Grassroots editor 2018 Golden Quill & Golden Dozen Awards - The 43rd Annual Eugene Cervi Award - University of Kentucky
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grassroots
editor
2018 Golden Quill
& Golden Dozen Awards
Editorial skills and courage exemplified by winners
of the ISWNE contest and
The 43rd Annual
Eugene Cervi Award
volume 59, no. 2 • summer 2018grassroots editor • summer 2018
2018 Golden Quill contest
Editor: Dr. Chad Stebbins
Graphic Designer: Carl Fowler
and Eugene Cervi Award
his year’s Golden Quill recipient had a lengthy career as a daily city editor and editorial page editor
T
Grassroots Editor
(USPS 227-040, ISSN 0017-3541) before moving to a weekly, The North Scott Press, in Eldridge, Iowa, in 2016. Mark Ridolfi has exten-
is published quarterly for $50 per year by sive experience with database reporting, leading investigative teams, managing newsrooms, and build-
the International Society of Weekly News- ing websites, but believes writing is at the heart of it all.
paper Editors, Institute of International
Studies, Missouri Southern State Univer- “What a thrill to be recognized for writing by a group of excellent writers,” he said. “We report on tough
sity, 3950 East Newman Road, Joplin, stuff. It takes work to make town councils and school boards accessible to our readers. That work pays off
MO 64801-1595. Periodicals postage paid when our communities feel connected to governance. It also pays off when I’m surprised with a trip to
at Joplin, Mo., and at additional mailing Portland for this terrific honor.”
offices. Ridolfi, 59, received a B.A. in journalism from Northern Illinois University in 1980 and an M.A. in jour-
POSTMASTER: Send address changes nalism from Indiana University in Indianapolis in 1995, where he did database analysis work under Pulitzer
to Grassroots Editor, Institute of Interna- Prize winner Andrew Schneider.
tional Studies, Missouri Southern State ISWNE received 106 Golden Quill entries from 60 individuals this year. The 12 best are gathered together
University, 3950 E. Newman Road, as the Golden Dozen. The summer issue of Grassroots Editor traditionally contains these editorials along
Joplin, MO 64801-1595. with comments from the judge. It is an opportunity to see the quality of commentary in the weekly press.
Volume 58, Issue 2, Summer 2017
Ross Connelly, the longtime editor and publisher of The Hardwick Gazette in Vermont, is the recipient
of the 2018 Eugene Cervi Award. Connelly is a New England journalistic icon: He was the founding chair
of the Vermont Coalition for Open Government and a champion of diversity.
It is fitting that one of the letters of nomination for Connelly came from Jack Authelet, the 1998 Cervi re-
cipient. And Gene Cervi himself would have endorsed Connelly’s selection, for Ross is often regarded as
the “journalism conscience” of ISWNE.
President Steve Ranson
Fallon, Nevada
Vice President: Marcia Martinek
The Golden Dozen
Herald Democrat ,
Leadville, Colorado
The judge s comments, and About the judge
By Jackie Risley .................................................................................................................. Page 3
Executive Director: Golden Quill Winner: How do you petition a grievance without access to records?
Dr. Chad Stebbins, Director, Institute of By Mark Ridolfi, Assistant Editor, The North Scott Press, April 19, 2017 .......................... Page 4
International Studies, Missouri Southern An explanation from the winner
State University, 3950 E. Newman Road, By Mark Ridolfi, Assistant Editor, The North Scott Press ................................................... Page 5
Joplin, MO 64801-1595 We stand as one with transgender students
Phone: (417) 625-9736 By Melissa Hale-Spencer, Editor, The Altamont Enterprise, March 2, 2017....................... Page 6
Fax: (417) 659-4445
E-Mail: stebbins-c@mssu.edu
Opponents flunk Medicaid math
By Brian J. Hunhoff, Contributing editor, Yankton County Observer, December 8, 2017 ........ Page 7
Why is Barrow anti-yoga?
Board of Directors: By Mike Buffington, Co-publisher and editor, The Jackson Herald, October 11, 2017....... Page 8
Dr. Deborah Givens Syringe exchange is imperative to local public health
Eastern Kentucky University By Abigail Whitehouse, Editor, The Interior Journal, February 9, 2017............................. Page 9
Richmond, Kentucky Wisconsin needs to let a bad law die
By Brian Wilson, News editor, The Star News, May 25, 2017 ......................................... Page 10
Jan Haupt
Lodi, Wisconsin ‘Mohawk Girls’ permit issue exposes gap
By Steve Bonspiel, Editor and publisher, The Eastern Door, June 9, 2017 ...................... Page 11
Mike Buffington Yes to a clear conscience
The Jackson Herald By Donald Dodd, Publisher, The Salem News, March 21, 2017 ...................................... Page 12
Jefferson, Georgia
Hospital merits sales tax vote
Andy Schotz By Sarah Kessinger, Editor and publisher, The Marysville Advocate, June 23, 2017........ Page 13
The Herald-Mail Put an end to client-shaming
Hagerstown, Maryland By Paul Fletcher, Editor-in-chief, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, December 18, 2017 ............ Page 14
Bob Yeates The Blues Factory referendums
Bairnsdale Advertiser By William F. Schanen III, Publisher, Ozaukee Press, April 13, 2017 .............................. Page 15
Australia Terrorism is not colour coded
Immediate Past President: By Brenda P. Schimke, Columnist, East Central Alberta Review, October 12, 2017........ Page 16
Dr. David Gordon
Professor Emeritus
University ofWisconsin – Eau Claire The Gene Cervi Award
Ross Connelly and letters of nomination ....................................................................... Page 19
1grassroots editor • summer 2018
GOLDEN QUILL WINNERS (1961-2018)
1961 Hal DeCell 1990 Bill Lueders
Deer Creek Pilot, Rolling Fork, Mississippi Isthmus, Madison, Wisconsin
1962 Don Pease 1991 Stuart Taylor Jr.
Oberlin (Ohio) News Tribune Legal Times, Washington, D.C.
1963 Hazel Brannon Smith 1992 Hope Aldrich
Lexington (Mississippi) Advertiser The Santa Fe (New Mexico) Reporter
1964 Mrs. R.M.B. Hicks 1993 Michael D. Myers
Dallas (Pennsylvania) Post Granite City (Illinois) Press-Record
1965 Robert E. Fisher 1994 Jim MacNeill
Crossett (Arkansas) News Observer The Eastern Graphic, Montague, Prince Edward Island
1966 Owen J. McNamara 1995 Brian J. Hunhoff
Brookline (Massachusetts) Chronicle-Citizen The Missouri Valley Observer, Yankton, South Dakota
1967 Alvin J. Remmenga 1996 Patricia Calhoun
Cloverdale (California) Reveille Denver Westword, Denver, Colorado
1968 Henry H. Null IV 1997 Tim Giago
The Abington Journal, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania Indian Country Today, Rapid City, South Dakota
1969 Dan Hicks Jr. 1998 Gary Sosniecki
Monroe County Democrat, Madisonville, Tennessee Webster County Citizen, Seymour, Missouri
1970 Richard Taylor 1999 Jeff McMahon
Kennett News & Advertiser, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania New Times, San Luis Obispo, California
1971 Edward DeCourcy 2000 Jeff McMahon
Newport (New Hampshire) Argus Champion New Times, San Luis Obispo, California
1972 C. Peter Jorgenson 2001 William F. Schanen III
The Advocate, Arlington, Massachusetts Ozaukee Press, Port Washington, Wisconsin
1973 Robert Estabrook 2002 Paul MacNeill
Lakeville (Connecticut) Journal The Eastern Graphic, Montague, Prince Edward Island
1974 Phil McLaughlin 2003 Jeremy Waltner
The Miami Republican, Paola, Kansas Freeman Courier, Freeman, South Dakota
1975 Betsy Cox 2004 Charles Gay
The Madison County Newsweek, Richmond, Kentucky Shelton-Mason County Journal, Shelton, Washington
1976 Peter Bodley 2005 Bill Lueders
Coon Rapids Herald, Anoka, Minnesota Isthmus, Madison, Wisconsin
1977 Rodney A. Smith 2006 Gary Sosniecki
Gretna (Virginia) Gazette The Vandalia Leader, Vandalia, Missouri
2007 Lori Evans
1978 Robert Estabrook
Homer News, Homer, Alaska
Lakeville (Connecticut) Journal
2008 Melissa Hale-Spencer
1979 R. W. van de Velde The Altamont Enterprise, Altamont, New York
The Valley Voice, Middlebury, Vermont 2009 David Martin
1980 Garrett Ray The Pitch, Kansas City, Missouri
Independent Newspapers, Littleton, Colorado 2010 Mo Mehlsak
1981 Janelou Buck The Forecaster, Falmouth, Maine
Sebring (Florida) News 2011 Peter Weinschenk
1982 Albert Scardino The Record-Review, Abbotsford, Wisconsin
The Georgia Gazette, Savannah, Georgia 2012 Vernon Oickle
1983 Francis C. Zanger The Lunenburg County Progress Bulletin,
Bellows Falls (Vermont) News-Review Bridgewater, Nova Scotia
1984 John McCall 2013 Peter Weinschenk
The SandPaper, Ocean City, New Jersey The Record-Review, Abbotsford, Wisconsin
1985 William F. Schanen III 2014 Brian J. Hunhoff
Ozaukee Press, Port Washington, Wisconsin Yankton County Observer, Yankton, South Dakota
1986 Henry G. Gay 2015 Roger Harnack
Shelton-Mason County Journal, Shelton, Washington Omak-Okanogan County Chronicle, Omak, Washigton
1987 Ellen L. Albanese 2016 Mike Buffington
The Country Gazette, Franklin, Massachusetts The Jackson Herald, Jefferson, Georgia
1988 Michael G. Lacey 2017 Peter Weinschenk
The New Times, Phoenix, Arizizona The Record-Review, Abbotsford, Wisconsin
1989 Tim Redmond 2018 Mark Ridolfi
Bay Guardian, San Francisco, California The North Scott Press, Eldridge, Iowa
2grassroots editor • summer 2018
The judge’s comments
By Jackie Risley public, these editors often receive anger and criticism. And unlike
internet comments that can be ignored, when you’re a community
efore I lived in one of the most densely populated cities in the news editor, this feedback is provided at the local grocery store,
B U.S., I grew up reading a weekly paper in a rural town that
still has fewer than 1,500 residents. As I read this year’s
Golden Quill submissions, what struck me was that, despite what
while you wait for your coffee, or at your child’s sporting event.
Most importantly, these weekly papers and their editors are
doing more than just bringing attention to important issues. Rather
partisan politics would have us believe, the things that are impor- than increasing divisions, they inspire their communities by re-
tant to people in towns like the one I grew up in aren’t much dif- minding them that, in a democracy, citizens aren’t powerless and
ferent from those of my urban neighbors. In a time when it feels can accomplish great things when they work together to protect
like so much of the media exploits differences and leaves people the people and ideals they care about.
feeling powerless, these weekly newspapers and their editors are In fact, many of the Golden Quill submissions are a celebration
uniting, empowering, and mobilizing their communities. of their communities and community life. They stand as champi-
This year’s submissions gave eloquent voice to the local impact ons for schools and local businesses and the individuals who make
of national problems like substance abuse, law enforcement a lasting impact on others. As I read through the tear sheets that
abuses, women’s health issues, government overreach, and intol- covered pecan festivals, public celebrations for beloved coaches
erance. They rally leaders and the community to take action and who taught generations of children about fair play, and fundrais-
ownership in providing good schools for their children, safe neigh- ing events to help neighbors in need, I found myself nostalgic for
borhoods, and fair treatment under the law. some of the aspects of community life that can’t be replicated in a
As the Golden Quill submissions underscore, the difference is large city.
that smaller municipalities are dealing with these global issues at At the same time, it’s clear that community newspapers and the
a local level with far fewer resources and the danger of losing even areas they serve are struggling with uncertainty about the future.
more. The authors put a human face on the direct local impact of How will community reporting adapt to increasing use of digital
measures such as cuts in federal healthcare funding and arts edu- and social media by readers, advertisers, and government? How
cation on students in small school districts. By helping readers rec- can communities protect the things that make small-town and rural
ognize the underlying issues and provide a call to action, life so rewarding while ensuring enough development to maintain
community newspapers are fighting the apathy and sense of help- a standard of living and avoiding becoming exclusionary?
lessness that threaten the common ideals we value. It will take courage and creativity to preserve their core ideals
Simultaneously, these editorials perfectly reflected the unique as technology, the economy, and social change force them to adapt
role of community newspapers in informing the public about local and innovate. I have empathy for these publications and their com-
decisions that impact them. They ensure that school board meet- munities as they face the challenges that lie ahead. As they face the
ings and municipal meetings, which are poorly attended and over- potential need to reinvent themselves, the best I can offer is the
looked by television news and internet outlets, are given public advice my grandfather gave me: Don’t forget where you come
accountability. Whether they want it or not. from.
As a former community journalist, I know that, despite its im-
portance, this is often one of the most thankless assignments. In ex-
change for tedious hours fulfilling their obligation to inform the
About the judge
ackie Risley is currently using the writing skills she developed In addition to various marketing po-
J as a community journalist as the senior director of marketing
at a Silicon Valley software company. For several years, she
was on the staff of The Albion (Pennsylvania) News, where she
sitions, Jackie was an editor at Busi-
ness Solutions Magazine and taught
writing at the high school and college
covered municipal meetings, community events, and other local levels. Jackie holds an M.A. in English
happenings. That experience taught her to extract stories from in- from Gannon University and recently
terviews with diverse people, write for multiple audiences and completed her M.B.A. at San Jose State University with a concen-
tough copy editors, and strive for clarity with brevity. All of which tration in global leadership. Her interests include reading, travel-
are useful skills in marketing. ing, and cooking.
3grassroots editor • summer 2018
Golden Quill Winner
How do you petition a grievance
without access to records?
hose of us blessed with a career made possi- Most property records, including ownership, sale
Mark Ridolfi
T ble by the First Amendment are duty bound
to honor the Constitution’s other 26. Our
Constitution is an evolving document that has
been oh-so-slowly amended to reflect our nation’s
changing attitudes to race, gender, voting and presi-
price, mortgage commitments and liens, are public.
All government salaries are public. So are any gov-
ernment payments, though you often have to dig to
track down public checks cut for lawsuit settlements.
Government property and wage benefit negotia-
Assistant Editor, dential term limits. That evolution created the ballot- tions may remain private, though any final settlement
The North Scott Press ing system that allows popular vote losers to be must be public, and ultimately published so inter-
presidential winners. ested taxpayers can find out.
214 N. 2nd St. It also banned and restored alcohol sales within 16 Almost every regulated occupation is subject to
Eldridge, Iowa years, one of the quickest attitudinal evolutions in the public release of disciplinary proceedings, although
52745 document. the restrictions get tighter higher up the pay scale.
Iowa legislators this year flexed two of their consti- You can read public complaints against your licensed
tutionally amended rights. They expanded Second hairdresser. Specific allegations against lawyers re-
April 19, 2017 Amendment personal gun freedoms by invoking the main secret until affirmed by a Supreme Court attor-
10th’s affirmation of state’s rights. As a result Iowans ney disciplinary board.
permitted to carry firearms can now bring them into Exercising the regulated right to bear and carry
the statehouse. firearms, in my view, seems neither an embarrass-
They can also challenge local governments that at- ment to be covered up, nor a benefit to be automati-
tempt to ban firearms in courthouses and other pub- cally pushed into print or online. It simply creates a
lic buildings. publicly managed record.
Iowa’s new gun law affirms a new right for gun And publicly managed records, in my view, should
owners to “stand their ground,” a phrase that au- be public.
thorizes firing upon those threatening property, not Those wanting secrecy say public gun records can
just life. It also allows parents to arm children under be a road map for thieves. But the state’s new stand-
14. your-ground law pretty much assures a grim end to
Those changes are a departure from Iowa tradi- crooks who use that map.
tion, but long practiced in other states without fan-
fare or catastrophe. Second Amendment
I flinch at the part of the new state gun law that My First Amendment career generates plenty of
dictates what local governments can do. Every police interest in Second Amendment records.
chief and sheriff I’ve spoken with does not want guns I’ve visited the Scott County Sheriff’s office and in-
carried into courthouses or schools. But this Iowa spected the hand-written permit and carry permits.
law invites gun proponents to file suits challenging In the 1980s and ‘90s, the records I researched
local preferences publicly approved by locally elected sometimes included handwritten notations to expe-
city, county and school board leaders. dite, or forbid a permit. That occurred under an
That seems an overreach. Iowa law, in which each of Iowa’s 99 county sheriffs
could have his own standard for carry permits. Sher-
New secrecy iffs Forrest Ashcraft and Mike Bladel provided in-
But the provision that really gets me is the new re- stant access to those public records.
quirement that Iowa gun carry permits are now se- When legislators established a statewide standard
cret. carry permit standard in 2010, I returned to take an-
The First Amendment has made me a student of other look. Sheriff Dennis Conard personally
public records for my entire career. My good-govern- showed me the records.
ment radar starts beeping whenever public things be- In 2016, I requested Scott County’s carry permit
come private. Continued on page 17
4grassroots editor • summer 2018
FROM THE JUDGE
Defense of First Amendment
rights is a common editorial
An explanation from the winner
theme, but what sets this
submission apart is that it il- By Mark Ridolfi state regulators’ disciplinary records, another ex-
lustrates the need for access
to information by linking it ample of government’s wildly inconsistent stan-
’mon along. That’s the invitation I try to ex- dards for disclosure.
C
directly to critical issues
around Second Amendment tend in columns. Readers seem to love “Almost every regulated occupation is subject to
rights. some of the same things about journalism public release of disciplinary proceedings, although
that I do: Tracking down data and getting to the restrictions get tighter higher up the pay scale.
An Iowa law that allows for the bottom of something. You can read public complaints against your li-
broad expansion of Second While many flip out about the “media” or the censed hairdresser. Specific allegations
Amendment personal gun
freedoms also limits access to “press,” our readers seem to still value knowing against lawyers remain secret until affirmed by a
public records. Without someone who will rummage through Supreme Court attorney disciplinary board.”
getting sidetracked with an courthouse records, read an entire council resolu- My call for reader advice got no bites. No one
evaluation of the gun tion or legislative bill, and – especially in our grow- followed up with a scathing, or supportive letter.
legislation, Mark shares how ing community – make sure newly platted But everywhere I went, readers bent my ear on the
access to these records has subdivisions don’t dump storm water in others’ subject. Some acknowledged the value of trans-
been used in his reporting re- backyards. parency, even as they flinched about having
lated to gun ownership and
allows for public oversight of So I try to share that part of the job and take their own carry permits disclosed.
whether the law is being im- readers to places they don’t usually go. I hope more of my commentary starts discus-
plemented fairly. The column recognized by ISWNE addressed sions, not ends them.
access to public records, something very few read- I hope it shows our newspaper cognizant not
In addition to standing up for ers have personally experienced. Many still believe only of press rights prescribed by the First Amend-
the right of the public to ac- public records are only for snooping reporters, ment, but also of press responsibilities, which most
cess government records, this even though the vast majority of FOI requests readers know little about.
editorial proposes a reason-
able recommendation for an
come from private businesses seeking mailing lists The journalists of ISWNE certainly know them.
accessible database. or vendor information. Our businesses may have been enabled by the First
This column addressed gun ownership and carry Amendment, but they are sustained by our commu-
permit records, something I assumed many readers nity conscientiousness and connectedness. At our
wouldn’t want nosy newsies near. Republicans in weekly papers, readers know the journalists opin-
the state legislature wanted to – and ultimately did ing on openness are the same ones publicizing
– make those records secret. their workplace expansions, church bake sales, and
I figured our readers would dismiss another kids’ achievements.
journalist’s plea for open records. We need to remind them over and over that one
But they might pay attention to their popularly business in town has their backs.
elected sheriffs. By including details about our reporting activi-
“I’ve visited the Scott County Sheriff’s office ties, we affirm that local news isn’t a collection of
and inspected the hand-written permit and carry thoughts, feelings, philosophies and impressions.
permits. … Sheriffs Forrest Ashcraft and Mike It’s about legwork. It’s about triple checking. It’s
Bladel provided instant access to those public about afternoons in a courthouse basement plug-
records. …Sheriff Dennis Conard personally ging through boxes of index cards that reveal who
showed me the records.” gets guns and who doesn’t.
Rather than peg my argument on laws and court Our news businesses fail when we aim to appeal
rulings unknown to readers, I anchored it to two only to customers who agree with us.
decades of popular sheriffs, Democrat and Repub- We’re unstoppable when supported by readers
lican, whom most of our readers had supported. who respect us.
None of those lawmen showed any hesitation
to disclose records. Mark Ridolfi can be contacted at
The column also shared experiences researching mridolfi@northscottpress.com.
5grassroots editor • summer 2018
We stand as one with
transgender students
n Feb 16, Clifford Nooney was honored State Education Department released guidelines
Melissa Hale-
Spencer
O with a Friends of Education award, pre-
sented by the Capital Area School Devel-
opment Association. Nooney manages
the physical plant for the Guilderland schools.
He wasn’t honored, though, for overseeing 52
for districts across the state to follow on obliga-
tions to protect students’ privacy; the use of stu-
dent names and pronouns; access to bathrooms
and locker rooms; and when and how to involve
family members in talking about a student’s gen-
staff members, caring for 33 acres and over a der identity.
Editor, million square feet of building space. In August 2016, we looked at the report on
The Altamont Enterprise No, he was honored for an act of human com- how schools across the state were doing in fol-
passion. In December, he had hung the sign for lowing the Dignity for All Students Act – there
120 Maple Avenue the school district’s first all-gender bathroom. were some problems in schools accurately self-re-
Altamont, New York “Students celebrated and even wept with joy at porting instances of harassment, bullying, and
12009 the sight of this beacon of acceptance, respect, discrimination.
and belonging,” wrote the district in announcing Although we prodded the districts we cover to
March 2, 2017 the award. not just follow the letter of the law but to follow
A bathroom as a beacon? its spirit, understanding and accepting those who
Yes, indeed. In our times, it has become a might be different than ourselves, we were
FROM THE JUDGE symbol of accepting people for who they are, for pleased and proud, too, to report their progress.
who they choose to be. Berne-Knox-Westerlo adopted a new policy
This submission proves that
powerful editorials don’t have
The Enterprise covered the unfolding story at and identified a “unisex” bathroom – “It allows
to be critical, maintaining a Guilderland – starting when two courageous everybody, no matter how they identify, to make
positive tone even in the face of transgender students, Julia Crooks and Ryka the choice for themselves,” said Superintendent
what was likely a controversial Sweeny, first addressed the school board in Janu- Timothy Mundell. He also said, “It’s important
issue. ary 2016. Both of them are members of the to listen to kids and work with them as much as
school’s Alliance, a club that offers them a place we can, teaching tolerance for all perspectives
Melissa praises the school they don’t feel judged and aren’t called names. and accommodating the people we serve – our
district’s empathetic support for Nooney went to Alliance meetings to understand students and their families.”
transgender students even after
federal protections were re- the students’ concerns and goals. Voorheesville, too, had adopted new policy, la-
scinded. From the individual The stories we told of the transgender students beled single-room bathrooms with symbols for
community heroes to the ran along with the progress the state of New male and female, and put privacy screens in
school policies, this editorial York was making. The day after Julia and Ryka changing areas. “You don’t have to be transgen-
shows how a community can spoke to the school board in Guilderland, der to want privacy,” said Superintendent Brian
fulfill their duty to protect statewide regulations were coincidentally an- Hunt.
vulnerable students. nounced by the governor to protect transgender Leaders in the schools we cover are taking
New Yorkers. The regulations, effective on Jan. good care of our students.
Melissa Hale-Spencer also won
the Golden Quill award in 2008
20, 2016, affirm that transgender people are pro- So why were we so disheartened when, on
and Golden Dozen awards in tected under New York’s Human Rights Law. Feb. 22, President Donald Trump rescinded pro-
1999, 2002, 2005, 2009, That law – the first of its kind in the nation, en- tections for transgender students that, among
2012, 2016, and 2017. acted in 1945 – affords every citizen “an equal other things, had let them use bathrooms corre-
opportunity to enjoy a full and productive life.” sponding to their gender identity? We should not
In June, we profiled Riley Gohlke-Schermer, a have been surprised that Trump made good on
Guilderland transgender student who uses the yet another of his campaign promises to social
pronoun “they” and describes themselves as conservatives.
“gender fluid.” Riley, who said their lesbian par- We were surprised, and pleased, that his newly
ents had always accepted and supported them, appointed secretary of education, Betsy DeVos,
told us of the terrible time Riley had in middle raised some objections before agreeing to Attor-
school. “People in science class yelled, ‘You’re ney General Jeff Sessions’s move to roll back the
gay.’ They threw pens at me. They threw garbage previous administration’s directives before two
in my locker. They threw my stuff on the floor. pending court cases could uphold the protec-
They wrote about me on the bathroom wall … tions. DeVos issued a strong call for the moral
Nobody speaks up. Everybody’s a bystander.” obligation for every school in America to protect
The year before, in July 2015, the New York Continued on page 18
6grassroots editor • summer 2018
Opponents flunk
Medicaid math
T’S MULTIPLE CHOICE TIME and this is friends and neighbors go without.
I an easy one. Lawmakers who oppose Medi-
caid expansion in South Dakota are:
1.) Bad at math.
2.) Putting partisan politics ahead of what’s
States expanding Medicaid have reduced
spending on the uninsured, corrections, and
behavioral health. S.D. expansion would also
save millions in county spending for indigent
care. It would free tax dollars we could redi-
Brian J. Hunhoff
Contributing editor,
best for our state. rect at county roads, bridges, and other infra- Yankton County Observer
3.) Ignoring health needs of 50,000 unin- structure needs.
sured South Dakotans. This could have happened in 2013. By kick-
4.) All of the above. ing the can down the road, our elected leaders 308 Douglas Ave.
There are no wrong answers in this quiz, but have bypassed a $1 billion infusion into our Yankton, South Dakota
the best answer is No. 4. A fourth-grader can state’s economy. More importantly, we’ve lost 57078
look at the arithmetic and see Medicaid expan- 900 South Dakota lives (and counting) from
sion is win-win for South Dakota. Along with not expanding Medicaid back in 2013. December 8, 2017
saving hundreds of lives, it would be a big shot Most South Dakota legislators claim to be
in the arm for our state’s economy. Consider pro-life. Why can’t they apply that philosophy
the following three numbers (underlined in to single parents and our working poor? FROM THE JUDGE
bold type). It was supposed to be a nail-biter, but Maine This well-researched support
181: The number of South Dakota lives that voters recently approved Medicaid expansion for Medicaid expansion in
would be saved each year by Medicaid expan- by a 60-40 margin. Logic and facts won the South Dakota concludes with a
sion, according to a New England Journal of day over partisan politics. clear call to action, including
Medicine study. Unscientific polls hint the same result would the contact information for all
50,000: The number of uninsured South happen here if/when the issue makes a of the state representatives who
are voting on the
Dakotans who would benefit (50K is a lot of statewide ballot. Most South Dakotans are Re- measure.
people in a rural state with 865,454 popula- publicans, but — unlike politicians — they know
tion). and take a good deal when offered. It’s called By debunking many of the
$2 billion: The amount of federal dollars common sense. (Voltaire called it “homespun myths about Medicaid
that would come into S.D. over the next five genius.”) recipients, pointing out how
years to provide medical coverage for those South Dakota’s 2018 legislative session pres- failing to support the measure
50,000 uninsured South Dakotans. Thousands ents an opportunity for lawmakers to let voters contradicts other legislative
of new jobs in the medical field would be cre- decide. The Legislature can present an consti- actions, and ultimately costs
ated. Ripple effects would multiply the eco- tutional amendment on Medicaid expansion, the state more through indigent
nomic impact of that $2 billion many times which would put the question on the Novem- care, Brian provides
compelling motivation for
over. ber 2018 ballot. readers to contact their
Critics say South Dakotans who would bene- Please contact your legislators. Tell them you legislators.
fit are able-bodied people who won’t work. In support Medicaid expansion and want to vote
fact, 73 percent are “the working poor” em- on it. The most effective messages are short Brian J. Hunhoff also won the
ployed in seasonal construction, farm labor, and to the point, such as: Golden Quill Award in 1995
food service, and retail in one of the lowest- and 2014, and Golden Dozen
wage states in the nation. Think of a single Dear South Dakota Lawmaker: We know awards in 2015, 2016, and
mother of three who cannot work enough you’re smarter than a fourth-grader, so please 2017.
hours to afford insurance. help us expand Medicaid for our greater good.
Opponents also say we can’t trust the federal Allow us to vote on it. Do your part to create
government and the feds need to curb spend- thousands of new healthcare jobs in this state.
ing. Two points in response: Make life better for our working poor. Help
1.) They rarely raise such concerns when it thousands of sick South Dakotans get well.
comes to accepting federal highway funding, If none of that matters to you, do the math.
airport funding, crop insurance, etc. This sweet deal is a no-brainer.
2.) South Dakotans’ federal income tax dol-
lars are going to Washington, D.C., anyway, so Sincerely, your boss
doesn’t it make sense to get a slice of the pie?
Our state is funding heath care for poor people Brian J. Hunhoff can be contacted at
in other states, while our low income relatives, brian@co.yankton.sd.us.
7grassroots editor • summer 2018
Why is Barrow anti-yoga?
merica is splintering into an ugly brand Countians, that was too foreign and exotic to
A of tribalism. At one time, we were the
great “melting pot” of ethnic back-
grounds, religions and races.
No more. Instead, we’ve begun to fracture along
the fault lines of culture, race and religion.
comprehend.
The odd thing is, Barrow County does have
local yoga classes. The YMCA is offering “candle
light yoga” and “flow yoga” this month. And a
private company in Winder, owned by a Barrow
Xenophobia – the irrational fear of people native, offers yoga classes of various kinds.
Mike Buffington from other nations or cultures – has become epi- So what’s wrong with that proposed yoga re-
demic, especially in rural areas where “out- treat out in the countryside? What kind of harm
Co-publisher and editor, siders” have long been suspect. could a bunch of people meditating and stretch-
The Jackson Herald That much was evident in Barrow County re- ing on thin mats possibly do to neighbors or the
cently when the county’s planning board turned county?
33 Lee Street down a request for a special use permit for a Barrow County isn’t the only place in the na-
Jefferson, Georgia rural 30-acre yoga retreat. tion where this kind of silly prejudice exists.
The board shot down the request not because The irrational fear of “others” got a lot of stoking
30549
of any legal, non-conforming use – in fact, the during the 2016 election. Muslims and Mexicans
county’s planning staff, the professionals, said it were the target of a lot of political hate speech
October 11, 2017 did conform to the county’s land use. and ugly social media memes (a lot of it from
But the board denied the request as it cowered Russia we now know) during the election. That
FROM THE JUDGE in fear before a room of citizens who opposed fear, unfortunately, has become part and parcel
the yoga center. That crowd had been ramped up to the national character today. The anti-immi-
With xenophobia in the na- by rumors and innuendo posted to a local social gration, anti-refugee voices from the far right cre-
tional spotlight, this media page which alleged the yoga center might ated a lot of fear that traditional American values
submission shows the local become some kind of terrorist training camp. were being undermined by insidious outsiders.
impact of isolationism re-
One guy even alleged during the hearing that While some of that was about illegal immi-
sulting from irrational fear.
From ugly memes on social Al-Qaeda had a training compound in nearby grants from Mexico, it took on a broader tone
media to accusations that a Commerce, suggesting that the Barrow yoga cen- and became anti-immigrant in general. That has
proposed yoga retreat is re- ter might be some kind of sinister conspiracy as played out in Washington with a proposal now to
ally an ISIS training well (death by stretching?). sharply cut the number of refugees and legal im-
ground, Mike calls on the Well there is not an Al-Qaeda or ISIS training migration allowed into the country.
community to examine their compound in Commerce, although there is an Is- Even more hatred has been aimed at Muslims,
distrust of “outsiders” and lamic center that has existed there peacefully for especially refugees from largely Muslim nations
urges the council to many, many years. And the proposed yoga center like Syria. This hatred has become so ingrained
reconsider the double in Barrow isn’t a terrorist training camp – what that even elected leaders like Rep. Jody Hice,
standard applied to a
terrorist goes to a county government for a re- who represents Barrow County, have called for
permit that conforms in
every other way to the zoning variance? Muslim Americans to be denied their First
county’s land use policies. Let’s call what happened in Barrow County for Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of
what it really is – ethnic prejudice fueled by an ir- religion.
Mike Buffington also won rational fear. I suspect some of the anti-yoga sentiment at
the Golden Quill Award in The names of the owners of the property who that Barrow County public hearing was rooted in
2016 and Golden Dozen requested the yoga center are Lalitha Gowda this anti-Muslim fever. But yoga’s roots aren’t
awards in 1991, 1998, and Satyanarayana Karnati. If their names had Muslim, they’re Hindu. In the U.S., yoga has
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, been Smith, or Jones, or Maddox, would they taken on a largely secular tone apart from its
2014, and 2015. have faced such a backlash? If a “Joe Smith” had Hindu roots. People of all religions here practice
requested a variance for a retreat center for yoga as meditation and exercise rather than for
wounded veterans, would those upset Barrow cit- its historical religious role. That’s no different
izens have been opposed to it? Would they have than a Jewish family deciding to have a secular
spread stupid rumors about a terrorist camp? Christmas tree.
If the First Baptist Church of Winder wanted Americans have traditionally prided them-
to build a Christian retreat center on that same selves on being open and outward looking. We
property, would the ugly comments about it have have prided ourselves on being accepting of peo-
been said? ple with different backgrounds and ethnic histo-
We all know the answer: Heck no. ries.
The opposition came because two brown- No longer. A significant part of the American
skinned people with funny-sounding names re- population has turned inward and isolationist.
quested it. To a small group of Barrow Continued on page 18
8grassroots editor • summer 2018
Syringe exchange is imperative
to local public health
eyond politics and opinions, there is an more than $50 million to treat 800 of those in-
B ever-constant duty of local officials to
maintain the public health and safety of
the community and the local health
board, Stanford City Council and Lincoln
County Fiscal Court have recently taken steps
fected in the state – a cost that the public helps
pay. Perhaps if we can get these high costs
down, we can allocate more funding toward af-
fordable treatment options.
These addicts need our help, not our judg-
Abigail Whitehouse
to do just that by supporting the implementa- ment. It is too easy to sit at home and condemn Editor,
tion of a syringe exchange. them for a disease that has taken complete con- T he Interior Journal
Last summer, the Center for Disease Control trol of their lives. Does that mean they are not
ranked Lincoln County 97 out 220 counties responsible for their actions? No. But it does
across the U.S. deemed vulnerable to the out- mean that in order to find their way out of the 301 W. Main Street
break of diseases commonly caused by the ex- downward spiral, they are going to need some Stanford, Kentucky
change and use of dirty needles. Since the help. 40484
report was released, the heroin epidemic and It is time for us to be neighbors again. With-
rate of drug abuse has not waned – it has only out the community coming together, this prob- February 9, 2017
increased. lem will not go away.
It is only logical to infer that a syringe ex- We know it is hard to overlook criminal ac-
change that was recommended last summer is tivity caused by drug addiction and we by no FROM THE JUDGE
just as necessary now, if not more, as the drug means endorse the idea of letting any criminal This empathetic response to
epidemic continues to ravage through Ken- act off the hook. But history has shown that the health risks of addiction
tucky communities including this one. putting an addict in jail rarely does more than skillfully balances logical and
While many will say the exchange is simply get them clean for a short period of time before ethical arguments for the com-
enabling drug use by giving addicts clean nee- they are released and return to the same munity to support the establish-
ment of a syringe exchange. By
dles, that opinion overlooks the true intention lifestyle as before – with no alternative treat- pointing out the risks and costs
and purpose of the exchange – to prevent the ment or housing to run to in the immediate to non-addicts, Abigail combats
spread of infectious disease through dirty nee- area. the tendency of those who
dles. As for drug-traffickers, we have and always aren’t directly affected to view
During the Stanford City Council meeting, will support the full enforcement of the law for addiction as someone else’s
City Attorney Chris Reed described two in- perpetuating a problem that continues to spiral problem.
stances in which he encountered dirty, bloody out of control and take the lives of local resi-
needles – once in the parking lot of a court- dents.
house and again in the parking lot of a restau- This newspaper is tired of printing the obitu-
rant. aries of our youth and pretending that there is
“There was a Ziploc bag full of needles that nothing this community can do – we all have a
were full of blood,” Reed said. “Two days after part to play.
that, I went to a restaurant in Danville and got We applaud our local government officials
out of my car in flip-flops and almost stepped for seeing beyond the surface and realizing that
on a needle that had blood in it.” a syringe exchange is a proactive attempt to not
Those were experiences worth sharing be- only keep this community safe, but save taxpay-
cause they point exactly to the purpose of the ers money by getting dirty needles off the
exchange, which is to prevent others, especially streets, getting more people tested for infec-
children, from encountering the same. Reed tious disease and putting addicts closer to treat-
also pointed to the high cost of treatment for ment.
infectious diseases like hepatitis C, which costs
about $86,000 annually, and HIV, which costs Abigail Whitehouse can be contacted at
about $380,000 per year. abigail.whitehouse@centralkynews.com.
In 2014, Kentucky’s Medicaid program spent
9grassroots editor • summer 2018
Wisconsin needs to
let a bad law die
isconsin needs to take away Attorney crack-baby concerns ended up being largely
Brian Wilson
News editor,
W General Brad Schimel’s access to the
state credit card. Schimel has an-
nounced yet another costly federal ap-
peal. It must be nice to have unlimited
taxpayer funds at your disposal to fight political
blown out of proportion, yet the law remained
on the books.
Schimel repeats the tired party line that pun-
ishing pregnant women who use or have in the
past used a vague and undefined amount of
The Star News battles in the courts. drugs or alcohol is somehow getting them
This time Schimel has turned his attention to “treatment.” Schimel’s argument is nonsense.
defending Wisconsin has flawed “Unborn The law has served as a deterrent to women in
3116 S. Wisconsin Ave. Child Protection Act.” The law was recently bad situations from getting the help they
Medford, Wisconsin overturned in a decision by Federal Court needed because, as with Loertscher, they knew
54451 Judge James Peterson in his ruling on a lawsuit even their doctors could turn against them. In-
filed by Tamara Loertscher, formerly of Med- stead of a safety net, the state of Wisconsin set
ford, against Schimel, Wisconsin Secretary of a trap.
May 25, 2017 Children and Families Eloise Anderson and Rather than wasting taxpayer resources to
Taylor County. try to keep a bad law alive, it should be allowed
FROM THE JUDGE Loertscher had been held in Taylor County to die. Wisconsin legislators should instead
jail in 2014 because she refused to comply with craft a new law that actually provides treatment
This editorial brings a court order to go to inpatient drug rehab and in place of punishment. Legislators need to
attention to the public costs was held in contempt. She had initially gone to pass a law that recognizes and protects the in-
of Wisconsin’s Unborn the county’s human services department con- herent human rights of pregnant women as
Child Protection Act, which
ironically puts unborn
cerned that she was pregnant and was de- being at least equal to the unborn children they
children whose mothers are pressed. They referred her to an inpatient carry in their wombs.
substance abusers at greater behavioral health unit in Eau Claire where she Rather than bolstering a law that relegates
risk. Tough penalties tested positive for using meth. According to pregnant women to some type of subhuman
discourage women from court records, she turned to meth because it walking incubator status, Wisconsin’s legisla-
seeking help and overlook was a more easily available alternative to the ture should stand up for the rights of women to
their inherent human rights. expensive thyroid medication she needed, but have control of their own bodies. If the state
didn’t have the insurance to cover. wants to help pregnant women get treatment
Brian urges readers not only The Unborn Child Protection Act allowed for drug or alcohol addiction, the legislature
to demonstrate greater the state to lock up pregnant women who the should do so and at the same time address the
compassion for women in
potentially dangerous
state felt could be a danger to their unborn high cost of healthcare that causes people to
situations, but also urges children. At the time it was passed, it was a self medicate in place of receiving needed med-
them to oppose the attorney knee-jerk reaction to concerns that so-called ical care.
general’s expensive ongoing crack babies would cost taxpayers millions of It is time for Schimel to stop throwing good
legal battle at the public’s dollars in long term medical and mental health taxpayer money after bad just because he can’t
expense. costs caused by their mothers’ drug use. The accept that Wisconsin’s law is wrong and de-
law was heavily resisted by those in social serv- serves to be taken out with the trash.
ices and medical fields when it was passed and
Brian Wilson also won it has taken 19 years to get it overturned, Brian Wilson can be contacted at
Golden Dozen awards in largely because the cases are handled in juve- starnews@centralwinews.com.
2008, 2009, 2013, and
2015.
nile court outside of the public’s eye. The
10grassroots editor • summer 2018
‘Mohawk Girls’ permit
issue exposes gap
he latest Mohawk Council of Kah- That’s going too far.
T nawake gaffe cost the community a good
chunk of money, and it demonstrates the
need for proper procedure for things
that just don’t concern the council chiefs.
Complaints were received about “Mohawk
Imagine if you were in that situation and
someone told you you couldn’t do this or that
because they didn’t like you or what you were
doing.
Something has to be put in place so frivolous
Steve Bonspiel
Editor and publisher,
Girls” filming a fifth and final season here, and complaints are dealt with swiftly. T he Eastern Door
it shows the hole that needs to be filled so it That $500 per day per location is money that
doesn’t happen again. is now lost because the last season of “Mohawk 1170 River Road
The Eastern Door wrote about it last week, of Girls” has to film roughly half of its show else-
Kahnawake, Quebec
how the series, set in Kahnawake, had to where.
choose locations outside of the territory be- Why did someone on the council think they J0L 1B0
cause the MCK was going to decide whether or had a right to debate an issue like this?
not it even should be filmed here, due to its To be fair, not all of the council agreed with June 9, 2017
controversial content. discussing the issue of Mohawk Girls permits,
They ended up deciding it wasn’t their issue but they held it back long enough to delay loca-
to decide, and it was approved, but the delay tion scouting – and that’s the problem.
FROM THE JUDGE
was costly to Kahnawake. A mechanism has to be put in place to keep When leaders’ personal
It is called artistic license, men and women things like this out of the council’s hands, to de- judgments interfere with
of the council, and no matter what you think of cide swiftly on issues that require simple verifi- legal decisions, it can be the
the show’s racy content, you have no right (as cation, but what does that look like? community that pays, as this
editorial points out. Steve ex-
you finally agreed) to stick your collective noses The Eastern Door brings these types of issues
plains how a delay in
into the equation – now or in the future. up because it’s important for our elected offi- providing a permit to film a
The show has its own take on town, and if cials so neck-deep into politics to stop for a sec- show some find personally of-
you disagree with what it portrays, or have is- ond and think rationally – should we be fensive in the territory costs the
sues with the show’s creator, Tracey Deer, that “ruling” on this? Or is it simply none of our community financially and
still does not give you the right to stop her from business? threatens freedom of
filming in her own community, at people’s pri- And if you answer as a leader and not as an expression.
vate homes, hiring locals as actors on set, in individual, it’s clear.
training, spending money in local restaurants If proper procedure was put into place, the Steve Bonspiel also won a
and shops, among other economic offshoots. guesswork is taken out of the equation. Golden Dozen award in 2014
and 2017.
No one should be able to dictate what is and Just make sure it’s fair and works for all, re-
isn’t acceptable in a show that does not libel or gardless of political leanings.
spread hate speech; a show that has a large fol- Because what you certainly don’t want is an-
lowing behind it, that promotes the community other show or exhibit, or other form of free-
on screen, that has been one of the most suc- dom of speech or expression, being controlled
cessful creations ever to come out of Kah- once again by council.
nawake.
Don’t like it? That’s fine. But putting in a Steve Bonspiel can be contacted at
complaint in hopes of stopping it from being steveb@easterndoor.com.
filmed here?
11grassroots editor • summer 2018
Yes to a clear conscience
WE NEED TO BUILD A NEW JAIL, LOCK THE
OLD ONE AND THROW AWAY THE KEY
ometimes you need to vote your pocket- this: “Let’s move the prisoners to the rela-
Donald Dodd
Publisher,
S book, and sometimes you need to vote
your conscience. April 4 is one of those
times you need to vote your conscience.
I can’t remember a time that I have been
more embarrassed and regretful for our com-
tively new Dent County Animal Shelter and
move the dogs and cats to the jail… No, won’t
work. The good folks who run the animal
shelter would never agree to their dogs and
cats living in those conditions.”
The Salem News munity than the week of Feb. 28, when a I take my pocketbook very seriously. A lot
story, photos and video on the Dent County of us do, given the way the economy has been
500 N. Washington Jail appeared in the Salem News and on the- over the past decade or so. A couple of half-
Salem, Missouri salemnewsonline.com. cent sales taxes to pay for the jail and its oper-
65560 Months ago during a news meeting, we de- ation aren’t chicken feed, as they say. But it
cided that staff writer Andrew Sheeley would would likely be a lot cheaper than the alterna-
March 21, 2017 spend a night in the jail to see how much over- tive, which any day now will be lawsuits ga-
crowding is a problem. We planned to publish lore and a court-ordered new jail that would
the story a little over a month before Salem be paid for with tax money found somewhere,
FROM THE JUDGE and Dent County voters go to the poll to de- or bankrupt the county. You know where tax
Linking previous coverage cide on a sales tax increase that would fund money comes from.
of the inhumane conditions construction and operating costs of a pro- Those aren’t scenarios dreamed up by me
in the county jail, this posed new jail. or others to get residents to vote for the new
editorial reminds readers We got a lot more than we bargained for, jail. They are real threats to the financial well-
that they can do something and it was painful to watch. A black mold being of our county.
about the deplorable problem makes the jail unhealthy. When it’s In some ways I feel somewhat responsible
conditions: vote. Whether overcrowded, prisoners are handcuffed to for what has happened with the jail’s deterio-
moved by conscience or the chairs in the booking room or placed in other ration and the resulting squalor. We, as a
potential legal liability of deputy work areas and sleep on thin mats on newspaper staff, are supposed to be the
overcrowded, unhealthy
concrete floors. Fights are commonplace. It’s watchdogs of the community. This watchdog
conditions, Donald makes a
non-nonsense argument to a dangerous situation for prisoners and apparently slept through this one. And we
readers to take responsible deputies. woke up on Feb. 28 when Sheeley’s story was
action. I could go on, but by now you have heard there for the world to see. Every elected offi-
the myriad of jail problems. If not, I urge you cial deserves a little discredit on this one, too.
to go to thesalemnewsonline.com and see for We didn’t know, but we should have known.
yourself. Over a million people have viewed The jail situation never should have gotten
the video on YouTube, so our situation has this bad, and no excuse, claim of ignorance,
drawn the attention of more than Dent finger pointing or kicking of the can down the
County. The jail is a nightmare for those in- road is good enough. Something needs to be
carcerated, as well as those who work there. done, and it needs to be done on April 4.
Everyone in his or her right mind who read I doubt there is a person in Dent County
the story, or watched the video, knows some- who doesn’t know someone who has been
thing needs to be done. subject to a night in our jail. Our community
The best and most sensible solution is to should apologize to each and every person,
build a new jail, and Dent County commis- guilty or not, who ever spent a night in those
sioners Darrell Skiles, Gary Larson and Den- conditions.
nis Purcell and a committee of citizens have I didn’t know it was that bad, and April 4 I
come up with a reasonable and prudent plan will vote yes so we can build a common-sense
to build that new jail. We elected them to facility and slam the doors closed on the filthy,
make good decisions, and all things consid- unsafe, embarrassment of a jail we have now.
ered, this is a tough but good decision, and for It’s our best option.
a lot of reasons.
No. 1, we must have a new jail to replace Donald Dodd can be contacted at
the inhumane one we have. A running, not-so- donald@thesalemnewsonline.com.
funny joke making it around town goes like
12grassroots editor • summer 2018
Hospital merits
sales tax vote
arshall County is fortunate to have a Facing growing financial stress, the hospital
M first-rate hospital. The staff and ad-
ministration are well trained and
professional. They offer our rural
communities a level of care that matches and
often exceeds urban areas, where one often
board took a wise step and proposed that the
public share the cost with a half-cent county-
wide sales tax that will raise about $450,000
per year.
Unfortunately, two of the three county com-
Sarah Kessinger
Editor and publisher,
doesn’t know the medical staff who serve missioners on Monday turned down CMH’s re- T he Marysville Advocate
them. quest to simply place this question on the
Community Memorial Healthcare’s request ballot in November’s election.
107 S. Ninth St.
to the Marshall County Board of Commission- The hospital board pledged to go out and ed-
ers to place a county sales tax on the ballot was ucate voters, that all commissioners needed to Marysville, Kansas
based upon the standard of care we have come do was let the public decide. 66508
to expect here. The hospital simply wants to Instead, commissioners Dave Baier and Bob
continue providing good, critical services. Connell said no because they thought the hos- June 23, 2017
CMH faces financial challenges pressing hos- pital should release its latest audit. But they
pitals nationwide. The facility is now receiving never once raised this concern with the hospi-
less reimbursement from Medicare than a few tal board. They easily could have requested FROM THE JUDGE
years ago. Federal cuts mean hospitals such as more discussion. When county commissioners
CMH are paid 99 percent of costs for Connell also said that if he allowed this elec- shot down the financially
Medicare patients, leaving CMH to somehow tion for the hospital, then how could he turn embattled local hospital’s
make up the rest. down the next business that came along and re- attempts to place a proposed
Medicare is critical to this county. It is the quested a sales tax vote. sales tax on the ballot, this
editor came to the defense of
only way our hospital can afford to care for the CMH is not a business. It is a non-profit, life-
rural healthcare.
elderly. Without full reimbursement for it, saving service for the community.
where does our hospital turn to cover the And state law specifically allows counties to Sarah’s overview of the
costs? pass a sales tax for health-care facilities. That’s challenges facing the hospital
At the same time, the hospital faces about because so many counties are turning to local and its importance to the
$1.5 million annually in uncompensated care. taxes to bolster their hospitals in an age when community manages to
CMH has no choice in whether to treat the ill many are on the brink of closure. encapsulate the historical
or injured who are uninsured. Connell and Baier should reconsider. There facts and associated issues with
As a non-profit charitable organization, is long-term value in supporting one of the clarity and brevity and makes a
CMH has benefited from generous donations county’s largest employers, which plays a criti- strong argument for the
responsibility of the county
from county residents for decades while also cal role in our quality of life.
government to allow citizens to
relying upon regular fees for service and fed- The hospital board should not give up, but vote to protect the hospital they
eral reimbursements from the Medicare and continue to educate the public and continue to rely on for both employment
Medicaid programs. call for a vote. and access to care.
But medical costs are growing, technology is
expensive and federal support is waning. Sarah Kessinger can be contacted at
This is where the request to the county skessinger@marysvilleonline.net.
comes in for the first time in CMH’s history.
13You can also read
