Dear Editor:
Judge Yackel has been one of us in Northern Wisconsin all of his life. A graduate from Marquette University, also many years of experience in all areas of the law.
Judge Yackel is also very active in the community. A member of the Rotary, Lions and Optimist Clubs, board member for Bell Tower Residence, also volunteering for various causes. These issues are all important, but are not qualifications for a judge. So I looked up a set of qualifications given to Moses, a couple of thousand years ago.
Listed below:
Wise and respected
Listens to disputes, regardless of race and gender
Does not show partiality
Does not fear any man
Since last October, Judge Yackel has made decisions based on the above. This is why I support Judge Yackel and I hope you join me in voting for Judge Yackel.
Sincerely,
Roger Gutknecht
Town of Pine River
Dear Editor
On April 2, 2013, we will have the opportunity to vote for one of the two Circuit Court Judge Candidates. The candidate, Rob Russell, in my opinion is the most qualified of the two. I have known Rob personally for many years and have also utilized him in his professional capacity as an attorney. He is a caring, conscientious man who not only takes pride in his profession, but also takes pride in his personal involvement in many community organizations. His many years of legal practice in our community will serve him well as a Circuit Court Judge. We have a rich heritage of electing “local” qualified candidates to judicial positions. A vote for Rob Russell will help assure that heritage continues. Please cast your vote for Rob Russell on April 2, 2013.
Sincerely,
Ron Hornischer
Merrill
Dear Editor,
Here, all this time, I thought that stupidity in government was most pronounced at the federal and state levels, I now discovered that it is much closer to home. A few minutes ago I stopped at City Hall to get a license for my new puppy, which is not quite four months old. I asked how much the fee was and was told that since he is not yet neutered it would be $30. Then I told the lady, “wait a minute,” the vet says they don’t neuter until the dog is six months old.” Well, I could wait until he was neutered to get the license, I was told. That would be a great idea, except that he won’t be that old until early May and the law requires that licenses must be acquired by March 31 or there is a penalty which raises the fee from $10 to $25. Bottom line, the government wants me to pay a fee three times higher than the fee for a neutered animal since I can’t get the pup neutered until he is six month. Seems to be that when I was in college one of our required readings was a novel titled CATCH 22-now I see the insanity of government operation that the author was expressing in that book.
Don’t get me wrong, I see nothing wrong with the licensing requirement as long as it is applied equally and with common sense. The other thing that irritates me in this regard is that dogs have to be licensed and not other animals such as cats, as far as I know. I see a much greater number of cats roaming the city without a leash than I see dogs. They too defecate on people’s yards and unlike dogs are far more likely to rip open garbage bags in the middle of the night. Why they are not licensed if the city and county need license money that badly?
Sincerely,
William Bartling
Merrill
Letter to the editor:
We all learn from everything we do. The MOST common lesson for me has been how many times TEAMWORK is the reason for success. It makes no difference whether it’s a game, business decision, family decision, even Board of Education decisions teamwork and communications gets the job done every time.
There are 3 seats on the MAPS Board of Education up for election April 2nd.
I have served on the board for almost 6 years and have seen good teamwork and communications work most of the time. The last 2 years have been a little bumpy due to some “negativity.” It has been my experience over 65 years that negativity puts a damper on positive thinking every time. Working as a team generally keeps negative thoughts from getting a foothold. I encourage each voter in the district to make sure the folks you vote for are able to work and understand each other when making decisions on district business.
Folks who know me would tell you I’m a positive kind of guy. My service to the MAPS district has been and always will be POSITIVE! I am a team player and I ask for your vote on April 2nd. Let’s keep MAPS district on a positive course.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Regards,
Chuck Bolder
Merrill
To the MAPS voters:
I would like to take this time to thank the people of our school district who voted for and supported me in the primary election on Feb. 19. Thank you very much!
Since then, I have been urged and encouraged to “step up to the plate again” in light of the apparent ethics code violation by school board president Lin Kautza. We, the taxpayers, need another choice and I feel that choice is me. I am announcing that I will be running for school board as a write-in candidate. So, I am again asking for your support.
Seats on the school board are not supposed to be about gaining power or picking sides to have control over any issues. The school board is nine elected members, not just a board president. It is supposed to work together as a team and put what is best for the students and taxpayers first. Our school district belongs to everyone in our community. If elected, I will listen to and represent the public because it’s the right thing to do.
We must provide the best education we can. We need to improve the standard of education, raise expectations and do a better job educating our kids. Our children are our future business owners, community leaders, teachers, etc. they should be prepared to follow their dreams.
My head and heart are in the right place. I do not have a personal agenda, other than to do the best I can to help students excel to the best of their abilities and to make sure our community has a voice that is heard and respected in board decisions affecting our school district.
Please vote for me on April 2.
Vicki Lindstrom
Write-in candidate for Merrill School Board
Editor,
Change, although sometimes painful, is a natural part of growth and progress. Like many concerned parents and citizens, I want to see strong academic standards and high-quality test scores in our school district. I want to see families come to Merrill, not leave. I want to see our hard-earned tax dollars put to efficient and effective use by our Board of Education. How can we change the district’s pattern of budget expansion, decreasing enrollment, and academic decline? How can we get the district on track? We entrust our school district to the Board of Education, but sometimes Board members abuse their authority, breach the community’s trust, and treat parents with indifference. This April 2nd, we have the opportunity to catalyze positive change in our district. We can elect individuals who will focus on the children and parents of the district, promote academic achievement, and pursue fiscal responsibility. Please vote this April for positive change to our school district. Please vote for Linda Yingling, Norbert “Nubs” Ashbeck, and write in Vicki Lindstrom for Board of Education.
Johanna Miller
Merrill
Dear Editor,
On April 2nd voters of the Sixth District will be going to the polls to elect an Alderperson. Dave Sukow has done an outstanding job representing citizens in the Sixth District. Dave has served the citizens of the 6th District for seven years and has always kept their best interest in mind when considering issues that came before the City of Merrill Common Council. I had the opportunity to work closely with Dave while he served as a member and Chair Person of the Health and Safety Committee. Dave was always prepared and had done his homework before making a decision. I know Dave will continue to do a great job for the citizens in the 6th District.
Respectfully
Ned R. Seubert
Merrill
Victory in Jesus:
Why does the world hate Christians? Jesus states in John 15:18-27 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me, hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father-the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father-he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”
Most of the persecution will come from the world of religion, just as the persecuted Paul. The tribulations came to Paul and come to all True Believers, not because of a lack of faith, but because of Great Faith. The Scripture plainly teaches “the greater the faith, the greater the tribulation.” Job is an excellent example. The tribulations of the people of Christ are in some sense a participation in the Sufferings of Christ.
1 Peter 4:13 tells us “But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” The tribulations Christ’s people go through are an important part in them becoming like Christ. Then, when the time comes, they will be rewarded for the Great Faith and their obedience to Christ and be “overjoyed”.
In Matthew 16:24 Jesus told his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow me.” It says in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
Romans 8:8 confirms that “Those that are in the flesh cannot please God.” Instead we must focus on God and be born-again. If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
Even though Christians will face persecutions and be despised by the world, Romans 12:19-21 says, “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
I will leave you with this final thought. Matthew 11:28 says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” My prayer for you this coming Easter, March 31, 2013, is that you will give all your cares to Jesus and rest, for He has freed us from our bondage. He has paid the ultimate sacrifice so we may live a life of peace, knowing one day we will live with him for eternity. May God bless you and your family.
Rev. Melvin E Hassel
Merrill
Editor,
Sequester has a meaning when used a noun as a general cut in government spending. Here is a suggestion for a government spending cut: As long as congress has failed to do their job, why not cut their wages and/or benefits (example: the best health care insurance available for life). The heading Republican in congress John Boehner said that the House had already passed two bills to try to rectify this situation they should not have to try three times. Wrong! They should have developed a compromise long before now because that is what they are getting paid to do. But instead congress left Washington without getting anything accomplished. Can you as a working man/woman leave your work place without getting your job/project completed and keep your employment? I doubt it. These over paid, under worked politicians don’t give a hoot about the American people they just want to pad their own pockets at our expense. If you like what they haven’t make sure you vote them back in again – if you don’t like what little they are doing vote them out when you can.
Patrick Hommerding
Merrill