I Wish I Had Known Ted Heller

This item came via email from Richard Dawahare and Legacy.com.

Theodore Roosevelt Heller

Theodore Roosevelt Heller, 88, loving father of Charles (Joann) Heller; dear brother of the late Sonya (the late Jack) Steinberg. Ted was discharged from the U.S. Army during WWII due to service related injuries, and then forced his way back into the Illinois National Guard insisting no one tells him when to serve his country. Graveside services Tuesday 11 a.m. at Waldheim Jewish Cemetery (Ziditshover section), 1700 S. Harlem Ave., Chicago. In lieu of flowers, please send acerbic letters to Republicans. Arrangements by Chicago Jewish Funerals, Douglas MacIsaac, funeral director 847-229-8822, www.cjfinfo.com. (Emphasis added)

Published in the Chicago Tribune on 10/10/2005.

The Common Sense of Anthany Beatty

What an absolute joy it is to hear common sense being uttered by a public servant like Lexington’s Police Chief Anthany Beatty.

In an article in today’s Lexington Herald Leader dealing with the barriers that keep immigrants from driving legally Chief Beatty is quoted as saying:

“On the street, police can't easily trust the identification they are given during a traffic stop, Lexington Police Chief Anthany Beatty said. Some give fake names or use false identification, so there is no way to verify who they are, he said.

…..Beatty said undocumented immigrants, at the very least, need to be informed of the rules of the road and public transportation options.

"We cannot just say that this new part of our community is here and we are not going to worry about them, because it impacts every one of us in some fashion," Beatty said. "I know there are going to be those saying we shouldn't spend money to educate someone who is not documented, we shouldn't spend money to allow people to get cars and to have licenses, but the fact is they are here, and they are driving cars, and some of them don't have licenses." (emphasis added)

The Chief understands the presence of an immigrant population impacts every resident of Fayette County. His clarity of vision is in sharp contrast to narrow minded provincialism demonstrated by politicians like Rep. Stan Lee.

Lee has pre-filed legislation that is designed to marginalize educational opportunities for the immigrant population in Kentucky.

AN ACT relating to postsecondary education. Amend KRS 164.020 to require that the minimum qualifications for admission to a public postsecondary institution shall require a person to be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident, or meet other specified requirements; amend KRS 164.518 to require status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident to be eligible for an early childhood education scholarship; amend KRS 164.753 to require status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident to be eligible for postsecondary grants and scholarships administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA); amend KRS 164.7535 to require status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident to be eligible for College Access Program grants; amend KRS 164.769 to make U.S. nationals and permanent residents eligible for the Teacher Scholarship Program; amend KRS 164.785 to require status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident to be eligible for the Kentucky Tuition Grant program; amend KRS 164.7874 to clarify language requiring status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident to be eligible for the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program; amend KRS 164.7885 to require a participating institution to verify to KHEAA the student's status as a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident for the purposes of implementing the KEES program; and amend KRS 164.7891 to make U.S. nationals and permanent residents eligible for the Osteopathic Medicine Scholarship program.

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION directing the Legislative Research Commission to designate legislative staff to study the costs associated with educating elementary and secondary children of undocumented aliens within Kentucky's public schools. Direct the Legislative Research Commission to designate legislative staff to study the costs associated with educating elementary and secondary children of undocumented aliens within Kentucky's public schools.

AN ACT relating to postsecondary education tuition. Amend KRS 164.020 to direct the Council on Postsecondary Education to require a student who pays in-state tuition to prove legal residency in Kentucky and the United States of America.