Jim Krumel: Readers taking ownership in ‘their Lima News'

He was just asking a simple question, but in doing so, gave this newspaper the ultimate compliment. He referred to us as “my Lima News.”

Hearing those three words — “my Lima News” — tells us readers are taking ownership in the newspaper. It also is a reminder that this newspaper doesn't belong to those who work here, but instead to the 78,000 people who read it each day. Those readers have many viewpoints and interests. It is our job to take a 24- to 36-page newspaper and provide information, offer opinions, entertain and share human interest stories, all the while knowing that the story that may draw praise from one person may aggravate another.

One of the good things about today's technology, particularly e-mail, is that it allows more feedback and discussion with readers. But missing from such “electronic conversations” are all those personal elements that come from talking face-to-face and shaking hands when you're done. This brings me to a New Year's resolution of sorts, that being to have lunch with a few of our readers, or, you could say, a few members of our board of directors.

So thus went a call to Bill Moore, who I have shared e-mails with for years but never met.

Moore, 78, has spent all but a couple of dozen months living in Lima. He graduated from its Catholic schools, taught government and economics for 29 years in its public schools, worked in the city's factories and served two terms on Lima City Council.

Moore is an avid newspaper reader. He's out of bed each morning before 7 o' clock and has The Lima News unfolded in front of him along with a cup of coffee.

We talked about his family. He and his wife, Pat, have been married for 54 years, raising three boys and three girls on a teacher's salary. Only one of the kids still lives in Lima, which echoed one of Moore's concerns.

“The big negative facing the city is its inability to hold population. The positive is we have a solid mayor who is doing a great job of encouraging industrial growth,” Moore said.

Later he recalled growing up on Lima's north side, serving in the Air Force during the Korean War, and coming home to a job in factory and later a bitter labor strike. It was that strike that convinced him to go back to school. He ended up teaching government and economics for 29 years in Lima City Schools. He's quick to say, ‘‘You can still get a quality education in Lima schools. It all depends on how much motivation you and your family have.”

Eventually the subject of the newspaper came up along with the letters and e-mails he writes.

“I really enjoy the paper, but if I disagree with something, I may let you know. Also, if I see something that I think can be changed by writing a letter, I'll try. It often works. One time I wrote about dog owners who walk their pets but don't clean up after them. After the letter appeared in the paper, those same dog owners were carrying bags with them.

“Other times I'll write, frankly, because I have a hard time with your headlines. Sometimes it's just the use of a word.”

Bill Moore was never shy about sending us his opinion; nor was he afraid to share them over a bowl of soup.

But you know what? It was an enjoyable lunch.

NOTEBOOK: On Sunday, Lima Police Chief Greg Garlock addressed remarks made in this column that compared the release of information from the Lima and Fort Shawnee police departments following shootings involving their officers. There's no dispute that Garlock met several times with the media. However, never was there a basic explanation of what happened inside a house that resulted in an unarmed mother holding a child being killed. It wasn't until almost six months later that the scenario involving the pit bulls was explained. Waiting that long did in fact fuel rumors and speculation. In the case of Fort Shawnee, the public was told immediately that officers said they shot the man after he lunged at them with a knife.

Fort Shawnee, like LPD, turned over the investigation to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation. In our opinion, telling the public what police say happened does not harm any impending investigation. It is the same type of information that would be released about a shooting death that didn't involve police officers.

ROSES AND THORNS: Somewhere under the snow and ice is the rose garden.

Rose: To Teneka Halker, of Columbus Grove. While delivering her newspaper route for The Lima News around 2 a.m., she noticed a fire coming from underneath of a truck of one of her customers, Vicki Ruen, and awakened the family.

Rose: To the endless hours that all the county, township and city road crews worked to clear off our streets. A job well done under some difficult circumstances.

Rose: To Michael Ayers, of Lima. He is one of only six people to receive an Honorary Master's Degree in Photography from the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers of the United Kingdom.

Thorn: Ice.

Thorn: To Shawn R. Severt, 25, and Mandi L Gibbons, 30, of Coldwater. They have been charged with filing a false police report after a video shows they were never grabbed and pushed by a patrolman during a traffic stop. When Coldwater police went to their home to make the arrest for the false report, the two were found smoking marijuana and arrested.

Thorn: The winter weather has forced the cancellation of 40 blood drives by the Allen County Chapter of the American Red Cross, resulting in a shortage of 1,600 units of blood in the Ohio and Indiana region.

Thorn: Less than 100 chairs were available when an enthusiastic crowd of more than 1,000 people showed up at The Lima Mall to hear Cincinnati Reds Manager Dusty Baker talk during the team's annual caravan.

PARTING SHOT: “I enjoyed a lot of the stories, but what I enjoyed most was all the people who came out tonight,” — Bob Arnzen, the former basketball coach of Delphos St. John's, during a 2001 fundraiser where he was the subject of a roast. On Sunday, thousands gathered in the school gymnasium to pay their last respects to Arnzen, who died Wednesday.

Jim Krumel is the editor of The Lima News. To suggest a rose or thorn, contact him at jkrumel@limanews.com or The Lima News, 3515 Elida Road, Lima, Ohio 45807.