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Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor,

The Illinois Beverage Association (IBA) plays a critical role in supporting strong communities throughout the state. From Zion to Mound City and Quincy to Danville, the beverage industry’s community benefits are felt throughout Illinois, supporting our local communities through jobs, tax revenue and charitable contributions.

With over 50 beverage bottling plants and distribution facilities across the state, our member companies create over 95,000 direct and indirect high-paying, quality jobs in all corners of Illinois. These investments provide for over $1.1 billion in wages and benefits and $9.5 billion in direct economic impacts to help our communities thrive.

Our organization’s members also work directly to support local communities and local-area organizations. From PepsiCo’s LIFEWTR school beautification project to Keurig Dr. Pepper’s Let’s Play initiative to Heartland Coca-Cola’s long-time support for the Illinois Special Olympics, our members remain committed to the communities they serve.

We understand and embrace our responsibility across the state and are committed to strengthening Illinois communities through job creation, economic initiatives, and community partnerships and contributions. We will continue to play our part to help our local communities.

Rob Nash, Executive Director, Illinois Beverage Association

Dear Editor,

Forbes report tells us that that there are 2755 billionaires in the world. America has 724 — the largest number
of any country. We also have the largest number of
Nobel Laureates of any country- 400 and counting.

So when Elon Musk asks how hunger can be eradicated, it is hard to fathom him. He has the ability to set up
a task force comprised of luminaries, magnates, and geniuses, to find the best solution to this problem.
I submit that the answer will have to include the
equitable distribution of wealth and a curb on individual greed. Gandhi said that “the earth provides enough
for everyone’s need but not for everyone’s greed.”

I await the day of awakening when we will take what we need and not what we can, when we truly can
say that we are happy in our neighbors’ prosperity, and when we can live fulfilled lives because everyone is given a chance to realize their potential.

Sarjit Gill

Dear Editor,

I had some officers ask me to look at the speak out posted in regards to the active shooter situation. First off
I posted my name to respond to this not like the person or persons posted their comment (Coward). The Community Action Team is not the Emergency Response Team. The day of the active shooter threat no one was called out, we responded to a threat immediately with on-duty personnel and the agencies from the Christian County area that came to assist in this threat were Kincaid Police, Assumption Police, and the Sheriffs Office which heard the call and responded. Having an active shooter call is very serious and we took it that way, if an agency left their town to save lives that is what they are supposed to do. If we all stayed in our cities, that would have left two Deputies and their Chief Deputy to try and secure that scene for the interim before IDOC could fully secure the property. This incident took all of Christian County’s deputies out of service. Saying that these agencies left there towns to an active shooter call is not a good idea, it is ridiculous. Since you are on that subject you forgot to mention who is watching the county, the sheriffs police showed up and I am sure they went code to the threat also. I spoke to the assistant director at the scene and once no shooter was located we all cleared. I do not know if ISP Swat showed up we all left the area besides a couple state police troopers. Most people do not understand that to get enough people from a state agency to show up to secure a location can take hours, depending on the location and nature of the incident. In regards to overtime, do your homework and you will see the cost savings these units are saving their town or cities. It sounds like a disgruntled officer or department. The citizens do not worry about overtime costs when lives are at stake, they want our help to keep them and their families safe so with that being said both the ERT Team and Community Action Team are doing a good job in this county to help our citizens and will continue to make improvements in the communities we serve.

Chief Dwayne Wheeler, Taylorville Police Department

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