Opinion

Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. is probably rolling over in his grave at the news of Sen. Arlen Specter's switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party - and conservative Republicans' reaction to it.

Lodge, like Specter, was a moderate Republican from a northeastern state. He won election to the U.S. Senate three times from Massachusetts before losing a re-election bid in 1952 to John F. Kennedy. That was a close loss that many blamed on Lodge's spending most of his time managing Dwight D. Eisenhower's presidential campaign instead of working on his own campaign.

"Settle down, boys" were close to being among the sternest words Father Theodore Heck could muster to a group of fidgety kids in a late 1970s religion class.

As an all-knowing 10- or 12-year-old, I judged the monk to be an old man already. He was in his 70s, a former professor and seminary rector who had adopted our small country flock in New Boston after "retirement."

It's finally arrived. Spring. While it's technically been with us for more than a month, the weather is finally providing the warmer temperatures and bright-blue skies we've needed to bring us out of the winter blues.

And with this beautiful weather come blooming trees and flowers and, of course, growing grass needing mowed. Perry County has an abundance of natural beauty, both out in the county and in our own communities and it can only stay beautiful with some help.

Because April is Autism Awareness month, I would like to share a personal experience related to autism.

This school year, I have had the privilege of teaching a child with autism, and it has been a profound year of discovery and growth for both of us. 

My student's mother encouraged me to share our story.

When I discovered that I would be teaching a child with autism, I began to do some research on the Internet to learn more about the autistic child and techniques for reaching and teaching these children. 

I would like to comment on the Thursday April 9 article (Editor) Vince Luecke wrote, reporting that my brother, Kenny Cronin, blasted and verbally assaulted Magistrate Werner. The definition of magistrate is: lower court judge; a judge in a lower court whose jurisdiction is limited to the trial of misdemeanors and the conduct of preliminary hearings on more serious charges.

To those who decided breaking vehicle and business windows and slashing tires are entertaining activities, we offer two words of encouragement.

Man up.

We don’t know that the vandal or vandals whose senseless destruction we reported Thursday was or were male, but the odds are pretty good. For those who missed that story, police reported a number of businesses and cars in Troy and along Main Street in Tell City were vandalized. Authorities aren’t sure if a similar incident in Hawesville, Ky., is related.  

Enhancing one’s performance is more a part of our culture than most of us realize. We drink caffeine in the morning and take No-Doze at night in an effort to stay razor sharp regardless of the hour of the day.

Entertainers have been known to use recreational drugs to push their performances to extraordinary levels. College students sometimes take prescription drugs to increase learning capacity and get better grades.

As residents who live in communities blessed by nature, Perry Countians have a vested interest in promoting conservation and stewardship.

The forests we enjoy, the (for the most part) clean air and water around us and the verdant woods and fields that provide beauty and food — it’s nearly mushroom season — aren’t guaranteed to be here generations from now.

Branchville Correctional Facility has been a good neighbor for more than 25 years, providing jobs to hundreds of Perry County residents. It's also protected the public and rehabilitated thousands of offenders and prepared them for their return to Hoosier communities. Today, the medium-security facility houses about 1,300 men and is one of the county's leading employers.