McButters

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Closing 2 northbound lanes of Willowcreek Rd on a weekday at 5:00 p.m. ? Sounds like a great idea...

January 27, 2013 5:44 am on Portage man planning monthly military memorial service
Has anyone else come to the conclusion from reading all of CONCERNED TX PYR's comments that they are in fact Cheryl Oprisko...

January 13, 2013 3:54 pm on Portage city newsletter draws fire
According to their website Griffin Marketing Services is located in Chesterton. Did Joyce just fail to fact check that or did she intentionally mislead readers? As for politics, who cares. It's all political. This whole article has a political agenda. Info from the street department on the new trash pickup and recycling program, an article about the parks, the police, and fire departments, and a 2 page centerfold featuring our clerk treasurer, what is the big deal? So what if he put his facebook page on it. I like the idea that the mayor of a city interacts with its citizens in his facebook page. Would there be so much political outrage if he gave out his home phone number? When I got the newsletter I wasn't outraged that my tax dollars may have paid for it. I would rather pay for that than iPads for councilmen or free medical benefits for street department employees. It seems to me that Mr. Oprisko wants to keep the city as low class as his bars.

January 12, 2013 8:18 pm on Portage city newsletter draws fire
I am not saying hunger isn't an issue. Anyone who legitimately goes hungry needs help and should be able to receive it. I donate to my local church, I have donated to the local food pantry, but you are missing my point. 53% of Portage school children do not go hungry. 53% may be on some sort of assistance, but that does NOT equal hunger. A family of 4 can receive reduced lunch with an income of up to $42,000/year. That is $19,000/year ABOVE poverty level. As for your argument that it is cheaper to buy fast food, let's see... I can go to Town & Country and get 2 pounds of chicken for $3 when it is on sale, some potatoes (I won't use all of them in 1 meal) and some frozen veggies, and I can feed my family of 4 for approximately $6.75. You can do that at McDonalds? I don't think so.

November 18, 2012 5:59 pm on Community works together to combat childhood hunger
I am not going to dispute that there are families who do need help, but assuming that 53% of Portage school children are starving because they get free or reduced lunch is a fabrication. Also if these kids are going hungry what about their poor parents who must also be hungry unless you think they are eating all of the food before those pesky kids get home from school. I also appreciate the fact that the portage chamber wants to send a backpack home with the kids 40 weeks of the year, I guess these kids have to fend for themselves over the summer. I hope the schools who are now aware of this "hunger" problem teach these children useful skills like hunting, foraging, dumpster diving, etc... My favorite quote was "Studies indicate that the only reliable meals youngsters get are breakfast and lunch at schools. Then they go home on the weekend". So I assume that over the summer these poor hungry children waste away to practically nothing and are found crawling to the bus stop unable to lift their backpacks? Also Ms Russell if hunger is such an issue why is it that a year ago you wrote an "article" entitled "These gym shoes are made for walking" that stressed how important exercise was because "three out of four middle school-aged children were overweight or obese". 75% are overweight or obese, but 53% are hungry? Weird.

I am just fed up with people taking a SERIOUS issue like hunger and turning it into something it is not.

November 18, 2012 10:39 am on Community works together to combat childhood hunger
I love how you lump free & reduced lunch recipients together even though their income levels are very different. Poverty level for a family of 4 is approximately $23,000/yr where as reduced lunch for a family of 4 maxes out at just over $42,000/yr. BIG DIFFERENCE! The free/reduced lunch program requires no proof of income, so the number of children on assistance is going to be inflated. Also, the school encourages parents to fill out that form (I seem to recall a robo call from Frataccia last month reminding everyone to sign up for those free/reduced lunches) because the school gets the money whether the kid eats or not.

October 22, 2012 6:37 am on What does lunch have to do with learning, anyway?
Wow, sounds crazy, but isn't turnover normal when a new boss comes in? Did these people quit or get fired?

October 17, 2012 5:05 pm on Colin Highlands returns to Portage Parks Department
Real reason? Don't leave us hangin'

October 16, 2012 5:31 pm on Colin Highlands returns to Portage Parks Department