Editorial Roundup: Indiana

Terre Haute Tribune-Star. Jan. 1, 2021.

Editorial: A year to rise toward recovery. Communities need good citizens to rally

Just as 2020 will long be known as the year when things really fell apart, today is perfect day to pledge that 2021 will be the year when communities pulled it all back together.

While there are troubled times ahead as COVID-19 swirls around us, vaccines are emerging, slowly but surely, that we trust will beat back the virus and return this country we love to a sense of normalcy.

But America will need our help. Recovery for our communities will be something to which we all must be committed. Good citizenship will be needed more than ever.

It has become customary in this space as a new year dawns to offer a litany of thoughts for the coming year with the emphasis on promoting an increased level of citizenship.

A version of this editorial first appeared in 2014 and we've adapted it to apply in 2021. The message is timeless, although it carries increased urgency in these times. As we greet 2021, we offer these suggestions for making yourself a better citizen and in doing so helping our community recover from a very hard year.

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As the calendar turns, resolutions for self-improvement are top-of-mind. Lose weight. Exercise. Eat healthy. Stop smoking. Think positive. Laugh more. Worry less. Etc., etc.

Mostly, they're personal goals, and good ones at that.

We'd like to add another for your consideration: Become a better citizen.

How does one do that? It's easier than you think. You probably do it all the time, yet don't think of it in terms of being a good citizen. But there may be more you can do that requires only that you engage in your community in a greater variety of ways, each of which contributes to enhanced quality of civic life for all.

We offer the following resolutions from which to choose. Try a few.

'¢ Donate blood.

'¢ Drive safely, with an emphasis on construction zones.

'¢ Attend a festival (once they resume from their COVID-19 layoffs). They contribute greatly to a community's sense of place, pride and self-worth. And we're going to need a lot of that to recover from the pandemic's strain on communities.

'¢ Volunteer. Plenty of good causes need your help.

'¢ Make a contribution to a local charity, and not just during the holidays.

'¢ Read your newspaper. Better yet, subscribe to your newspaper. Yes, we know this sounds self-serving, but let us explain. One key way to be more aware, involved and informed is to know what's going on in your community and to apply this knowledge to your civic life. The best way to get that kind of knowledge is by reading a newspaper, which is widely believed to be the main source of vital information about government, business and public and private institutions that make up the foundation of every community.

'¢ Use your local parks. They are beautiful places.

'¢ Support community-based businesses. They need you. You need them. Now more than ever. They had a rough 2020.

'¢ Take advantage of cultural opportunities, which will be abundant again when the public health crisis abates (and it will). Visit a museum. Attend a theatrical performance, a concert or the symphony. Venture onto a college campus for something other than a sporting event.

'¢ Be a good neighbor. Mend fences. Build bridges. And, no, we don't mean the structural kind.

'¢ Embrace the community's diversity. Scrutinize biases or prejudices you may hold toward others concerning politics, religion, race, age, gender or sexual orientation.

'¢ Thank a veteran. When the opportunity arises, attend an event that salutes those who have served in the armed forces.

'¢ Tell public safety officials and first responders how much you appreciate the jobs they do and the risks they take to make our communities safe and secure.

'¢ Express gratitude to all those front-line workers - doctors, nurses, health professionals of all kinds - who gave so much of themselves to help their communities through these difficult times.

'¢ Be kind to the animals. Adopt a pet from the shelter. Be a responsible pet owner.

'¢ Respect the environment. Don't litter. Take care of community resources. Recycle. Educate yourself about ways to help make your community more sustainable.

'¢ Speak well of your community. Proud of where you live? Tell people about it.

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Happy New Year! May 2021 be the best year yet for you, your family and the community in which you live.

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Anderson Herald Bulletin. Dec. 30, 2020.

Editorial: Local officials should make 2021 a better year

A recommended New Year's resolution for the county's elected officials is to commit to productive, collaborative leadership.

Although some familiar faces remain at their posts, they are joined by newly elected individuals to make a new team.

Disputes between local government bodies resulted in dysfunction several times over the past year. Notably, the county council and the board of commissioners could not agree on funding to retain the services of an attorney, which brought some decisions to a halt.

On an Election Day that will live in infamy in Madison County, some residents waited more than six hours in line to vote, after which county commissioners and election board members pointed the fingers at each other.

County residents do not benefit from petty disputes among governing bodies.

We expect our leaders to disagree and sometimes passionately debate. This is part of a representative democracy, but nothing good comes from vilifying others based on political affiliation or a personal grudge.

If we take it on good faith that those who run for office have the best interests of the county in mind, then we can expect our leaders to work together to take the best of all their ideas.

The potential is here for 2021 to be a great year for Madison County if the newly elected leaders commit to working together for the good of the county.

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Columbus Republic. Dec. 31, 2020.

Public should stay involved in politics

It's hard enough to create policy and pass it through the legislature in a normal year.

But during a pandemic? Every law generated by the Indiana General Assembly will affect Hoosiers in both the short and long term future.

The 2021 legislative session will commence on Jan. 4 at the Statehouse - 304 days since Gov. Eric Holcomb first declared a public health emergency on March 6.

At the top of the list of the lawmakers' priorities is creating a budget for the next two years, which will need to take into account the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other issues that the legislature will face include expanding broadband internet access, transportation projects, teacher pay, public health (including telemedicine), and justice reform, among other initiatives.

Additionally, lawmakers will also reevaluate how much power a governor has during a public health emergency. Many legislators have criticized the governor's actions throughout the pandemic, saying that he's overstepping his boundaries and his actions are constitutional.

This past election cycle, a record number of Bartholomew County voters casts ballots.

While representatives have been determined by the people, the public's role in politics isn't over.

It's imperative that citizens continue to communicate with their lawmakers, and ask them what their priorities are for this legislative session while also sharing their own concerns.

More than 50 proposed bills have already been posted to the Indiana General Assembly's website, and can be viewed at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2021/bills/.

Future bills will also be posted at the link, which will also provide updates as votes happen in the House and Senate.

The decisions by state leaders in the coming weeks will determine the future of Indiana. All citizens should stay involved in the process, and continue to make their voices heard.

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