Beacon Nov 2023

November 2023 THE BEACON Page 11A
FROM
H ere
By
Ollie
Roehm
So my wife Mary asked
me what my next column
was going to be about. I said,
“Things that irritate me.” She
said, “Well, that’ll be an easy
one.”
I think she was trying to tell
me that I am an old curmudgeon.
OK, she WAS telling
me I’m an old curmudgeon.
But am I really an old curmudgeon?
Maybe so, maybe
not. Allow me to make my
case dammit. Here they are,
some of the things that irritate
me:
1. For many years Harrison
has had a traffic problem. I’m
not talking about the increase
in the number of vehicles
because of the incredible
increase in the number of residents.
Although I could.
The problem I’m talking
about is created by a bunch of
chowderheads who think of
themselves as good samaritans.
The chowderheads like to
stop traffic and let drivers pull
out of fast-food joints, banks
and the like. It makes them
feel better about themselves.
It makes me have to slam on
my brakes so I don’t rear-end
them.
The chowderheads are very
concerned that the person
they are letting out may have
to wait 10-12 seconds to be
on their way. So they stop the
flow of traffic and wave the
person out. Their chest swells
with pride and they feel so
wonderful about the way they
have helped their fellow man
have a happy day.
They apparently don’t care
about stopping the person(s)
behind them and whether or
not they have a happy day.
That’s why I call them chowderheads.
Plus, I like the way
it sounds.
I could write a lot more
about dumb drivers, unnecessary
traffic snarls, and other
driving-related issues but
I’d better stop. I can feel my
blood pressure starting to
rise…
2. I was watching a Reds
game the other night. The
score was 0-0 in the sixth
inning. Our home team had
a man on third and no outs,
a perfect situation for a bunt
and the lead.
The hitter looked at the first
pitch for a strike. He popped
up the second pitch for the
first out. With one out there
was still a chance for a bunt
and maybe the lead. Nope, the
next batter struck out swinging.
The last batter lifted a
lazy fly ball to left field for
the final out.
Bunting was not even on
manager David Bell’s radar.
The bunt, an effective and
fairly easy way to score an
important run, has become a
lost art. I chalk it up to laziness.
Very few players practice
and refine it, therefore
most can’t do it.
And that irritates me.
3. Mary and I have been
eating Aunt Millie’s 40-calorie
whole-grain bread for
years.
It tastes pretty good and is
only 40 calories per slice.
But lately, there has been
a problem. The stuff is often
filled with holes as big as
dimes, nickels, and sometimes
quarters.
If you put a condiment
on your sandwich, it squirts
through the holes onto your
fingers and your face. Apparently
Aunt Millie’s quality
control has some holes in it
too.
And that irritates me.
4. Mary does 99.9 percent
of our shopping because I
would rather take a beating
than shop for anything. And
I’d rather face a firing squad
than go to the grocery store.
She spent about a month in
Minnesota this summer and
I had to go “shopping” a few
times.
The “shopping” consisted
of me going into Remke and
getting out of Remke in world
record time. I’m quite proud
of that.
5. Wow, I guess Mary was
on to something. This has
been an easy one to write. I
made a list of irritating things
and I’m only halfway through
it.
But I’ve already written
enough for this month’s
column.
I feel so much better now
that I have gotten a few things
off my chest. It’s like I want
to give all the people in the
world a great big fat hug.
Yeah, right.
Teaming Up for Electronics Collection and Shred Event
By Stefanie Hoffmeier
Did you know that electronic
waste, or e-waste, is one
of the fastest-growing parts
of the waste stream? As we
replace obsolete and broken
products with newer models,
the stockpile of used electronics
and cords grows. Have
you ever thought about how
many electronic items you
have in your house? Besides
televisions and computers,
think of all the household
items, appliances, tools, and
toys that have electronic
components or rechargeable
batteries. Don’t let them pile
up in the basement or the
garage — recycle them!
Ross & Squibb, the City of
Greendale, and The Dearborn
County Recycling Center
are teaming up to offer an
electronics recycling and
shredding event in honor of
America Recycles Day. Employees
of Ross & Squibb and
all Dearborn County residents
are welcome to participate.
The event will be held on
Saturday, November 18, at
the Ross & Squibb employee
parking lot located at 652
Shipping St., Lawrenceburg,
IN 47025. This event
is a great way for Dearborn
County residents to bring old
electronics to be recycled.
Besides electronic recycling,
a shred truck will be on-site to
shred old files.
Some examples of electronics
that can be recycled
include computers and accessories
(keyboard, mouse, and
cameras), printers, monitors,
smartphones, microwaves,
televisions, radios, small
appliances, and electronic
toys. Most electronic waste
contains hazardous materials
like hexavalent chromium,
lead, cadmium, mercury, and
chemical flame retardants
that can be released into the
environment through incinerator
ash or landfill leachate.
Rechargeable batteries from
electronics, toys, and tools
can pose dangerous fire risks
when placed in regular trash.
They are often the cause of
truck fires for waste haulers.
Not everything inside electronics
is harmful. Electronics
also contain valuable materials
such as steel, glass, and
plastic, as well as precious
metals like copper, gold, tin,
silicon, and aluminum that
can be used in the manufacturing
of new products. For
example, steel from inside
electronics can be sent to a
steel mill to be recycled and
then formed into rolls or
beams for use in manufacturing.
The plastic cases from
computer monitors or printers
are ground into small pieces
to be utilized in the manufacturing
of new plastic products.
Anything with a rechargeable
battery, or that plugs in is
considered an electronic device
and should be recycled.
Besides the actual device,
cords, toner/ink cartridges,
and batteries will also be accepted.
There will be a $15
fee for each television as well
as a $10 fee for any small
appliance containing freon.
Large appliances and other recyclables
will not be accepted
at this event. A complete list
of acceptable items can be
found at DearbornCountyRecycles.com.
Besides old electronics,
residents can also bring old
documents to be shredded.
Documents should be loose
and placed in paper bags or
cardboard boxes. Binders,
metal objects, fabrics/textiles,
backup tapes, CDs, and
plastic bags cannot be shredded.
Old hard drives and PC
boards can be recycled with
the electronics recycling, but
not shredded with paper files.
Examples of items that should
be shredded include old bank
statements, tax forms, utility
statements, medical records,
or any other documents with
personal information or account
numbers.
If you have any questions
about whether an item should
be recycled or shredded at
the event, please call the
Dearborn County Recycling
Center at 812-926-9963.
Your Veteran Benefits-
Visit the Library
By Jake Moore
and Denise Freitag-Burdette
Do you need help understanding
your Veteran benefits
or know someone who
does? The North Dearborn
Branch Library is hosting
an event that will help!
Dearborn County Veterans
Services Officer Dave
Currence will present
the program Know Your
Veteran Benefits on Monday,
Nov. 13 at 6 P.M. The
presentation will be held at
the North Dearborn Branch,
25969 Dole Road, West
Harrison.
Mr. Currence will give a
brief overview of the Veterans
Services Office and
how they assist veterans
and their family members
with applying for benefits.
Some topics covered will
include VA healthcare, VA
disability claims, burial
benefits, and transportation
to the VA medical center in
Cincinnati.
“These presentations
have been very successful
in informing our Dearborn
County Veterans about
benefits available to them
and providing the assistance
necessary to submit
the documentation to
secure their benefits since
we began this program
two years ago,” shared Mr.
Currence.
Details are still being
ironed out, but additional
information will be released
soon. Stop by the library,
check the events calendar
on our website www.lpld.
lib.in.us. Keep an eye out
for the November newsletter,
or follow the Lawrenceburg
Public Library District
on social media for more
information.
Registration is requested,
but not required.
Jake Moore is the Lawrenceburg
Public Library
Director. Denise Freitag-
Burdette holds the position
of Communications Manager
for the district.
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