KEEP AMERICAN DOLLARS IN AMERICA

I found this on a column called WEEKS OF FUN by Dr. Ann Weeks.

Gmajo shares-How to use your IRS rebate check.

As you may have heard, the Bush Administration said each of us would get a rebate check to stimulate the economy.

• If we spend that money at Wal-Mart, all the money will go to China.
• If we spend it on gasoline it will go to the Arabs.
• If we purchase a computer it will go to India.
• If we purchase fruit and vegetables it will go to Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala.
• If we purchase a good car it will go to Japan.
• If we purchase useless stuff it will go to Taiwan.

None of it will help the American economy.

We need to keep that money here in America. The only way to keep that money here at home is to spend it a yard sales, since those are the only businesses still in the US.

SAD BUT TRUE.

BREAKING NEWS!

I just heard that Barack Obama will make an appearance at IUS Wednesday morning at 10:30.

ADOPT A CORNER

Realtor Pat Harrison has a great idea. Everybody talks about cleaning up New Albany and many people are doing so with neighborhood cleanups, Saturday 4/19 is a great example.

But Pat's idea covers all of New Albany, she wants everyone to "adopt" a corner and make sure it remains clean and maintained.

Several people met at the corner of Spring and Pearl Saturday at 12:00 the location was the parking lot which was covered with leaves and trash. Some of us brought garbage bags and rakes to assist with the cleanup. Those of us who had selected a corner gave Pat the info, the rest will notify her later.

My corner is at West 7th and Commerce, where the children wait for their school buses. There was a large ditch along the Commerce side. We called the Street Dept. and the problem was solved immediately. But it still needs to be kept clean and grass needs to be planted.

There will be a meeting on tomorrow evening 4/22 at 7:00 at the Realtors Bldg. in Clarksville on Lewis & Clark Blvd. I urge everyone to attend and adopt a corner. Following is a list of contacts to help with maintenance.

ADOPT A CORNER

Register Corner with

Pat Harrison, Chairperson

(812) 989-4663

NEW ALBANY

Contact Person: New Albany Police Dept., Officer Dooley

Recycling: Mark Burton, 37 W 5th St., New Albany, 948-5356

Auto Tire Disposal: CCE 2045 Silver St., New Albany, 945-8977

Toxic Waste (Fridays): Paint Etc. 837 W. Main St., New Albany, 948-4733

JEFFERSONVILLE

Contact Person: Jeffersonville Police, Officer Jason Jackson

AN OLD FASHIONED NEIGHBORHOOD MEETING

Thank you, Jones Memorial AME Zion Church.

Rev. Evans and The Jones AME Church did a real community service on Saturday, April 5th. They provided a nice meeting place for citizens to voice their opinions to Mayor England. They even cooked a delicious lunch. Nicole Yates was there to represent the NAACP and Rep. Baron Hill, she was also available to answer questions.

Mayor England responded to a wide range of subjects. Following is a list of the citizens' concerns:

1. Streets which are torn up by the utility companies and left with a rough surface for cars to travel.

2. Police patrol cars sitting around in parking lots -- should be driving through neighborhood streets to monitor drug dealers in New Albany.

3. Repeated flooding in neighborhoods without the city trying to correct this problem.

4. Trash scattered along Highway 64 in plain view of traffic on West St.

5. Repairs to Spring St. Hill.

6. Additional code enforcement needed in New Albany:

~ unsafe shabby houses

~ junk cars in yards and on the street

~ trash in yards

7. Housing Authority problems in Bono Rd. housing.

8. Sewers and sewer billing.

9. Lawsuits over no bid contracts.

10. Garbage pickup and trash pickup problems.

11. YMCA - How are children from lower income families going to afford the money for membership in the YMCA? Everyone is so excited about the YMCA building downtown. Who is working on a plan to help these children use the new "Y". We are putting city and county dollars into this project. Someone should be looking for a way to help our inner-city children.

On a personal note, I thoroughly enjoyed this meeting and hope this is only one of many. Several people expressed a desire to meet monthly or quarterly. I hope we can form a Neighborhood Association with this group, Rev. Evans said the same thing. Mayor England promised to return regularly. Maybe we can meet monthly as a group and meet with the mayor quarterly.