School Board Dr. Tom Patterson, Madison Consolidated Schools superintendent, asked the school board last week to do something governmental bodies nationwide seldom do: Plan ahead. Actually try to figure out how to handle a crisis before it’s staring them right…
’08 Regatta O Boy Oberto-Miss Madison didn’t make the winners’ circle at the Madison Regatta, but she and driver Steve David did their darndest against formulaboats.com in the championship heat, besides winning two preliminary heats leading up to it. Old…
Noise Ordinance With a new, proposed anti-noise ordinance having been drafted for the Madison City Council, the question of noise pollution has drawn a number of comments on the Old Madison website recently. During the same time period, I received…
POLITICAL HUMOR Political humor is as American as apple pie. As American as — well, Will Rogers, who if he didn’t originate it, gave it its first great popularity. But Rogers’ humor was designed to make us think as well…
THE CHIEF When John Wallace accepted Mayor Tim Armstrong’s appointment of him as Madison’s chief of police, he knew it would be a multi-tasking job. But he didn’t know it would include having to help his department recover from a…
FATHERS DAY How sad and ironic that Tim Russert, NBC news show host who wrote two best-selling books about his father, died suddenly and unexpectedly on the eve of Father’s Day. It was always good to know that Russert loved…
Barber Shop If you had just moved to Madison; or Seymour, or Bedford, or any town about our size; and you wanted to find out about local politics, likes and dislikes, the economy, who the leading citizens are (or THINK…
Take a Walk You often hear people say, “Oh, Madison is such a good walking town!” I guess they mean that there aren’t steep hills within the populated areas of the city such as Cincinnati has. But if you think…
Memorial Day ’08 Tomorrow we celebrate Memorial Day, honoring those young Americans who have given their lives in all our wars. Each year we do this, but in some of our wars — like the one in Iraq — we…
EMMETT Listened to any Emmett Miller records lately? No? Don’t feel lonely. He was a giant American musical influence of the 20th Century who is almost unknown today. Emmett Miller sounds like it could be the name of a guy…
The Mayor Speaks A city is like a person going for an important job interview: It should have a shine on its shoes, a smile on its face, and a firm handshake for those it is trying to impress. While…
Womens Health Day The annual Speaking of Women’s Health Day has come and gone again, and it’s a good thing that this event has been organized to make women both locally and nationally more aware of how they can practice…
Driving on Borrowed Time “I’ll never see one built in my lifetime.” That was a typical Madisonian — could have even been me — talking about the new bridge that hasn’t been built and to hear us tell it never…
Assessed From Afar Roger Brooks has no dog in the hunt which could be termed “What To Do With Downtown Madison, IN.” He’s a professional consultant who came in here, Madison previously unseen by him, and gave us his assessment…
To Do List Our new mayor Tim Armstrong has been in office for three and one-half months now, and seems to be settling in reasonably well, with no major missteps. I’m sure he and his staff have a detailed agenda…
50 Years Ago Ever wonder what downtown Madison will be like in 50 years? I can remember what it was like 50 years ago, and I’m concerned that opportunities are being lost here, big time. If you want to see…
“I’d walk a mile for a Camel!” If you remember that cigarette slogan, you must be as old as I am — or close. There must have been 100 different magazine ads depicting some Hollywood star or famous professional athlete,…
Wrong drinking age? We’re in pretty select company here in the U.S.: We’re one of a small handful of nations in the world that believe people can’t be trusted to drink or buy alcohol until they’re 21 years old. Think…
KDH The Madison Courier’s editorial this past week — finally — about plans to move the King’s Daughters’ Hospital and Health Services out onto State Road 62 began with the words, “It’s a done deal.” That was after the hospital…
KDH Will the King’s Daughters’ Hospital and Health Services abandon downtown Madison after more than 100 years’ presence, leaving a huge hole that will be almost impossible to fill? You say that my opening sentence there was obviously slanted against…
Reparations? When the primary elecion was held in Jefferson County a couple of weeks ago, Hillary Clinton defeated Barack Obama by about 65 percent to 35 percent in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. In Switerland County, it was…
Sarah Palin After months of deriding Barack Hussein Obama as a “rock star” in the presidential race, the Republicans suddenly have one of their own: Sarah Palin. Guess circumstances alter cases when it comes to rock stars and a lot…