Counting the Days

Eight days until Spring begins... It's the time of the year I least like with winter lingering on and the promise of the Spring season in the air. Hate to wish away my life but I can't wait for those eight days to pass. Mother Nature gave us a teaser with a few days last week warm enough to actually open up some windows to get some fresh air in the house. Lord I enjoyed that.

Hasn't been much to write about this week. There was a Crime Watch, a Tree Board & a B.O.E. meeting this week. I didn't make it to any of them and so far, there hasn't been any press coverage on any of them. In all fairness to Jo Ann Bobby she has been kept busy with Salineville and their committee meetings from what I read in the papers. In the middle of fighting a budget short fall this year their fiscal officer left for a better paying job. Officials out that way are scrambling. Of course have you ever noticed that everyone wants to conduct their meetings either on a Monday or Tuesday evening? Why don't some of these committees consider a Wednesday or Thursday, especially if they want a chance of getting some coverage? For example the Crime Watch folks always meet on the same night as the B.O.E. It's just food for thought but if they did change their meeting days they would stand a better chance of getting some free publicity for their programs. They all have good missions but some people don't even know they exist.

They held a court session today on the weapons suppression motion filed by J.C. Amato's defense attorney. This was for the charges filed last fall on having weapons under a disability. We'll have to wait for the newspaper tomorrow to tell us in plain English what went on. There were six entries made in the Docket file for the case. It's all Greek to me that my simple mind can't put meaning to. I did notice under the Events section that a status hearing is still scheduled for May and the trial about a week late for that charge. J.C.'s murder trial is scheduled for August.

Word on the street is that there was a colorful, verbal shoot out at the OK Corral this past Friday...tsk...tsk...tsk.

Writing the piece about the St. Francis Animal Shelter awhile back was an educational experience for me. I learned that there is definitely two schools of thought on the disposition of any strays taken in. I admire both equally with respect for their line of thinking. If push came to shove I don't know which way I would lean if forced to make a decision. I had to reject a lot of comments on that piece and don't want to open old wounds. I just want to wish both sides the best and hope everyone can co-exist in doing what they think is best. Speaking of SFAS... they are having a Chili Cook-off tomorrow night at the SOI starting at 6. It's a fund raiser that's worth supporting.

It was announced last week that the WPD got a $10,894 grant from the Justice Assistance Grant Program. That's a federal program called the Recovery Act 2009. Wonder if this money will help continue the DARE program, perhaps support Marsha's fire bug program or what?

Ville officials would do well to follow the Willis Smith case in ELO to go to school on what must be done to demolished falling down derelict structures in town. The Smith case involves the Smiths Auto Parts building in ELO at 4th & Broadway. It's exactly what will have to be done in the ville if the mayor gets the funding he's hoping for. From talking to various people I think WFD Chief Smith has a good grasp on what has to be accomplished. Others make me wonder. Once everything is done and the building is brought down who owns the land?

Been wanting to do a piece on the present day economy and what effects it has on us but every time I turn around all I run into is more depressing news. Everyday there is something on one aspect or the other of the falling economy in the papers or on the boob tube. You can't open an Internet news page without something gloomy on the subject. I found it interesting that the county un-employment rate - somewhere around 14% - is equal to what it was back in the 1980s when Crucible put some 5,000 people out on the street. For those of us that lived through that it certainly reminds us of the trickle down effect that goes on when such an event occurs. It's happening again with lost jobs and funding drying up for programs we have grown accustomed to. It is very depressing and I hope all who read this well. On the bright side the mayor told me there is a definite need for some belt tightening but there are no lay-offs foreseen right now.

I want to sincerely apologize to the guys & gals on the WHS basketball & wrestling teams this year. I completely missed their season and failed to mention any of them. The thought was there and I was following them in the papers. Even got a file full of newspaper clippings but time just slipped by far too quickly for me. Both basketball teams had rosters made up of mostly younger, untried players. The girls started off slow but were coming on strong toward the end of the season. They finished the season at 9 - 12 with most of those wins coming in the last weeks of their schedule. On the boys side it was suppose to be a rebuilding year but Bug Thompson found some new and exciting talent. They started out the season with two veterans from last year. One got a broken foot early in season and the other just up and quit the team. For a team that was on the rebuild they finished the season with a very respectful 14 - 7 record. Both teams got knocked out in the first round of tournament play but they have nothing to hang their heads over. With some of the news on the Middle School teams I got the distinct impression we have lots of exciting Wellsville basketball to look forward to. To those players that stuck it out all season long through good & bad I'd like to say thanks. Stand tall! You carried on the tradition and once again proved to us that the Tigers are what made what some consider the ville as a "basketball town". We're proud of each & everyone of you. As for myself I'll try to do better next season.

Speaking of basketball the mayor tells me they are still doing vocal web casting of the games on WKMX. I think they are going to do baseball too. I was told it takes about $50 to do one game. It's an exciting new dimension for those that want to follow our teams and can't make it to the games. If you're interested in donating you can contact the mayor or Roger Miller. Those guys are two of the announcers and all of them donate their time for this. The money mostly goes to fees that the league charges them.

Also want to offer kudos to Ryan Crabtree for a stellar season in his weight class in wrestling. Ryan got his name in WHS history books this year as being number two on the all time winners list in that sport. Ryan even got to Columbus for the State Meets this year. Congratulations on all you accomplished Ryan.

Another kid that got a nice write-up in the ER is Collin Kinsey. He's a WHS alumni from back in the early 1990s. He got a job at St. Catherine College near Springfield, KY, setting up and coaching a men & women's cross country/track team. St. Catherine's is a small junior college located in the heart of Kentucky farm country. Prior to adding the college they had a girls Catholic high school at the historic Dominican motherhouse. This is the first year for a track program and a kid from the ville is getting it started. The high school goes back for probably a century now. The Jr. College was added in more recent times. According to the article Kinsey did the same at Georgetown College, another Kentucky school. As they say if you look hard enough you can usually find a ville connection just about anywhere in this country, even in Washington County, Kentucky.

Gee, I didn't think I had anything to write about and here I bent your "ears" for some time now. Only one other thing I want to mention. In the last few days I got two comments for a piece that I wrote two years ago called "Tell Me More Joe" where the Wiz & the Walrus are still snipping at each other. Are you guys messin' with my mind?

Think Spring... Jack Call said he saw his first robin last week. That's a good sign.

ole nib