As the days get shorter and the clock hops back an hour, the thorns seem to be a bit more prickly this time of year.
Thorn: To Tom Stinebaugh, the one-time mayor of Wapakoneta, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison after a jury found him guilty on five of 11 charges against him. The jury decided he abused the public’s trust in him when he had the City of Wapakoneta install a sewer line to a home he had constructed. Stinebaugh said he planned to appeal. Public servants must be held to a higher standard.
Rose: To every one of you who plans to vote in Tuesday’s election. Whatever your point of view, your vote is proof that democracy still works.
Thorn: That Hilty Home will close by the end of the year. This, paired with Lima Manor’s closing, will limit options for long-term care as our region’s residents become older and older. It’s sad to see.
Thorn: To efforts to put a $15 an hour minimum wage amendment on the ballot. There’s already a process for setting a state minimum wage. It already adjusts based on inflation. Unnecessarily inflating this minimum number will only hurt smaller businesses.
Rose: To communities in Allen and Putnam counties, who received grant money to tear down 16 blighted buildings. While we hate to see historic structures like the former train depot in Delphos come down, it’s worth remembering that these buildings had become eyesores in their communities. The goal is for these sites to be reborn and kept up better.
Thorn: To daylight saving time, whose sudden shift messes with our internal clocks unnecessarily twice a year.
Share your suggestions for Roses and Thorns by emailing [email protected], calling 419-222-NEWS (6397) or visiting LimaOhio.com/formeditor.
