Seneca County Blog

(Ah yes, Scout the computer challenged has appeared!)

For years the Seneca County Fair has experienced a myriad of problems including lower attendance, diminished exhibitors, and a solid reputation for treating newly elected directors with innovative ideas shabbily until such time as they give up and quit. One of my favorite stories involves the director who attempted to vote for the director’s election.

The director’s hold office on a staggered basis and therefore elections are held to vote on these offices. Well it seems one fellow director showed up to vote, but didn’t have his membership card handy. Now the goofs running the election could have just looked up his number in the book, but instead they told him he wasn’t allowed to vote! It’s a damn director on the fairboard for pete’ sake and they couldn’t be bothered. Well the director couldn’t be bothered to work with such a group either, and tendered his resignation. Good for him.

But this year they stooped to new lows. For many a year, the boy scouts loaded up a wagon with cold, bottled water and pulled it along to merchants, etc. so they could buy a drink and not have to leave their booth. (The fairboard expects your booth to be manned at all times.) The boy scouts didn’t exactly make a killing on this bit of entrepreneurship, but it pulling in about $150.00. Not this year, by gawd. They were told it wasn’t fair to the other food vendors, of which the fair board added six more this year making the fair grounds wall to wall food vendors.

In protest one merchant, a good fellow who coincidentally is an advocate for scouting, vowed never to return to the fair. I vowed to write this story so that folks would know about this incident. So this is our unfair board, out to put those bad, boy scouts in their place. Good Grief.

PS. If you can, drop the scouts off a buck or two because I am their advocate too.

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Ohioans ticketed for parking in own driveways

Tue Jun 16, 6:52 am ET

TOLEDO, Ohio – Residents of Toledo, Ohio, are complaining that they received $25 tickets for parking their vehicles in their own driveways.

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner (FINK’-by-ner) says he stands by the citations handed out last week by the Division of Streets, Bridges and Harbor. He says the tickets were issued under a city law against parking on unpaved surfaces, including gravel driveways.

During a news conference Monday, Finkbeiner ignored a reporter’s question of whether the crackdown and fines were related to the city’s budget crisis.

The three-term mayor faces a recall vote in November. Critics have claimed he’s wasted city money.

City Councilman D. Michael Collins calls the ticketing “Mickey Mouse nonsense.” He has told residents he’ll try to have the citations rescinded.

Let’s pretend you are short on cash. You just don’t have as much money coming in as you are used to having, because business has slowed down. Understandable. So you have to make some difficult choices to change how you conduct your business. Maybe you have to lay-off employees, or cut-back on the services your business offers. However, there is another part of your business that you dare not touch. State sales tax in, state sales tax out – it goes straight to the Ohio coffers. Don’t pay, or juggle the money and it is considered defrauding the state of Ohio. Way big problems if you decide to go that route. Fines, more fines, court costs, attorneys, liens, name dragged through mud. So you don’t go there.

But way if you ARE The State of Ohio?

Well obviously the rules don’t apply to YOU. The great state of Ohio receives enormous amounts of money from the federal government to fund various programs. This money is sometimes channeled through state bureaucracy – as in the case of social security monies intended for the care of the disabled. The state of Ohio has hundreds of private agencies that care for individuals with disabilities. Some are residential facilities, others are providers who help with meaningful employment, and the like. These providers employee thousands of people to help provide services for the less fortunate. The providers then pay their employees, bills, etc. for this care. The federal government sends this money to the states, and the states then disperse this money after the providers send in their billing for services.  The state then distributes those funds to the providers in a timely fashion. WHOAAA.

Did I say timely fashion? Silly me. I should say whenever they damn well feel like it.  One week the state employee who disperses these funds was on vacation. SO THE STATE JUST DIDN’T PAY UNTIL THE EMPLOYEE RETURNED FROM VACATION.  Other times they state sends the reimbursements out late, and refuses to divulge the reason. Think this is a rare occurrence? Think again. I know folks in the business who have put up with this crap for years. Now just think how much money do you think the state of Ohio fails to disperse on time? Millions. How much other federal money do they hold onto? The state has yet to disperse the federal stimulus summer jobs for youth dollars to Seneca county, and we are half-way through JUNE! I believe that is a cool quarter of a million right there. Now just what do you suppose the interest on millions of dollars runs a day?

So the next time you are having a tough time of it and are tempted to cut a few corners, just sign yourself up to be the 51st state. It sure seems to work for Ohio.

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Why are the taxpayers of Seneca county paying for an in-house attorney at the auditor’s office? The prosecutor’s office is legal counsel to the auditor, if we are not mistaken. If we are in a financial fiasco, why is this happening? Has the A-T written anything about this absurb set-up?

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Some things I have learned from gardening and yard work

1. Nothing tastes as good as homegrown tomatoes ripened in the sun. Folks who have only tasted imports don’t have a clue what they are missing.

2. Gardening, like life, requires patience and optimism, both good qualities to nurture.

3. I have spent years trying to get my crappy, heavy clay soil in good shape. I figure by the time I am 92, it will be close to perfect.

4. Moylets always has the best selection and quality, not to mention great service.

5. Move plants around that aren’t doing well instead of giving up. Just like people, we don’t all flourish in the same environment.

6. If I added up all the money I have spent on plants, mulch, etc through the years, I could help make a serious dent in the national debt.

7. It is great exercise, and each passing year I realize just how much with my increasingly aching back and sore muscles.

8. You can get really interesting plants from ordering on the internet.

9. And finally,as much as I enjoy fall, I wish summer would last just a bit longer.

Thanks to a SCB participant, we have learned of a plan that truly is beyond comprehension. According to the article “State’s nonprofit entities plan is bad”By Dennis J. Willard  of the Beacon Journal Columbus Bureau

Our Ohio  legislature “gave the Strickland administration the legal authority to use taxpayer-paid employees and resources to create and run nonprofit corporations as a sub-unit of a state governmental department. It was one of dozens of policy and spending proposals contained in a 796-page omnibus amendment that suddenly appeared and was enacted by Democrats on the House Finance & Appropriations Committee…These nonprofit companies would be used, and I quote, to ‘’solicit financial contributions or in-kind contributions of goods to support the fulfillment of the duties and responsibilities” of state government. So we will have mini-fund-raising entities operating within the walls of government with public employees actively soliciting contributions.”

As an example:

The Ohio Department of Health would have a sub-group of employees, still on the state payroll, who would raise money through fund raising, to help fund the department. So…

“Hello, is Mr. Taxpayer home?”

“Yes, this is Mr. Taxpayer.”

“Well my name is Ohio Government Employee for the sub entity the Ohio Department of Health Wants Your Money Right Now Because This is the Crazy Plan the Ohio Legislature Concocted or ODHWYMRNBTCPLC.”

“Pardon?”

“Look, I know this sounds nuts, but here is the deal. I am calling to ask you to donate money to ODHWYMRNBTCPLC. When you donate to the ODHWYMRNBTCPLC, you will help support the Ohio Department of Health.”

“But don’t tax dollars support the department?”

“Yes, but we need more.”

“But you are employed by the state of Ohio, right?”

“So they can afford to pay you?”

“Yes.”

“And they can afford to create the ODHWYMRNBTCPLC ?”

“But they want me to donate? Is this a prank? I bet this is some crazy show where you call folks and make fools out of them on tv or radio, isn’t it? Is Ashton Kutcher there? Are you guys doing some new comedy show? Hey, my wife is calling, so I have to go. Call me back when this is going to air, ok?”

We urge you to read the entire article, State’s nonprofit entities plan is bad and then comment. We have never heard of such a ridiculous idea and I for one, am planning on writing Columbus among others, to ask them what in the world were you thinking.

Where are the Marx Brothers when you  need them?

(We are including this as students from our county may attend this private school) ed.

Did you see this article concerning a young man who attends Heritage Christian School in Findlay? It looks as though Tyler Frost, a senior at Heritage Christian, is about the commit a sin – a sin, in my estimation, most SCB readers have also committed.

According to the article “Ohio Christian school tells student to skip prom“, Tyler wants to accompany his girlfriend to her senior prom. Tyler’s girlfriend attends Findlay High School. Findlay HS “requires students from other schools attending the prom to get a signature from their principal”. Tyler, being the good young man that he is, made sure the required documents were submitted to the appropiate authorities.

So Tyler is happy, his parents are happy, his girlfriend is happy, and Findlay High School is happy. All is right with the world, except the world of Heritage Christian School.

Heritage Christian School has a form too.  Students who wish to attend the school must sign the document which “forbids dancing, rock music, hand-holding and kissing.” Tim England, principal of the school, and his board informed Tyler  he would be suspended “if he takes his girlfriend to her public high school prom”.

“In life, we constantly make decisions whether we are going to please self or please God. (Frost) chose one path, and the school committee chose the other,” England said.

But of course it gets better. According to the principal, Tyler, ” “who is scheduled to receive his diploma May 24, would be suspended from classes and receive an “incomplete” on remaining assignments, England said. Frost also would not be permitted to attend graduation but would get a diploma once he completes final exams. If Frost is involved with alcohol or sex at the prom, he will be expelled, ” England said.”

According to the school handbook, rock and roll music “is part of the counterculture which seeks to implant seeds of rebellion in young people’s hearts and minds.”

So Tyler is learning an important lesson, but one that I doubt the principal and school committee had intended. Tyler has learned that intolerance divides, his parents support him, and as a young man ready to embark on life’s journey, he will constantly be required to make difficult choices.  My guess is Tyler is a sensable, hard-working, smart person who will do just fine in life. Why I bet he will attend the dance, have a great time, get his girlfriend home safely, and even make his curfew. The kid has my vote.

And to principal England, yes we know he signed the form. But if I am not mistaken, wasn’t there something in the Bible about forgiveness?

Your signature with an education….

Your signature without….

First Merit Bank, 596 W. Market (next to the Pizza Hut) , was robbed. Police are on the scene.

Description of suspect:
Male Caucasian, 5′ 6″, early 30’s, heavy acne scars wearing jeans, blue coat and baseball cap.

Suspect was last seen near McDonald’s. If you have information, call Tiffin police: 447-2323.

We heard it was coming, and it did. Word has reached the SCB that Tiffin has issued lay-offs and cutbacks. One city police officer has been laid off, and the remaining officers have been scheduled for five 8-hour days instead of the previous four -10 hour days. This leaves 28 officers. The dept. was already short one officer. All city clerks are keeping their jobs, however their hours have been cut back. All firefighters are remaining on duty. According to our source, the Tiffin Fire dept has reported they are short two firefighters right now, and have a total of 38 (thanks for the update).

If these numbers are correct, would someone please answer on the blog these questions….Why is there a disparity between the total officers and firefighters? We mean absolutely no disrespect, however we have crime everyday and thankfully the same cannot be said of fires. We heard the police didn’t go with the city contract and the firefighters did.  Also if the hours are cut back, will that cut out insurance benefits? How long is this situation expected to last?

In the A-T “Tiffin Mayor Announces Cuts”

Are Paramedic cutbacks next?

I listened to the evening news, ABC national to be exact. And since it is tax day, it came as no surprise that Charlie Gibson would have a couple of stories concerning income tax. The first story concerned the T.E.A. parties held around the country. Yahoo has this story on today’s rallies “Thousands rally with ‘tea parties’ on tax day“.  I received a couple of emails concerning the protests, though not from Newt or Gov. Perry or Armey. I got them from my mom and an old family friend. They seemed pretty straight forward to me. But Charlie said the protest was not a real protest of regular folks, as it was started by conservative talking heads and spured on by Fox news. Then he said most Americans don’t feel like they pay too much in taxes.

So here is the rub. I don’t think it matters who started the whole gig, and yes, real people did show up – moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers. And so what if Fox news was there? Is ABC the only real news game in town? Here is a flash, every single news program has an agenda. Yes, they all can be biased and slanted. They all are able to stay on the air by selling advertising revenue. So if Fox wants to be more conservative and CNN more liberal, that is ok. Everyone should take the news (and blogs) with a grain of salt. I like to think Americans have at least a bit of news savvy.

And one other thing Charlie. I sure would like to take a look at the information you have which says most Americans do not feel like they pay too much in taxes, because I just don’t believe it.

Here you go and have at it.  SCB

The level of gun violence , the instantaneous destruction of life, has spread like a disease. Barely a day goes by without hearing of another tragedy. This time it was right at home. Though the story did not appear in the A-T, the Clyde Enterprise wrote about the shootings, “York Twp. couple dead in apparent murder-suicide” . Danielle Orr wrote the piece.

The story itself is short.

“What started out as a dispute between husband and wife ended in a murder-suicide Tuesday afternoon inside a residence at 2567 CR 302 in York Township, according to Sandusky County Sheriff Kyle Overmyer.

The Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call from an unidentified family friend around 2 p.m. Tuesday, notifying deputies that there was a domestic dispute at the home between husband Emmitt “Buck” Weaver and his wife ,Betty Weaver.

“We knew from the information in the phone call that the female (Betty) had been shot,” Overmyer said. “We got the guys together as fast as we could and surrounded the perimeter once on scene.”

Once police arrived at the scene their guns were drawn and  some officers layed on their stomachs and others shielded themselves behind their cruisers and trees.

Prior to making entry into the house, a gun shot was heard in the house, according to witnesses, who were assuming that was the self-inflicted gunshot. Overmyer said there is no record of previous domestic calls or any type of law enforcement calls to that residence.”

These were our neighbors, our friends, our family. Someone worked with Mr. or Mrs. Weaver. Someone delivered their mail, and rung up their groceries. We don’t know why this argument, on this day, ended in death. We do know that tough economic times lead to a plethora of other terrible actions, like drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, spousal abuse, and other violent acts. We don’t know why their argument ended in death, but we must do whatever we can to help prevent others from seeking the same solution.

Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian…… Robert Orben

Somehow, it appears,  the former school superintendent of Clyde-Green Springs schools, Todd Helms, thought he was going to slip through a “deficit” of  $300,000 from the purse of the school district. Helms was indicted by a Sandusky County grand jury on, count em’, 19 criminal counts, as released by the Ohio Auditor. Helms racked up indictments for theft, credit card misuse, falsifying or altering invoices, depositing school funds in personal accounts, and stealing money from several school organizations.

Helms is not an import to our county. This is from the school website on the meet the super page, though the link was broken this morning.

“My educational years were spent throughout northern Ohio. I am a 1982 graduate of Fostoria High School, a 1986 graduate of The University of Toledo (BE in comprehensive social studies) and a 1997 graduate of The University of Findlay (MA Educational Administration). In addition, I will be receiving my Educational Specialist degree and Superintendent Certificate in June 2000.”

So not only he allegedly stole from children, but also from friends and alumni. What a guy. But hey, maybe the SCB is jumping the gun. Afterall, Alaska Senator Ted Stevens is off the hook for his corruption conviction.

Wouldn’t you love to be the officers that responded to this call?  From MSNBC : “NEWARK, Ohio – A 28-year-old man has been charged with drunken driving after crashing his motorized bar stool, Ohio authorities said. Police in Newark, 30 miles east of Columbus, say when they responded to a report of a crash with injuries on March 4, they found a man who had wrecked a bar stool powered by a deconstructed lawn mower.”

The SCB would like to add that our own county has its share of magnificent men and their driving machines. (No, we are not advocating drinking and driving. Just laughing at the expense of others).  How about the guy who lost his license and drove a backhoe to the bar? Do you have any other examples? (no names).

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist).  All kidding aside, we have to wonder how much worse things will get before the local economy gets back on track.  More layoffs and closings. Ameri-Kart, of Myers Industries, is closing leaving 50 people out of work. From the Manufacturing and online Journal

“Myers Industries to Shutter Fostoria, Ohio Manufacturing Plant
Friday, March 27, 2009 – Article #1965

Click image to enlarge

(Fostoria, Ohio) – Myers Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MYE) says it will close its Ameri-Kart manufacturing operations here. The plant is one of three Ameri-Kart facilities in the company’s automotive and custom segment producing plastic products for industrial, heavy truck and other markets.

Current operations will be shifted to larger manufacturing facilities in that segment and the closure is expected to be completed during the second quarter. The Fostoria facility will be put up for sale and about 50 employees will be affected.

“Fostoria’s closure is a difficult but necessary move due to the downturn in industrial, heavy truck and other markets that started in 2007,” said President and Chief Executive Officer John C. Orr. “This has caused the Fostoria facility to operate at far less capacity than is practical for a prolonged period. As we continue to pursue opportunities that improve the cost structure and competitiveness of our businesses, consolidating operations to larger facilities will help to reduce our overall operating costs.”

Myers Industries is an international manufacturer of polymer products for industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial and consumer markets. The company is also the largest wholesale distributor of tools, equipment and supplies for the tire, wheel and undervehicle service industry in the U.S. The company reported 2008 net sales of $867.8 million.

For a complete version of the BUSINESS WIRE press release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20090327005138/en”

Also in the A-T, Mercy Hospital is also laying off four employees and cutting the hours of 22. The hospital cited less demand for health care, increases in uncompensated care and bad debt,  reduced government payments, and an increase in “state fees” for Medicare.

One local alumni of Heidelberg took the old adage practice, practice, practice to heart. Rick Brunner, a Fremont native, will be singing at the Metropolitan Opera in Das Rheingold in the role of Loge.  This fall, he will return to the Met to sing in the House of the Dead as Luka-Filza. May we extend our most sincere congratulations and a mighty Bravo to Rick.

Well, take a few minutes to either contribute or find a great buy at the:

Humane Society Garage Sale @ Westgate Shopping Center (Former Big Lots).

April 4rd from 9am to 5pm – Saturday
April 5th from 11am to 3pm – Sunday

Have something you would like to donate?
Drop off your items:
April 1,2, & 3  7:30am to 5:30pm

Phone 419-447-5704 for any questions.

(The Letter to the Editor in the A-T has incorrect information. We called the Humane Society and the above post is correct.)

From Swampbubbles

WASHINGTON- Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) will host two Courthouse Conferences on Friday, March 27th in Seneca and Sandusky Counties. The Courthouse Conferences will provide constituents with an opportunity to sit down with Congressman Latta to discuss issues that are important to them, their families, and communities. Congressman Latta’s district staff will also be in attendance to assist with casework or issues regarding Federal government agencies. Courthouse Conference information is as follows:

SENECA COUNTY Friday, March 27th 8:30-11:30 A.M. Seneca County Annex Building 117 East Market Street Tiffin

SANDUSKY COUNTY Friday, March 27th 1:15-4:30 P.M. Sandusky County Commissioner’s Office 622 Croghan Street Fremont

The Typealyzer will analyze the archetype of the posts for a particular blog. So what did it have to say about the editor for the SCB?

ISTP – The Mechanics

The independent and problem-solving type. They are especially attuned to the demands of the moment are masters of responding to challenges that arise spontaneously. They generally prefer to think things out for themselves and often avoid inter-personal conflicts.

The Mechanics enjoy working together with other independent and highly skilled people and often like seek fun and action both in their work and personal life. They enjoy adventure and risk such as in driving race cars or working as policemen and firefighters.

The battle, *sigh*, continues. In today’s A-T ” County to move ahead with litigation” “

“The Seneca County Board of Commissioners decided Monday to stay the course in its lawsuit against the city of Tiffin.

The county filed a lawsuit after the Tiffin Architectural Review Board twice denied the county’s petition for a certificate of appropriateness to remove the 1884 Seneca County Courthouse. The suit was filed in Seneca County Common Pleas Court. The suit asks for the court to make a “declaratory judgment” that the county has done everything it was reasonably required to do to satisfy the Review Board and should be able to demolish the courthouse if it sees fit.”

Sadly, the word compromise must have been omitted from the county dictionary.

Anybody looked at the US Treasury Dept. website? Tucked into the website is the OIG Hotline. What is the hotline?

“ Members of the public and Treasury employees may file a complaint with the Treasury Office of Inspector General (OIG).

Pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, the Treasury OIG Hotline provides an avenue for individuals to report allegations of wrongdoing pertaining to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

What to Report to the Treasury OIG Hotline

• Violation of laws, rules or regulations
• Gross mismanagement, waste of funds, abuse of authority
• Danger to the public health and safety relating to the Treasury’s grants, contracts, programs, and operations
• Allegations of criminal activity and serious misconduct involving Department of the Treasury employees”

Think that hotline is on fire?

Note long ago, the SCB had a post entitled Please deliver us. Apparently in an effort to save money, the U.S. Postal Service is considering ditching Mansfield and deferring all cancellation and some mail processing to Akron.  The SCB couldn’t see any good that would come of this for our county.

So, as we often urge folks to do, we wrote Senator Sherrod Brown to share our concerns.  I gotta tell you, I continue to be impressed. Senator Brown sent a letter to Donald Marshall, the District Manager of the Northern Ohio performance Cluster of the US Postal Service. The letter, which was cc’d to me, asked Mr. Marshall to review my letter and then provide comments back to Senator Brown. It also stated The senator has previously stated his concerns with the possible consolidation.

Even if the consolidation proceeds, it is good to know our senator is responsive to his constituents. In many respects, Senator Brown has reached out to our county by visiting, as well as forums such as this letter. His website is informative, and he seems to truly care about Ohio.

Yes, Appalling Illustrations of Greed really is that big.  Greed builds empires, and that one is a doozy. We all remember the names of past  rulers Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Charles M. Schwab, among others. Teddy Roosevelt may be synonymous with trust-busting, but a couple of fellas from Ohio broke up the most trusts, 90 in four years – President Howard Taft and Senator John Sherman who introduced the Sherman Antitrust Act, on July 2, 1890.

After all that hard work to stop monopolies, you would think that we would have learned a couple of lessons. The trouble with AIG is that it is as powerful and large as any empire built by Schwab  or Carnegie, but it wasn’t regulated like a monopoly. Wouldn’t it be interesting to hear what Teddy or Howard would say about AIG? Probably something like “What did you all think was going to happen? You couldn’t have foreseen this? Did anyone read a history book lately?”

(For all you folks who are going to get on the damn Republicans and their deregulation, don’t forget the above mentioned men were Republicans, prior to the party losing it’s way).

I know folks who have retirement funds tied up in AIG.  So how big is AIG? ” According to CBC

“American International Group and its companies are major insurers the world over. While based in New York, it has extensive dealings in Asia. The U.S. Federal Reserve says AIG acts as an insurer for more than 100,000 entities, including operations that employ more than 100 million Americans, and has more than 30 million U.S. policyholders…For the full year 2008, AIG lost $99.3 billion US, or $37.84 US per share, compared with a profit of $6.2 billion US, or $2.39 US per share, a year earlier.”  And from the New York Times, “A.I.G. has more than 81 million life insurance policies with a face value of $1.9 trillion globally.”

I would call that big, so big that it is amazing that they were allowed to do whatever they damn well pleased. In particular, “Financial Products division, the unit primarily responsible for the meltdown that led to a federal bailout of the company, while the company has received billions in taxpayer bailout funds.”

My favorite quote comes from Edward Liddy, the chief executive officer of AIG.  Liddy wrote to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to defend paying bonuses to the AIG executives.

“We cannot attract and retain the best and the brightest talent to lead and staff the AIG businesses — which are now being operated principally on behalf of American taxpayers — if employees believe their compensation is subject to continued and arbitrary adjustment by the U.S. Treasury,” Liddy wrote.

Many of you may read his statement, and among others things, wonder how he has the nerve to write that considering the public outrage toward AIG.

Maybe I can offer a little insight and play armchair psychologist at the same time. We all have a part of our brain in which we house the ability to feel empathy, well most all of us. Some folks do not have that ability. Pedophiles and psychopaths are two examples. Apparently we learn empathy from the time we are first born, as our caregivers react to our expressions. We look sad and miserable, and our caregiver makes a sad face too, then picks us up and takes care of whatever we need. Of course, some children don’t have caregivers who are loving. Those children don’t experience the give and take of learning empathy, and therefore lack this basic skill. So important is empathy that as adults, they can go down some terrible paths, like pedophilia or become a psychopath. You know what else they can become? AIG idiots. You know why AIG thinks it is entitled to bonus money? I think it is because many of the people in these positions  lack empathy skills. That is why they don’t “get it”. They will never get it, because they can’t put themselves in the place of others. They lack empathy.You can’t ever trust them to do what is right, because they don’t think like the rest of us, and they never will.( So far, studies in which facilitators have attempted to teach pedophiles empathy skills have only elicited better predators.)

Now where is Teddy and his Big Stick, cause I know some heads that could use a good knockin’.

(For a real stomach turner, read The Case for Saving A.I.G., by A.I.G.)

Many of us in Seneca County have students who attend Bowling Green, or spent time there ourselves. This story just came in from WTOL:

BGSU may the victim of investment fraud to the tune of $15 million

” BOWLING GREEN, OH (WTOL) – Bowling Green State University may be victim of investment fraud.

We have choices in life, so let’s choose to give the downtown development plan a go.  Tonight about 125 citizens attended a meeting to discuss a development plan by the firm KKG. Next week the Tiffin Chamber will post phase one of the plan on their website.

Did any of our bloggers attend the meeting, and if so what did you think?

I, for one, am tired of standing by and watching our town disappear. The plan is ambitious. It involves our community working together. It involves short-term and long-term planning.  And I hope our readers will put their time and commitment behind this, because as the saying goes…

If you always do, what you’ve always done, you will always get more of the same.

Ah the misunderstandings that arise when the story isn’t clear. Of course we are familiar with the famous punctuation book by author Lynne Truss. Or the joke which spawned the title:

A panda walks into a café. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and proceeds to fire it at the other patrons.

‘Why?’ asks the confused, surviving waiter amidst the carnage, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife manual and tosses it over his shoulder.

‘Well, I’m a panda’, he says, at the door. ‘Look it up.

The waiter turns to the relevant entry in the manual and, sure enough, finds an explanation. ‘Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.’

I offer this as a segue concerning a minor error in a recent story in the A-T. The March 3rd story concerning tax revenue. The story discussed various city business including this:

“Also Monday, Tiffin’s Architectural Board of Review now can have a Seneca County resident who owns property in downtown Tiffin appointed to its board. An ordinance passed Monday allowing it to help fill a vacant position on the board.

Councilmen Aaron Montz and Tyler Shuff voted against the ordinance over concerns of someone outside the city being able to serve on a city board.”

This last sentence is partial true.

The councilmen were concerned with the wording of the ordinance, but not due to someone outside the city [of Tiffin] who lives in our county serving, as the story seems to imply. Certainly a qualified property owner in Tiffin, who lives in Seneca County, would be welcomed. However, the councilmen were concerned that the ordinance would allow a property owner in Tiffin, who lives in Cleveland or Timbuktu, to serve on the board. They know absentee landlords can be more concerned with the investment angle, and less with the heart and soul of our county.

We’re glad Montz and Shuff discussed this angle, and we thought it would be good to offer some clarification, since the question came up the other day. The devil is always in the details, or at least in the bamboo patch.

Two antennas met on a roof, fell in love, and got married. The ceremony wasn’t much to talk about, but the reception was excellent.

Senator Sherrod Brown has provided constituents information on the massive  Stimulus Package His website has additional links and information that everyone should read to gain an understanding of this legislation.

Along with the rest of our state, Seneca county is in crisis. Unemployment is at 12.4%…so far. My guess is that figure is going to rise. We need to stop the bleeding, and one area in which you could help would go a long way. You would need to change a prior stance, but it would be worth it.

Funding has been cut, at your behest, for the Ohio Student Choice Grant. This grant gave an average of $820 to students attending private and for-profit schools. The original idea was to help off-set the costs of private schools so that students could have more flexibility in choosing a college.

In our county we have two wonderful colleges, Heidelberg and Tiffin University.  Both are private universities. Nearby are the University of Findlay, and Terra, also private. In fact, there  are no colleges close to Seneca County that aren’t private. What difference does this make?

Well for our youth quite a bit of difference. It is common for our  high schools graduates to live at home and commute to college – and saving room and board  expenses for four years of college ain’t exactly chump change. It saves thousands of dollars, not to mention interest. So while it is possible for students to attend public colleges such as the University of Toledo or Bowling Green, it isn’t practical for them to commute to those locations.  With drive and parking times at over an hour, their simply isn’t enough time in the day, as these same students often work part-time.

Who else benefits from attending local colleges? Returning adults benefit, and they number the thousands. Adults have even less time for commuting. They have jobs and families, as well as responsibilities including home maintenance, bills payments, etc. They only way they can complete their education, and this is the key, is to attend a local school.

Another benefit? Our local economy. Supporting our local colleges helps local businesses, and both of these schools are one of the few industries that are actually growing.

One last thought, I heard of a certain governor who attended Asbury College, a private college in Kentucky. Asbury is a pretty darn good school from what I hear. It was ranked in the third tier of liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report in 2008. Come to think of it, Heidelberg has made that same list. So it seems like supporting these local, private universities isn’t such a bad idea. Afterall, since you graduated, you see to have done pretty well.

Please Mr. Congressman, don’t send my postman away! The A-T reported possible changes to local mail service.

The “U.S. Postal Service [is] propos[ing] to transfer all cancellation and some mail processing from Mansfield to Akron. The picketers claim the plan would send all mail from Seneca County to Akron to be canceled and routed onward…. collection boxes already are being removed and collection switched to earlier times. The workers warned the changes will mean later delivery of mail, and asked postal customers to contact their congressmen about the proposed changes.”

We gotta wonder how sending mail to Akron and back again is going to be anything other than a delay in mail service, and a loss of jobs. Unless someone has some information that can clarify this situation, it seems we all should be writing our congressional representatives. If they can bail out AIG, again,  when they have shown repeated incompetence, how about they help out the good citizens and postal workers, by keeping service local.  Links to our representatives are listed on the right under Federal Government.

I can just hear dad…. “How about you make up your mind.” Dad didn’t have a wishy-washy bone in his body. Pick. Choose. Live with the consequences.

As we extend our hand to Columbus with the Seneca County Wish list, again, we have no consensus on the courthouse. How much will it cost? How much can be get in grants? What amount do we need for renovations? How much will Columbus give us?

I can answer a couple of the questions – “Nobody knows. And nobody is going to know for sure until the check is in hand” But if my dad was in Columbus and got to be King of  Handing Out Stimulus Money, I know what he would say. Pick. Choose. Live with the consequences.

I know something else he would say, “You aren’t going to get anything until you make up your mind, what exactly it is you want.” So how about we come to a consensus concerning the courthouse. Apparently, the methods currently being used have not yielded a conclusion.

What if we use an arbitrator or form a committee (the commissioners and several other folks,) with the purpose of drawing up conclusive amounts and plans for monies needed. The parties agree to find a consensus. Then use that plan as the basis for requesting funds from Columbus. A unified, cognizant, cohesive plan. We have to find some middle ground here, or just like my dad, Columbus is never going to take us seriously.

Bugs of Seville

Everybody is stepping up to ask for a piece of the stimulus package.  Some governors are nixing the bucks, others like Strickland say,  Bring it on!  Today the A-T posted this article: County asking for $120m in stimulus … so far

Here is the 789 billion dollar question – How are we going to pay all this back?  If Seneca County receives all the money it requested, 120 million, how will we pay back this money to the state/feds?  Will our county pay back the amount plus interest?  Will Ohio have a statewide tax? (This would quite unfair as not all counties would receive the same amount).  Will they take my firstborn?  Offer trinkets to the tax collector in payment? What about individual businesses that ask for money? Will Ballreich’s be forced to supply free chips to the U.S. Congress and Ohio Congress for the next 75 years? Will SCAT be forced to drive aged ex-congressional officials around for errands?

Is isn’t that we don’t need the money, I just want to know how the state and feds are going to extract their pound of flesh.

Originally, the Seneca County Blog began as an avenue for discussion on issues in the county, primarily politics. Nobody cared if we agreed or disagreed, is was just to raise the debate. And debate is a good thing. We enjoy lively discussions, and opposite viewpoints. The blog isn’t trying to change the world, or bring about world peace, though both would be admirable. It is just about open discussion, something that all too often is left behind closed doors.

As anyone will tell you that works for the media, the vast majority of it is owned by large corporations. I had a long discussion with some folks in the business who lamented the passing of old writing days gone by. Today when they write a hard-hitting story it is watered down for fear of offending an advertiser. Corporations don’t want to take a stand. They want to go with the flow, hold hands, and sing Kumbya with everyone. This isn’t only coming from small town papers either – try the Chicago Sun Times, as an example of diluted media. (And no we are NOT defending trash magazines like The Enquirer). One of the few privately owned newspapers is the Cleveland Plain Dealer. They still write pieces worthy of awards, like one from a certain Ohio senator’s wife. So as newspapers struggle to survive, they make compromises, and being beholdin’ to a corporation is often one of them.

But when stories come to the front that bring important issues to light, we say great. Have you read this story from Jeff Donn? AP IMPACT: Army charity hoards millions. If this story helps get funds into the hands of our service men and woman, hooray! The point being, open debate is good and healthy, or to use the new catch word, it is all about transparency.

So we can debate the courthouse, plans for the downtown, or elected officials and the world won’t come to an end. You can’t make changes until you acknowledge the issue, and Seneca county is strong enough to recognize the good, and repair the broken.

The other day I was talking to my mom telling her I had just downed a big bowl of tomato soup. “I really like tomato soup too, but it sure doesn’t taste like mom’s, ” she remarked. My mother has plenty of stories of her mothers fantastic meals. And I got to thinking how different that homemade tomato soup tasted as compared to a can of Campbell’s.

Back then my grandmother used tomatoes that are now considered heritage style – lots of flavor, smaller, and not “perfect”. But they had flavor, and plenty of it. My grandmother and grandfather had a Jersey cow that milked about 3000 pounds or 375 gallons a year, (if I remember some historical figures I read awhile back). Today a Jersey will give  around 11,680 pounds or 1460 gallons a year.  Holsteins jumped from 5,000 to 35,000 pounds in that same period.

But there is a price to pay for all the increased production. Tomatoes lose flavor, as do other vegetables. Cattle can have breeding problems. This list goes on. We can’t have increased production without nature taking something in return.

It was a coincidence that a rash of stories just came out with the realization that our vegetables just aren’t as nutritious as they were in grandmas day. NPR had a good piece, and so did the Seattlepi.

So this winter as you sift through all the seed and garden catalogs looking for the newest and greatest additions to the family garden, maybe you ought to skip the jumbo, massive, hernia-size tomato seeds, for the old fashioned heritage type. After all, grandma was one smart lady, and a damn fine cook. (And she would have NEVER said the word damn).

Farmland Foods in New Riegel, employeer of 200+ employees, is closing right after Easter. The New Riegel facility produced sprial ham. The A-T carried a story today about the closing. Farmland has a really good website with recipes, coupons and other information. Oh, I almost forgot. They also have an Employment link saying “

The 4th Annual Everyday Hero Breakfast

will honor those people who make our lives better in

Seneca County through their commitment

to our community.

Our breakfast will be held on

March 27, 2009

Elizabeth Schaefer Apts St. Francis

7:30 am

If you would like to nominate an Everyday Hero:

Everyday Hero Nomination Information

An amnesiac walks into a bar.

He goes up to a beautiful blonde and says, ” So Miss, do I come here often?”

If we could ask Jeannie to grant us a piece of the economic stimulus package, what projects would you like to see started, completed, or repaired?

Charles Dickens walk into a bar and orders a martini.

The bartender asks,” Olive or twist?”

So what is going on with the Architectural Board of Review? The other day this Letter to the Editor appeared in the A-T:

“To: Theresa Sullivan, president, Tiffin Historic Trust

From: George Freeman

Re: Mayor’s refusal to appoint me to Architectural Board of Review

I attempted to see the mayor for a third time in five weeks yesterday afternoon regarding the vacancy on the Architectural Board of Review on which I offered to serve last November. Mayor Jim Boroff finally phoned me this morning.

He says because I am so closely identified with the Tiffin Historic Trust, he will not ask me to serve.I am a member of Tiffin Historic Trust but do not serve, nor have I ever served, in any capacity as officer or board member.

I pointed out the city’s code says “appointees should have a demonstrated knowledge or interest in the preservation and continued use of Tiffin’s historic resources.” I pointed out I have done two certified historic rehabilitation projects approved by the National Park Service and invested more than $1 million in National Historic District rehabilitation projects, that I took a college-level course on historic preservation, and at present I am attempting to attract the American Civil War Museum of Ohio to Tiffin’s downtown historic district after the museum closes its location in Bowling Green on Jan. 22.

His Honor says he is looking for “diversity” on the review board. I pointed out the five positions called for are all fulfilled except one pure play code description, “a property owner within the Downtown Design Review District.” I asked whether, by “diversity,” he means someone who doesn’t care, or is ignorant about historic preservation. If so, that would be counter to the intent of section 1311.02 of Tiffin city codified ordinances and the purpose of the Architectural Board of Review. He claims that appointing me would anger many who would see that appointment as another lock-step vote with review board member Doug Collar.

In the mayor’s quest for re-election, it seems to me he may be distancing himself from the many votes of our preservation community.

Nevertheless, I continue to be available should the mayor reconsider.

If you have any thoughts or questions regarding this situation, I can be reached at (419) 937-6030 and/or (419) 447-7514. Also at freeman0656@sbcglobal.net.

George Freeman

Tiffin”

Then yesterday, we read this blurb in Officials tout economic bright spots in the A-T

“Finding it hard to fill a vacancy on Tiffin’s Architectural Board of Review, officials soon could be allowing those who own property in the city but live elsewhere in Seneca County to become eligible to serve on the board. They heard an ordinance introduced that would allow for the extended residential requirement.”

Everything you ever wanted to know about the Board of Review, but were afraid to ask is here: Chapter 1311 Design Review Regulations.

So help us out, what is going on?

Today President Barack Obama signed the equal pay bill into law.  Also known as the Lilly Ledbetter bill, it had been blocked during the Bush Administration by the administration and fellow Republicans.

Ledbetter lost over $200,000 in pay, and additional money in pension and Social Security benefits over the period of her career at Goodyear Tire & Rubber in Gadsden, AL.  Ledbetter filed a lawsuit toward the end of her 19 year tenure with Goodyear, when she discovered the huge discrepancy in pay.

However, the Supreme Court denied her lawsuit by a vote of 5 to 4, that she had missed the time-frame allowable by law to file the suit.

Though this bill, amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, also applies to discrimination based on factors such as race, religion, national origin, disability or age. It extends the time to file a claim of discrimination for making less money than another worker doing the same job to an additional 180 days, for a total of 360 days to file a lawsuit. The current law does not change the limit of back pay beyond the former bills two years.

According to AP writer Philip Elliot:

“The high court said a person must file a claim of discrimination within 180 days of a company’s initial decision to pay a worker less than it pays another worker doing the same job. Under the new bill, given final passage in Congress this week, every new discriminatory paycheck would extend the statute of limitations for another 180 days.

Congress attempted to update the law to extend the time, but the Bush White House and Senate Republicans blocked the legislation in the last session of Congress”

I am at a loss to explain blocking this amendment.  Republicans believed it would make filing lawsuits easier by extending the deadline an additional 180 days.

Yeah, and that is a bad thing?

It does not extend the ability to file for discrimination beyond two years, the same as in the previous form of the act.

So we get an additional 180 days and that was going to kill Republicans? What am I missing? Do voting Republicans, the majority of whom are Caucasian men, have no family or friends who are female, of color, of a different national origin, age, or find themselves disabled? Are they so completely out of touch they justify discrimination because they surround themselves with clones? Are you saying it is acceptable to pay your daughter less than your son for the same job? Is is acceptable to pay a 60 year-old worker less than a 35 year-old worker? May I cut your pay by 28% , which is the national statistical  different between the pay of a Caucasian man and women? How about more that 28%, because women of color are paid less than white women? Do you gentlemen go home and tell your wives their contributions to society are less than yours? Are you crazy?

I am not going to change parties. Instead the good Republicans with common sense are going to drag your sorry asses into this century or kick you out of office. The choice is up to you, because I don’t want to be embarrassed by your bad behavior.

The SCB would also like to know – Is this happening in Seneca County? If so, what has been the outcome?

Normally I wouldn’t do this, but we have seen a number of good movies lately, and since it is winter, this a good time to take in a flick.

First up: The Express – The story of the phenomenal Ernie Davis. If you don’t know, he was an extraordinary running back for Syracuse. I won’t give too much away, in case you haven’t seen it. But rent this DVD.  Like other great films, this is not just a story about football. It is a story of overcoming adversity, and proving what it is to be a real champion.

Next up is the movie Doubt. We saw this in Findlay with Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams. The story of men and women of the cloth who want what they believe is best for the children of their parish school.

Finally we have Gran Torino with Clint Eastwood.  The saga of  changing times, and ones true self.

All films are a great way to spend a couple of hours.

Each one of us must do battle with our health care system in some form or other.  I have benefited from the expertise and kindness of some wonderful professionals. (Except anyone that draws blood.  I feel pretty confident that those folks will have to do some time in Purgatory for penance. For some reason, I take exception to their practice of repeatedly sticking whaling harpoons into my arm).

Nevertheless, today I encountered a “professional” that nearly left me speechless. No small feat for me. The background on my case was rather straightforward. I had been taken to the emergency room last spring while I was out of town visiting a friend. As it turned out,  I was just fine. In fact, I have actually lived until today. (I will keep you updated on the still living part). While I was in the emergency room, I dutifully gave the hospital my insurance card.

Two months later, I received a letter stating my insurance would not cover my emergency room visit. If I recall, the letter said, “Dear So and So, we regret to inform you that you are S.O.L. on your insurance coverage for the cost of our services. Therefore, we will be contacting you shortly to get our pound of flesh or take your first-born, whichever you prefer.”

After considerable debate, I decided just to pay the damn bill outright. By this time I had grown rather fond of my first-born, and though I could stand to lose some weight, I also decided against the pound of flesh routine. So I sent in a check, and recorded it in my handy dandy recording thingy.

The next month, I received a bill showing my payment. Yes, right on the bill was an actual record of the payment. The next month, I received another bill showing my payment. The next month, I received a letter from a collections agency!

So I call the hospital’s “emergency specialists” billing group to explain my predicament. However before I can get a word out, I am automatically connected to the collections agency, because the hospital’s emergency specialists billing group will no longer talk to me. Why? Well because I am in collections!

The collections agency informs me that I must supply them with a copy of my records from the  hospital’s emergency specialists billing group, to prove I had indeed paid my bill.

Today, after I had calmed down, I called the  hospital’s “emergency specialists” billing group, again. This time I was not re-directed and was able to speak to one of their “professionals”.  I told the young woman that indeed I had paid my bill, and had a statement from the hospital’s “emergency specialists” billing group to that effect.  I also explained that I did not much appreciate being sent off to collections.

“Well all you had to do was call us and tell us you made a payment,” she haughtily remarked.

“Excuse me?” I said.

“All you had to do was call us and make us aware you made a payment,” she said.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but if you sent me statement of charges, which showed that I had paid, how could your company not be aware that I paid?”

“We are not told when patients pay their bill. We are not permitted to see their file,” the “professional” explained. ” I will call the collections agency, and tell them your bill has been paid”.  Doesn’t this sound eerily like “Catch 22″, or a Marx brothers routine?

So I guess we are now not only responsible to pay our bills, but also to call and tell them that we paid our bills, because they can’t be expected to take in money and keep track of it, now can they!

This folks, is our health “care” system at it’s finest. Like I said, health care, the ultimate oxymoron.