Letter: This land is not INDOT’s

“This land is my land, this land is your land,” but this land is not INDOT’s land. This land is here to support the people and the future; it is not here to be paved over. This land is the land God provided to the farmers to nourish us. It is not land to provide for a sterile, uncompromising highway.

Almost 70 years have passed since some of our past elected leaders first started talking about a better highway through our counties. This better highway is US 231 and it is a great highway, built in the mid-1950s. Our leaders have dithered since 1959 talking about this “better highway”. What has been the result of all this dithering? A better US 231 has been the result, and the savings of hundreds of millions of tax payer’s money. A better US 231? Yes, because in the intervening years the old, twisty, turny, roller-coaster highway has been transformed into a rolling, straighter modern highway.

There is a “time line” being given to our elected leaders, by those in favor of the Mid-States Corridor, that is trying to make the case that since 1959 Jasper, Huntingburg and Dubois County have wanted a better north-south highway and bypass. This is a misrepresentation of what they wanted.. If they had wanted these they would have built them. 66 years later and still no bypasses! US 231 in the past 66 years has been greatly improved; and, today is an excellent rural and safe highway.

Many people are still not aware of the opposition to the Mid-States Corridor or that they can do anything to stop the Mid-States Corridor. Those of us who have been fighting the powers that be know better. However, it is incumbent upon the Property Rights Alliance (PRA) and all the rest of us to bring the truth to each and every person in every city, town and rural neighborhood in Dubois, Martin and Daviess County. We must have town-halls, week-day and weekend gatherings, after school, after work, after church and we all must talk of the perils of the Mid-States Corridor. We must contact our elected leaders, our newspapers, radio/TV stations and social media outlets we can. All the residents, our friends and neighbors, must be informed.

We must all be aware that the State’s Attorney General, on behalf of INDOT, the Lochmueller Group and the Mid-States Corridor RDA has already brought legal action against 120 farmers and landowners in Dubois County. Another legal action by the State’s Attorney General, against an additional 44 Dubois County farmers and landowners, is to start in Mid-October. A real David and Goliath situation. This is a case of “we the people” are fighting “city hall”. We may be at a distinct disadvantage but with the public’s support we can win.

Every attempt to extinguish the light only makes it brighter; and we are the light. We keep shining that light in all the dark places the Lochmueller Group and INDOT don’t want illuminated. The rats keep scurrying away trying to stay hidden. We will continue to bring to light the misrepresentations, disinformation and falsehoods they try to pass as facts.

The truth will set us free from the clutches of the Lochmueller Group, The Mid-States Corridor RDA, INDOT and all those who believe they can bamboozle us. Do not entertain any offers or invitations to discuss your land. It only takes 50% of us to refuse to sell to stop this travesty.

Jim Arvin
Rutherford Township
Martin County

To clarify, this is not Mr. Jim Arvin of Jasper, the former CEO of Jasper Desk