Here You Go....

* There was finally a second ruling from the Montgomery County Board of Elections on the residency of Republican State Sen. Jon Husted. The Dayton Daily News reports that the BOE voted along party lines, just like the last time. Now the case goes back to Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

* The state of Ohio has adopted a temporary budget until a final budget can be hammered out by all. Republicans said they are against adding slot machines to racetracks to help fix the state's financial crisis. Even though all of the Republicans are against it now, some were for the slots in the past. What? A flip-flop?

Ohio Dems:

In May 2007, Senate President Bill Harris and Ohio Senate Republicans voted for “video racing terminals” (VRTs) at racetracks across the state. The legislation was S.B. 125. It passed the Senate 25-8, but wasn’t taken up by the House. The bill would have instituted video gambling at Ohio racetacks without a vote of the people.

Now, Senator Harris is citing newfound moral objections to video gambling at Ohio racetracks, even though he voted for it in 2007. He is also now claiming that expanded gambling at Ohio racetracks requires a vote by the people of Ohio, even though he previously voted for racetrack video gambling that did not require a vote of the people.

Governor Strickland’s proposal to allow video lottery terminals (VLTs) at Ohio racetracks has become a sticking point in the Ohio budget negotiations between the Governor and Harris. Harris is using VLTs as an issue to stonewall the budget process, even though he supported video racetrack gambling in the past....

If you see Bill Harris, ask him why he is not wearing flip flops.

******* According to a poster at The-Ozone, there are 67 more days until the Buckeyes start the 2009 football season with an opener against Navy. Go Bucks!

This and That on Monday

> Republican Rep. John Boehner had a few words about the new climate bill.
Business Insider:

John Boehner tells the Hill that he spent over an hour reading excerpts of the massive climate bill during Friday's debate because "people deserve to know what's in this pile of sh*t."


(Note: He said the word, but I've just altered it.)

Isn't it nice to know that Boehner doesn't care about our environment? Boehner and his fat cat Republican friends are not having any fun being out of power. From my point of view, I'm enjoying watching them squirm.


* It happened again. Another abandoned baby was found last week by a mail carrier on his rounds. 10TV:

...Mike Herron said he heard a baby crying in the 12-hundred block of Marble Drive, located near Livingston Avenue and Main Street, around 10 a.m.

Herron said he could see the baby's head sticking out of the trash bag, 10TV's Glenn McEntyre reported.

"You could see the umbilical cord," Herron said, "You could see the baby still had blood and vomit and fecal matter and it was just a mess, but you know, a beautiful baby girl."

This is the second such newborn abandonment case in recent weeks. Luckily, both babies were found immediately and taken to the hospital for observation.

* * *Republican "golden boy" and candidate for higher office, Jon Husted, has his hearing today at the Montgomery County Board of Elections, according to WHIO:

...The local board of elections, which tied on the issue of Ohio Sen. Jon Husted's residency, will take another look at the matter after it was bounced back to the board by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.

Husted faces an inquiry whether he lives at the 148 Sherbrooke Drive home where he is registered to vote. Husted says he stays with his wife and children at her Upper Arlington home, but claims Kettering is his home.

Ohio law requires legislators to live in their districts....

We'll see if anything is decided.

A large group of Ohioans went to Washington DC to push for health care.
Cleveland.com:
Singing "We Want Health Care" to the tune of Queen's "We Will Rock You," hundreds of Ohioans joined a Capitol Hill rally on Thursday to prod Congress toward reform....

Sen. Sherrod Brown added this----
"Let me assure you the special interests and health insurance industry will not hijack this process," Brown told the rally, organized by Health Care for America Now. "We must have a strong public option and we will have a strong public option."

And....
....Afterwards, the Ohio contingent adjourned to the Columbus Club at Union Station, where they heard from speakers, including Niles Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan and Columbus Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy.....

* Speaking of Sen. Sherrod Brown, we have this from the MorningJournal:

If applying for the National School Lunch Program were easier, more than 150,000 additional Ohio school-age children who are eligible could get a nutritious lunch or breakfast, according to U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Accordingly, Brown announced legislation yesterday to streamline the application process and provide $2 billion for five years to pay for new computer equipment and food for the program....

"The more children who receive this food, the better their educations will be," he said. "A hungry child cannot learn and grow."

Exactly. If a child is hungry, learning will not take place. Ask a teacher and he/she will agree. If we really want a better life for our children, we've got to get these children a good start.

* One of the star attractions at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is Colo. Colo has been have some problems and needs some tests.
Dispatch:

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium community will have a knot in its collective stomach Saturday morning as a team of doctors gathers to examine its most famous resident.

Colo, the first gorilla born in captivity and now the oldest gorilla in captivity at 52, is having a heart work-up.

In "people years," Colo is elderly, the equivalent of an 80- or 90-year-old, and she's been ailing off and on in recent months, said Dr. Joseph Donovan, the Columbus anesthesiologist who has treated her for at least a decade.....

Despite her age, Colo still has a lot of spunk, as this UPI article (May 27,2009) notes:

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio said a 52-year-old gorilla walked through an unsecured door and wandered through a building.

Zoo officials said Colo the gorilla, who is believed to be the oldest gorilla in captivity, left her room in the indoor gorilla enclosure through an unsecured door at about 9:35 a.m. Tuesday and wandered the halls before she was lured back to her exhibit by keepers bearing yogurt and Coca-Cola, The Columbus Dispatch reported Wednesday....

I'm sure that all of Colo's fans will be thinking happy thoughts for her speedy recovery.

* Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy has been working hard in Congress to help our Vets. Kilroy's website:

U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy joined a bipartisan majority in the House to pass several pieces of legislation to increase funding for health care and the standards of living for veterans and their families, while providing them with easier access to scholarship programs in votes yesterday. Kilroy said that these critical pieces of legislation are part of Congress’s commitment to the military family.

“Veteran’s care is a bipartisan issue and Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass legislation that will significantly benefit the lives of veterans and their families. These bills will increase resources to provide the finest care and sufficient compensation to our veterans, increase access to health care specialty services for women, and make scholarship programs more accessible to vets and their families,” said Kilroy. “As the daughter and niece of two World War II veterans, it is a priority for me to work to secure benefits for veterans in central Ohio.”


Kilroy is keeping her promises to help our vets.

* It looks like Shaq is going to the Cleveland Cavaliers. ESPN has the info.


* Republican Rep. Mike Turner (OH-3) has been called on the carpet for his legislative pork project. According to the Dayton Daily News, the Citizens Against Government Waste ".....tagged Turner for a $4 million earmark he sought in the House version of the Defense Authorizations Act. The earmark is for “Open Source Research Centers” for Radiance Technologies in Fairborn....."

* The Armenian Weekly is pushing their readers to support Democrat David Krikorian for Ohio's 2nd congressional district:

...1) David is a great Armenian American.
David’s a proud son of the Armenian American community. He’s the past chairman of the Armenian National Committee (ANC) of Ohio, a devoted family man, and a self-made business owner who’s given back to his community.

2) Jean Schmidt has got to go.
Jean Schmidt is a tireless enemy of Armenian issues and an equally energetic apologist for Turkey’s sins (see her lay a wreath at Ataturk’s tomb). She’s even filed an official complaint against David for speaking honestly about how she’s taken tens of thousands of dollars from Armenian Genocide deniers....

Lots of people in Ohio are not proud of Jean Schmidt and her shenanigans.

Ready or Not!

The Ohio State University Athletics Hall of Fame will be adding a few more people, according to the Dispatch. The Dispatch list includes Michael Redd, Andy Katzenmoyer, the late Neal Colzie, Dick LeBeau, Robert Gary, Bob Hopper, Pandel Savic, Kaja Fiserova, Allison Hanna, Vanessa Immordino, Emma Laaksonen, and Jim Montrella.
Dispatch:
....The inductions will take place Sept. 25, and the new class will be introduced at halftime of the football game against Illinois on Sept. 26.

* Republican Rep. John Boehner doesn't feel your pain. While you struggle to pay your mortgage, feed the kids, and put gas in the car, Boehner is out golfing. Boehner is spending mega bucks on fancy golf courses, according to the Washington Post. (I guess he doesn't meet too many unemployed people out there on the greens.) Washington Post:

....Last month, the Ohio Republican's political action committee, Freedom Project, revealed it spent $10,657.46 on greens fees and food and beverages at the swanky Ritz Carlton of Naples, Fla., in April.

And now, his PAC's newly filed campaign report with the Federal Election Commission for May shows Boehner's PAC spent twice that much -- $20,816.65 -- on golf at the Ritz.

Which means Boehner spent a total of $31,474.11 on a golf fundraiser for friends, lobbyists and anyone else who wanted intimate tee time with the House's top Republican.....

I'm sure we'd like to know which lobbyists Boehner has been hanging with on those courses.

* Ready or not, the Naked Cowboy will be singing in his hometown, Greenhills, Ohio, according to the Dispatch. However, not everyone is happy about it. Dispatch:

....The Naked Cowboy, whose real name is Robert Burck, has traveled across the country for more than a decade, donning a guitar and singing in his underwear.

His scheduled performance Friday, however, has sparked resentment from Greenhills mayoral candidate Pat Andwan....

.....Calling Andwan a "lunatic," Burck dismissed her comments and said he plans to perform at the festival for those who have been proud of his accomplishments. "I've been in my underwear for 10 years, going from city to city, so I'm aware there are people out there who are not underwear-friendly."

I'm sure the people of Greenhills will enjoy a little excitement.

Ohio News

* Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15-Dem) has updated her official website to help her constituents. You can view Kilroy's website here.

* Ohio will get some needed stimulus money for road projects, according to the Dispatch:

Ohio passed a stimulus mile marker Friday when it received word that transportation projects totaling more than $336 million had been approved by the Federal Highway Administration.......

This will help get people back to work.

* Gov. Ted Strickland wants to increase the food safety in the state of Ohio.
Business First:

Ohio legislators are moving forward with the backing of Gov. Ted Strickland and major agricultural groups to create a new state board that governs livestock and poultry practices.

Legislators from the Democrat-controlled Ohio House of Representatives and Republican-controlled state Senate on Monday unveiled details of joint resolutions moving through both chambers that would create the 13-member Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. Pending approval in the legislature, plans for the board would go before voters in November as a proposed constitutional amendment.....

This sounds like a perfect idea that is needed ASAP. With food recalls in recent news, anything we can do to improve food safety should be taken seriously.

News Round Up

* Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) has been seen in her district connecting with her constituents.

* People are talking about Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's move to bring slots to the state in order to bring in much needed cash and create jobs. Many people see it as a necessary move.

* A young man's anti-tobacco campaign will land him in Washington, DC, according to the
Oxford Press:

Kyle Peavley’s trip to Washington D.C. this week isn’t his first one, but he said it will be his most memorable.

Peavley, 18, an anti-tobacco activist for seven years, will stand next to President Obama on Monday, June 22, as he signs a law giving the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over the tobacco industry.....

...Peavley has lobbied for the new law for three years. In 2006, he met with members of the Ohio Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., about legislation to grant the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products. He also organized a protest at the district office of U.S. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-West Chester Twp.), an opponent the FDA legislation....

Congrats to Kyle Peavley.

*** Will LeBron James go up against President Obama? It looks like a strong possibility that President Obama will face LeBron James on the White House basketball court, according to Bloomberg:

It’s not much of a contest; on paper, at least. A 6-foot, 2-inch, 180-pound, 47-year-old amateur against a 6-foot, 8-inch, 250-pound, 24-year-old pro who won the National Basketball Association’s Most-Valuable Player award this year.

Except the amateur will have home-court advantage: the South Lawn of the White House.

In an interview with Bloomberg News this week, President Barack Obama said he would soon invoke executive privilege to summon the Cleveland Cavaliers’ LeBron James and possibly other NBA stars to the White House to shoot some hoops.....

The Bloomberg article notes a website devoted to President Obama's basketball playing:

http://baller-in-chief.com/

Friday is Here....

UPDATE!!!!! Breaking News!!!
WKRC-TV:
After years of opposition to the expansion of gambling, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland has announced a plan for slots machines at seven horse racing tracks as a way to help balance the budget.

Strickland, a Democrat, said Friday that the move would provide $765 million for the two-year budget that starts July 1.

Lawmakers have struggled to fill a gap of roughly $3.2 billion in the spending plan.
The slots proposal would not go before state voters, who have rejected gambling proposals four times in the past 20 years.....

We'll see what happens!

...and it is pouring in central Ohio. We've had lots of thunder, lightning, and periods of heavy rain. Yuck.

> It is no secret that Ohio needs some cash now. What if the state allowed slot machines for a period of one year? Wouldn't the extra money brought into the state's treasury help cover a few expenses? At the end of that year, it could be decided to renew or not renew the contract for the slots. Anyone???

> Have you noticed how the Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives just don't get it? I guess the GOPers don't remember when they would lock the House committee rooms and not allow certain hearings when they were the majority.

> Here we go again! Looks like another person has witnessed the anger of Upper Arlington's...., Oops! I mean Kettering's State Sen. Jon Husted. Dayton Daily News has the story.

> John Kasich, Republican candidate for Ohio governor, had an interesting person help him out at a recent event. The Other Paper has the story:

Matt Borges is not exactly a household name. Most likely, John Kasich is hoping he doesn’t become one.

The 37-year-old consultant is perhaps better known as former state treasurer Joe Deters’s chief of staff; the same Joe Deters who resigned amid a pay-to-play scandal in 2004.

Borges pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of restrictions on a public official in 2004 in conjunction with that hot mess....

Will Kasich make Borges part of his campaign staff?

O-H-

Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) is a co-sponsor of a bill that will help those with cancer and the oncologists treating them. Prnewswire.com:

U.S. Representatives Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL), Steve Israel (D-NY) and Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH) have introduced H.R. 2872, the Medicare Quality Cancer Care Demonstration Act of 2009. H.R. 2872 is a bill that will authorize Congress to direct the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement the Quality Cancer Care Demonstration (QCCD) project.

The Community Oncology Alliance (COA), a nonprofit group of medical practitioners who deliver cancer care across the country, has been working with the 111th Congress for the QCCD project, described as the "architecture of a solution" to today's cancer care crisis. Health care reform is President Barack Obama's top domestic issue, and when it comes to cancer care, it is overwhelmingly critical....

**** Did you know that Ohio Democrat Rep. John Boccieri (OH- 16) is a terrific baseball player? Boccieri helped the Democrats beat the Republicans 15 to 10 in the annual congressional baseball game. The Washington Examiner has some of the details:

...The 48th Annual Roll Call Congressional baseball game had a something of a surprise ending at Nationals Park last night, with the Democrats beating the Republicans for the first time in eight years, 15-10.

Youth was served by the Dems, who were also the beneficiaries of a larger talent pool than in recent years, thanks to two consecutive romps at the ballot box. For evidence, look no further than Rep. John Boccieri, D-Ohio, who just wouldn’t stop stealing bases and sliding on his stomach....

....The game is a standing bipartisan tradition, though fans at the stadium last night made it apparent that party competition was the name of the night. Democratic fans stood and quoted their favorite election slogan “Yes we can!” for the entire last inning until the Democrats struck out the last batter to close the deal.....

Nice job!

** I noticed that Germain at Easton has a number of Smart Cars on their lot. Check them out at (614) 383-4184. I love my Smart Car!!!

* There is a lot of excitement about a plan put forth by Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH-D).

Toledo Blade:

The Obama Administration has rejected additional aid for the automotive components sector, but U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown yesterday proposed a plan for helping them and some other manufacturers from careening off course.

Mr. Brown said he will introduce legislation to establish a $30 billion revolving loan fund that small and medium-size manufacturers could use to become more energy-efficient or switch to production of components for the solar, wind, and other industries involved in so called "clean energy."

...Wendy Patton of Policy Matters Ohio said during the conference call that the program could benefit more than 3,000 Ohio manufacturers employing 250,000 people.....

Sen. Brown is always thinking about how to get people back to work. This plan shows that he is thinking of creative ways to get businesses and people moving again.

Ohio Bankers Are Joyful

Here we go again! It appears that Republican Steve Stivers, a former bank lobbyist, is leaning toward a run against U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15-D). Steve Stivers probably has the Ohio banking lobby and the insurance industry wetting their pants with excitement at the prospect of their golden boy running again.

Details are from The Hill:

.....Stivers has set a July 4 deadline for himself to make a final decision on the 2010 race, but local and national Republicans expect him to make a second straight run at the seat, and he’s made no secret of his desire to try again....
....Gabby Adler, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), said Republican leaders are making Stivers “their pet project.”

“They simply don’t understand that Central Ohio voters have already rejected Steve Stivers once and continue to have no interest in supporting a bank lobbyist whose priority is fighting for Washington special interests above the needs of hardworking Ohio families,” Adler said.

I'm sure that the good people of Union County will welcome Stivers, now that the 6,000,000 chicken factory farm is closer to reality. On August 8, 2008, I wrote extensively about how Stivers sponsored a bill that stops communities/neighbors from preventing a factory farm from sprouting up in their neighborhood. Here is my link.

What has Stivers been doing recently?

**** Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy has received a 100% from the Middleclass.org website for her support of issues and legislation that helps the middle class. Here is some of the legislation Kilroy supported, according to the Middleclass.org:

Voting Record

2009	Bill	Vote	Supportive of the Middle Class?
	H.R. 1728 Mortgage Reform and Anti-Predatory Lending Act of 2009 TOPICS: Consumers, Debt & Bankruptcy, Housing, Mortgage lending	YEA
	H.R. 1664 Pay for Performance Act of 2009 TOPICS: Corporate Accountability, Executive compensation	YEA
	H.R. 1586 A Bill To Impose An Additional Tax On Bonuses Received From TARP Recipients of 2009 TOPICS: Corporate Accountability, Executive compensation, Tax Fairness	YEA
	H.R. 1106 Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009 TOPICS: Consumers, Debt & Bankruptcy, Housing, Mortgage lending, Personal bankruptcy	YEA

Don't you wonder how Stivers would have voted on these same issues????

Ohio Politics

The good people over at Progress Ohio have a very extensive analysis of Republican State Sen. Jon Husted's utility bills. Husted, who was elected to represent Kettering, spends 99% of his time living with his family in Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus. Several inquiries have examined his utility bills to question his residency with regard to his voting. Here are some excerpts from Progress Ohio:

Records supoenaed by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner show that Jon Husted's utility bills have declined significantly over the past 8 years at what he claims is his primary residence in Kettering.

Husted's utility records are a key part of an on-going investigation at the Montgomery County Board of Elections as to whether Secretary of State candidate Husted is actually voting illegally. Husted claims his residence is at a modest ranch in Kettering where his utility bills are almost non-existent during warmer weather months, as opposed to his home in Columbus where his wife and their child live.....

...One major exception to the utility drop is during the period between 2/6 - 3/7/08, during which Husted's consumption of electricity was twice as high 2000. The primary for the State Senate seat which Husted now holds took place on March 4th. After the primary his usage immediately drops off and from April 9th to May 7th his electricity bill is only 1/20th what it during election season. This continues during the summer and fall, even during months when the Statehouse wasn't in session. This is most starkly illustrated by Husted's water usage which registered a zero during multiple readings....

Progress Ohio has links to Husted's utility bills and other information under the resources section. Husted has stated that he lives in Upper Arlington so that he can attend to state business. Why aren't other elected state reps and state senators living full time in Columbus like Husted? Is he more important than anyone else? Do people look the other way because Husted is Republican???

***** Get out your tissues because this is a real tear jerker. Dayton Daily News is reporting that some area politicians lost money because of the stock market losses. Most notable of these was John Boehner.

Dayton Daily News:

....House Minority Leader John Boehner, who watched his net worth drop by at least $400,000 from last year to this year.

Boehner’s minimum net worth dropped from $2.1 million in 2007 to $1.7 million in 2008, according to financial disclosure forms filed in Congress.....

Boehner was not the richest lawmaker in the state. Ohio Republican Rep. Jean Schmidt (OH-2) had a reported net worth of between $2.7 million to $9 million, according to the Dayton Daily News (information from Schmidt's financial disclosure statement).

Don't Get ME Started!!!!

There are some interesting facts from yesterday spring quarter graduation at Ohio State, as published in the Columbus Dispatch:

8,162: graduates (surpassing 2006 record of 7,643)

1,897: graduating with honors

87: foreign countries represented

50: states represented

5,681: undergraduate degrees

1,409: master's degrees

858: professional degrees

211: Ph.D.s

Not bad. Now if we can get them all jobs!!!!

>>>> Bizjournals has this:

American Electric Power Company Inc. has signed on to buy the solar energy output from an in-the-works northwest Ohio facility as it continues a push to boost its renewable energy portfolio.

The Columbus-based utility on Monday said its AEP Ohio subsidiary signed a 20-year agreement with Wyandot Solar LLC, a subsidiary of Boulder, Colo.-based developer juwi solar inc.. The company plans to begin building a 10 megawatt solar facility in Wyandot County in November that could be up and running a year from now....

This is part of the green revolution we've heard so much about recently.

>>>>>> It looks like Michelle Malkin and the right wingers are not regular viewers of the the David Letterman program on CBS. (They probably think that Stephen Colbert is a conservative comedian.) If they were regulars viewers, they'd know that Letterman in the past has done jokes about Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and a host of others. They'd also know that Letterman has already apologized for his joke which was about Sarah Palin's older daughter. Malkin and others are receiving little attention these days as Americans turn away from the conservative agenda and the failure of the Bush administration here and abroad. If you can stomach it, you can read Malkin's latest trash HERE.

I am the mother of two grown daughters. If I had been running for public office, and if one of my daughters had been a teenage unwed mother like Palin's daughter, I would not have paraded her around with her loser boyfriend in every corner of this country. I would have let my daughter stay at home. Most mothers would have done that.

How is it that Palin supports abstinence education, but apparently her own daughter did not follow it? Doesn't it show how ineffective abstinence education has been? Doesn't it also show that Palin's political ambitions are more important than the welfare of her own children?

Now Malkin and some other right wingers want Letterman fired. Pleeeeeeeeeeease stop the insanity, Malkin and Palin, and leave Letterman and the rest of us alone.

Ohio GOP: No New Ideas

If Ohioans are looking for something new from the Ohio GOP, their right wing officials, and candidates, they can forget about it. Here is an example of the old fashioned, backward-thinking, mindset of the Ohio GOP----

Dispatch:

Ohio GOP Chairman Kevin DeWine was quick to heap scorn on the so-called "cash for clunkers" bill passed by the U.S. House last week -- but among those voting for the legislation were 59 GOP lawmakers, including four from Ohio. The overall bill passed easily, 298-119.

The legislation was written by Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Barberton, and gives people up to $4,500 worth of vouchers for trading in used cars with low miles-per-gallon ratings for new, more fuel-efficient cars. Proponents say it will stimulate auto sales and help the environment.

But DeWine called the bill "insanity" in a fundraising appeal. He said the legislation "allows the federal government to spend $4 billion to buy used cars." The cash sought by DeWine would help the Ohio GOP recruit "strong, conservative candidates who have the resources to be competitive in next year's elections."

Although Kevin DeWine might not like the plan, it is used in Germany, with great results, according to the New York Times:

...A concept embraced by President Obama on Monday as part his effort to save General Motors and Chrysler from collapse would provide cash to buyers of new fuel-efficient cars — if they traded in a clunker.

Similar incentive programs overseas have lifted automobile sales despite the awful economy. In Germany, an offer of about $3,290 for trade-ins helped to increase February car sales there by 21.5 percent from a year earlier, a 10-year high, according to the German Association of the Automotive Industry....

I have a feeling that the word "innovation" is not even in the Republican dictionary.

Quick Action Saved Lives

Washington Post:

The security guards who returned fire when a white supremacist allegedly gunned down their colleague at the Holocaust museum Wednesday were a recently retired D.C. police officer and a former Marine, both of whom had worked at the museum only a few weeks.

The former D.C. police officer is Harry Weeks, who retired from the force in February after 27 years. The second guard is Jason "Mac" McCuiston, 30, a former Marine who had worked as a police officer outside Atlanta before returning to the Washington area and taking the job at the museum....

....Neither of the guards were supposed to be working on Wednesday, when James W. von Brunn allegedly entered the museum and immediately began shooting, fatally injuring security guard Stephen T. Johns, 39. Both said they had accepted overtime assignments to help with the crowds and VIPs expected to be at the museum that evening for the opening of a new play about racial tolerance, written by the wife of former defense secretary William Cohen....

The quick action by Officer Weeks and Officer McCuiston saved thousands of lives. I think it is important that we note that their response, and previous training prevented a larger disaster.

To the family of Officer Stephen T. Johns, I offer my deepest sympathy.

Are you paying attention?

** Following a newspaper report by the Columbus Dispatch, Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15) has asked for a federal investigation into HUD.

Columbus Dispatch:

U.S. Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy has asked federal inspectors to investigate a housing program in the wake of a Dispatch series detailing millions of dollars in failed loans given to Columbus businessmen to buy and renovate apartments.....
....Kilroy, D-Columbus, asked the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general to launch a probe into the Federal Housing Authority program "that has lost billions of dollars because of lax oversight," she wrote in a letter....
...Kilroy wants to know whether HUD has enough resources to keep track of projects, and how it approves applicants for loans....

I hope that an investigation into this matter comes soon.

>>> Because of the economy, more and more children are getting those free school lunches, according to an article in USA Today:
Nearly 20 million children now receive free or reduced-price lunches in the nation's schools, an all-time high, federal data show, and many school districts are struggling to cover their share of the meals' rising costs.

Through February, nationwide enrollment in free school lunch programs was up 6.3% over the same time last year, to 16.5 million students, based on data from the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), which subsidizes the programs. Participation in reduced-price lunch programs rose to 3.2 million students, the data show....

A map on the USA Today site, indicates that the demand for free lunches has increased 7.93% in Ohio since 2008. For many children, this is the only nutritious meal they have in a day. We need to insure that this program continues.

When I was a young teacher in the 1970's, I worked at a school where over 90% of the children participated in the free lunch program. I still remember the delight in the eyes of those children at seeing those lunches and their comments about how much they enjoyed the food. Since many of the children did not have breakfast, this was possibly their main meal. We need to continue this valuable program because hungry children cannot learn.

Trains, Jobs

Gov. Ted Strickland is working to get federal money for a rail service for Ohio, according to the Dispatch:

Gov. Ted Strickland made his pitch to federal officials yesterday for $400 million of the $8 billion in stimulus money designated for high-speed passenger rail service. He said the state would be economically adrift without it.

The money would more than cover the startup costs of a proposed rail system that would run through Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati and take about six hours from start to finish. State officials envision the so-called 3C rail service, which would run slightly slower than a car moving at freeway speed, as the first step in developing much-faster rail service across the state.....

Just think of the possibilities for commuters, students, shoppers, business, and others! The creation of the service would help put people back to work and encourage development along the path of the train.

*** Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15-Dem) has several job link sites posted on her website. If you're looking for a job, you may want to check out the following links:

USA JOBS (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)

STUDENTJOBS.gov

AMERICA'S JOB BANK (sponsored by the Dept. of Labor)

There are other links at Kilroy's page which you can check out HERE.

It Ain't Over

Perhaps Republican State Sen. Jon Husted of Kettering (but primarily of Upper Arlington) thought he was off the hook. He may have even thought that since he is the darling of the Ohio GOP that no one would notice that he spends 99.9% of his time in Upper Arlington living with his wife and kids. Or, it is even possible, that Husted thought everyone would forget that he really and truly doesn't live in Kettering. Well,........... Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, didn't forget.

Dayton Daily News:

The question of Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s residency has been sent back to the Montgomery County Board of Elections by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who also subpoenaed records of his water, electric and natural gas usage.

She said Husted’s response to her request for documentation of his residency was incomplete and she issued six subpoenas for the utility records, along with property and postal records.....

..... By law legislators must live in the district they represent and voters must live where they are registered to vote. The board of elections is considering Husted’s residence for voting purposes. It would be up to the Ohio Senate to determine if he is a resident of his district.

It also seems that the people of Kettering are feeling neglected. Remember how Husted appeared to be blindsided by the NCR move? If the Montgomery County Board of Elections or Brunner decide that Husted is not of resident of Kettering, could he be charged with voter fraud? Will the people of Kettering continue to vote for Husted even though he doesn't live there? We'll see what happens.

Gems

Former Senator John Glenn will be the commencement speaker for the Ohio State University's spring graduation ceremonies, according to the Lantern:

On June 14, about 7,500 Ohio State graduates will hear from the first American to orbit the earth. John H. Glenn, former U.S. senator, astronaut and recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, will be the commencement speaker at OSU's spring ceremony at Ohio Stadium..... ....After being selected as one of seven NASA Mercury astronauts to pilot the spacecraft Friendship 7, Glenn sealed his fate as the first American to orbit the earth....

Congrats to graduates!

*** It happened again! Tiger Woods won the Memorial Golf Tournament --- for the 4th time (Dispatch). Dublin, Ohio, the home of the Memorial Tournament, was clearly celebrating the return of Tiger and his accomplishment. Dublin, Ohio, wakes up every spring when it is time for the Memorial and the golfing fans go crazy.

* A big shuffling going on at WBNS-TV, channel 10:

Jeff Hogan will join John Fortney as news anchor for the weekend edition of 10TV News HD, the station announced Wednesday.... .....Veteran sportscaster Dom Tiberi will join the team of Andrea Cambern, Jerry Revish and Chris Bradley as the primary sports anchor for the top-rated 10TV News HD at 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. weekdays. Hogan begins his assignment on Sunday, while Tiberi starts his new position the next day...
Dom is the most popular sports broadcasters in central Ohio.

*** Some people are wondering if the move by NCR to Georgia was influenced by golf. Were NCR executives lured by a longer golf season in Georgia? Just asking.

>>> GeaugaDems has a few gems about Republican John Kasich, a candidate for Ohio governor. Check it out.

Friday's Stuff

Thank goodness! It appears, according to the Columbus Dispatch, that Georgia will not get stimulus money after taking those NCR jobs from Ohio.
Here is more from the Dispatch:

The White House appeared yesterday to rule out using federal stimulus money to help Georgia officials build a manufacturing plant for NCR Corp., which is moving its headquarters from Dayton to Georgia.

The effort by officials of Columbus, Ga., to seek money from the $787 billion economic-stimulus package provoked anger and outrage among Ohio politicians, who said federal tax dollars should not help NCR move to another state.....

In a statement, Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy, D-Columbus, said: "It is outrageous that a state could use this money to steal jobs from Ohio. I will work with our delegation, both Republicans and Democrats, to put an end to the unscrupulous practice of these individuals and make sure job creation continues, not job shifting. It does nothing to help workers in Ohio or Georgia if we are just changing locations instead of doing the real work of investing in future jobs."

Here is my advice for the mayor of Duluth--- You wanted those jobs. Now figure out how to pay for it, without stimulus money.

*** Many in the "Party of NO!" (aka the Republicans), continue their assault on working families. On a roll call vote for HR 626 (Federal Employees Paid Parental Leave Act) on June 4, 2009, 149 Republicans voted NO, including the following Republicans from Ohio: Steve Austria, John Boehner, Jim Jordan, Bob Latta, Jean Schmidt, and Pat Tiberi.

More Controversy

Let me see if I have this right: Georgia goes after and takes jobs from Ohio, and now wants to get federal stimulus money to prepare a location for those jobs they stole.
Dispatch:
.....Columbus, Ga., Mayor Jim Wetherington said he does not know if the federal government will approve his request for a piece of the $787 billion stimulus package to help refurbish a 340,000-square-foot facility and construct a 100,000-square-foot building for NCR to manufacture automated teller machines....
.....Sen. Sherrod Brown, who cast the deciding vote in the Senate to pass the stimulus bill this year, urged the Obama administration to prevent stimulus money "from being used for this purpose."

In a letter to Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, the Ohio Democrat wrote that the purpose of the stimulus bill "is to create or retain jobs, not to relocate them from state to state. Stimulus funds should not be used in a manner that benefits one local economy at the expense of another."

Do you believe the nerve of that mayor? If you can't afford to make accommodations for NCR, why did you pursue them? Why should he be rewarded for stealing jobs from another state?

Please contact the Department of Commerce and tell them that Georgia should not be rewarded for stealing jobs from Ohio: contact information for Department of Commerce.

Mail

U.S. Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20230

Phone

Main: (202) 482-2000

Way to Go!

It appears that Democratic Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy's effort to bring jobs to Columbus has paid off. Kilroy had written a letter to Chase when it appeared that they planned to send jobs overseas.
Dispatch (April 3, 2009):

....The letter exchange began March 13 when Kilroy contacted Chase CEO Jamie Dimon.

She wrote that members of Congress were "outraged by the potential actions of your company to outsource tens of thousands of U.S. jobs" after accepting $25 billion in federal bailout funding.

Kilroy made reference to a newspaper report that Chase plans to spend $400 million on jobs in India....

Today, we have this news, as published at 10tv.com:

JPMorgan Chase will add at least 1,150 new jobs to central Ohio as it expands operations over the next three years, the company announced Tuesday.

According to news release issued by Chase, at least 1,000 of the new jobs will be in Columbus. The rest of the positions will be created in Westerville.

As incentive, the company is being offered about $20.5 million in tax breaks from Ohio, Columbus and Westerville, 10TV's Tino Ramos reported.....

Mary Jo Kilroy should get some credit for getting those jobs here.

Read All About It!!!

It looks like it is a done deal. NCR is moving to Georgia.
WGCL:
....NCR, which makes ATMSs and airport kiosks, will announce on Tuesday that it's moving its corporate headquarters from Dayton, Ohio to Duluth.

The company will relocate 1,250 jobs to Gwinnett County.NCR also plans to launch a manufacturing plant in Macon, bringing nearly 880 jobs to Bibb County.

***The man who adored "trickle down economics" of the Reagan era, is running for Ohio governor. John Kasich, right wing Republican, has left the once opulent offices of Lehman Brothers to help put Ohio in the same situation. (Lehman Brothers was one of the first bankruptcies of the Wall Street disaster.)
Cleveland.com:

....Kasich, while reportedly earning more than a $1 million a year, was a principal at Lehman Brothers, the financial services company that went bankrupt last year and contributed to the collapse of Wall Street.

"He's a hypocrite," charged Chris Redfern, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party. "John Kasich wants to have it both ways. He wants people to think he's an all-shucks boy from Westerville when in fact, over the course of almost a decade, he helped bankrupt Lehman Brothers."

That, Redfern said, speaks to Kasich's inability to use sound judgment and be honest with Ohioans when times get tough. Democrats have already launched an attacking Web site, truthaboutkasich.com....

Kasich has also made money serving on company boards and as a talker on right wing network, Fox News. Do you think he'll release his income tax info?

Looking For Signs In All the Wrong Places

It appears that NCR, one of Dayton's largest employers, may leave the state. However, State Sen. Jon Husted, hasn't been able to get any confirmation about it. Husted, who represents Kettering, but actually lives in posh Upper Arlington, hasn't gotten the kind of response he'd like to from NCR, according to the Dayton Daily News. Obviously, Husted has been looking for information in all the wrong places. If Husted actually lived in his district, he'd be meeting his constituents in grocery stores, church, the post office, gas stations, and they'd tell him everything they know about NCR. Husted could also look for NCR info by doing a GOOGLE search, like I did. Here is what I found about NCR:

Atlanta Journal Constitution:

....according to a copy of Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue’s schedule, obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through an open records request, Perdue and NCR CEO Bill Nuti spoke by phone at least twice in recent months.

A spokesman for Perdue, when asked about those calls, responded that the company had announced an expansion in 2008. Perdue communications director Bert Brantley on Sunday, however, declined to comment about the Dayton Business Journal’s report.....

Portfolio.com:

...Last fall, NCR said it would move its Worldwide Customer Services headquarters to metro Atlanta, investing $15 million and creating more than 900 jobs in Peachtree City and Duluth....

.....NCR is believed to have looked at sites in Savannah, and Columbus, Ga., according to a source. The global technology company could be eyeing about 100,000 square feet of office space. Based on the square footage estimates, real estate sources said, the operation could house 300 to 400 people....

**And from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer (Columbus, Georgia!!!), we have this:

Though details are sketchy, a major Ohio employer may be considering relocating its corporate headquarters to metro Atlanta, and Columbus could be in the running for a piece of the pie.

NCR Corp., based in Dayton and a major manufacturer of ATMs and business automation equipment, is looking at a possible move to Georgia, the Dayton Business Journal reported on its Web site Sunday.

Part of that report included: “NCR is said to be seeking about 100,000 square feet of office space in Georgia, according to the Atlanta Business Chronicle, a sister publication of the DBJ. NCR is believed to have looked at sites in Savannah, and Columbus,.....

If NCR moves to Georgia, will it be because Husted was ignoring them? Has Husted spent too little time in Kettering to notice what was really happening at NCR???