Judge should be allowed a private life         

To the editor:

I would like to reply to Mr. Les Van Bibber's letter about the judge Donald L. Behle. I would like to ask: Why does Mr. Van Bibber take it upon himself to comment on other people's private lives?

This is a free country and, yes, you are entitled to your opinions. However, when they become detrimental to other people, then it's time to take a look at you. The old adage "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" I think might apply here. I wonder if your private life would like to be aired for all to scrutinize over. I think NOT.

Mr. Van Bibber, I think you should climb down off your soapbox and let people be! I agree with Jennifer Harris: Judge Donald L. Behle is a good judge doing a fine job, and he deserves to live his private life just like all the rest of us.

Bonnie Schulmeister

[posted 10-7-03]

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Judge can still uphold the law,
regardless of volunteer bartending activity         

To the editor:

This letter is in response to the one I just read that was written by Les Van Bibber.

First of all, why is it any of his business if Judge Behle was serving as a bartender on a WEEKEND, when he was not at his regular position as a judge? The last time I heard, there was no law against being a bartender! As long as it was not during the work week or work hours that he was to be on the bench, why does it matter to ANYONE what a person does with their personal time and private life??

Is it now against the law for a judge to have a personal life outside the courtroom?? As far as I am concerned, it is none of Les Van Bibber or anyone else's business what Judge Behle or any other judge does with their personal time. Maybe Mr. Van Bibber needs to realize that it is none of his concern what people do in their private lives.

[to top of second column in this letter]

Just because he [Behle] is a judge, doesn't mean he isn't a regular person, just like anyone else, once he leaves his courtroom. I personally think Judge Behle does a very! good job, is a great judge, and has not done anything wrong by volunteering his time as a bartender! Just because he did this does not change the fact that he has to uphold the law, and if someone he served beer to that weekend ends up in his courtroom on alcohol-related charges, IT WAS NOT JUDGE BEHLE'S FAULT just because he served that person a beer or two!!

GET REAL, Les!! Are we really becoming that petty that we have to butt into people's personal lives and try to cost them their career, just for having a little fun during their time off??

Judge Behle DEFINITELY DOES NOT deserve to lose his job for simply having a little fun and serving a few beers!!

Jennifer Harris

[posted 10-3-03]

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LCHS band and color guard working hard         

To the editor:

I was wondering why Lincoln Daily News doesn't do any articles about the Lincoln Community High School Marching Band?

What are you doing during the halftime show at the football games? Watching the BAND, of course. We are the entertainment during that time. This is what we have been doing at a glance:

The band (everyone, including flags and all percussion) has been coming to band at 7 o'clock in the morning, not to mention all of the after-school practices that the flags and percussion do.

We have been performing at all of the football games, and we will be starting Pep Band for the basketball team in the fall and winter months.

The band now has its own field, located in the church's softball field. This is the field that we practice on all of the time, unless the white lines don't get painted for us on a regular basis.

So I just wanted to say: Good luck to the band at the homecoming game (if we don't get rained out, that is) and at the competition next weekend at Olympia!

Go, band!

Jillian Kimberlin

[posted 10-3-03]

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Appreciates new Lincoln history, except...         

To the editor:

I was glad to see a positive review of the recently published book "Lincoln, Illinois: A Chronology 1953-2003." I eagerly bought a copy when I visited Lincoln during the sesquicentennial week. I absolutely agree that this book is a valuable resource for those of us with an interest in Lincoln's last 50 years.

Still, I was rather shocked that Mr. Beaver and Mr. Gleason must have rushed this book to publication without the services of a proofreader. The proliferation of spelling and punctuation errors throughout the book, particularly with regard to misspelled names, is very disappointing and does not reflect the care that I'm sure these fine historians put into their research.

I'd like to see a new revised version of this fascinating chronology with these rather obvious problems corrected. I think a new printing would better reflect the excellent reputation of Lincoln and the author/compilers.

Best wishes,

Henson Keys

Champaign

[posted 10-2-03]

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ALMH swing bed program great         

To the editor:

Having been in the hospital at Springfield for a week, I still needed medical attention. So Springfield called Lincoln to see if they had a room for me. They did.

I must say we were very pleased with the bright room. The care, the nursing staff and the doctor were very good. Also all the volunteers were very pleasant.

Thanks to the pastors and all who sent flowers, gifts and visited me.

This is a great group. Lincoln should be proud.

Thanks again,

Anna Westen

Emden

[posted 10-2-03]

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Should a judge bartend a public function?         

To the editor:

I was shocked to see Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle serving as a bartender in one of the beer tents on the streets in downtown Lincoln last weekend during the music fest.

In my opinion, Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle is guilty of gross misconduct and unethical practices because of his public bartending duties last weekend. Judgeships are considered exemplary positions from which legal standards and practices are modeled, and Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle knowingly and willfully violated these standards, in my opinion, and lowered the public image of his position as county judge by serving as a public bartender outside and on the street in downtown Lincoln.

Were any of Judge Don Behle's customers arrested later for DUI? How was Judge Behle prepared to handle the loss of life or serious injury as a result of his bartending duties? What message is Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle sending to the youth of our community by his own personal actions of serving beer to these young people whom he may later see in his courtroom for beer-related violations.

[to top of second column in this letter]

In my opinion, Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle may have even damaged the reputation of Judge David L. Coogan, Logan County's other sitting judge, by his voluntary public bartending duties. Judge David L. Coogan also has a duty and responsibility to report Judge Donald L. Behle's alleged misconduct to the Judicial Inquiry Board in Chicago (an agency that oversees the conduct of judges).

If you, too, are as outraged as I am by Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle's actions as outlined above, then please join me in asking him to step down from his judgeship at once in order to re-establish the proper respect for the highest legal office in the county. Judge Behle, please step forward and resign from your position as Logan County associate judge at once because of your conduct and actions as outlined above.

It isn't any wonder why a growing list of our citizens have very little respect for the law, lawyers and the courts, after seeing and reading about issues like this.

Les Van Bibber, watchdog

Lincoln

[posted 10-1-03]

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FFA enjoys Farm Progress Show         

To the editor:

The Farm Progress Show was very educational for young farmers as well as the more experienced. It was held in Henning, Ill., on Tuesday the 23rd [of September] and would have lasted till the 25th but was canceled to poor weather. The Lincoln FFA attended the first day, which was good because most of us will become part of the next farming generation, which will involve many of the more high-tech equipment seen at the Farm Progress Show.

The equipment expos were very good! They brought some of the new and some of the old, which was nice to compare the technology being used. In some of the newer models there were buttons and levers most of us had never seen, and others were just made more efficient.

As you walked around you could see many exciting things! You could enter to win free [items] … even an ATV. There were many dealers, who did an excellent job of giving presentations and handing out informational packets on their products.

As the next generation of agricultural leaders, Lincoln FFA members found our Tuesday trip to the Farm Progress Show fun and beneficial.

Jodi Kinnamon

Lincoln FFA reporter

[posted 10-1-03]