The Herald from Mascoutah, Illinois • 7

Jimmy 3.2QH Herald Pip. 7 Senior Happenings EDITORIALS The Worst Idea Heard After Newtown make needed repairs' and clean up of the building and yard. The City of Mascoutah actually owns our building and is very supportive of our program by providing electricity, water and sewer utilities. Our local churches provide many of volunteers. Our Motto is "Wfe Touch the Heart and we hope as you read this that you experience the same joy and love for each other and Mascoutah that we do today.

It is a wonderful place to live, love and be loved. Happy New Year of 013! Let us look forward to Peace, ftosperity and Health for our world and all we who live in it! offer Zumba Gold, which is a dance exercise to Latin music. We have included pictures of our groups in the Time Capsule. Our major fundraiser is a Wine and Cheese Puty in November. We celebrate St.

PatricksDay the German Way with the Waterloo German Batik, Corned Beef and Cabbage as well as Brats and Sauerkraut. Wb do receive subsidized fending for our meals and Home Delivered meals of about $333 each from the Area Agency on Aging and make a $3j00 donation for our lunch if we are able. The Senior Center is staffed by 4 paid employees and 120 volunteers who help prepare and deliver meals, When you read this, many things will be vciyjdiflcraid from today, December Now we meet at our senior center Monday through Friday where we eqjoy hmcfa, exercises, presentations by professionals in the health care, home care and other senior oriented areas. We range ia age from 60 to 95 yean and are able to walk into the center. In feet, many of us still drive to and from thecenter.

Some of us Were born and grew up in Mascoutah. Others folks have moved here due to military sendee and decided to retire in Mascoutah. Our menus are prescribed by the Older Americans Act of 2005 and include lots of legumes (beans and such) and healthy We do nations financial problems, there is no single solution: Bolster mental health services with an eye toward getting parents with children with mental health issues the help they Reports indicate Nancy Lanza tried desperately to get help for her son, the Newtown shooter, but could not. Hind more community mental health homes that were supposed to replace qien-tal hospitals. Explore ways to allow disturbed people to be committed to diem without haying tofirst charge them with a crime.

Gun rights groups will point to the ineffectiveness ofthe assault weapons ban that expired in 2004. Supporters point to the loopholes in the law not requiring background checks at gun shows and allowing manufacturers to skirt the ban by tweaking their design -as the reason ft foiled. Lawmakers should focus first qn the size of the magazine. Most guns sold today are semi-automatic, meaning they fic one bullet per squeeze of the trigger, including the guns fee Newtown shooter used. But shooters can cause a lot of damage because the size of the magazine they use allows them to shoot off dozens of bullets without reloading.

Start by. banning the manufacture and sale of any magazine that contains more than six bullets. Dont allow loopholes for gun shows. Fund a program to buy back the high-powered, high-capacity magazine weapons out there today. Then destroy them.

After Newtown, law-abiding gun owners must recognize the damage their weapons can do if they fell into the wrong hands, even though they own them legally. Australia had success wife such a program after a 1996 mass shooting. The National Rifle Association has fueled paranoia about the government seizing people's guns away. That is not our aim. The right to own a gun for hunting or self-defense must be respected.

There is no right to own a firearm whose sole purpose is to murder a lot ofpeople. Izzy Writes who flipped on the intercom system that day probably helped teachers in all classrooms anticipate and protect their children and get out of harms way, so in that sense, saved lives. Abo, if not about money, then why ask for kin a suit? If it about security, shouldnt die suit simply seek to impose a security solution, perhaps requiring the state to hire jecurity officers at all schools or something like that? On the Road By the time the snow settles, about 933 million people will have traveled at least 50 miles during the holiday to visit family and friends. About 90 percent will be by auto. The number will be about 400j000 shy of the all time holiday travel record set in 2006 one more indicator that times are getting better for all Americans.

For me, holiday travel brought the blessing of two grandchildren from emotions, not gender. I wonder if the judges would rule in a similar manner if a boss fired an employee because they felt the employee was unattractive or too dam ugly. Litigation Leu than three, weeks after the school massacre in legal eagle has stepped forward with a $100 million lawsuit against the state of Connecticut on behalf of a six-year student who survived the event. The lawyer says the child heard the violence over the school intercom and suffered emotional injury. Always crafty and careful as most of these lawsuits try to be 'in wording that espouses the purest ideals, the attorney says is not about money, but about improving school security.

Really? Many thoughts occur, some unprintable. It seems to me the person Maryland to join the three who live in the city. It doesnt get much better. Casualties of War Between 2001 and August 2012, the United States military counted 2j676 suicides among its personnel. It iian item of great concern to the leadership.

Thought for the Day If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and depart Socrates Selfless Good Deeds Do you know someone performing a selfless good deed or rendering a heartfelt act of kindness? How about someone paying it forward in a way that makes Mascoutah a belter place to live, work or play? Share with the community. Call 566-2013 and leave a message or contact me at izzywritcsgmail.com. i It tf The (Springfield) State Journal-Register Its an idea thats gone disturbingly mainstream: In order to stop tragedies like the slaying of 20 innocent children on Dec. 14 in Newtown, we should allow or even insist that teachers and school personnel carry guns so they can shoot potential mass murderers. Nothing' brings home the sickness of our gun-loving, violent culture snore than this idea: Instead of reducing the number of guns, we should increase them, regardless of the potential of a spaghetti western playing out in our schools.

Is that the America we Its not an idea thats simply been expressed by quacks. Its a solution Richard Pearson, executive director of the Illinois State Rifle Association, actually advocated this week. There are So many things wrong with it. Supporters of this idea may not have noticed, but our teachers, particularly those in urban areas, have enough challenges to confront each day. They have students from broken homes, who are impoverished, who have trouble getting the nutrition or sleep they need.

Our society increasingly expects these teachers to perform miracles, to raise test scores when students arent getting any help at home, to single-handedly eradiate the socioeconomic disadvantages with which these students start. Expectations are high enough without asking school staff to become junior Secret Service agents. Should really be in the job description of teachers and principals, whose daily tide is to nurture children and administrate, to shoot and kill assassins? Shooting a moving target is difficult enough, let alone one who might be brandishing a semi-automatic rifle and returning fire. What if the teacher hits a student? Worse, what if a teacher with mental health issues snaps and blows away a few kids on a bad day? Is the next step having children cany guns? Guns have increasingly become like cigarettes. Those who claim a precious right to use both deadly products believe that the rest of us ought to be exposed to them as well.

Don'f want to breathe secondhand smoke? Well, you better not be around me. Don't want to get shot by a madman? Better make sure youre packing heat at all When President Barack Obama introduces his plan to curb mass shootings in January, he ought to say the right to possess a gun cannot infringe upon non-carrying citizens" expectation of public safety. Obama should propose a balanced approach to this problem. Like the IknldhMM TNt week I waited toshare, with yotrov thoughts Oku we included Hw Capsule to be opened 'in 2037. Ibc The Citizens of Mascoutah, Year 2037 ftonzTheMisrnieihiSmiwOm.

ter. Year 2012 Greetings to won who are celebrating die 200 Anniversary of the Founding of Mascoutah, Illinois. wish we could be with yon as yon open tins time capsule, but tint ia pretty remote as we are already senior citizens. Congratulations The season brings news about former HoaM co-worker, Paralympics basketball gold medaliit and friend, Emily Hoskins. Emily was surprised byamaniage proposal fromloqgtime steady Cody Campbell oo Christmas Eve while celebrating the season at home of her parents Greg and Linda Hoskins.

She accepted the proposaL -t Hoskins and Campbell live in Nashville, Tbnnessee. Emily works with an advocacy group that helps find housing for disabled and elderly citizens. Cody, who grew up near Kentucky Lake, is a professional musician and entertainer. Hisfern-? ily owns the Kentucky Opry, an 'entertainment venue. Congratulations Emily and Cody.

Cody found a keeper in my friend, ErnOy tad I couldn't be happier for them both. First Customer The recent story announcing the dosing of the base theater at Scott AFB brings to light that the very first paying customer at the theater when opened bock in the day was a then Air Force dependent named Chuck Carnahan. Chuck, a photographer extraordinaire, and another former Herpld co-worker, is now a supervi-. sor with the TSA in SL Louis. Carnahan relays he waited in line a long time to be the first patron of the then new theater.

Anyone wife a Facebook account accumulates lots of "friends. One great advantage of social media is the chance to reconnect electronically with folks you grew up with or aerved with in the militaiy. It also allows me to keep abreast on occurrences from the home grounds of my youth. Ive gartered about 200 friends on Facebook since I joined. It was nice that over 80 of the Facebookers, in addition to "regular friends took die time to wish me a happy birthday last week.

Some of them even left touching comments which remind me of a couple of things. One, that you can be a positive influence on others without being consciously aware of and two, that you dont walk through life alone, but are forever connected to people and' events in profound ways you could not have imagined at the time. I am grateful for the friends who fill the pages of my book of life. JusflboHot The Iowa Supreme Court ruled in a 7-0 vote that a boss can fire an employee they view as an irresistible attraction teen if the employee has not engaged in flirtatious behavior or otherwise done anything wrong. The female employee had worked for a dentist for ten years and had an exemplary record.

After the dentist and the employe? started exchanging text messages, the dentists wife found out about them and demanded her husband fire the employee. He told the employees husband he was afraid of having an affair as the reason he fired the worker. She sued with the ultimate ruling from the Supreme Court stating the firing may have been unfair, but it was not onitwfc because the firing was motivated by feelings and SANTA HEADS BACK TO THE NORTH P(X On Christmas Day. Santa Cbus (Rich Dawson) and his two elves (sons Brad and Rick) greeted residents at the Visitor Center parking lot in Mascoutah. Families stopped by to talk to Santa, have their pictures taken, and to wish him a safe trip back to the North Pole.

This is an annual event for the Dawson family, who are also members of the Illinois Patriot Guards. The Patriot Guard members attend the funerals of US aimed forces members at the invitation of the deceased's family, and help shield the mourners from possible protesters. Thursday, January 5th Stop missing out on community news! Subscribe to The Herald today! 566-8282 Mmbtriirc IMhiililltnBB NEW YEAR! New Year is a time to reflect on the year past. It is also a time to set goals for the future, and Edward Jones can help you do just that Were in your neighborhood and available to help you take steps now to help meet your longterm financial goals. Call today to set up a complimentary portfolio review.

Fnancial Advisor 17 Mascoutah Plaza Drive Mascoutah, 62258 618-5662180 Holy Childhood Parish Center Mascoutah, IL from 9am 2pm oodle- St Louis Cornel Save Snmp Rams T-shirts "Please bring photo LD..