Notes From Last Week

The WHS Athletic Hall of Fame is now accepting applications for nominations to the HOF. Those selected will be inducted during ceremonies to held the week of next year's All-Class Reunion. The Wellsville Carnegie Library & Center Pharmacy have nomination forms. Nominations will be accepted through May 31, 2009. You can call 330-386-5545 for more info.

The Eric Dillard murder trial got underway this past Tuesday. The jury selection must have gone pretty smooth. By 2 o'clock Tuesday afternoon the selected jurors were on their way back to Lisbon after touring the murder scene. The rest of the week was all the prosecution's side with witness testimony. According to reporter Mary Ann Greier the prosecution is expected to wrap up their part early this week. Dillard is pleading self defense in the shooting death of Jamie Farley last year.

The attorneys for J.C. Amato were granted a continuance in the second weapons charge filed last September. His trial for those additional charges was scheduled for May 19 but his attorneys are also involved with the Dillard trial. The new trial date is set for Sept. 15. Court records don't show a date yet for the Status Hearing on those charges. Amato's trial for the murder charges of shooting his wife is still set for August with a status hearing scheduled August 10.

We now have five candidates running for two council seats in the November election. Councilwoman Rosie Goss' seat is up for re-election and Councilman Don Brown is stepping down after his term expires in December. Former councilmen, Democrat Jack Cataldo & Republican Bob Marcin were already in the race. Rosie Goss, Susie Haugh & Cris McNicol all filed petitions last week to run as Independents. Unless someone files to run as a write-in that should be it. Deadline for write-in petitions is September 2 at 4 P.M.

In a Tom Giambroni article in last week's papers we were told home prices in the county dropped nearly 10% in the last part of 2008. However, that's not going to translate into any savings on real estate taxes. Even with the drop in prices, according to the Auditor's office, homes are still running a little over six percent of what they are valued for taxing purposes.

When I was up at the cemetery last week I couldn't help thinking of Arlington National with all the flags. With the breeze the flags were mostly standing straight out and I was impressed with the patriotic display.

U.S. Congressman Charlie Wilson got some print in Saturday's papers when he recently visited Bloomingdale last Friday. Seems like Reaganomics is still haunting us. In referring to the lay-offs at the old Weirton Steel Wilson was quoted as saying it's time for fair trade policies in the steel industry. I well remember such talk back in the days when Crucible Steel shut their doors and put nearly 5,000 people out of work. The U.S. steel industry was decimated back then when the Reagan administration failed to continue trade policies that had been in place. While Ronnie was napping the might of the American steel industry mostly went overseas.

Getting back to home prices...An article in the Tribune-Review last week about the various fees involved in home buying it was noted that the rates for 30 year fixed mortgages is now at an all time low of 4.78%. I remember 30 some years ago when the missus & I bought our place we got an 8% rate on a G.I. Bill loan and that was considered a real bargain. Our friends got a "builder's loan" and the best they could do was 12.1%. One draw back in today's record low rates is that most lending institutions are now requiring a 20% down payment. Still, with the lowering prices on homes now would be a good time to buy.

Also, in the Trib-Review was an article about Crucible Materials Corp. filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Crucible Materials and their Research Division were part of Colt Industry that shut down the Midland plant in 1982. I didn't know they were still in existence or if they are still a part of Colt. Crucible still has operations in the Pittsburgh area according to that newspaper. The decline in the auto industry was said to be the reason for filing for Chapter 11.

Don't forget about "Ms. Toad's Mad Adventures" being presented by the Potter Players Community Theater. They opened this past week-end at their theater on 15th St. You only got three more chances to see this entertaining production. The play will be put on Friday & Saturday evening with a matinee on Sunday. Check out http://www.thevilletheatre.blogspot.com/ for details. Also, they are holding auditions for the next play tonight & tomorrow at the theater at 7:00. This is for another youth production for actors & actresses ages 5 - 18.

Normally I try to stay away from comments about other bloggers. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion but it struck me as rather crass implicating that those who participated in National Day of Prayer ceremonies as hypocrites. He put in a disclaimer on that point but there is certainly a tone of intolerance. Quoting the apostle St. Matthew he purports that those who openly pray in the public eye are hypocrites in the Lord's eye. Like I said everyone is entitled to their own opinion but in my way of thinking that article was solely to be antagonistic. It's not necessary to be mean spirited to get other's opinions.

Got a chance to speak to Rev. Bruce Ballantine at the ville's Day of Prayer. As previously mentioned the good reverend is leaving us at the end of the month. He is being reassigned to Bill Betteridge's former church in Youngstown. Rev. Betteridge came to Riverside Presbyterian after retiring from Pleasant Grove in Mahoning County. Bruce told me he will be the interim pastor at Pleasant Grover for a year to 18 months. Who knows? Maybe the presbytery will send him back our way once he fulfills that assignment. We would like to wish the best of luck to the Ballantine family. Wonder if he will come down and help us paint this summer?

Another Giambroni story last week was about the computers that the Dept. of Job & Family Services are giving to the area fire departments. The JFS got new computers from the state and instead of moth balling the old ones they are fixing them up for the fire fighters. WFD Chief Bill Smith told me the ville got one. It's a flat screen desktop with Windows XP. It's newer than what we had. Thanks to all over in Lisbon that made this possible.

Good luck Tigers. The WHS baseball team open up sectional play this afternoon against Shadyside. The boys' team is now 9 & 11 on the year. We're hoping for a couple of wins down in Bridgeport this week.

ole nib