Friday on the Zell on the Bell Show on 1390 WBLL “The Bell” County Commissioner Tony Core helped voters by breaking down State Issue 3.

Issue 3 is a proposed constitutional amendment to allow for one casino each in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Toledo. (audio interviews in this story)

Click here to listen to Commissioner Tony Core break down the amendment

Here’s the language on issue 3:

This proposed amendment would:
1. Authorize only one casino facility at a specifically designated location within each
of the cities of Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo.

2. Levy a fixed tax of 33% of gross casino revenue received by each casino operator
of the four casino facilities.

3. Distribute the casino tax as follows:
     • 51% among all 88 counties in proportion to such counties’
respective populations. Half of each county’s distribution will go to
its largest city if that city’s population is above 80,000.
     • 34% among all public school districts
     • 5% among all host cities
     • 3% to the Ohio casino control commission
     • 3% to the Ohio state racing commission fund
     • 2% to a state law enforcement training fund
     • 2% to a state problem gambling and addictions fund

4. Require each initial licensed casino operator to pay a single $50,000,000 fee to be
used for state job training purposes and make a minimum initial investment of
$250,000,000 in its facility.

5. Permit approved types of casino gaming authorized by Michigan, West Virginia,
Indiana, and Pennsylvania as of January 1, 2009 or games subsequently authorized
by those states.

6. Authorize the casinos to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at the
discretion of the casino operator and require that the casino facilities shall be
subject to all state and local laws and provisions related to health and building
codes, but that no local zoning, land use laws, subdivision regulations or similar
provisions shall prohibit the development or operation of the casinos at the
designated sites.

7. Create the Ohio casino control commission which will license and regulate casino
operators, management companies retained by such casino operators, key
employees, gaming-related vendors, and all gaming authorized by this
constitutional provision.

A “YES” vote means you approve of amending the Ohio Constitution to permit
one casino each in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo.

Hear Tony Core discuss the arguments FOR this amendment

A “NO” vote means you disapprove of amending the Ohio Constitution to permit
one casino each in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo.

Hear why Tony Core is not in favor of this issue

An additional $32,000 was raised this week for the United Way fund drive, bringing the campaign total to $251,000! Many area businesses are kicking off employee campaigns as volunteers continue to distribute materials throughout the county. Campaigns are underway at the city and county schools whose employees collectively raised $35,288 last year.

Campaign Co-Chair Jack Reser said “ the Super Hero teachers and staff at our local schools see - every day - the improvement that United Way makes in the lives of students, through great programming and aid from Hilliker YMCA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, One on One (a youth mentor program) Discovery Riders and Warm Clothes for Kids.

Mike Minnich (pictured) noted “While the UW campaign volunteers are busy raising funds, our allocations committee is preparing for the important task of determining how the funds will be spent.“ The Allocations Board, chaired by Nita Wilkinson, is an all-volunteer committee, and reviews proposals from and interviews each of the 24 agencies before making a recommendation to the full Board of Trustees. “This process is extremely important to safeguard the public confidence that all donations are well-spent.” Agency requests are due this week. Based upon needs in the community, UW predicts the requests will be $100,000 more than available funds - making the Committee’s work extremely difficult.

In addition to Ms. Wilkinson, members of the Admissions and Allocations Committee are Krista Adelsberger, Tammy Allison, Mary Grim, Scott Elliot, Jerry Heaton, Sharon Holsberry, Ken Keller, Tracy McPherson, Doug Miller, Bill Montgomery, Jennifer Schwaderer, and Beth Smith.

You can reach Logan County three ways: call the United Way office at 592-2886, stop by the office at 122 N. Main St. Bellefontaine or visit the web site at www.uwlogan.org.

The annual WPKO Morning Show Costume Contest was hard to judge this year with several entries, but in the end it was the duo of Whitney and Sam Strapp who dressed up like Daisy and Donald Duck who took home the top prize. 

Whitney and Sam take home a bag of candy and free movie passes to Chakeres from Mix 98.3 WPKO. 

Check out our contestants:

 

 

 

The Cat in the Hat with Thing 1 and Thing 2 along with a nerd submitted by Nicole Parker

A frog sent in from Nicole Parker

Our own Josh Cummings went as Gumby

 

 

 

 

Kylan Stone as a princess

Alexis Stroud as a cowgirl

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrew Stroud as Superman

Blake Stone in his cow suit

This youngster went a Dracula

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regan waiting for the Great Pumpkin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Taylor Stroud as a Ladybug

Bailey Morales as Brutus Buckeye

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gage as a clone trooper

Grace is a southern belle

Hayli is a skeleton bride

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jace as a cowboy

Kennedy is a cowgirl

Logan went as Darth Vader

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zoey is a fairy princess

Ethan Morales went as Batman

Leah Kelsey

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tucker Newland is Optimus Prime

Four recent graduates have been awarded art scholarships thanks to proceeds from the First Annual Student Art Auction.

The Logan County Educational Service Center and art teachers from Bellefontaine, Benjamin Logan, Indian Lake, and Riverside organized the event to highlight local art programs and students.

Last spring, Logan County students displayed their artwork in downtown businesses and then the pieces were sold at an Art Auction in May.

The scholarships go to students pursuing a degree in art.

The recipients include Erin Moyer, Bellefontaine High School; Jessica Woodhouse, Benjamin Logan High School; Grant Mallory, Indian Lake High School; and McKinzey Thompson, Riverside High School.

The Second Annual Art Auction will be held next spring. For more information, contact Heidi Reser at the Logan County Educational Service Center at 599-5195.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office reports that two local men suffered extensive injuries in a bar fight just after midnight this morning.

Deputies responded to a fight inside Lucky’s Pizza, 110 East Lake Street, Lakeview.

Jerry Oakie Nelson, II, 25, of 139 Shady Lane, Russells Point, and Brad Lones, 33, of 180 Hoonbeck Street, Lakeview, were involved in an argument that escalated into a fight.

Both men fell through an 8 foot by 4 foot window, and sustained multiple lacerations.

Nelson was transported to Mary Rutan Hospital by Indian Lake EMS.

Lones was taken to Mary Rutan Hospital by private vehicle.

No one has been charged, but deputies continue their investigation.

The Russells Point Police Department assisted at the scene.

No reason was given for the fight.

Ghouls, goblins and a handful of deceased celebrities took to the streets all over Logan County Thursday night for the annual Beggar’s Night.

Children of all ages ventured from house to house collecting candy from friends, family and neighbors Thursday.

Greg and Karen Wisse have been passing out candy in Bellefontaine for 18 years and they were most pleased with Thursday’s turnout, “We’ll have about 300 kids come through here,” Karen said. “We really love being part of it.”

Greg Wisse teaches seventh-grade math at Bellefontaine and says he really likes to see a lot of his students around the neighborhood.

Karen said her favorite costumes were the princess costumes, “I’m partial to princess’,” she said. “They’re just so cute.”

Amid all the ghosts and Frankensteins were a handful of Michael Jackson costumes.

Brenda Johnson (pictured), a seventh-grader at Bellefontaine was one of those who dawned the King of Pop’s look, claiming she was inspired by Jackson’s Thriller video.

Listen as Johnson talks with Nate Smith about what compelled her to dress up like Michael Jackson.

The tough economy did not appear to much of an impact on beggar’s night, either, as it has on some of other holidays.

“[The economy] didn’t have much of an effect on our participation at all,” Karen said. “We spent about $50 on candy this year; it’s a sacrifice, but it’s definitely worth it.”

“After all, we’re out here so the kids will have a good time.”

Honda’s four Ohio manufacturing plants are making substantial advancements in their environmental performance as a result of the company’s ongoing commitment to reduce waste to landfills, decrease electricity and natural gas consumption, and minimize the use of groundwater and other precious natural resources.

American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has released the 2009 North American Environmental Report, its fifth annual report on the company’s environmental performance in the North American region. The report covers the company’s operations during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009 (FY2009) and covers a broad spectrum of activities as it details the company’s initiatives to minimize its environmental impact in every stage of the product life cycle – from product development to end-of-life disposal, with a particular emphasis on reducing CO₂ emissions that contribute to global warming.

As part of Honda’s North American and global direction, Honda’s four plants in Ohio – the Marysville Auto Plant, East Liberty Auto Plant, Anna Engine Plant, and Honda Transmission Mfg.’s automobile transmission plant in Russells Point – are continuing their efforts to minimize energy use. Over the past two fiscal years ending March 31, 2009, these plants have implemented ways to cut electricity use by 62.5 million kilowatt-hours per year – enough electricity to supply more than 5,500 typical households. In addition, the plants have reduced natural gas consumption by more than 417 million cubic feet per year.

“Honda plants throughout North America are reducing energy use through a wide range of activities, including installation of highly efficient lighting, chiller systems, motors, metering, heating, compressed air and air conditioning,” said Honda of America Mfg. associate Karen Heyob, who coordinates Honda’s “Green Factory” efforts in North America.

“Associates at the East Liberty Auto Plant, for example, monitor electricity use in real time and turn off equipment when not needed,” said Heyob. “Many people are involved every day in our energy reduction efforts.”

As a result of their energy management efforts, Honda’s two Ohio auto plants received Energy Star recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the 2008 calendar year. The EPA bases the award on the amount of energy used to produce an automobile, adjusted for factors such as vehicle size and production volume.

Honda’s plants in Ohio and throughout North America also are making substantial progress at reducing, and in some instances completely eliminating, the disposal of waste into landfills. In the past two years, the four Ohio plants reduced non-mineral landfill waste disposal by 34 percent – a reduction of more than 3 million pounds from the previous fiscal year. Extensive recycling activities, including the use of a dedicated building for handling recycled materials at the Russells Point transmission plant, involve associate at all levels of the organization in efforts to reduce waste.

One activity at the East Liberty Auto Plant involves the use of a spinning operation to remove oil and solvents from rags and other absorbent materials. This process allows reuse of both the solvents and more than 27,000 pounds of used rags annually, which are recycled into plastic products, rather than handled as waste to landfills.

In another example of conserving natural resources and reducing waste, the Anna Engine Plant in FY2009 recycled nearly 8 million pounds of sand from its casting operations for use in soil amendment and mulch products. The Anna plant also sends molding sands to a cement kiln for use as a core ingredient in cement.

The plants also have made significant progress at reducing use of water – by more than 42 million gallons per year due to water conservation activities over the previous two fiscal years. In addition, the construction of a seven-acre pond system to capture rainwater at the Marysville Auto Plant has allowed Honda to eliminate the use of more than 95 million gallons of groundwater over the past two fiscal years.

To conserve water, the Marysville Auto Plant has installed a system allowing wastewater generated from reverse osmosis systems to be recycled into the body painting pre-treatment process. “This saves about 6.5 million gallons of water per year for automotive painting operations,” Heyob said, adding that treated industrial wastewater rather than fresh water at the East Liberty Auto Plant is recycled for use in toilets and other operations.

For its North American operations in FY2009, Honda experienced an increase in CO₂ emissions, energy consumption and water use per product produced, due in large measure to the global economic downturn, which led to reduced capacity utilization and production efficiency.

A Bellefontaine man responsible for causing a recent stir in the city was indicted on multiple counts Thursday morning.

The Logan County Grand Jury met in special session and indicted Rob Price, (pictured) 36, of 112 West Williams Avenue, for burglary with a gun specification (second-degree felony), possession of drugs, and two counts of inducing panic.

On October 8th, Larry Cox of 320 Palmer was working in his detached garage when he noticed his home’s back door was open.

When he went inside, he found Price.

Price told Cox that he entered the home because someone had fired shots at him.

After being questioned, Price admitted that he was lying about the shooting.

Price was arrested and charged with burglary, possession of cocaine, obstructing, and two counts of inducing panic.

The reported shooting prompted Bellefontaine Middle School and Northeastern Elementary to go on lockdown for about thirty minutes.

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office arrested a local man on multiple counts at his residence last night around six o’clock.

Richard Lee McClurg, Jr., (pictured) 30, of 15659 State Route 235 North, Lakeview, was upset over a relationship.

Deputies responded after McClurg reportedly texted his girlfriend a picture holding a gun to his head.

He was charged with inducing panic, having weapons while under disability, and carrying a concealed weapon.

McClurg was lodged in the Logan County Jail.

The State Highway Patrol and a state park ranger assisted the sheriff’s office.

No one was injured.

The Marysville Post of the State Highway Patrol responded to a serious injury accident on Route 68 south of Urbana Wednesday morning around 11:45.

Troopers report that James Porter, 59, of 142 Orchard Street, Urbana, was driving an ‘09 Ford Focus northbound on 68 near Dallas Road when he went off the right side of the road and hit a guy wire. His vehicle went to the top of the utility pole, and then crashed to the ground.

CareFlight transported Porter from the scene to Miami Valley Hospital.

He’s listed in fair condition in the intensive care unit.

Alcohol use is suspected, and the accident remains under investigation.

Riverside will observe an early dismissal on Friday for teacher inservice. Students will be released at 12:34 p.m.

Friday is the end of the first nine-week grading period. Report cards will be sent home with students in grades K-12 on Friday, November 6th.

The Riverside Student Council invites parents and families to attend Senior Night on Friday before the varsity football game against Lima Perry. Seniors who participate in fall sports and band will be recognized. Parents of those seniors are asked to meet in the south end zone at 6:00 p.m. The students and parents will be introduced at 6:15 p.m.

Logan County will host Beggar’s Night tonight from 6 to 7:30.

Bellefontaine Chief of Police Brad Kunze (pictured) notes that law enforcement agencies usually have extra personnel on patrol during this time.

Law enforcement offers these safety tips:

Having children wear light-colored clothing that’s short enough to prevent tripping and adding reflective tape.

Make sure children can see well through face masks or use face make up.

Keeping costumed children away from pets; the pet may not recognize the child and become frightened.

Avoid using hard plastic or wood props such as daggers or swords, instead utilizing cardboard, foam rubber or other soft, flexible material.

Trick or Treat in groups of four or five and have adults accompany young children.

Go out in daylight during the established hours; carry a flashlight in case of delay.

Staying within neighborhood and only visiting homes you know.

Motorists should use extra caution when driving during this time; pedestrians should watch out for traffic.

Only give and accept wrapped or packaged candy and adults should examine all candy before allowing children to eat it.

Contact local law enforcement immediately should you encounter any suspicious candy or activities.

The Bellefontaine Police Department can be reached at 599-1010, and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office phone number is 592-5731.

WPKO’s Josh Cummings will be in costume Thursday evening distributing candy in select locations. Stay tuned to the Night Mix for more details.

The Ohio Hi-Point Joint Vocational School District’s Board of Education met in regular session Wednesday night at the Hi-Point Inn at 8:00 pm.

The board recognized two students as Students of the Month, Ashley Bisel, a Business Administration student from Triad and Robert Smayda, an Electronics Technology student from Indian Lake.

Also recognized was Culinary Arts teacher Donna Beale (pictured right)  for her Pro Start Distinction Recognition Certificate. Only 8 out of 77 teachers in Ohio received the certificate, and Superintendent Kim Davis talked about how it reflects on the school. “We’re very proud that our program has been certified as a Pro Start program, because that signifies that it’s in the best of the best in the culinary industry.”

Local media outlets and individuals were also acknowledged at the meeting for the Ohio School Board Association Media Honor Roll 2009, including The Springfield News-Sun’s Matt Sanctis, The Bellefontaine Examiner’s Miriam Baier and Sue Pitts, and WPKO/WBLL Radio.

On Hi-Point’s main campus, local sophomores recently got to experience the school’s programs on Sophomore Career Day. The numbers were limited for the day, so Hi-Point decided to host a “Taste of the Future” night on November 19 for those sophomores who could not attend.

Listen to Superintendent Kim Davis talk about the “Taste of the Future” night, Donna Beale’s certificate from the Ohio Restaurant Association, and the OSBA Media Honor Roll.

The Ohio Hi-Point School Board meets again on November 18 at 7:00 p.m.

The Bellefontaine Police Department responded to a "T-Bone” injury crash at the intersection of South Main and East Patterson Tuesday afternoon around 5:10.

Mary Calland, 56, of 6469 Russell Road, DeGraff, was driving an ‘05 Honda Accord westbound on Patterson when she pulled into the path of a northbound ‘99 Chrysler Voyager operated by Robert Horner, 42, of 422 Kent Drive, Apt. 5, Bellefontaine.

Calland, who was struck on the driver’s side, suffered minor injuries.

She was cited for failure to yield from a stop sign.

Four defendants were sentenced and one pled guilty before Logan County Common Pleas Court Judge Mark O’Connor earlier this week.

Jeremy Jones (pictured), 25, of Russells Point, was sentenced to three years in prison for breaking and entering and burglary.

Jay Workman, 21, was sentenced to eighteen months in prison for attempted illegal conveyance of weapons onto the grounds of a detention facility.

Stephanie Miller, 26, of Russells Point, was sentenced to six months in prison for trafficking in drugs.

Rebecca Scales, 19, of Bellefontaine, was sentenced to five years community control and ordered to pay a $250 fine, court costs, and attorney fees for two counts of receiving stolen property.

Brandon Risner, 19, of Rushsylvania, pled guilty to two counts of theft. A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing is scheduled for November 30th.

It was down to two to battle it out to stay in the competition on “Dancing With the Stars” double elimination results show Tuesday night: Louie Vito and Michael Irvin.

Melissa Joan Hart was eliminated outright with the lowest amount of votes this week.

Louie danced his jive with partner Chelsie Hightower, competing with Irvin to stay another week. The judges decided ultimately that Louie was the one that needed to go.  First judge Bruno voted for Louie & Chelsie to stay followed by Len who voted for Michael and Carrie Ann held the deciding paddle and decided to go with Irvin.

Louie had a few seconds at the end of the show to thank all the fans and thank Chelsie for being a great partner.

Louie’s sister Lindsay blogs to Facebook fans of Louie and thanks the people who voted. “I'd like to thank everyone who supported Louie throughout this journey. He clearly couldn't have done it without you.”

Next up for Louie (after appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and Good Morning America) he will get ready for an important couple months of snowboarding.  Starting in December he will have three events that will determine who is selected to the Men’s Snowboard Olympic Team.  The Winter Olympics will be held in Canada in February of 2010.  Also coming up after the first of the year will be the X-Games where Louie should again compete.

Good luck Louie and congrats on having a great run on Dancing With the Stars.

Dava Royer, who helped organized the Vote for Louie Party at the Holland Theatre, was disappointed in the judges’ decision.

Listen to her reaction, discuss the impact the Vote for Louie events had on the Holland, and how much money was raised towards restoration.

The Bellefontaine City Council remained divided over pay increases for city workers when the group met in regular session Tuesday night.

The council voted on a slew of ordinances Tuesday, one of which was actually voted down.

Six ordinances were up for second reading, four of which dealt directly with pay increases for city workers. Two of the ordinances passed unanimously, however the other four ordinances were decided by a single vote in either direction. 

Three of the four ordinances will increase the pay of city department heads, certain supervisory hourly positions, service employees and hourly employees. The trio of ordinances did pass second reading, however they will not be adopted until they pass a final reading next month.

The fourth ordinance would have provided compensation for the prosecutor and prosecutor’s secretary; it was voted down 4-3.

Brian Evans, Mark Fissel and Dave Haw collectively voted against all four pay-increase ordinances.

Don Horn, Diane Hager and Dave Henry voted in favor of all four of the ordinances.

Jerry Pitzer voted yes on three of the four, however, his “no” vote regarding the prosecutor and prosecutor’s secretary helped reject the ordinance.

The ordinances, if passed and adopted next month, will represent a 3% pay increase to city employees. Despite the fact the pay increases were accounted for in the 2009 budget, some members of council believe the market still leaves too many uncertainties to adopt the increases in pay.

The council also passed a resolution to support the efforts of Housing Services Alliance and Tri-County Community Action to build an 11-unit, low-income housing complex for seniors 62 or older.

The complex would be located at the corner of Whitney Lane and Kristina Drive.

The measure passed the first reading and will have to endure two more votes before it is to be adopted. The resolution is part of the organizations’ application and would be submitted concurrently.

Listen as Mayor Brannon talks about the pay increase ordinances as well as the potential housing complex.

The council will meet again Nov. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

The Bellefontaine School Board met in regular session last night at the board office on Ludlow Road.

After a routine meeting, the board went into executive session to evaluate longtime treasurer Keith Krieger.

The board gave Krieger an “excellent”, noting that he performed well in many areas.

The board acted on a few personnel items, too.

Board members accepted the resignation for the purpose of retirement from longtime Western Intermediate food service employee Betty Jo Yost, who will retire January 1st after nearly 31 years of service.

Yost also worked at the middle school.

Several teachers were added to the district’s substitute list, including Kyley Cummings, Kathy Henry, Kathleen Holden, Greg Krieger, Chelsea McGinnis, Linda Parker, and Dan Risner.

The board approved maternity leave for Southeastern Elementary 2nd grade teacher Brianne Hughes from 9-11-09 through 1-15-10.

Patricia Nevers was hired as a substitute teacher aide.

Steven Bechtel was hired as a high school assistant swim coach and Stacie Cooper was hired as a high school assistant basketball cheerleading coach.

The board approved two volunteer coaches.

Georgia Buchenroth will help with high school bowling and Brett Kuhn will assist the high school swim team.

The board accepted the resignation of Rob Axline, high school assistant baseball coach; and Alex Matt, high school assistant swim coach.

Bellefontaine is trying to pass a 2.8 mill bond issue on November 3rd to build a new middle school and K-2 facility on newly acquired land at the corner of Ludlow Road and Lake Avenue.

If passed, the state will pay for 61 percent of the nearly $36 million dollar project.

Treasurer Krieger spoke with Bill Tipple about the levy.

Listen to the complete interview.

The Bellefontaine Board will meet again on Monday, November 16th at 6:30 p.m. at the board office.

The Marysville Post of the State Highway Patrol reports that a student pilot crashed while trying to land at the Union County Airport Monday afternoon around 5:10.

Troopers report that Travis Buettner, 31, of Columbus, was attempting to land a ‘79 Cessna Skyhawk 172N when he veered off the left side of the runway, struck a taxiway, and came to rest in a grassy median.

Buettner was not injured.

The crash damaged the plane’s front landing gear and propeller.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the accident.

Louie Vito flipped and jumped all over the dance floor on Monday night’s “Dancing with the Stars” with his Jitterbug. He was sixth in the standings for his individual dance with partner Chelsie Hightower with a score of 21.

Fans at the Holland Theatre cheered for Louie as they watched him combine his snowboarding moves with his dance moves.

As the competition heated up throughout the night, the first marathon dance competition took place, with the judges eliminating couples gradually. Louie was the second to be eliminated, besting only Michael Irvin. The 8th place finish added three points to Louie’s score, making his final for the week a 24.

Joanna Krupa was the best dancer of the night, scoring a 26 on her individual dance, and winning the marathon, adding an additional ten points onto her score.

The fans aren’t just supporting Louie at the Holland; they are supporting the theatre. Kris Swisher says, every week the Holland makes about $1,000 off of the Vote for Louie Parties.

The Holland has had crowds grow throughout the past weeks, and Swisher says that it’s all because of Louie. “He’s staying excited and he’s staying involved and the dances are great, and it’s just enthusiasm that he’s built from staying on the show.”

When Louie is no longer on Dancing with the Stars Swisher says that she hopes to put something in the Holland to remember that Louie helped with the restoration efforts.

Listen to Kris Swisher talk about why crowds are growing, how much the Holland makes every week, and what her hopes are with the money that has been raised.

This week’s double elimination results show starts at 9 p.m. on Tuesday.

Levies and budgets dominated discussion when the Riverside School Board met in regular session Monday night.

Monday marked the final school board meeting before voters will decide on the 1.25 mill levy the district has placed on the November 3rd ballot.; this fact coupled with Treasurer Paul Carpenter’s five-year forecast for the district had everyone seeing dollar signs, or a lack thereof.

According to Carpenter’s report significant decreases in revenue collected from income and property taxes have placed the district in a very tight spot, the district has seen its General Property and Income Taxes decreased by about $20,000 this year.

The forecast also predicts that revenues generated from property taxes will remain flat while expenditures continue to climb.

This fiscal year alone the district has spent approximately $125,000 more than it has brought in even after the board has cut more than a million dollars worth of programs. 

One bright spot for Riverside is that it will receive stimulus dollars from the Federal Government to help in its operating expenses, though those stimulus dollars are only guaranteed for two years, though Carpenter noted that money probably saved jobs.

During Carpenter’s presentation he showed a series of graphs that reflect the district’s large dependence on federal funding—61% of Riverside’s General Revenue comes as a direct result of State Funding.

The aforementioned levy the district is attempting to pass is in conjunction with the .75 mills passed more than a decade ago.

All told, if the levy passes residents will see 2% of their income go towards Riverside Schools.

Listen as Superintendent Jim Zerkle acknowledges taxpayers’ concerns as he discusses the five-year forecast and the impending levy.

Other action taken by the board Monday night saw the group approve Dennis Sanford as an assistant Varsity Girls Basketball Coach on a volunteer basis.

Additionally, Rob Kilgore was approved by the board to serve as the eighth grade boys basketball coach, Andy Phelps was approved as the eighth grade girls basketball coach, Tim Walls will coach seventh grade girls basketball, Rachel Notestine will head varsity and JV cheerleading, and Deanna McIntosh will serve as head coach of the JV girls basketball team.

The board will meet again on Thursday, November 19th at 7:00 p.m.

Tpr. Brian T. Jordan was promoted to the rank of sergeant Monday. Sgt. Jordan will transfer from the Marysville Post, where he was served since 2004, to the Lima Post, where he will serve as assistant commander.

Sgt. Jordan began his patrol career upon joining the 130th Academy Class in October 1997 and earned his commission the following May.

Sgt. Jordan’s first assignment was at the Lima Post.

In 2002, Sgt. Jordan transferred to the Patrol’s Findlay District Headquarters. Two years later, he transferred to the Marysville Post.

Originally from Mt. Victory, Sgt. Jordan currently resides in Ridgeway with his wife, Nichola.

Officers and professional staff from the Lima Post provide professional safety services to motorists in Allen and Putnam counties.

The Bellefontaine Police Department arrested a city man on multiple counts after a disturbance at Sandy’s Outlaws, 214 South Main Street, Saturday morning around 2:15.

Initially, an officer attempted to break up a fight inside the bar.

The patrons involved were moved outside, but one of them was arrested for reportedly yelling several threats and obscenities.

Jonathon Evans (pictured), 23, of 101 Powers Street, was charged with assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, and two counts of menacing.

Evans was arrested moments after challenging the officer to a fight.

After he was handcuffed, he kicked the officer in the leg.

Evans was lodged in the Logan County Jail.

No one was seriously injured.

The railroad crossing on State Route 65 located between Jerry Drive and Lock Two Road, just outside Jackson Center, will be closed starting November 4th through November 13th.

The planned detour is State Route 274, State Route 235, and State Route 720.

They will be removing the existing rail siding and replacing the main line track with a new crossing and approach pavement. The warning signal on the north side will be relocated closer to the new main track.

The Ohio Rail Development Commission is funding the installation of the new concrete surface and relocation of the warning devices. ODOT will be performing the asphalt. Indiana and Ohio Rail Company and their contractors will complete the turnout relocation, allowing for the removal of the side track.

The Holland Theatre is hosting another Vote for Louie Vito party tonight and tomorrow night.

The doors open this evening at 6:30, with karaoke starting at seven.

ABC’s Dancing With The Stars airs from 8-10 this evening.

The admission price for adults is $5, which covers both nights. Children are admitted for free.

After watching, please vote for Louie.

Here are some basics:

First, it’s FREE to vote.

Secondly, you can vote multiple times! Show your support for Louie as many times as they will let you.

It's easy to vote and there are two ways to do it.

Online (The easiest way): Go to http://abc.go.com/shows/dancing-with-the-stars. There will be a VOTE link/button. Click on that. You just need an email address and it should let you vote numerous times. Use a different email address to vote even more times!

You may vote online until the next day! 

Phone: 1-800-VOTE4-06 (1-800-868-3406)

You can call from a cell or a hard line. IT DOES NOT COST MONEY. You can call multiple times. The lines open at 8 p.m. and will stay open a half-hour after the show ends.

Louie and partner Chelsie Hightower recommend calling as early as you can and as often as you can. If you wait until the end of the show, there is a good chance the lines will be busy.

For AT&T cell phones: text "vote" to the number 3406.

Two of the 9 celebrities will be eliminated on Tuesday’s show, which airs from 9-10.

This week’s “In Sync” featured Logan County Veterans Service Officer Shelley Kneece.

Kneece, who served in the Navy from ’86 to ’91, is encouraging voters to support State Issue 1.

The constitutional amendment would authorize the state to borrow about $200 million to pay Mideast conflict era veterans a bonus for their service.

Kneece explains the Issue.

The interest rate for investors would be about 5.25 percent, or about $94 million over as many as 15 years.

Veterans serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, or the Persian Gulf would be eligible for $100 monthly payments, up to a total of $1,000.

Veterans who served in non-conflict situations would get $50 a month, up to a total of $500.

These veterans would have to be Ohio residents at the start of active duty service and currently be Ohio residents.

The families of servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty would get $5,000.

Ohio has traditionally given veterans bonuses for their service. The tradition dates back to World War I.

Eight other states have passed similar bonus programs.

About 206,000 veterans and families would be eligible for payments. That number increases, the longer Mideast fighting continues.

Kneece can be reached in Memorial Hall Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 4:30, or by calling 599-4221.

You can see more at http://www.co.logan.oh.us/VeteransService/index.html

“In Sync” airs Sunday mornings at 8:30 on 1390 WBLL and at 8:45 on 98.3 WPKO.

Halloween plans typically include frightful activities, and paying attention to a few safety tips can make the difference between having a frightfully-fun experience versus a frightfully-tragic one.

According to a recent report from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), decorations were the first item ignited in an average of more than 1,000 structure fires per year during 2002-2005. More than half of the fires were started by candles.

“We want Halloween to be a fun and memorable experience for children and their parents,” said Interim State Fire Marshal Donald C. Cooper. “Make certain that costumes are flame-resistant or flame-retardant, and keep safety in mind when decorating your home.”

The State Fire Marshal also reminds citizens to be aware of their surroundings when visiting haunted houses during this time of year. Cooper says that haunted houses are designed to scare, disorient and confuse visitors, so it is very important to identify exits and plan an escape ahead of time in case of an emergency.

Marshal Cooper offers the following Halloween fire safety tips:

• Buy only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. Avoid using billowing or long trailing features. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see out.
• Provide children with lightweight flashlights to carry for lighting or as part of their costume.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
• It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
• If your children are going to Halloween parties at others’ homes, have them look for exits and plan how they would get out in an emergency.

The Weekly Agenda for Commissioners Core, Knight, and Bayliss, for the week of October 19th through October 23rd:

Monday:

1:30 p.m. Logan County EMA Executive Policy Committee quarterly meeting – EMA office (KNIGHT) 

Tuesday:

8:30 a.m. COMMISSION IN SESSION

3:30 p.m. LECP quarterly meeting – Memorial Hall

6:30 p.m. Sale of 2964 CR 91 - auction

Wednesday:

7:30 a.m. Downtown Bellefontaine Partnership Board meeting – Edward Jones (CORE)

1:30 p.m. West Central Community Correctional Facility – 10 year anniversary celebration

Thursday:

8:30 a.m. COMMISSION IN SESSION

10:00 a.m. Bid date for precast concrete box culverts – BR 142-0.88

11:00 a.m. Soil & Water board members

2:00 p.m. Tri-County CAC quarterly financial review – Shelby County (BAYLISS)

6:00 p.m. Union Recyclers Board meeting (CORE)

Friday:

7:30 a.m. DP&L Energy Industry Update – University of Dayton Arena

12:00 p.m. Keep Logan County Beautiful meeting – Logan County Solid Waste District Recycling Center

 

The Commission may also take up and act upon matters that have not yet been brought to the attention of the Commissioners or the Clerk/Administrator at the time of the preparation of this agenda.