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Pool bond, imbalanced SCOTUS, Sheriff Duncan, Easter

Supt. responds to bond election

Editor:
I want to thank everyone who participated in the recent election. Lebanon Community Schools
was asking for a bond to maintain and upgrade its facilities. The results were not as we’d hoped, but we thank everyone who took part in the process.We proposed to make needed repairs to extend the lives of our school facilities, including the pool. These maintenance projects cannot be funded through our operations levy, which represents dollars in the classroom.
COVID-19 has strained public education systems on a personal and practical level.
We understand these frustrations while also recognizing that school facilities must be maintained to accommodate students now and in the future.
With limited resources, we must prioritize our greatest needs and make some difficult decisions. We will continue to do the best we can.
Bo Yates
Superintendent
Lebanon Community
School District

SCOTUS solution is more justices

Editor:
Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that we have to have nine Supreme Court justices.
Nor would it require a Constitutional amendment to add more seats.
In fact, Congress has expanded the Supreme Court five times throughout American history.
Congress should use its constitutional authority to rebalance the Supreme Court, which has been taken over by a supermajority that holds extreme views outside of the mainstream of legal thought and out of step with most Americans.
That’s why Congress must pass the Judiciary Act, which would add four seats to the Supreme Court and help stem the right-wing supermajority’s attacks on our fundamental freedoms, including the right to access abortion care.
There’s nothing stopping Congress from adding justices – except for the political will to do it, of course. In fact, recent polling showed that the majority of the American voters they represent support expanding the court.
That’s why I’m urging Congress to pass to support the Judiciary Act of 2021 and add four seats to the Supreme Court.
David Osborne
Lebanon

Sheriff Duncan not ‘incumbent’

Editor:
In regard to the election story beginning on page 24 of the April-May issue of Lebanon Local, the reference describing Sheriff Michelle Duncan as an incumbent was wrong.
This flies in the face of what this country stands for: We are a nation of laws, not of men. The last Sheriff, as an act of feel-good-ism, gave this position away.
This person should be called “appointee,” not “incumbent.”
Larry Brown
Crabtree

Easter photo lacks proper explanation

Editor:
Love this little paper. Look forward to receiving it! It supplants the bedtime story time slot for several evenings on end…
To the point: On the front page of the April-May 2022 issue we see a nice picture by Sarah Brown entitled “Explaining Easter.”
The Easter bunny looms large, and many attentive young faces kneeling in front of the crowd interspersed with adults.
Having my attention drawn to the caption, I proceeded to look for the explanation of Easter, but did not find it (or missed it). Considering the import of this celebrative occasion, it seemed a logical expectation that this would be explained since the subject was broached.
Mention is made of “a religious message,” but without detail of any kind.
And yet the message IS the essential explanation of Easter! First, the word “Easter” does not have its roots in the Scriptures (the Bible). It is of recent (19th century) origin and bears no direct connection with the account of the resurrection found in the Gospels and Epistles of the New Testament.
Perhaps a more appropriate name for the Day would be “Resurrection Sunday,” thereby conveying the truth of what really happened close to two thousand years ago which leads to one of the three greatest Christian festival celebrations of all time!
With great joy, hope, and love Christians the world over rejoice, experiencing anew the one event that sealed the demise of Satan, cancelled the power of the grave, and atoned for the sins of all people!
This celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is held between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring equinox.
This Christian holy day (shortened to holiday) takes us back to the many prophecies of a Messiah is fulfilled in the person of the Christ, Jesus, the Son whom God the Father sent into the world to overcome sin for all people and make possible an everlasting life in the home of God, heaven.
He would suffer persecution, and die for the sins of all (“…wages of sin is death…”), and, as prophesied, would rise again on the third day (Isaiah 53, Mark 10, 1 Corinthians 15).
Jesus never sinned, yet took the place of sinful man (all of us) on the cross. By coming back to life He destroyed death for all who believe in Him for the salvation of their souls! Christians glorify their heavenly Father for sending Jesus, and for His completed work of redemption! In all of this God’s grace, His unconditional love, His willingness to forgive, moves believers in Christ Jesus to heartfelt celebration!
All who through a living faith in the crucified but risen Christ have the hope of true peace now, and a life in paradise that will never end!
Over time we have seen an attempt by the pagan world to commercialize this celebration (as with Christmas) focusing on Easter eggs, candy and the Easter bunny. These things, of course, are temporal.
The real explanation of Easter is spiritual, and the blessings are intended for all who will believe by a loving God!
Donald P. Tonack
Lebanon