Tidbits

By Rhonda Westfall

Not quite 'news' gets some ink

A possible recall of elected officials; tentative design plans for a local landmark; sports teams enjoying the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.

There's plenty of "hard news" in the Indy this week.

In fact, if you substituted "President Clinton" for Bingham Township, or the "RedWings" for Redwings, this could be a national newspaper - not a local weekly.

While these stories deserve the ink they're receiving in this issue, lots of other routine happenings occur on a regular basis that there's not always room for.

That's about to change.

From time to time, we're going to dedicate space in this column for tidbits of information that may not fit into a "big" story context. When you sit in on as many meetings as I do each week - and talk with the assortment of folks who seem to cross my path - it's amazing what you hear and see. We're not talking about gossip - these are all verifiable facts that are probably more interesting to some readers than the stories which appear on our pages.

For instance, did you know the Wizard of Oz was coming to town next spring? Well, maybe not exactly the Mighty Oz, but some real life Munchkins will arrive in St. Johns for the fun event being planned by the Chamber of Commerce.

Dorothy and crew - including the Wicked Witch - are slated to touch down from Kansas May 15-16. I can hardly wait - although, I hope those flying monkeys aren't part of the entourage. They're too spooky.

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Rumor has it that an illustrious, newly-retired businessman (who owned a store in the third block of the downtown business district for many, many years) nearly got tossed out of the opening district basketball game between the host Redwings and Waverly last week.

He's so quiet and never gives his opinion on anything - how could this almost have happened?

Must have been an obvious error on the part of the officials - of course, that's what he thought, too.

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It looks like Clinton Commons, the retirement community complex being planned by the Clinton Area Care Center, should finally be ready to start its construction soon. Somehow, yours truly was named as one of the project directors on the Clinton County Economic Development Corporation which approved the Bond Authorizing Resolution last week that initiates the funding process.

At least, I think that's what it does.

Listening to a bond attorney explain the complex nature of financing on the project was like trying to understand Klingon. In fact, as a Star Trek fan, I could probably decipher that imaginary language more quickly than the bond market.

My only saving grace as an EDC member was that it appeared more than a few other folks around the table weren't real clear on the ins and outs of bond financing either - and I know most of them are a whole lot smarter than I am.

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One rumor I think I can quell came in the form of a question for the Q & A series we started several weeks ago. The note read: "There's a rumor circulating that the new Courthouse will not be built in downtown St. Johns for lack of parking spaces for employees and visitors? Any truth to this rumor."

Ordinarily, I would have thought the writer was pulling my leg with a question like that. After all, there's a pretty big hole at the head of Clinton Avenue that will look awfully silly if something isn't put in its place.

But, I know the writer and believe this is a legitimate query. I think I can dispense with the normal Q&A routine of asking the appropriate party to respond with an answer and safely say myself that the new Courthouse will indeed be built at the old Courthouse site. In fact, structural steel should be arriving before the end of the year and some visual evidence of the massive new structure should appear early in 1999.

The real question is, how do rumors like this get started? Anyone out there have an answer for that?

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On a personal note, I want to thank Johnie Speerbrecker for brightening my week with a "thank-you" delivery of a Christmas Cactus. It's loaded with bright pink blossoms which, if I follow the instructions of Brenda Miller at the St. Johns Greenhouse, should provide beauty throughout the coming winter months.

The fact that Johnie found it in his heart to bring a gift for the story on his centennial farm is especially thoughtful because of the errors which the original article contained - like misspelling his name and listing an incorrect grandfather.

We ran a correction, of course, but still, nothing is worse to a writer than making a error in an individual's name.

Thanks, Johnie, for being so understanding.

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Finally, to everyone who has expressed congratulations on my newly-attained Grandmother status, I take it as a compliment - although I'm not sure it's always meant that way from some acquaintances who seem to enjoy teasing me.

It doesn't seem possible that Gwendolyn was four weeks old yesterday. She grows more lovely with each passing day, and is already developing a unique personality.

She's a little bundle of joy who can make any seemingly important cares and concerns quickly fade into the background.

I guess it really was a pretty 'newsworthy' week - for events in big and small packages.