Friday, May 29, 2009

News to Use

Work to improve energy efficiency in downtown Columbus will bring in some new jobs.
Columbus Dispatch:

A $6.7 million project to make the Joseph P. Kinneary Courthouse more energy efficient will put up to 100 people to work during the next two years, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy said.

The Columbus Democrat and other federal officials will be at the U.S. courthouse Downtown today to make an official announcement that the project -- funded from the $787 billion stimulus package -- is under way....

.....Once it's launched, the construction work will employ about 50 to 100 people over about two years, Kilroy's office said, citing estimates from the General Services Administration, the federal agency in charge of the project....

I guess this is good all around. This will improve the efficiency of a public building, reduce costs, and put people back to work. And why did Ohio Republicans vote against the stimulus package again?

* Rep. John Boccieri (OH-16-D) has been visiting his district, especially places where military veterans congregate. The Daily Record:

U.S. Rep. John Boccieri stopped Tuesday morning for a breakfast conversation at American Legion Post 749....

....Boccieri, a 15-year veteran of the Air Force and nine-year reservist, told his Jeromesville audience he was particularly interested in seeing veterans receive the benefits and treatment they deserve for serving their country.....

...Boccieri focused on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding for programs to improve the quality of life for military veterans. That includes $1.3 billion to renovate Veterans Administration hospitals, $100 million to establish complexes to treat war-related physical and psychological injuries and $150 million to hire more VA claims processors to address a growing backlog.
"We're trying to correct the previous administration's approach to handling veterans," Boccieri said....

Boccieri has made it his priority to help our vets.