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.

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.

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?

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 without….

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.

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.

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.

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.