Columns

Unfortunately, drug addiction and the consequences to individuals and their families have been in the forefront of our community news lately.

My heart aches for those who are dealing with these issues. In the course of my duties as county attorney, I have opportunities to discuss these issues with families multiple times in a week and am able to share options with them in their attempt to help. My guess is that there are many families my office does not have the opportunity to talk with who could benefit from the knowledge that there are options.

Column as I see ’em …

I sure am glad to report that the industrial park on U.S. 127 appears to be finally getting some action.

When the Economic Development Authority bought that lot, I wrote at the time that I’d be shocked if it didn’t already have a potential business in mind that would be moved in within months.

I sure was wrong about that because it has taken closer to a year and half.

Springtime brings warmer temperatures and more abundant rainfall, and it’s typically when many winged termites emerge inside homes and other structures. Termites swarm from their colony to disburse, fall to the ground, find mates and start new colonies in the soil.

Through May, you might see swarms of winged termites, called swarmers, inside your home, signaling an infestation that can cause extensive and costly damage. Since swarmers are attracted to light, you often see them or their shed wings around windows, doors and light fixtures.

Column as I see ’em …
I’ve seen worse things while doing this job, but not many that have made me as angry as I was while watching the blanketed body of a dead dog be removed from a back yard Monday afternoon on Ripy Street.
I admit I was already fuming after the dog’s owner, according to a police report, admitted that he tied up the small, short-haired, sickly dog two weeks earlier because it was pooping on his floors, then simply let it die of starvation and dehydration.