a way to lock into law advantages and schemes for corporations over the common good of consumers, labor, independent businesses, the environment and other democratic forces. While couched in legalese, it obscures corporate thievery as did the other trade plans. It even hides from Congress who will profit and who will pay. Trump lauded his handiwork of 1,809 pages (did he even read it?) as “the most important trade deal ever made by far.” While he continuously asks “big pharma” to reduce its horrific prices, this trade deal would require the governments to guarantee and even extend big pharma’s monopoly price setting power. The sneaky deal even gives drug makers 10 years exclusive marketing rights, thus preventing generic competition for an additional decade beyond the 20 years already in place. Fantastic for all?
“Big oil” would retain its NAFTA-granted access in court preventing Mexican efforts to strengthen the environment and health protection. While the deal prohibits fraudulent labor units in Mexico, it provides no way to enforce or monitor corporate compliance. Helps everyone?
Trump’s fantastic re-do of NAFTA keeps a rule prohibiting our government from setting our own health standards for meat sold to our consumers. Yuck!
Our own government’s International Trade Commission reported in April that USMCA’s economic impact will be embarrassingly low. Over six years the number of jobs created will be equivalent to what our present economy creates in a slow month. The commission found the USMCA would be a net job killer, would slow U.S. economic growth and likely increase our trade deficit.
Even with these uglies, a good thing is eliminating NAFTA’s repugnant Investor State Dispute Settlement, no longer giving corporate claim to taxpayer dollars through specious lawsuits. If Congress can strengthen labor and environmental standards making them strictly enforceable, the new trade option might counter corporate America’s outsourcing and changing middle class jobs into Mexican sweatshops. Certainly, the goodies for “big pharma” must be removed. Congress should decide who controls the price of our medications and whether our fried chicken is tainted or not!
The trade deal has flaws and it is up to us to call that to the attention of our members of Congress. A spring poll found 70% of registered voters want USMCS’s corporate advantages scrapped or the whole deal crossed out. Trade fights are tedious and complex. If it unites folks across countries and the political spectrum to rewrite the corporatized version to favor everyone, it is worth the work to improve it.
