Opinion

Many white people avoid neighborhoods where the residents are predominantly black. Many black people know to avoid certain white neighborhoods.

Racism has not disappeared from America, and isn’t likely to for a very long time.

So we were not surprised to learn that a news analyst for National Public Radio said, “when I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

A recent Associated Press article about Indiana’s new law requiring everyone, regardless of age, to show a photo identification when buying carryout alcohol included good news and bad news.

The good news is AP quoted several Indiana legislators who say they are ready to revamp the law, which took effect July 1.

Legislators and liquor store workers told the AP they’ve heard many complaints.

As far as we know, we could have "Professional Murderer" printed on our business cards, and we'll have committed no crime.

An investment professional advertising him- or herself as specializing in retirement planning, however, can suffer a $10,000 fine and license revocation for advertising that service.

Though we're still in the middle of a hot summer, autumn isn't far off and our staff's thoughts are beginning to turn toward November and Veterans Day. We plan to publish a special veteran's edition of the newspaper this year, and we need the help of our readers. Most of us know someone, living or dead, who has served in the armed forces. All you need to do to have your favorite veteran featured in The Perry County News is send us a photo of that veteran, along with some basic information.

Cannelton City Schools, citing a "funding shortage," seeks Cannelton voters' approval of a special tax increase of $.41 per $100 of assessed valuation. In the interest of having complete data on which to make an informed decision on such an important issue, the following is submitted:

According to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, the City of Cannelton's tax rates for the last three years are as indicated below:

Year    Total Tax Rate

2008    $2.9909

2009    $3.2623

Programs for the 52nd Schweizer Fest were in last week's News and copies are available at our office and businesses across the city. Two events I'd like to plug are the street-car parade Wednesday, Aug. 11, and the Saturday, Aug. 14, diaper derby. For years, both events have been on my Schweizer Fest beat.

The number of participants in the street-car parade, which falls on the Wednesday-evening kickoff to the festival, varies year to year, and since it takes a little time for youngsters and their adult helpers to prepare the entries, now's the time to begin working.

Summer break is rapidly coming to an end for all local students. Perry County students entering grades 6 through 12 in August will have to meet new immunization requirements or they could be prevented from attending school.

The new 2010-11 school immunization requirements state that all students must have an immunization record that documents one tetanus, diphtheria, accelular pertussis vaccine, meningococcal conjugate vaccine and two varicella (chicken pox) vaccines.

During the course of its investigation into the current Gulf of Mexico oil spill, The Associated Press was given information from the then-office of Mineral Management Services that was not making a lot of sense.

"Inception" is easily my most anticipated movie so far this year.

It's not because I loved the previews for it or I read some interviews or I heard the buzz about it. It's because it's directed by Christopher Nolan ("Memento," "The Dark Knight"), it has an amazing cast and it is based on an original script. That last one is almost unheard of in summer blockbuster land these days.