ANDERSON, IN - Tommy J's Pizza Cafe, which opened on December 7, 2007, is planning to expand this summer according to Ben T. Jewell, one of the owners.

The restaurant, located on 1100 W. 3rd, has started work on an outdoor eating area in front of the restaurant. Business has been good so far according to Jewell, who runs the pizza cafe with his brother, Terry Poole, and father, Tom Jewell.

They're expecting to get their liquor license any day now and plan to offer beer and wine with lunch or dinner.

Plans go beyond that as well, with the family wanting to offer wine tasting and live entertainment on the only street in Anderson that runs straight through the city from North to South.

Ben's interest in authentic italian food began while he was working at The Pepperoni Grill in Bloomfield, IN. His father had a location and when Ben expressed interest, they put a plan together and opened.

Asked how Tommy J's was different than other pizza places in town, Ben answered, "We're family owned and operated and we use all fresh ingredients. We try to keep it low key and simple, giving good, authentic Italian food."

The outside cafe consists of a couple tables and chairs at the moment, but Ben said plans are in the works to construct a three foot fence around the eating area to cut down on the noise from traffic some while still allowing patrons to see through.

Also new this summer is ice cream on the menu.

According to Ben business has been great so far for them, with a lot of repeat customers.

If you're on that side of town, he welcomed people to check them out for lunch or dinner.

Tommy J's PIzza, Anderson, Indiana - Family Owned and Operated.

Tommy J's PIzza, Anderson, Indiana - Family Owned and Operated.

Tommy J's PIzza, Anderson, Indiana - Family Owned and Operated.

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

Keith Israel displays some of Timothy K. Israel's gear in front of his house May 12, 2008. RIP Izzy

A new advertisement for Senator John McCain’s bid for the U.S. Presidency says:

“As President, John McCain will:

• Make taxes simpler
• Make energy cleaner, cheaper
• Make health care portable and affordable
• Make corporate CEOs accountable
• Permit mortgage debt to be restructured.”

This is what McCain promises. Let’s take a closer look to see what he, as President, can actually do.

Make taxes simpler. Boy… Am I tiered of hearing that one. Every presidential candidate as far back as I can remember has promised to make taxes simpler. This is not a thing presidents have the power to do. If McCain got elected, making the taxes simpler would take the approval of congress, which has never, ever made anything simpler.

Make energy cleaner, cheaper. I have no idea how McCain, as President, could significantly impact energy costs. The market and the oil industry sets energy prices and, as a Republican, McCain is intensely opposed to any interference in market forces. As for green issues, McCain has placed himself firmly on both sides. He has supported programs to reduce global warming, but voted in favor of opening the Artic Wild Life Reserve for oil drilling. As President, McCain could set a policy that might help reduce America’s carbon footprint. So, we can give him a partial plus on this promise.

Make healthcare portable and affordable. Here’s another issue over which McCain, as President, will have no control. He could sign a health care bill if congress passed one, but that’s about it. McCain has proposed a health-care plan which if enacted by Congress could help some people with health care, but McCain’s plan leaves millions still without adequate health coverage.

Make CEOs accountable. Does anyone have an idea of how the President could accomplish this? I don’t and I doubt that McCain does either.

Permit mortgage debt to be restructured. Congress could enact a law which might require mortgage holders to allow some restructuring. In fact, Congress is considering such a bill at this time. President Bush says he will look at it and perhaps he will sign it into law. By the time McCain gets to be president, this issue may already be done. The point to keep in mind here is that Congress must act first. Again, McCain is promising what he cannot alone accomplish.

In this blog, I have looked at each of the three remaining viable candidates. All have made promises that they, if elected, will have no power or ability to keep. I’m still looking for a candidate that will simply tell me what she or he will do and keep it to things that can actually be accomplished. I don’t think I’m going to find that candidate.

I think it's safe to say that the majority of women who post on this forum are mothers. And I think it's safe to say that for most of us, it's the most important career we take on in life. We see ourselves doing what we think is best for our children and pretty much tell them they have to live with it. I don't think we ever really take the time to see what kind of mother we are to our children. Not that we don't have relationships with them where they will tell us what they think, especially the younger ones. They don't know they shouldn't tell us certain things, until the first time that they do. I love to see the world through my children's eyes, by how they express their thoughts. But I'm not always happy with the way they see me. Because as far as I am concerned, I'm doing what a mother is supposed to do, and I think that, like it or not, the kids should accept that. One day they will be raising their own children and they can do the best that they think they can do.

Tomorrow is Mother's Day. It's a day when we are either praised or ignored for the job we have done all these years. I know that in my 27 years of motherhood, I've made more mistakes than I can count. And those adult children of mine have no qualms in reminding me how they viewed me growing up. I just shake my head and remind them, they made it to adulthood didn't they? I know what I did wrong, and as a mother, you can't fix the things you do wrong. You can only try to be better once you learn your mistakes. I've had a long road of learning. I'm still learning. And so are my girls. And it's finally hit one of them.

Today I started getting my Mother's Day cards. The one I want to talk about was from my 27 year old. If there was a baby in the world that was ever wanted, it was her. From the time I was 17, I knew I wanted a baby, and that it was going to be a girl and what her name was going to be. When I was 19 I brought her into the world. My problems with her started when she was about 3 or 4 weeks old and she managed to kick herself off the couch and land on her head. She began having petite mal seizures and had to go on medication. She was on the medication until she was 5 years old. Once she was off the meds, she had to deal with a divorce from the only man she had known as a father, and then within 6 months deal with a new father......it went up and down from then until I finally allowed her to move out on her own when she was 17 1/2. I won't even go into the grief that girl has given me. But I will say, if I had to do it all over again, knowing that she would do all the things she would do, I wouldn't have it any other way. I think that is what being a mother is all about. Loving your kids....doing the best you can for them, helping them to reach adulthood and being there for them no matter what. Even after they have spread their wings.

I tell this about her because once I read the card she brought to me, and even though I know the words were written by someone else who gets paid to write them....no truer words could ever have been said by either one of us. I saw myself in my daughters eyes today, the way she sees me now, and how she realizes who I really am. I want to share these words from this card, more than anything because these words brought both of us to an understanding of how we both see one another today.

Mom....

I didn't have a clue.

I was so busy being a kid that

I never realized or appreciated

all you did for me

all the time and energy,

the work and prayers,

you devoted to me.

I know at times

I was headstrong,

too quick to talk

and much too sure of myself.

But you loved me nonetheless

and steered me gently

down the right road

with a soft word and a hug,

and with steady discipline

when I needed it.

Today I'm the first one to admit

that I don't know it all.

But I do know one thing for sure -

I couldn't have asked for a better mom.

Well yeah....she could have asked for a better mom, but she was stuck with me. Neither one of us are the greatest, but we are who we are and we both know that we love one another. And in that moment today when I finished my card, and felt the tears welling up, looked up at her and saw her eyes full of tears, heard her ask "Isn't it true." I could only choke and give her a hug....and whisper in her ear "I love you".

MUNCIE, IN - Mayor Sharon McShurley recently appointed Ron White as the new Superintendent of the Muncie Animal Shelter.  Mr.
White will manage all aspects of the Muncie Animal Shelter including the day-to-day operations of the shelter, public relations, and oversight of
animal care and control.  Mr. White replaces Karen Gibson as the previous director.

Ron White brings a wide-range of experience to the position of superintendent.  He has managerial experience and is active in the community.  He currently is serving on several boards including the Unity Center, Weed and Seed, and Industrial Neighborhood Association.

Mr. White also owns and operates White's Martial Arts here in Muncie. White has expressed his dedication to the City of Muncie and the Muncie
Animal Shelter.

 "I am excited the mayor has shown faith in me.  I want to collect ideas and best practices from different shelters including the Humane Society to continue to move our shelter in a positive direction."

Source: City of Muncie Press Release

HOOSIER PARK RACING AND CASINO

SATURDAY - MAY 17TH AT 6:00PM

4500 DAN PATCH CIRCLE, ANDERSON, IN

FREE ADMISSION - FUN FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY

Josh Mahoney and the Second Chance Band

I LOVE THIS LOCAL BAND!!!! Check out this sample of his singing.

(Another Blog entry that has been posted across several sites so that I can share this with everyone I interact with.)

There are times when you do something you know you shouldn't have done, or that maybe you could have done in a different way.  Once it's done, how do you take it back or make it better?  A lot of times you can't and you ruin a relationship you have  had with a family member or a friend.  Which I find to be very sad.  I've heard it said that there is nothing that love can't fix, and I don't think that extends to just romantic love.  But the love you have for people you just genuinely care about. Sometimes the things that hurt aren't done by yourself, but someone to you.  And you hold onto that hurt and close yourself off from that person. That has usually been my solution. For if I don't associate with them, then I don't get my feelings hurt anymore. I never feel it's my place to extend the olive branch when I'm the one that has been offended or hurt. But I do believe if I have hurt someone, I should make every effort to explain why I said or did whatever it was that hurt the other person. 

In my life, I've had this happen to me 3 times.  Once I was the offender and never even realized it.  It was many months before I found out why my bestfriend and sister wouldn't even attempt to speak to me. It was over a single word.  She had a baby, and I didn't know if the baby was a girl or boy, and I called the baby "it". At least that's what I remember.  I don't even know what the rest of the whole thing was about, but trust me.... my sister will be along shortly to remind me. LOL

 Family is easier to eventually fix, friends are not. Friends are under no obligation to remain your friends, ever. Which probably makes losing their trust and friendship so much worse.  At least with family you know that as long as there are get togethers you have an opportunity to try to make things right.  Friends on the other hand, can go out of their way to avoid you for the rest of their lives and be very successful at it.

I had a friend that lived in another state, we were very close, probably too close for never having met one another face to face.   We had formed an encounter group, built a website together and were cofounders working very closely on the development of the group and site.  Somewhere along the line, we had a small falling out that grew to an exaggerated state. My feelings were hurt terribly and I couldn't see myself working with her on this project any longer. Some trust had been lost and without that, you can't really have a relationship that is productive. I tuned her out for 8 months.  Then one day I received an email from her.  All my anger and hurt resurfaced and I didn't know how to respond to the email so I didn't.  A few weeks later I got another email.  This one was an apology, an explanation and a request to at least talk about things. After a couple of days of thought, I responded.  My response was curt and to the point.  I would talk to her. It's probably the best choice I could have made.  It took some time, but before long we were nearly back to the closeness that we once shared. Eventually it was completely in the past and we were able to share and trust as we had before. 

Holding on to hard feelings, is not a good thing.  Letting go of the past and moving forward, being honest with yourself and others, and accepting the olive branch at least once, giving a friend or family member a chance to regain your trust, or giving it to hope to regain theirs, can make for a much better state of mind for yourself.  To know that at the end of the day you tried to make mental life better for yourself and someone you care about, leaves you with no regrets.  But living with hurt, that just....hurts.