Thoughts Bouncing Off My Window IV

Sabbatical
Other than today it's been a little over a month since I've really posted anything. I took a sabbatical from writing to fall back and regroup on what I'm trying to accomplish here. Although I do tend to be sarcastic I don't want to be a gossip monger. Small towns such as the 'ville is thrive on rumor and innuendo. It can often be malicious and that is wrong. I gather most of my ideas from local papers, news casts and other reliable sources. To me the 'ville is God's country. It's home to many good folks and I try to fit in that category. You can't always believe what you hear. You don't always get a satisfactory explanation of things that are actually happening and we have to live with it. However, I'm finding out there is still no shortage of things to write about. Yes, friends & neighbors I'm back...

WKMX
In checking on old stories I see that WKMX has a new web page. This was the radio station in town that got chastised by the FCC for operating an unlicensed transmitter. Their web site disappeared shortly after that. The new site is still the same as the old one - http://www.wkmxlive.com/. Other than a link to the WHS Tiger's football there's not much mentioned there. There are unusable links to a radio station in Phoenix and one in Las Vegas but when you click on them nothing happens. There are three other links but again when you click on them nothing happens.

Susie Haugh's Wellsville Site
Susie has changed her site - http://www.wellsvilleohio.net/ - to improve it some. In checking it out I think her changes are another feather in her cap. She's added a link to archived "In the Spotlight" stories and the most impressive new link is a section called "A Changing Wellsville". In this section she has pictures of what 7th & Main used to look like up to what it looks like today. That's the corner that Robert's Funeral Home is having razed to be converted into a parking lot. Then she has pictures of the new boardwalk that is going in up by the flood wall.

Thanks Susie. I was kicking myself the other day for not getting pictures of 7th & Main before they started the demolition. Also, I've been driving up & down Riverside trying to find the new boardwalk. The news papers reported that it was going in but I didn't see a location mentioned. Now we know. Check it out folks. It's worth a visit.

Another Interesting Web Site
In a story by Mary Ann Grier in The Review yesterday there was mentioned a county web site that is new to me. Ms. Grier's article was about doomed election petitions. Toward the end she mentioned http://www.columbianacounty.org/ with links to the Board of Elections where absentee ballot applications and voter registration forms can be printed up. When I checked it out there is also links to just about every other county agency. It's sort of one stop shopping if you want to check things out about the county.

Yost Uses Insanity Plea
Well duh...who didn't see this coming? After beating his father to death Billy is fighting to save his own skin and will be mentally evaluated before justice is served. A competency hearing will be held in October. Meanwhile Billy gets to stay in jail. If he is found competent this case probably won't get settled until sometime next year. If he is found to be insane he will more than likely be a guest of the state for quite sometime in an institution somewhere. Either way it will be a long time before Billy gets out of some sort of lock down facility.

Amato Killing
Meanwhile J.C. is still walking around free as a bird. I've made my thoughts clear on this one. I'll refrain from additional comment until the Special Prosecutor does something. I got it from a reliable source close to the investigation that Mr. Grimshaw said it will be two or three months before he's ready to approach the Grand Jury.

The Ed Wilson Mystery
This is one of the nasty stories that has bugged me for sometime now. Village Council authorized the mayor to engage an out-of-town legal firm to investigate and he got an outfit from Cleveland to do the job. I call this a mystery because no one seems to know what is going on or how it got started. Even the mayor is in this category. It's been going on for sometime and it's a blotch on our reputation. I don't know Ed personally but many others have vouched for his character. I hope the lawyers can get to the bottom of this rift and let us tax-paying village residents know what the devil is costing us potentially $375 per billable hour. It needs to be cleared up and the sooner the better.

Kudos to Nick Barborak
Mary Ann Grier reported last week the the County Treasurer has recommended that a partial write-off on property taxes be taken to ensure the sale of the old Sterling China. Hopefully the Board of Revision members will accept his recommendation and the village can move on with whatever is to become of the property. If the county tried to collect all the back taxes on that place the June sale will probably never go through. Right now it is an increasingly eye sore with all the deterioration.

The Flood Wall Exercise
From what I've seen in The Review and on ORL last week's exercise turned out to be quite an affair. In addition to putting up the flood gates there was a dedication of the murals, a light up ceremony, a reunion of sorts, an announcement of the coming boardwalk and a mayoral challenge presented to ORL's author Matt Stewart. Matt got many excellent pictures of the event and ran into a lot of old acquaintances from his old days as Wellsville's reporter for The Review. It was disappointing that he had to write about Mayor Joe's verbal tantrum but I have no doubt it happened. With re-election coming up and all the other things going on I guess Joe's stress level got the best of him. I believe Joe was in the construction business for years before coming home to the 'ville. Coarse language in the construction trade is frequently and freely spoken but Joe you gotta chill. Such behavior is just downright not part of being politically savvy. What do they say about turning the other cheek? Those four sentences you spoke to Matt got one of the biggest responses to a blog article I have seen in a long time. Tsk...tsk...tsk...

ole nib

ORL's Matt To Be Port Authority Liaison

In a story in this morning's Morning Journal by JoBob, aka Jo Ann Bobby Gilbert, it was reported that Professor Matthew Stewart has been appointed by EL Mayor Swogger to be a liaison to the County Port Authority. This is a volunteer position and Professor Stewart is an English teacher at KSU ELO. Of course to us "bloggers" we all know the good Professor as Matt at Ohio River Life.

In the article Matt was quoted as saying he believes the Port Authority is one of the most important agencies in the county and I couldn't agree more. It's main mission is the economic development of businesses in Columbiana County. When the Port Authority gets a company to start operations in our county it means much needed additional revenue for the county and the various political subdivisions. You are all familiar with the proposal of Baard Energy and what it's potential impact will have all over the tri-state in terms of jobs, local businesses and increased tax revenue.

In just checking ORL I see that Matt hasn't mentioned anything about this appointment. It's encouraging to see folks get involved and I feel congratulations are in order. Matt has written many positive articles about ELO and it's refreshing to hear of someone putting his money on where his mouth is. With his experience as a former reporter I'm sure Matt will be amply able to keep Mayor Swogger well informed. Again, congratulations Matt.

Hey Joe - Does the 'ville have a liaison? Wouldn't be a bad idea to follow Jim's lead. Wonder how The Review missed this story...

ole nib

Not Dead Yet

Although I haven't posted anything for nearly a month this site is not dead. I'm just taking some time to watch the world go by, rest, catch up on some of my reading, etc... Even at that, while trying to get away from it all the mind keeps on going. We'll be back with you shortly. However for the time being, I'm just "looking out my window"...

ole nib

Not Just Yet

Yesterday's news papers brought us news that Special Prosecutor Lynn Grimshaw has proclaimed that the Tonia Amato case won't be going to the Grand Jury next week. And who can blame him? I think we were all hoping to see some news next week but Mr. Grimshaw has stated that he will take his time and leave no stone unturned.

Attorney Grimshaw was in the county last week meeting with various people that have been involved in this case from the beginning. According to what I read in the papers his mission on this trip was to determine if there was anything else that needed to be done. He also advised the press that there are "results of certain tests" being done by the Ohio BCI that could take a couple of months before they determine their findings. Neither paper advised what these tests were or if it was determined that anything additional needed to be accomplished.

Mentioning the BCI tests probably gives us a timeline of what to expect before we get any additional news or determinations. Mr. Grimshaw wants to make sure all the Ts are crossed and all the I's are dotted. (I can use cliches too!) Like I said who can blame him with all the twists and turns we've seen so far? I may be wrong but I still think there will be some surprises yet to come with this investigation.

The Wellsville Short Story

Check out Suzie Haugh's www.wellsvilleohio.net for a "short story" of our village written 34 years ago by Francis E. Bush. The story is a history lesson on how Wellsville got its start and I found it very interesting. It doesn't take long to read and you will get a little knowledge of our beginnings.

Thanks for your efforts Suzie.

Welcome Back To Wellsville Charlie

In yesterday's Review Lucille reported that the ville's mayor was given the green light to rent office space to Congressman Charlie Wilson to establish a district office at Village Hall. At the last finance committee meeting there seemed to be a pissing contest going on with nitpicking on what was going to be paid for by the good congressman and what Wellsville was going to absorb in costs. I don't know what occurred between then and now but I'm certainly glad the members of council came to their senses.

Having a Congressional District Office in town can be nothing less than a plus for this piece of God's country. Congressman Wilson is on record saying his top priority is the Ohio Clean River Fuels plant being proposed by Baard Energy. Charlie and Congressman Tim Ryan have already scrounged up $2.5 million for studies to be done for the plant. That is federal money to be used for the benefit of our region. That's money you & I paid to the IRS coming back to us.

The feasibility studies is just one of the benefits that's coming our way at Congressman Wilson's behest. Getting up close and personal with him and his staff having an office here in town is going to be good for Wellsville. You gotta know there are people up and down the river saying "dang it!" when they heard the news of the office coming here. They were all hoping the office would be established in their communities.

So, to Congressman Wilson and his staff, I say thanks for bearing with us while council got their act together. We're glad to have you. Make yourself at home. Let us know if you need anything.

Dang! They Moved The Floodwall

Yesterday saw the Phase I dedication of the floodwall murals in our fair village of Wellsville, Ohio. In a Review article by reporter Leigh Ann Kaiser in this morning's paper the dedication ceremonies were held on Seventh Street. Ms. Kaiser even had a couple of pictures of the flood wall in it's new location. Knowing that the reporters and editors of The Review are strict adherents for accuracy it must be true that the flood wall is now on Seventh Street.

I was thinking about attending the dedication. Glad I didn't make it. I would have gone to the wrong location. I would have gone to First Street. Ain't it great our local newspaper keeps us up to date?

Pitiful...