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The views
expressed on
this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views
of County
News Online
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Helping Ohio Workers Compete in a Global Economy
At the President’s State of the Union address, I was joined by Cookie
Hall, a second-generation Cleveland steelworker who knows from
experience that American workers are the most productive in the world.
Cookie works at Cleveland Works, a steel plant owned by ArcelorMittal
North America. Workers at this plant produce one ton of steel per each
man hour of work – making it the most efficient steel plant in the
world. There is no disputing that our workers… read
more.
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The
Other Side of the Edge… Live
Each Moment, By Joe Facinoli
He is 92, she is 88. Until five years ago, he was married to the
wonderful woman who had been his bride, for sixty one years. Until six
years ago, she was the very happy wife of the charming man she had
married, fifty nine years before. Both the wonderful woman and the
charming man have passed on now. Until three years ago, the survivors
of these long, well lived lives, had not met. Until two years ago, both
thought that they would never again know… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Happy National
De-Hair Your Body Day, By Aprill Brandon
So, Valentine's Day is coming up. Or, as I like to call it for us
women, National De-Hair Your Entire Body Day. Yes, every morning on
February 14, or perhaps the night before (or for those of us who are in
longer-term relationships, five days before followed by a brief shower
inspection followed by the sentiment "screw it, the stubble isn't that
bad"), women across this great nation of ours will waste countless
hours and hard-earned money… read
more.
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From
The Other Side of the Edge… The
Role Reversal, By Joe Facinoli
There they were, all cutesy, and so giddy with excitement and
anticipation, trying not to be too obvious about anything, as if they
hadn't passed that point already, and as if their smile plastered faces
wouldn't totally give something away. They had strategically taken the
two seats opposite the couch, leaving that for me, there in the modest
sized living room. The chosen chairs, overstuffed platform
rockers actually, were separated by a small table, which… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… No, no and… no,
By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson, Assistant Editor
So I knew it was coming, but I still wasn’t quite prepared for it. Ok,
I was flat-out dreading it, but the time has come… NO! The work above
is the only word in the English language that my son likes to use on a
regular basis. Even when it’s not the word he’s looking for… He uses it
anyway. He worked up to it slowly, but over the past couple of weeks,
he’s been abusing that two-letter word that Mommy now despises above
all else… read
more.
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U.S.
Representative John Boehner… It’s
Time for President Obama to Get Serious About Replacing his Sequester
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester)
released the following column discussing the president’s sequester:
“Over the past 10 years, more than $100 million in EPA grants have gone
to foreign countries. The IRS spends $4 million annually to run its own
full-service television studio. And I could go on. “With… read
more.
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Your
Opinion, Please!
Monday, Feb. 25, 2013 - County News Online readers are terrific! You’ve
helped us to grow from a January 2011 Page View count of about 7,000 to
a high of 186,000 page views in December. Our specialties have been
George Starks’ unique approach to sports, complete photo coverage of
community events, offering a simple and easy way to find out what’s
happening in Darke County, and… Opinions! We have lots… read
more.
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From the Other Side of the Edge... "Stupid is, ....as Stupid Does"
By Joe Facinoli
The Sequester needs to happen. But first, ....who knew that Forrest
Gump is so much smarter than Congress?? Not to mention all
of the White House acolytes and hand wringers who surround this
President. And as well, the entire lapdog mainstream media, which
buys all the fear mongering and doomsday scenarios,
wholesale. Who knew? We have come to this kind of
comparison, because all previous standards… read
more.
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State
Representative Jim Buchy… Achievement
Everywhere in Ohio
Recently, we were able to take a first look at Governor Kasich’s
plan to increase funding for Ohio’s school children. The plan
will be one part of his budget, which is subject to legislative
changes. As of now the plan pulls Ohio school funding back into
line with the DeRolph ruling, increases school funding and establishes
the Straight A fund to reward schools that are dedicated to improving
educational strategies in their district… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… If you catch my
(snow) drift, By Aprill Brandon
I now have a new reason to look forward to getting old. That reason?
Future Aprill now gets to be that old person who sits her grandkids
down and forces them to listen to the story of how I survived the Great
Blizzard of 2013. Yes, dear reader, yours truly has finally joined the
ranks of the privileged few (million) who have lived through a historic
storm and therefore have earned the indisputable right to bore those
who didn't experience it… read
more.
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Standing
Up for Ohio Manufacturers
We know Ohio workers and Ohio manufacturers can compete with anyone. We
have skilled, productive workers and world-class infrastructure. But
for years, we’ve seen evidence of unfair trade practices – like
currency manipulation – costing Americans jobs. Currency manipulation
occurs when a country undervalues its currency to effectively subsidize
its exports. This allows countries—like China—to sell their exports for
cheaper, which is why so many… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… Man of the House,
By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson, Assistant Editor
This past weekend, my husband Aaron went out of town for Advocare
Success School in Dallas, Texas, which meant that me and Levi were home
by ourselves from Thursday night until Sunday. When Daddy left on
Thursday, I told Levi that he was the man of the house for the weekend.
And he took full advantage of the situation. He made sure to make as
many messes as possible, and flush the toilet in Daddy’s absence. He
also tried to help… read
more.
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U.S. Representative John Boehner… Serving
Ohio's 8th District is all about the People
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the
following column discussing his Ohio guests for the 2013 State of the
Union Address: “Recently, several blogs used a Flickr photo of me in my
U.S. Capitol office to compile lists of the ‘most interesting things’
on my desk. Clearly, it must have been a slow news day. “My daily
devotional made one list, as did a miniature statue of St. Peter, my
copy… read
more.
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The Other Side of the Edge.... The "Campaigner-In-Chief" By
Joe Facinoli
When did the revered and august House of Representatives Chamber, in
the world recognized and historic U.S. Capitol Building, in Washington,
D.C., the nation's capitol, become nothing more than the end of a train
"whistle stop", on the latest "sling it fast and heavy, and then get
out of town before anyone asks you questions" medicine show and
campaign tour?? When did the President of the United States,
fulfilling his… read
more.
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Ensuring
Ohioans Have the Paid Sick Days They Deserve
This has been a particularly tough flu-season – for Ohioans of all
ages. To put it into perspective, as of January 19, more than 3,000
flu-associated hospitalizations were reported to the Ohio Department of
Health. During this same period last year, there were fewer than 100
flu-associated hospitalizations. With extensive hospitalizations and a
few deaths, it’s clear that the flu is widespread throughout our state.
And while it’s important to be aware of the steps you… read
more.
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State
Representative Jim Buchy… Governor
Kasich to Deliver State of the State Address in Lima
This coming Tuesday, Governor Kasich will deliver the traditional
State of the State Address in Lima at the Veterans’ Memorial Civic
Center. We are fortunate that Governor Kasich has selected this part of
Ohio to highlight our job growth and the efforts of west central Ohio
to get our economy moving again. I look forward to welcoming the 132
members of the Ohio General Assembly to Lima, which I feel resembles an
economic hub of the prosperous… read
more.
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That’s My Opinion...They Tell Me
I’m Nuts, By Bob Robinson
This was originally written in 2003 and is a chapter from my book, God
Don’t Make Junk, from Ramblings of an Old Man. While parties in power
may change, the ideologies between the left and the right don’t. If
anything, the divide between these two forces have intensified…
Three California professors, plus one in Maryland, conducted an
exhaustive study – at taxpayer expense – and have now published their
results.
Conservatives are nuts.
… read
more.
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An
Open Apology, Darke County Commissioner Mike
Stegall
Monday evening I was invited to speak to the Darke County Fire Chiefs
Association. I was offered the chance to explain my article
on
joint fire districts for Darke County. Yes, I knew when it
was
written it would cause concern with some entities, especially our local
fire chiefs and firemen. Yes, I expected a hostile
audience. Yes, I figured there would be some rough patches in
the
meeting, but, a lot of firemen voted for… read
more.
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… My
Yearly Report to Ohioans
Fellow Ohioan, No matter where I travel throughout our state, I never
fail to be impressed by what people from all walks of life are doing to
strengthen the place we call home. I’d like to present to you my 2012
Report to Ohioans, which chronicles our work together last year.
Citizens of all 88 counties – farmers and firefighters, teachers and
truck drivers, scientists and service members, manufacturers and all
middle… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Having
daddy
issues with Father Winter, By Aprill Brandon
So, I don't know who came up with this whole "four seasons that are
equal in length" concept, but they should be fired. Or better yet,
fired and then punched in the throat. Or, ideally, fired and then
punched in the throat and then stabbed, then shot, then stabbed again,
then kicked in the junk, then given a series of purple nurples, then
drawn and quartered, and then made to listen to Macy Gray albums over
and over again until their ears… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… Smarty
diaper,
By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson, Assistant Editor
It’s official. Levi is too smart for his own good. As long as he’s been
mobile, he has been curious about everything around him. He loves
messing with things, trying to figure out how they work. And he loves
trying new things to see if they work. Last week, Levi figured out that
bologna sticks to things. It sticks to his highchair that he eats in.
It sticks to the VCR. And it sticks to the wall. It sticks so well, in
fact, that if you wanted to, you could eat it off… read
more.
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U.S.
Senator Rob Portman… Despite
Washington's Dysfunction, We're Fighting For Ohio
January 25, 2013 - On the big issues, Washington is broken.
With
a chronically weak economy and record debt and deficits, unfortunately
Democrats and Republicans simply aren’t coming together to tackle big
challenges the nation faces. Yet I am pleased to report that even in
Washington’s partisan environment, my team and I have remained focused
on producing results and we’ve had some important successes for Ohio.
In fact, even as a freshman… read
more.
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State Representative Jim Buchy… Committee
Assignments Will Impact Us in West Central Ohio
Recently, appointments were made for standing committees for the 130th
General Assembly. This term there are 17 standing committees
and
6 sub committees in the Ohio House and each member sits on
approximately three committees. This term I will serve on
Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rules and Reference, and the new
Policy and Legislative Oversight. For as long as I have been a
legislator I have… read
more.
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From the Other Side of the Edge… “Disagreeing”
with a Liberal….. a Primer, By Joe Facinoli
Disagreeing with a Liberal, or arguing with them, as those discussions
so often deteriorate into anyway, can be problematic for clearer
thinking souls, or at least those of a more conservative
stripe. So, a quick lesson, or Primer, if you will,
may be
in order for a more successful understanding of the process. Card
carrying Liberal Democrats, and their fellow Libs of all shapes and
sizes, especially those of certain broadcast… read
more.
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Kasich
Communication Department… Canton Repository - Finally, a real response to
DeRolph:
editorial
The issue: School funding reform - Our view: 22 years after lawsuit was
filed, plan would minimize local property wealth - Mountains of number
crunching will necessarily follow the unveiling of Gov. John Kasich’s
school funding plan Thursday. But it was immediately clear that for the
first time, the state is directly addressing the disparities that led
to the Ohio Supreme Court’s rulings that the way the state funds
schools is unconstitutional. There is much more to… read
more.
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The
White House… Obama's
four points
on Immigration Reform
Dear friends -- Our immigration system is broken. It has been for some
time. Right now, there are 11 million people living in a shadow
economy. There are Americans waiting in long lines to reunite with
their families. There are employers who are exploiting the system by
hiring undocumented workers, and that threatens the wages and working
conditions of American workers. None of this is good for the economy,
and it isn’t fair for the middle class… read
more.
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What Does it Mean to Be a Leader
on Your
Farm? By Sam Custer
Stan Moore from Michigan State University Extension recently addressed
the topic of leadership on farms. This is a topic many farm managers
struggle with, but is one of the critical functions that all farm
managers must perform well. Below is the article Moore wrote for the
Michigan State University Extension News. What does it mean
to be
a leader? According to John Maxwell, “leadership is influence”. Being a
leader means that your influence causes… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Butt
fur the
grace of God, By Aprill Brandon
There are many distinct advantages to having a dog vs. having a child.
For instance, when your child is misbehaving and you just can't take it
anymore, sticking them in a crate for six hours while you get some much
needed "me" time usually results in "jail" time. Likewise, it is
frowned upon by authorities to hit your kid with a newspaper (and/or a
September Vogue when they've been a VERY BAD BOY!) or to rub their face
in… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… Levi’s
favorite
teacher, By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson
I love my son, and I love my husband. But I hate leaving them alone
together! Seems like every time Mommy comes home after a father-son
bonding day, Levi has learned some new trick that Mommy really wishes
that he hadn’t learned. For example, Aaron had a day off last week so
he and Levi got to stay home together. I walk in the door from a long
day at work and Daddy says, “Levi! Show Mommy what you learned today!”…
read
more.
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From the Other Side of the Edge: Lady
Macbeth.... by Joe Facinoli
I have never really been an ardent follower of "The Bard", but enough
of one to recognize a true, tragically Shakespearean-type character,
albeit in modern form, when I see one. And, as with so many of The
Great One's leading figures, this current edition has taken on a
caricature-like life of her own, following closely to his descriptions,
but then rising from the pages (or the I-Pad screen) to become so much
more… read
more.
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New CNO columnist… Meet
Joe
Facinoli
“I'm getting back in the mood more now, after the shock and numbness
has started to wear off from last fall's results, so I'm anticipating
there will be a few more thoughts, hopefully readable, on ‘just a few’
current and pertinent topics, to clutter up cyberspace a bit more.” “I
was heartsick, depressed and felt like I had been physically kicked in
the gut! Am just now starting to dust myself off, unruffle my… read
more.
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Commissioners
Corner... Ahead
of the curve in
Workforce Development
The New Year is underway, it is our typical January in the Miami
Valley, and everyone is ready for spring to begin. The New Year always
brings new hope for better things, and Darke County is also looking to
improve on a very impressive 2012. We are looking forward to keeping
Darke County headed in a positive direction. Darke County Auditor Carol
Ginn submitted the County’s General Fund Appropriations.… read
more.
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Securing
a Better Deal for Ohio Homeowners
In 2011, Jeanne Brigner reached out to my office after her mortgage
servicer misapplied her monthly mortgage payment – an action which led
her into foreclosure. Unlike many Ohioans, Jeanne was able to keep her
home, but only after paying thousands of dollars in unnecessary fees.
Unfortunately, the state of mortgage servicing is so bad that Jeanne is
considered one of the lucky ones.
Last week, in Columbus, Youngstown, and Toledo, I heard from… read
more.
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Quality
People, By Bob Robinson
They keep talking about “The Golden Years.” I’m not sure who came up
with the phrase, but I don’t think it was anyone in their “golden
years.” According to Sandra Snider, faithwriters.com, it was strictly
economic. Financial service providers and retirement community builders
coined it to spin the myth that old age is a lot like childhood… no
more responsibilities. Sit back and enjoy! “The life you’ve waited
your… read
more.
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State Representative Richard Adams… Ohio House Will Continue Focusing
on Jobs,
Education
It is custom at the beginning of every legislative term for
the
legislature to lay out goals, as well as ideas for how best to achieve
them. These ideas focus on issues that are most important for the
state. Often, while other issues obviously surface along the way, the
top policy issues that are established at the beginning of the General
Assembly require the most time and attention. The biggest priority of
House Republicans under Speaker… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… But
white girls
are always on a diet, aren't they? By Aprill
Brandon
You guys...I don't know. Is it just me or does this new year just
seem...I don't know...a bit lackluster? A bit blah? I mean, 2013?
Thirteen itself is just a crappy number. Unlucky, even. And was anyone
happy when they turned 13? Of course not. You had acne and hair
sprouting in weird places and were the very definition of awkward and
everyone hated you because you were SUPER annoying. Even the end of the
world Mayan prediction… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… Levi’s
first hotel
stay, By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson, Assistant
Editor
This
past weekend, our little family ventured to the big city of
Indianapolis to visit my grandmother, aunt and uncle.
Normally,
we would have stayed overnight with them, but since this was Levi’s
first official night away from home, we opted for a hotel instead. When
we first arrived at the hotel, Levi thought the elevator ride was cool.
He giggled when it took off and again when it stopped on our floor.
Next was the hallway. For… read
more.
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State
Representative Jim Buchy… Death
Tax Now a Part of Ohio History
A few weeks ago, while people around the world counted down the end of
2012, around here the celebration could have been counting down the
elimination of Ohio’s death tax. The estate tax, or “death tax,” in
Ohio dates back to the late 19th century, when it was first adopted.
This regressive and outdated taxing method has become a major
impediment to economic growth and has cost companies and family farms a
great deal of money, sometimes forcing… read
more.
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Broke
Wife, Big City… The
Pizza Principle, By Aprill Brandon
You know, I often wonder what it'll be like when I'm old. You know,
like, when I'm 35. Ha! I kid. Thirty-five is now the new 12. You're not
technically old until 44. Everyone knows that. But seriously, I do
often wonder how things will be when I'm in my 70's and I'm (hopefully)
a grandmother to grandkids who are way less messed up than my actual
kids. And they all gather around their Ninja Gammy
(<-----trademarked) and ask "What was it like… read
more.
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Life
with Levi… Lambie
goes into
hiding, By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson, Assistant
Editor
It finally happened. The dreaded flu bug has finally made it’s way into
our house. We’ve all been getting by pretty well. Had some sniffles,
coughs, and a couple of colds, but nothing as bad as this. And, of
course, the baby would have to get it first. Poor little Levi. He went
to bed last night just fine, and woke up this morning with tummy
troubles. And poor Daddy was home alone with the baby when the flu bug
reared its ugly head… read
more.
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U.S.
Representative John Boehner… A
Simple Principle: No Budget, No Pay
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the
following column discussing legislation that will require both the
House and Senate to pass a budget, and withhold member pay if they
fail: “When I and my Republican colleagues were entrusted with the
majority in the House of Representatives in 2010, we committed
ourselves to addressing our nation's debt problem and re-establishing
trust between the American people… read
more
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A Darke County Editorial Icon… Paul
Ackley joins CNO
Paul Ackley has been an active Editorial Cartoonist for over thirty
years. In 2009 and 2010, he was awarded ‘Best Editorial Cartoonist' by
the Ohio Associated Press. Ackley has a drawing displayed in House
Speaker John Boehner's Washington D.C. office... Click below for the
complete biography. Paul will be joining CNO each Monday. You never
know what he has on his mind, so you won’t want to miss a single post… click
here.
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Modern
Day Pied Piper,
That’s My Opinion By Bob Robinson
The so-called “Fiscal Cliff” was averted on Tuesday, January 1, 2013.
The Senate passed the legislation in the early hours. The House, after
much groaning and complaining, passed it just before midnight. Income
tax was raised on those the Democrats referred to as “the rich” from 36
percent to 39.6 percent. “The rich,” by Dem definition, were single
income filers earning $400K a year and joint filers earning $450K a… read
more
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Staying
Healthy During Flu Season
Following tragic reports of deaths from the flu in Ohio, Connie and I
send our thoughts and prayers to the families of those who have lost a
loved one to this terrible and sudden illness. At the same time, we
must actively take steps to prevent the illness from spreading. My
office has been briefed by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) on new information about this season’s flu and the
preventive steps Ohioans can take. Through sharing… read
more
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State Representative Jim Buchy… Two
Years of Targeting more Gun Rights and Freedoms
The issue of our gun possession rights remains paramount in this state.
The importance of protecting the Second Amendment and improving
concealed carry laws was a key topic of the Ohio General Assembly over
the last two years. In west central Ohio, we know it is a matter of
freedom. To our benefit the Ohio government passed three pieces of
legislation in the gun owner’s favor. In the past two years, we fought
tirelessly to enact laws that keep… read
more
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Broke Wife, Big City… I
don't know how she doesn't do it, By Aprill
Brandon
Once upon a time (2010), in a land far, far away (exotic South Texas),
there lived a woman (for lack of a better term) who was an expert at
juggling many balls (not as dirty as it sounds). From dawn to dusk, the
woman ran around (in a most elegant woman-like style), like a giant
chicken with its head cut off (albeit in stylish and really, really
painful heels). And then, suddenly one day, the woman… read
more
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Life
with
Levi… The
life of the party,
By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson
On Sunday afternoon, I hosted a Thirty-One party. Or should I say, Levi
hosted a Thirty-One party. When I decided a few weeks back to host this
party at my house, I knew that Levi would be at it, and I figured that
he would be pretty good since my mom and sister would be there. For
those of you who aren’t familiar, Thirty-One is a company that sells
purses, bags and storage containers in cute, colorful patterns that can
be personalized (and for… read
more
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Magic
coins in
wonderland? By Jim Surber
I’ve decided that it is unfortunate that Lewis Carroll wasn’t born a
century or so later than he was. Think of how much more inspiration he
could have gleaned for his satirical works from our modern US
government than from Victorian England. Consider this conversation
between Alice and the Cheshire cat in his “Alice in Wonderland.” “But I
don’t want to go among mad people,” Alice remarked. “Oh, you can’t help
that,” said… read
more
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State Representative Jim Buchy... Two
Years of Steps Forward in the Pro-Life Movement
The issue of life remains paramount in this state. Governor
Kasich and state leaders have made protecting and enhancing life an
emphasis during the past two years. While our team worked to
balance a budget that included an $8 billion hole and put Ohioans back
to work, we continued to provide a focus on the issue of life
concurrently. That focus was driven by the pro-life
community,
which has played a… read
more
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Life’s
Challenges,
By Kathy Magoto
Life is busy and it seems that we all walk a thin line in
life.
It’s a constant balancing act between our civic responsibilities, our
personal and physical well being, as well as our spiritual
growth. For most of us we lose our peace when we struggle to
find
enough time, energy or money to accomplish the goals we deem important.
For example, a friend of mine has been working lots of overtime, they
have no personal… read
more
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State Representative Jim Buchy… Removing
Obstacles to Quality Education in Ohio
In the past two years you have heard a lot about changes to Ohio’s
education system. Through a cooperative effort
between
lawmakers, teachers, parents, and students, we have passed several
bills that increase and improve educational opportunities for young
Ohioans. As we near the end of this General Assembly, I am
proud
to look back at everything the Ohio House has accomplished to
strengthen Ohio’s schools… read
more
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Broke Wife, Big City… It's
the
end of the world as the Mayans know it, By
Aprill Brandon
Even though technically I'm writing this before the supposed end of the
world on Dec. 21, I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that we
didn't all meet our fiery doom simply because the Mayans got lazy with
their math homework. And if I'm wrong, well, pffft... what are you
going to do about it? Judge me? Shove it in my face? You're freaking
dead. But even though this prophecy is complete bunk… read
more
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Life
with Levi… The
Great Lambie Swap
of 2012, By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson
Meet Lambie. Lambie is Levi’s bestest friend in the whole wide world.
If he were allowed, Levi would take Lambie everywhere! Lambie is a must
at bedtime, and when Levi is sick. This poor lamb has been through it
all… He’s been puked on, peed on, but thankfully never pooped on. And
after a half dozen washes (even though the tag strictly forbids machine
washing), Lambie stinks! Here’s a little background on Levi’s little
lamb… read
more
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Key to our
success: Youth, Family & Community,
By Bob
Robinson
An Editor’s Perspective: Sports photos, Letters to Santa, Student
Accomplishments & More
County News Online was “conceived” as a fundraising project for the
Senior Scribes Scholarship Fund. Net proceeds from CNO are used to
provide scholarships to help our young people reach their college
goals. We’ve made no bones about the fact that our purpose is unique…
our goal is not to compete with other information sources… read
more
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Darke
County Commissioner Mike
Stegall… Joint
Fire/EMS
Districts: Are we Ready?
Several months ago I ask the question “Is now the time for joint fire
and EMS districts in Darke County?” I wanted to set up a group to study
the situation, but since this was such a hot button issue, I decided to
do the research myself. I want to restate that I have no dog in this
fight one way or the other. I was just trying to figure out if we are
doing everything we can in the County to save lives and dollars. I do
not hate firemen, (I helped start a fire department… read
more
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Time to
Fight Back, By Jana Kolling
There comes a time occasionally when a “tipping point” is reached and
something has to happen. It’s here. 26 people were
killed
in Connecticut, and the media spent 2 weeks up there uncovering the
most gruesome details possible. All the usual leftwing
suspects
go on their tiresome tirades about racism, hate, fear, guns and our
despicable nation. Now, any well-schooled conservative
already
knows the ends to their means. Liberals MUST perpetuate
racial… read
more
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Speaker
John Boehner… 2013
Must Be About Cutting Spending and
Reforming the Tax Code
WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the
following statement following passage of the Senate agreement on the
fiscal cliff:
“The federal government has a spending problem that has led to a $16
trillion national debt that threatens our country’s future. On the day
after the election, I proposed that both parties work together to avert
the fiscal cliff in a manner that would ensure 2013 is the year we
finally enact entitlement reform and… read
more
|
Broke
Wife, Big City… The
10 Canine Commandments, By
Aprill Brandon
There comes a time in your relationship with your pet where you have to
lay down the law. For me, that time was last week, when my dog, Buffy,
almost ripped my arm out of its socket because he saw a SQUIRREL!
Ignoring my pleas of "Stop it! Now! You are so grounded!" as I
half-stumbled/half-ran behind him, Buffy broke the silent agreement we
had (or at least I thought we had) that he would obey… read
more
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2012: A Year of Good Times and
Not so Good
Times, That’s My Opinion By Bob Robinson
Good times. Where do I start? Family first. Always. Those of us who are
so blessed need to remember that not everyone is so fortunate. Be
grateful for the loved ones who surround you, and be compassionate
toward those who may be suffering. County News Online. Nearly two and a
half years ago this month, three Senior Scribes – Lyn Bliss, Kurt
Fritsch and yours truly – sat at a table in the BRC cafeteria having a…
read
more
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Thoughts for the New Year… Share
your time and your talents,
By Kathy Magoto
Happy Holidays! How did this phrase go from being preferred
to
barely acceptable? This is just another example of
the
pendulum swinging too far left before it heads toward the
right. Personally I have nothing against the “all
encompassing terminology. We have Thanksgiving, Christmas and
New
Years closely together and these are the holidays that affect the
majority of us locally, but perhaps we know or… read
more
|
Life
with Levi… Daddy’s
Little Helper, By
Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson
Well, we survived the “Blizzard” of 2012. Mommy and Levi didn’t leave
the house until Thursday after the level 3 was dropped, but just
because we didn’t leave the house doesn’t mean we didn’t have any fun!
Since we got snowed in on the day after Christmas, that meant that Levi
still had a few Christmas gifts that still hadn’t come out of the box
(some assembly required). So once Daddy got home… read
more
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That’s My Opinion… Lives
would
be saved, By Bob Robinson
“I know it is opinion. I also know that you are perceived to be ‘above
the average’”…
I’ve seen ‘backhanded’ compliments before – perceived? This one was
obvious enough, delivered by an acquaintance as he asked to be removed
from CNO’s Nightly Update.
He didn’t like my “rant” at the time, an opinion piece entitled
‘Obama’s America.’
It surprised me. While I knew that we didn’t always agree – we had
talked many… read
more
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Commissioners Corner… Give
thanks to God for our Blessings
As this is written, it is in the middle of the Holiday season.
Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is just a week away, and soon the New
Year will be upon us. The year has gone by more quickly than any of us
would like, but time marches on and we must march with it. This past
weekend the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut reminded all of us all that
life is precious, fleeting, and to be enjoyed to it’s fullest every
day… read
more
|
Broke
Wife, Big City… 'Twas
the month before Christmas, By Aprill Brandon
‘Twas a month before Christmas, when all through the house - Not a
creature was stirring, except for my husband (who was hunting a mouse).
The traps were all placed in the kitchen with care - In the hopes that
a dead rodent soon would be there. I was nestled all snug and a ‘lil
drunk in my bed - While visions of sexy fun times danced in my head -
But Ryan in his PJ’s, armed with those silly traps - Refused… read
more
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Life
with Levi… Merry
‘Melt Down Free’ Christmas,
By Amanda Rodeheffer-Olson
By the time most of you read this, all of Levi’s presents will be open
and our second Christmas morning as a family will have
passed.
And Levi (and Mommy!) will be hoping that Christmas is over! His first
Christmas gathering came at my grandparents house on the 15th. He only
had a few presents to open, and we all had a blast. So far, so good.
But for his second Christmas with my… read
more
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State
Representative Buchy… Commitment
Remains to Restoring Grand Lake
St. Marys
The past three summers in the Grand Lake St. Marys region have not been
an ideal situation for our local communities. The constant
question on our minds during these winter months is; will the algae be
back next year; and will it be less troublesome or more than the past
few years? Each year at the lake has been slightly
different. However; local and state commitment to working on
this
issue has never… read
more
|
|
What if
we stopped for one day?... May I
suggest a sacred day
devoted to the
children of the world?,
By Beverly Hughes - So many are crying, shocked and crying, angry and
crying, praying while crying. American flags were ordered at
half-mast. A football team held a moment of
silence. A
movie premier was canceled. Some, shuddering, have taken down
their festive holiday lights. We are shaken and saddened.
However, most people will go on to finish their holiday shopping and
enjoy their parties. We probably should… read
more
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State
Representative Richard
Adams... Paying
Tribute to
Ohio’s Fallen Military Heroes
On November 15th, I had the privilege of attending a ceremony at the
Statehouse that honored men and women from all over Ohio who lost their
lives fighting for our country during 2011. Since 2009, the Ohio
Military Medal of Distinction has been given to the families that have
had to endure the tragedy of a loved one killed in the line of duty.
The members of the legislature conduct this event each year. It is
truly remarkable to think about individuals willingly… read
more
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A time of mourning,
By Bob Robinson
If there was one thing that upset me more than the President of the
United States on Sunday evening – a little over 48 hours after a
national tragedy – getting on network television and alluding to a
decades-long partisan debate, it’s the national media jumping on it
like a jackal on its first meal in days.
I expected President Obama’s message to be one of mourning and
consoling on behalf of 20 children who lost their lives in a little
town in Connecticut, and… read
more
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Life
with Levi: Meet
Levi… And Levi’s Mommy, By Amanda
Rodeheffer-Olson
Welcome to life with Levi! It’s been a while since many of you have
heard from me (yes, I’m the Amanda Rodeheffer from the Advocate) and a
lot has happened since then. Obviously, I am now married, and I have a
little boy named Levi. He’s a year and a half (19 months to be exact)
and he keeps Mommy and Daddy on our toes! He is Levi when he’s good,
Levi Gideon when he’s pushing… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Oh
yes, this Christmas WILL be different,
By Aprill Brandon
It never fails. Every single December, I tell myself “Yes, this year
WILL be different. This year will be the year I have the most perfect
Christmas ever! So perfect I'll make Mrs. Claus look like a chump!” And
then, every single December, my plans crumble like the crappy
store-bought Christmas cookies I got in lieu of actually baking some
from scratch like I planned because I ran out of time. I can… read
more
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Hold your
babies tight, By Bob Robinson
I, along with millions of others, saw a horrible tragedy unfold Friday…
and continue into Saturday… and Sunday… and beyond. One that will
likely stay with us through Christmas and the Holiday season, and well
into the New Year. To many of us, it is so horrible to contemplate, it
had to be a nightmare… one that will go away in the morning. It didn’t
go away. “I was devastated over what happened on Sept. 11. I believe
this is worse,” said one local mother… read
more
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Speaker
John Boehner… Washington
Has a Spending Problem that
Can’t Be Fixed with Tax Hikes
Dec 13, 2012 - Washington-At his weekly press conference today, House
Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) underscored the need for serious spending
cuts to avert the fiscal cliff, begin addressing our staggering debt,
and support economic growth. Speaker Boehner highlighted a
new
chart by the House Budget Committee showing that America has a spending
problem – not a revenue problem – that can only be addressed by cutting
spending, not raising… read
more
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Claiming
Tax Refunds, Protecting Tax Cuts
Good communication is important, and poor communication can be costly.
Unfortunately, miscommunication between Washington and Ohio could cost
families in Wilmington and Orville up to $3,700 next year. As the New
Year quickly approaches, it’s critical that Ohio families are aware of
the unclaimed tax refunds that may be owed to them by the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS). Often times, inaccurate addresses… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Snow
You Didn’t, By Aprill
Brandon
I don't even want to say it. Because the second I say it, I'll just
jinx it. So, I'm not going to say it. Except I'm going to say it. One,
because this would be one heck of a short article if I didn't. And two,
it's only honorable to let the rest of you fine residents know who to
blame when this all blows up in my face. So...here goes... I want a
white Christmas. I know, I KNOW! You don't wish for snow here. That's
like… read
more
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U.S.
Representative John Boehner… A
Balanced Approach to Averting
the Fiscal
Cliff
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the
following column discussing Congressional Republicans’ support of a
balanced approach to averting the fiscal cliff: “Just weeks away looms
the ‘fiscal cliff,’ a combination of automatic tax increases and
spending cuts that everybody in Washington claims they want to avoid.
“Republicans want to work with the president to steer our economy… read
more
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Senator
Sherrod Brown… Extending
Middle Class Tax Cuts, Protecting
Middle Class Families
Ohioans have been hearing about the fiscal cliff a lot lately. The
"cliff" applies to a January 1st deadline when the law, enacted by a
bipartisan majority of both houses of Congress, requires a mix of
spending cuts and tax increases. This sudden dose of austerity will put
us on a long-term path to budget stability, but it will also send our
nation into a recession for the better part of next year. Fortunately,
there is an… read
more
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Republicans
Can Solve the Fiscal Cliff, By
Charles &
Rebecca Reier
Republicans can quickly and easily solve the Fiscal Cliff problem by
taking the following small steps for the benefit of mankind. First,
insist that China abide by FAIR trade rules and return jobs to
deserving Americans. Bi-partisan support already exists for this
mandate. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stated
that he would label China as a currency manipulator and an UNFAIR trade
partner. On the other side of the aisle the Senior Democratic Senator
from New York, Charles Schumer… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… The
grown-up
side of Christmas, By Aprill Brandon
Something very strange has been going on these past few weeks. The
month of December is finally upon us. Which means it's almost
Christmas. And I don't even care. I haven't started decorating, I
haven't annoyed my husband by belting out my dirty version of "Carol of
the Bells" and I haven't even had a sip of eggnog yet. It's my favorite
holiday and I haven't even acknowledged it. But I think I know why.
See, depending on your age, the holiday… read
more
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Commissioners
Corner… November
good to Ohio and Darke County
The best part of November is when all the political ads are over, all
the election rhetoric is finally finished, and all of us can start
thinking about Thanksgiving and family. Congratulations to
all
the local elected officials and continued good fortune in their next
terms. The current Commissioners are still intact, and we
look
forward to working together and continuing the progress that has been
done in the last… read
more
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Over the cliff… or the Grover?
By Jim Surber
The U.S. debt ceiling and its surrounding debate was becoming passé, so
federal leaders created the “fiscal cliff.” Last year, not wanting to
let trivial matters such as the national debt and deficit interfere
with their re-election campaigns; the lawmakers and President set a
bomb with a time-delayed fuse that has almost reached the explosive
charge. Simply put, this is a potentially destructive combination of
tax hikes on just about everyone and spending cuts on just…
read
more
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Musings
of a Senior
Scribe... The
Truth and The Goal,
By
Mona Lease
Hi, all! It's that time of year. Relatives are in town for the
holidays, students are home from college, and friends are getting
together for vacations. New recipes, games, music, and drinks are the
party favorites. I spoke with law enforcement officials from the Darke
County Sheriff's Office and the Greenville Police Department. Ohio has
no Public Intoxication Law - as such. You may walk down the
street legally "drunk." You may not walk… read
more
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A Modern Day Tale
By Lyn
Bliss, Assistant Editor
There once was a golden haired, blue-eyed little apple of her parents’
eyes. She was raised knowing she lived in the greatest country in the
world and thinking that whatever she wanted to do, if she worked hard
enough she would be able to achieve it.
She went to school, studied hard and sure enough – she graduated with
grades that allowed her to go on to college. Where again, she worked
hard, got good grades and graduated at the top of her class.
… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Do
your ears hang low? By Aprill Brandon
When I was a kid, I had a penpal. Even better, it was a FOREIGN penpal.
Every day after school, I'd run to the mailbox, quivering with
anticipation, to see if Penelope's letter had arrived from exotic
Canada (where they put gravy on their French fries...GRAVY!). In fact,
there were days I was so excited, I'd sit outside and actually wait for
the mailman to come. Unfortunately, as I grew older, my enthusiasm for
my daily trips to the mailbox… read
more
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New Teaching Standards:
Compartmentalize or
“think” deeply?
That’s My Opinion, By Bob Robinson - “The goal is to go from ‘knowing’
something to ‘deeply understanding’ something… it is a totally
different way of teaching.” I found that statement fascinating. Dave
Shelhaas used it when he told Darke County Chamber of Commerce board
members recently about the new standards and accountability set to kick
in for Ohio Schools in 2014. Color me naive (again). While I… read
more
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Giving
Thanks
My mother, a schoolteacher in Mansfield, taught her sons that no matter
what our station in life, no one is too important or too busy to serve.
This holiday season, I’m grateful for that lesson – and for the example
set each day by so many in their communities. And I am most heartened
by the sacrifices of hardworking Ohioans who struggle to make ends meet
yet still make time to give to others.
A couple of years ago, I met an Ohio family who was bagging… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… How
to succeed in business without really tweeting,
By Aprill Brandon
Wanna know what I've been doing for the past three hours? Heh. No. I
wish. You dirty birdie, you. No, sadly, what I've been doing for the
past three is hours much less likely to land me in jail. Instead, I've
been trying to log into my old LinkedIn account. Unfortunately, since
it's been four years since I've actually logged on, none of my old
standby passwords ("mrsryanreynolds," "BornAgainJedi,"
"Boozy_McBoozerson") were working. So, I ended… read
more
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Tea Party - Republican Party
friend or foe? By Dr. Charles &
Rebecca Reier
The Tea Party may be serving the Republican Party a poisonous brew by
insisting on “no new taxes”. The Middle Class, now including
millionaires, has seen their assets decline over the last decade, while
the Bush policy of “don’t tax the rich” has billionaires happy. So
happy that many, such as George Soros and Warren Buffet, recognize and
admit the unfairness. They support increased taxes on high income
earners and… read
more
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Same question-different answers,
By Jim Surber
The 2012 Presidential election came and went, though it seemed like an
eternity before it was finally over. The residents of battleground Ohio
were subjected to countless nasty media ads, repeated irritating phone
calls, and enough political junk mail to burn a tobacco bed. The two
candidates spent nearly $2 billion, much of it coming from a few very
large donors. Ultimately, we ended up with the same GOP-controlled
House, the same Democratic-controlled… read
more
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Honoring
Ohio’s Veterans
On Veterans Day, and every day, we must remember to express our
gratitude to the men and women that have served our country in uniform.
In a ceremony on Veterans Day, more than 67 years after his service in
World War II, North Olmsted resident U.S. Army Corporal (Ret.) Dewey
Limpert received a Purple Heart and Bronze Star along with several
other overdue medals. After being contacted by Mr. Limpert’s… read
more
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U.S. Rep. Boehner… State
leadership, Congressional oversight key to stopping ObamaCare
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the
following column discussing Governor John Kasich’s decision to not
implement a government-run “exchange” under the president’s health care
law and resisting a federal takeover of health insurance regulations in
Ohio: “President Obama has won re-election, but his health care law is
still driving up costs and making it harder for… read
more
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Making Lemonade…
That’s
My Opinion, By Bob Robinson
Inside every cloud is a silver lining. I’ve heard that phrase, or
something similar to it, since I was a child. I’d come home from school
complaining about something. I’d go to grampa complaining that one of
my cousins was mean to me (or sometimes Grampa would give me a
tongue-lashing when one of my cousins complained I was mean to him).
I’d go to Mom or Gramma with a skinned knee. Or I’d moan around the
house if it was raining… read
more
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State
Rep Jim
Buchy… Voters
Want Smaller
Government; So Why Don’t We Listen?
Many days have passed since Election Day, now we have had an
opportunity to reflect on the results and strategize our next steps
forward. As I traveled the district in the last few months it
is
clear people want jobs, and they want smaller government that
encourages economic growth. I will work to remove the noose
that
government red tape and bureaucracy have placed over our lives in this
state. This week… read
more
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That’s
My
Opinion… Obama’s
America,
By Bob Robinson
“Re: Election stolen. Give it up, Bob. And yes, Taxes are the way to
raise revenue. Have a great day.” He’s right about one thing… the
election is over. I should give it up. That doesn’t mean, of course,
that I will ignore the opinions of others who wish to pontificate over
what they think happened. As I indicated in my Editor’s Notes on
Monday, I do think it strange that the Republican turnout was
supposedly down 10 percent from 2008. Don’t you?… read
more
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Broke
Wife,
Big City… Adventures
in
puppy-sitting, By Aprill Brandon
It is 2:30 on Thursday afternoon. I am sitting at the computer,
attempting to type this around my almost 40-pound dog, who is
struggling to sit on my not-nearly-big-enough lap. I am still in the
sweatpants I slept in, hair in the same messy bun I went to bed in and
my face still has the remnants of yesterday’s eyeliner. To my left is
an 11-pound puppy who is desperately and energetically trying to also
jump on my lap. And to my immediate right… read
more
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China
Trade Issues
underlie Local Business Problems, Dr. Charles
&
Rebecca Reier
Had local business leaders been listening to CNBC Worldwide Exchange
between 4:00 and 4:20 am this morning, they would have heard an
extensive discussion of the problem of making free trade FAIR TRADE
with China. They have missed the prime cause of their business
frustrations and a weak economy. They blame partisan issues for the
problems they face that are related directly to our two… read
more
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What
happened?
That’s My Opinion, By Bob Robinson
Demographics and the ground game happened! Stunned disbelief would
probably best sum up the results of Tuesday’s presidential election.
Reactions ranged from anger to shock to a decision to shake it off with
a wisecrack or joke. “Welcome to the United Socialistic States of
America!” I saw an American flag flying upside down at half staff on
the way into town Wednesday. I was saddened by the sight. On… read
more
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Pass
the Jobs Bill
NOW! By Truman Scott
With the east coast devastated, now is the time to begin putting people
back to work re-building our infrastructure. This process
could
begin on both coasts with one working east while the other works
west. We could have a 21st Century “Driving of the Golden
Spike”
somewhere in the middle of the U.S. when the job is complete. This
would immediately begin the lowering the unemployment rate and we
could… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… The
five stages
of panic, By Aprill Brandon
There are a lot of firsts when it comes to marriage. The first time you
kiss as husband and wife. The first dance. The first fight. The first
time you lose your first fight. The first time you bring back up the
original fight a few months later in a vain effort to try to win this
time. And, it's inevitable: The first time you lose your wedding ring.
Luckily, I managed to make it a whole year and a handful of months
before the latter finally happened to me… read
more
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State
Senator Keith Faber… Working
Hard for the Citizens of Our District
A Public Servant’s Perspective - Ohio, like most of the nation, has
been no stranger to the economic rollercoaster that has spanned the
beginning of the 21st Century. Beginning with the recession caused by
the warrantless attacks that our nation faced on September 11, 2001 and
the recovery that followed, all the way to the sub-prime mortgage
crisis and the recession of 2008, Ohioans have been tossed… read
more
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Romney/Ryan
team in
Celina… it’s about the jobs, by Kurt Fritsch
After having had the opportunity to attend a rally with Mitt Romney on
Oct. 10 in Sydney, Ohio, which was a great event that had drawn a huge
number of people, I was informed about a rally on Oct 28 with Paul Ryan
in Celina and thought that it might be a good idea to meet him as well.
So I signed up online and printed my ticket and was ready for the next
political event in this campaign, which hopefully… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Project
Ducky Wip,
By Aprill Brandon
This past weekend, my husband left me for four days. Alas, it's not
what you're thinking. Although granted, that would make for a much
better column, the whole troubled marriage thing and "two people who
love each other but grew apart and are trying to find their way back to
each other." But no, my stupid husband is perfect. Which
makes
for very boring writing on my part. In fact, if we ever do get
divorced, it's because he's single-handedly… read
more
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That’s
My Opinion… One
child at a time,
By Bob Robinson
The Darke Knight commented in one of his columns that because I was no
longer writing “biting” political rhetoric, he/she thought I’d moved
onto other things, or something like that. It was in response to a
reader’s comment. Yes and no. While I still have strong opinions about
right and wrong, whether it’s in politics or in any other area, time
and life-altering events have changed my perspective. Many of you may
remember my bout with shingles… read
more
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Commissioners
Corner… Darke
County Economic
Development Leader
October in Darke County might be the prettiest time of the
year.
The trees are in full color, and in the mornings, the sun on the fields
and foliage is spectacular. We are lucky to live in such a
beautiful part of the State. October also brings the cool
temperatures of Fall, High School football in full swing, and of
course, Halloween. As the year winds down, the Commissioners
are
wrapping up what we… read
more
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State Representative Jim Buchy...
Ohio District Maps Reflect
Democracy, Not
Gerrymandering
Once every 10 years, elected officials in Ohio are tasked with
re-drawing the maps for congressional, state senate, and state house
districts. This process, known as redistricting, has received a lot of
attention lately because new maps were drawn last year in response to
the results of the 2010 census. As a member of the Ohio redistricting
reform task force, I have been closely studying this issue. Several
interesting facts about the history of redistricting in Ohio… read
more
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Things to
consider on November 6,
By Jana Kolling
My friends, I have a lot to cover so I’ll try to keep this
concise. If you are an Obama supporter or undecided, you
either
think he has done well or if re-elected may do well. Let’s
first
review some stats from what he has done (with the first 2 years having
a Democratic majority in the House and Senate): Number of people on
food stamps increases from 32 million to 47 million. 10 million more
people on welfare. 1.5 million… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… The
Truth About Cats and Dogs,
By Aprill Brandon
Owning a dog has a lot of benefits. For instance, you will always know
the precise moment the mail comes. You are always well aware of just
how good your human food smells considering it has compelled your dog
to crawl, military-style, across the floor until they are steathily
hidden underneath the table. And you will always know ahead of time the
answer to the question "What's that smell?"… read
more
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Representative
Richard Adams… Support
Structure Important to Beating
Breast Cancer
I am not a doctor, nor do I play one in the newspaper. But
nevertheless, I would like to remind you of the importance that the
month of October has each year in the medical community. October is
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” a month centered on increasing
acknowledgement and understanding of a disease that affects one in
eight women during their lifetimes. In fact, besides skin cancer,
breast… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Love
in the frozen food aisle,
By Aprill Brandon
There are a lot of ways to get to know your significant other. And
let's face it, no matter how much you think you know them, there are
always more things you can learn about them. Human beings are vastly
complicated creatures. That's why no one has yet been able to explain
why we like sodomizing dead birds with other dead birds in the form of
turducken or why we willingly inject poison into our faces so we
perpetually look… read
more
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Darke
County Commissioner… Comments,
I get Comments, By
Mike Stegall
Over a month ago I put forth the idea of Darke County looking into the
possibility of doing a joint Fire District, or EMA District, or
both. I stated that I thought that because of rising costs it
might be the time to check into the possibilities. I then
asked
for people’s comments, good or bad, and to let me know what they
thought. Boy, did I get comments! I knew that this was a hot
button issue, and that some of the… read
more
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Biden’s
Vaudeville Act, By The Darke
Knight
I read E-Bobs comments Friday night following the Biden-Ryan debate.
Disgusted is being generous. I vascillated between being ashamed and
wanting to throw up. This clown IS the sitting Vice President of the
United States of America. On Thursday night he put on a sideshow in a
contest discussing crucial topics of national importance. He made
faces, ogled the camera, rolled his eyes… read
more
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Romney
Rally in Sidney… Romney
Crowds exceed expectations,
By Al Bliss
On Wednesday October 10, 2012, I had been scheduled to participate in
the phone bank effort located on North Broadway but Cindy Pike offered
to take my place and set aside tickets to go to the Rally in
Sidney. She convinced me that this was the right thing to do
because I would have the opportunity to see my wife who was driving in
the Romney motorcade. I rapidly accepted Cindy’s offer and left for
Sidney at about… read
more
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Bad
humans! Very bad humans!,
By Aprill Brandon Buffy A. Summers Huddle Brandon
Greetings, worthless humans. In case you haven't figured it out yet
(which of course you haven't because you're worthless humans), this is
not Aprill. The quote, unquote "Alpha" is busy doing stupid human
stuff, like actually voluntarily taking a bath and going poo-poo in my
giant water bowl. So I, Buffy, her quote, unquote "pet dog," took this
opportunity to take over her column. Now mind you, I could have done
this at any time during… read
more
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Are
we smarter than I
thought? By The Darke Knight
Now isn’t that just too damn convenient! After a disasterous showing
against Romney Wednesday night, our president gets a break! Now he can
say he brought unemployment below 8%. Lets analyse that for a second (a
second is all we need). He FINALLY brought unemployment under 8%. It
only took him three and a half years. What really gets me is that 7.8%
is nothing to crow about… read
more
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State Senator Bill Beagle… Matching
Workers with Work
As your State Senator, one of the most rewarding things to do is to
travel through our district and meet with our neighbors and businesses.
This helps me to stay in touch with your needs so that I can
effectively represent our community in the Ohio Statehouse. As I make
my way across the Miami Valley, the main issue that I hear about is
jobs. Whether we are talking about displaced workers or recent college
graduates, our… read
more
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That’s
My Opinion… Have
we gotten the
message yet? By Bob Robinson
Oct. 1, 2012 - Sixty-eight years ago today, I was brought kicking and
screaming into a world at war. It was a conflict between two
ideologies… German Nazism and its sister Japanese and Italian despots
vs Freedom and Independence. According to Wikipedia, WWII resulted in
55 million deaths, the largest and most destructive conflict in
history. Fifty years ago today I was a “fish” in the Corps of Cadets at
The A&M College of Texas. In a few weeks… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… Let's
just table
the issue, shall we? By Aprill Brandon
For years, my husband and I have harbored a shameful secret. A secret
so hideous, so horrifying, so wholly conducive to alliteration, we have
hardly dared to even whisper it out loud. And the worst part is we have
carried this secret with us from state to state, apartment to
apartment, every time we move, from Ohio to Texas to now Boston. Each
time, with each new set of friends and colleagues, our pain and
embarrassment only growing… read
more
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Commissioners
Corner… Tying
up loose ends
September is almost gone already, High School Football, College, and
the N.F.L. are in full swing, temperatures are cooler, and all of our
summer festivals are done. With the onset of fall and then
the
winter season, one would think that things would slow down for us here
in the County. Right now, we have a lot of projects in the
works,
and tying up loose ends is going to be the work for now. We have been… read
more
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State Representative Adams... Ohio’s
Economic Growth Outpacing Nation
Two Miami County businesses recently announced that they are expanding
their workforce. West Troy Tool & Machine, Inc. is adding 35
new
jobs, as well as boosting its annual payroll by nearly $437,000.
Industry Products Co., located in Piqua, has announced the creation of
50 jobs and almost $1.2 million in new annual payroll. Through their
work with JobsOhio, these companies were able to secure… read
more
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It
is what it is…
By the Darke Knight
I’ve had some interesting responses to my first two columns. The first
had to do with Editor Bob. The reader wrote… “I so appreciate Bob's
efforts, but I do miss his former "sock-it-to-'um"
editorials.
Perhaps you are the one to pick up where he left off.” Not sure if
that’s a compliment, but I appreciated her saying it. What I told her
was that I thought E-Bob was pretty much doing his own thing today… read
more
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A
fundamentally
different America, That’s My Opinion By Bob
Robinson
“One of our closest allies…” That’s our president speaking, not about
our neighbors to the north or south, or maybe England or one of the
other European countries. Nope. He’s referring to Israel as “one of”
our closest allies in the Middle East. Sure would like to know who else
is over there sticking his neck out amidst the riots and flag burnings
saying, “I am a close ally of the United States.” Israel is our closest
– and in… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… The
Zombie
Apocalypse is worse than we thought, By Aprill
Brandon
I don’t want to alarm anyone, but the fact there has been an influx of
news stories about people eating other people’s faces and cooking their
roommate’s large intestine with onions and a nice herb butter is the
least of our worries. It has come to my attention that this whole
looming zombie war has taken on a thoroughly horrifying new turn. It
all started last week when upon innocently entering the kitchen, I was
assaulted by what can only be… read
more
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Help a
child’s eyes light up, By Bob
Robinson
The semester has only just begun and I’ve had the pleasure of working
with kindergartners, second, third and fourth graders, high school
juniors and seniors and adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s. It’s
fascinating to observe the differences – and similarities – in the
various age groups. I think I mentioned once that a friend of mine
referred to kindergarten students as “popcorn” – they pop up and down
as the impulse hits them. The structured environment… read
more
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Paint a picture of America 50
years from
now , By The Darke Knight
“There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no
matter what,” Romney states. “All right, there are 47 percent who are
with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are
victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for
them, who believe that they are entitled to healthcare, to food, to
housing, to you name it.”
Wow. Color me astonished. A “true” moment from a politician… read
more
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Broke
Wife, Big City… An
open letter to my dishwasher, By Aprill Brandon
I hate you, dishwasher. I hate you so much. Seriously, so much. Like,
if you were on fire and I really had to pee, I'd still use the toilet.
Because you know what? The toilet doesn't constantly remind me what a
failure at housekeeping I am. Sure, it starts to murmur something after
too many weeks of neglect but you... oooooh... YOU. There you are,
everyday, just sitting there. Needing something. You always need
something. Need emptied. Need... read
more
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Late-night
musings… Economic
disasters are
inevitable, By Jim Surber
Many of us like to have money without effort and like to avoid dealing
with debts. It is simple human nature. We know that this attitude can
never be sustained, but that knowledge is never strong enough to quash
the allure and desire. That is why pyramid schemes, chain letters, and
Bernie Madoff-type investments come and go throughout our history. It
is always fascinating how so many people continue to become suckers
until a key fact is recognized: They... read
more
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The
Beneficiaries of
our Actions, That’s My Opinion By Bob Robinson
Ackley, the Community & Lessons to be Learned - “I was showing
the
frustration… the hard work… trying to get that elusive first win…” said
cartoonist and local artist Paul Ackley on Friday. It seems that many
members of the community missed his intent. For almost every person who
commented on it, there was a different opinion. “I thought it was right
on,” said one reader. “The game is about winning. They aren’t... read
more
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Constitution
Day and
the Constitution, By Darke County Commissioner
Mike Stegall
Today is Constitution day in America. This holiday way
established in 2004 with the passage of an amendment by Senator Robert
Byrd to the omnibus spending bill of 2004. Before this date,
September 17th was known as “Citizenship Day”. In addition to
the
name change, the act mandates that all publicly funded educational
institutions provide education on the history of the American
Constitution. In... read
more
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Reintroducing
Aprill,
By Bob Robinson
When I stop and think about my journey here in Darke County, Ohio, I
sometimes become overwhelmed at how fortunate I’ve been. I sat in the
editor’s chair of The Daily Advocate for seven years and led a talented
editorial department to many team and personal awards from Associated
Press and parent company Brown Publishing. Community support grew to
the point where the oft-heard term of Daily Aggrevate my... read
more
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Ensuring
a Top-Notch Education for All Ohioans
Sen. Brown believes that all Ohioans deserve access a top-notch
education. That’s why he has fought to promote early education, ensure
strong standards for public education, and improve college
affordability. Investing in Early Education… Helped secure nearly $70
million for Ohio in early childhood grant funding from the Race to the
Top Early Learning Challenge; Authored the Ready Schools Act to ensure
all schools are prepared to meet the needs of all... read
more
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That’s
My Opinion… Do
you want to make
a difference?, By Bob Robinson
The two individuals who had the most to do with my introduction to
substitute teaching at Woodland Heights Elementary – Susie Riegle and
Tammy Stritenburger – have moved on. But they left an indelible mark on
my life. They introduced me to the beauty and challenges of spending
the day with a group of five-, six- and seven-year-olds. Last year I
was nervous. I wasn’t sure I could handle it. Not only did I handle... read
more
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ORP Chairman Bob Bennett… Strickland
Should Apologize
COLUMBUS - Today, in response to Ted Strickland's attacks on Josh
Mandel to the Ohio DNC delegation, Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob
Bennett said Ted Strickland is simply trying to deflect attention from
his failure as Chairman of the DNC platform writing committee. "Last
time I checked it's the voters who decide what candidate is fit for
office. The voters of Ohio fired Ted in 2010 and hired Josh Mandel... read
more
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Will
the “Great
American Experiment” survive? That’s My
Opinion, By Bob
Robinson
The conventions are over; the latest jobs report shows yet another
devastating month for jobs. The Economic Populist says that although it
fluctuates some from month to month, we need a little over 100,000 new
jobs a month just to keep up with population growth. In August we
posted 91,000. Yet the national unemployment rate dropped from 8.3
percent to 8.1 percent. If I remember right, that’s 43 straight months
of... read
more
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Standing
Up for Ohio Seniors
As a father and a grandfather, I believe we must do everything we can
to improve the economy and reduce the deficit for our children and
grandchildren. But the way to do this is not at the expense of Medicare
and Social Security benefits that seniors have earned. Some politicians
in Washington refer to Social Security and Medicare as entitlements. I
don’t use that word—simply because they’re not. They are programs
that... read
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Take
the Easy Way Out,
By The Darke Knight
Whoa!! If you are reading this, it means I finally got to Editor Bob.
I’ve been reading “his” site for the past year and haven’t seen him
mention one single word about all the columns I’ve sent him that he has
refused to publish. Too edgy, he said. Or he doesn’t want County News
Online embroiled in a lawsuit. Or I’ve crossed the line. Or whatever!!
Well maybe it’s damn well time for someone to... read
more
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Fuzzy
Math is Alive
& Well, That’s My Opinion By Bob
Robinson
I was watching a talk/interview show on Fox last weekend. My schedule
permits about a half hour at night, and about a half hour early in the
morning when I wake up. Weekday choices are usually WHIO. Weekend
choices are usually the Fox channel. I was astonished to hear a Dem
strategist tout Obama’s creation of millions of jobs during his time in
office while the Bush administration devastated millions of... read
more
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Concerns about Aflatoxin in Ohio
Corn,
By Sam Custer, OSU Extension Educator
Last week I attended a meeting that discussed Aflatoxin in our 2012
corn crop. As of today, there have been no reports of
aflatoxin
affected corn being delivered to our local receipt points.
But
given our unusual year and an upcoming harvest of a very distressed
crop I would like to share with you an update from The Ohio State
University Extension and Pierce Paul, Associate Professor. Cereal
Pathology, Epidemiology. There have been a few reports of Aspergillus
ear rot in corn in... read
more
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Ohio
Sec of State Jon Husted… Voting
Will Be Uniform and Accessible for Hard-Working Ohioans
Labor Day marks the official end of summer and gives us an
opportunity to celebrate the enduring American work ethic. It also
means the election season is in full swing. This year, I am proud of
the steps we are taking in each of the state’s 88 counties to ensure
busy schedules won’t keep hard-working Ohioans from participating. In
fact, starting on October 2, you can vote any hour of the day and
without ever leaving your homes. Just after the Labor Day... read
more
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Farm
Science Review
Approaches, By Sam Custer
Farm Science Review – September 18-20, 2012, London, Ohio - Throughout
its history, Ohio State University’s Farm Science Review has been at
the forefront of showcasing the future of agriculture. The
review
will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Plan on
attending now. Tickets and golf cart rental information can
be
picked up in the OSU Extension, Darke County, office between 8:00 a.m.
and 4:00 p.m. For detailed information on the Farm Science Review, go
tohttp://fsr.osu.edu/... read
more
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U.S. Representative John Boehner… Mitt
Romney’s the “Perfect Guy at the Perfect Time” for America
In an interview with FOX News’ Bret Baier at the Republican National
Convention, Speaker John Boehner said Governor Romney has a “real
record of producing jobs,” making him “the perfect guy at the perfect
time” for families and small businesses struggling in President Obama’s
economy. Boehner also touted Paul Ryan and efforts by House Republicans
to remove government barriers to job growth and stop the president’s
small business tax hike... read
more
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That’s My Opinion... Our
American Uniqueness, By Bob Robinson
Every year I look forward to the Great Darke County Fair as the premier
event of the year. I scratch my head in wonder when I run into someone
who says they don’t (or won’t) go to the fair. Why? Dunno. Burned out,
I guess. Same ole’ same ole’… whatever! Maybe it’s because I’m a
“furiner and a snake in the grass” (once coined by a local official a
few years ago) and have only been fortunate enough to be around for the
last dozen years... read
more
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Stop
Sending Calls and Jobs Overseas
If you’ve had to call a major company for a service repair or to get an
answer to a question about your cable bill, chances are you’ve probably
spoken with a worker in a different time zone or on a different
continent. That’s because big companies have been shipping U.S. call
center jobs overseas for years. But when these companies send call
center jobs abroad, they don’t just frustrate consumers—they hurt our
economy as... read
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Darke
County
Commissioner Mike Stegall… Is
Now the Time?
Several months ago at my “Coffee with the Commissioner” gathering at
New Madison, I mentioned that someday I thought Darke County would have
to
take a look at going to a joint Fire district, and then maybe a joint
EMS district, or both. This was me just thinking out loud in light of
the current
and future economic conditions. Believe it or not, we elected officials
do think once in a while! I indicated that I would like to put a
committee together
to... read
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Commissioner’s
Corner… Record
crowds at the fair; great weather
The Great Darke County Fair is underway and with the cooler
temperatures and perfect weather, it seems as if the Fair could be in
for record crowds. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves,
and
as of this writing, there have been very few incidents to report, and
so far, nothing major. It seems as though we have a lot more
visitors from in state and out of state this year... read
more
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Drought
Continues to
Affect Agriculture in Western Ohio, By Sam
Custer
OSU Extension, Darke County - While visiting with area farmers and
agriculture businesspersons at the great Darke County Fair this week it
is clear that we are looking at many surprises this fall.
Reported silage yields ranged from 7 to 19 tons per acre ranging from
35% to 90% of normal yields. These variations in yields can
be
found within a couple of miles of each other. For those of you who are
trying to determine your possible soybean yield this fall I share with
you this piece of information... read
more
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How
would the City
pay for Medics? By Bob Rhoades
Comparing Apples to Apples, Part 2 - In the August 23 edition of the
County News Online I wrote an article concerning Rod Hale’s suggestion
that city council visit other cities with comparable fire departments
citing Sidney and Celina. I actually found out since then that although
it was attributed to him, it wasn’t his idea. I related that was an
excellent idea as we finally would be able to compare Apples... read
more
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Ensuring
Ohio Workers Can Compete
More than 200 days ago, the Senate passed a bipartisan jobs bill that
could create or save two million jobs at no cost to taxpayers. Yet, the
House of Representatives has refused to consider this common-sense
legislation. Now is the time for the House of Representatives to act.
The bill addresses one of the biggest challenges facing Ohio
manufacturers – unfair competition from Chinese products that are
flooding our... read
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Representative Richard Adams… State’s
Job-Search Website is a Valuable Resource
If you have been actively looking for a job recently, you may have
heard of the website OhioMeansJobs.com. If not, then I encourage you to
check it out. The site is a great resource for employers and jobseekers
alike to find what they are looking for in the jobs market. This
service has been introduced in other states as well, the Ohio version
has existed for a couple years. It is becoming especially relevant now
that the... read
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Republican National Convention… Living
my Dream, Part 2, By Lyn Bliss
Email. What did we ever do without it?? Wish I would have
started
keeping track of all the emails I have received and sent regarding the
Republican National Convention. Well, maybe I don’t want to know…
Things are progressing. No, let me make that ‘they are flying’! The
date of departure seems to be coming toward me like a speeding bullet.
The list of things to do seems to grow and apprehension has set in... read
more
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Apples
to Apples: A firmly entrenched EMS system,
By Bob
Rhoades
Rod
Hale’s admonishment to compare Greenville to Sidney and Celina in the
recent Daily Advocate article is a welcome thought. Finally we’re
comparing apples to apples, well almost! Like always if we hang around
long enough, a good idea pops up. If and when the committee goes to
Sidney, the first thing they’ll see is one of the firefighters that
Greenville hired first. He left and went to Sidney because he said...
read
more
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Volunteer Fire
Departments…corrections and verifications By
Bob Robinson
Last week I posted an opinion from a reader on the City of Greenville /
Greenville Fire Department issue. Due to the individual’s
name recognition in the community, he requested I not use it. I checked
a couple of the items he sent; was satisfied; and published.
Big mistake. It seems there were errors. They were quickly pointed out
to me. I made the decision to publish the opinion… my responsibility.
I accept it. Since then, the individual has....
read
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Volunteer Fire Departments…
really? By Bob Rhoades
A
faithful CNO Reader’s article on Volunteer Fire Departments was very
good, not real accurate, but good. I actually sat down and researched
the departments he listed. Here is what I found and the citation for
each. 1. Pasadena, TX - It is the largest Volunteer Dept. 2.
Alexandria, VA - Key sentence on the first page of their webpage:
Today, the department employs more than 250 professional personnel...
read
more
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A Second look at the Vicious Cycle, By
Bob Rhoades
Vicious
Cycle Part 2
The possible Greenville City layoffs
The
announcement last week of possible layoffs in the city employee ranks
has stirred the ire of a few people. Others who can remember back
longer than six months have pushed a couple of questions...
read
more
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And the Vicious Cycle begins, By
Bob Rhoades
The
city of Greenville’s ill-advised decision to lay off fire department
personnel and cripple the ability of the Fire Department to defend the
city from fire is just the beginning of a vicious cycle that, once
started, will be hard to stop. Total
proposed reductions in the fire department budget are $382,896. This
includes the elimination of the Asst. Chief Position, 4 firefighters
and the Secretary...
read
more
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The
other side of the story... A different perspective on the
Greenville Fire Department issue
Editing
and Comments by Bob Robinson -
One
of the things I love about an online news and information service is it
is not limited to a regimented format. I received a letter from a
reader regarding the City of Greenville Fire Department issue. After
reading it I felt it deserved more prominence than that of a letter to
the editor. It
was sent prior to Bob Rhoades’ column being posted, so it was not in
response to his... read
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U.S.
Senator Sherrod Brown… Connecting Veterans with New
Employment Opportunities
Ohio
is home to more than 890,000 veterans, making our state the nation’s
sixth-largest population of veterans. Despite
their service, an unacceptably high number of veterans struggle to find
work. Just as we invest in our servicemembers while they’re on the
battlefield, we should do the same when they return home. That’s
why it’s imperative that we do a better job of connecting veterans with
the support...
read
more
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Obama's great quest,
By Bob Robinson
Well,
it was bound to happen. It took nearly 19 months of online publication
seven days a week, but my poor old computer finally rebelled. She will
be getting an internal face lift today. It will take a couple days to
get back to normal, but we'll be back on track shortly. That, however,
is not the reason for this opinion piece. Romney's pick of Paul Ryan as
his V.P. running mate is. Talk about an energized base... Read
More.
More Opinion.
|
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Fighting
for Ohio’s Farms
There’s a lot that farmers can plan for: the type of crops to grow, how
much acreage those crops will cover, and when to pick those crops. But
this year, a widespread drought has left many Ohio farmers with an
unplanned disaster: fields dry as a bone and minimal yields. According
to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research
Service, Ohio and most of the U.S. are in the midst of the most... read
more
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Mitt Romney Press... Memorandum:
Obama For America Ohio Lawsuit
August 5, 2012 - On July 17, 2012, Obama for America and the Democratic
National Committee filed suit against the Attorney General and
Secretary of State of Ohio. In their lawsuit, the Obama
campaign
and the DNC argue it is “arbitrary” and unconstitutional to provide
three extra days of early, in-person voting to military voters and
their families. At least 20 times in their legal papers, they
argue that there is no good... read
more
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New GTI facility in Winchester… Exploring
outside the fort… am I missing something?
By Bob Rhoades - Bill LaFramboise, the executive vice president of GTI
in Greenville, in a recent press release by Indiana Governor Mitch
Daniels said “This new plant is needed (in Anderson, Ind.) due to
capacity limitations and a tight labor market in Greenville,
Ohio,” If you look on CityData.com, it says Greenville has an
unemployment rate of around 10%. The loss of 325 jobs to
Anderson... read
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Congressman John Boehner… On
July Unemployment: “Private Sector still isn’t ‘doing fine’”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released
the following statement regarding the Department of Labor’s
unemployment report for July 2012: “Two years after the Obama
administration declared, ‘welcome to the recovery,’ this much is clear:
with 42 consecutive months of unemployment above eight percent, the
private sector still isn’t ‘doing fine’ and President Obama’s economic
plan... read
more
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What’s
Not to Like?
That’s My Opinion, By Bob Robinson
As the final comments, commentary and opinion filter in from Annie
Oakley Days and the community begins to prep for The Great Darke County
Fair, I thought about the trials, tribulations and successes of past
Annie Oakley celebrations and how they relate to seemingly similar
concerns today. I find it fascinating that people are still talking
about the demise of the Annie Oakley Days Festival... read
more
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Addressing
Wrongful Foreclosures
If you’re one of the thousands of Ohio families who has experienced the
pain of losing your home to a wrongful foreclosure, help could finally
be on the way. But you must act quickly. Before the reports of
widespread foreclosure fraud two years ago, Ohio had 14 consecutive
years of increased foreclosures. Then, we discovered that many of the
biggest banks in the country simply didn’t follow the law and give
people... read
more
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Senator Bill Beagle... Online
Employment Tool a Winner for Job Seekers and Employers
With unemployment at a four-year low and the addition of 111,300 new
jobs since January of last year, Ohio’s economic outlook is much
brighter now than in recent years. A cornerstone to this
progress
has been the attraction of outside businesses to our state and the new
opportunities that they bring. However, even with numerous
new
avenues for employment, searching for a job can prove to be a
daunting... read
more
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Commissioners Corner… County
to
get $46K, first check from casinos
It is hard to believe that as this is written, Annie Oakley Days, The
Gathering at Garst, and the Great Darke County Fair are just around the
corner. On Sunday, July 22nd, the Elected Officials attended
the
North Star parade, and then later, competed in a “Family Feud”
contest. The “Politicians,” (as we were called) consisted of
Scott Zumbrink, Jim Surber... read
more
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|
Congressman John Boehner… House
action to curb excessive regulations, stop small business tax hike
- WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a weekly press conference with Republican
leaders today, Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) highlighted
this week’s House vote to curb excessive government regulations and
next week’s vote to stop the small business tax hike – both part of
Republicans’ relentless focus on helping the private sector grow and
create jobs. As Congressman Boehner noted... read
more
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State Senator Keith Faber… Job
Growth Continues to Reshape Western Ohio
Ohio’s economic comeback showed no sign of slowing down in recent
months as our state added a total of 38,000 new jobs between May and
June. In the past year, companies have added more than
100,000
jobs in Ohio and have played a vital role in our unemployment level
dropping to its lowest point since September 2008. In fact,
for
the first time since January 1995, Ohio’s unemployment rate (7.2
percent... read
more
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The Business Journals... 4
reasons why “you didn’t build that” still haunts Obama,
by
Kent Hoover
Friday, July 20, 2012 - It’s been a week since President Barack Obama
made a remark that’s been haunting him ever since: “If you’ve got a
business -- you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”
Many business owners felt insulted by this remark, despite attempts to
explain the context. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney
spent the week hammering Obama over this statement. He drove... read
more
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Ohio Representative Jim Buchy… Let’s
Celebrate at the County Fair
Late summer is one of my favorite times of the year because it’s when
we get to celebrate the accomplishments of our local farmers and the
agricultural community at our county fairs. The counties in West
Central Ohio will each be holding their county fairs over the coming
weeks, and I’m looking forward to attending them all, as each fair
offers unique and exciting attractions. During the months of July and
August, we... read
more
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Serving
the
sentiments of the people who elected them,
That’s My
Opinion By Bob Robinson
A strange thing happened Tuesday night at the Greenville City Council
Public Hearing for Trilogy Health Care. Despite overwhelming public
support for the company’s plan to move Village Green from its current
land-locked location on Chestnut Street to 6.41 acres, vacant for
years, at Russ Road and Hwy 121, a motion to prepare legislation for it
barely passed. It took a “yea” vote by... read
more
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Senator Sherrod Brown… Job
Opportunities for Ohio’s Veterans
Servicemembers – already armed with the discipline and skills needed to
strengthen the 21st century economy – should not have to struggle to
find a job when their military service ends. These heroes who fought
for our country shouldn’t have to fight for work when they come home.
And yet, unfortunately many do. As citizens, we have a responsibility
to do something about the thousands of older veterans who are
jobless... read
more
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U.S. Representative John Boehner… Obama
Tax Hike threatens jobs
Ernst & Young Study: President Obama’s Small Business Tax Hike
Threatens More Than 700,000 Jobs - WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman
Boehner (R-West Chester) released the following statement today
regarding a new study by independent accounting firm Ernst &
Young
that shows President Obama’s small business tax hike will destroy more
than 700,000 American jobs: “This Ernst & Young... read
more
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The Heritage Network… Obama’s
Gutting of Welfare Reform Is Illegal
Todd Gaziano and Robert Alt - July 16, 2012 - Editor’s Note: I voted
for the Republican Majority who made this welfare reform requirement
part of the Contract with America in 1996. I am incensed and outraged
that any sitting president or his administration would take it upon
themselves to blatantly over-ride the requirements of a law written and
passed by the Legislative arm... read
more
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Ohio Representative Richard Adams… Guarding Public Money from
Private Purposes
Debates over campaign finance laws date back to the beginning of the
20th century when Teddy Roosevelt was running for president. Most of
these debates over time have focused on the issue of limiting campaign
contributions and increasing transparency. Regardless of where you
stand on those issues, just about everyone can agree that taxpayer
money should not be funneled into campaign activity. On June... read
more
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Huff Post... Mitt
Romney Bain
Mess Shows Stonewalling Consequences
07/13/2012 - WASHINGTON -- It takes perverse talent to turn a two-day
mini-story into a major three-week distraction. But that is precisely
what Mitt Romney’s campaign has done with a June 21 story in the
Washington Post. As a result, they’re losing valuable media time
playing defense when they should be using every waking second and news
cycle to remind voters about how crappy the economy is and why... read
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Market
Commentary,
By Art Cashin, Prepared by UBS Financial Services Inc.
The Obamacare Decision - We had originally intended to explore the
scholarly give and take of both the opinion and of the dissent. Both
have marvelous allusions to things like the Federalist papers and
“original intent”. A full reading is like a visit to the mind gym, a
mental workout of the first order. We were also hoping to revisit the
original Marbury vs. Madison decision, which we write about every... read
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Education:
Colleges
should pay kids; kids pay employers, That’s My
Opinion By
Bob Robinson
I’m a criminal and didn’t know it. That’s what I found out on “Stossel”
on Fox Saturday night. Actually, I saw the first 20 minutes as I was
winding down to go to sleep… then I saw the first 20 minutes again when
I woke up at 5 a.m. I never see a full program any more… it’s usually
15-20 minutes before I go to sleep and 15-20 minutes while I wake up
enough to start my morning coffee. I digress. I’m a criminal because I
use... read
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Dayton Business Journal... McGregor:
A New Outlook on Job Creation in Ohio
by Ohio Rep. Ross McGregor, Guest Column - Monday, July 9, 2012 - Job
creation is an ongoing process, one that requires sustained efforts and
innovative approaches. This fact has been reflected in the work of the
129th Ohio General Assembly since the very start of our current
legislative session. We have passed numerous bills to benefit Ohio’s
businesses, promote economic recovery and grow our job market.
Beginning... read
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Obama
has taken the
economy to a new low, That’s My Opinion By Bob
Robinson
Obama: Governor Romney exported American jobs to China. “He’s not the
solution. He’s the problem.” At best, it’s a tremendous stretch of the
truth; at worst it’s simply a lie. The reference is to Romney’s
affiliation with Bain Capital, an investment company that looks for
strong investments worldwide, including American companies such as
Staples. Nowhere could I find any verifiable information that Bain... read
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Congressman
John Boehner… Independence
Day Tribute... “Here’s to the Spirit of ‘76”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester), in a
message recorded in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol, marks
Independence Day by paying tribute to the Declaration of Independence,
the brave patriots who conceived it, and the sacrifices that have been
made to preserve freedom and liberty: “If you’re like me, when you
enter the Capitol Rotunda, your eyes are drawn to Trumbull’s depiction
of the Declaration of Independence. And why not?
It’s
humbling to stop and think... read
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Exporting
American Products, Not American Jobs
There’s an old cliché that the definition of insanity is doing the same
thing over and over again, and expecting different results. Well, if
that’s the case, then our trade policy represents insanity. Though
NAFTA was signed nearly two decades ago, a trade deal with China was
inked about a dozen years ago, and CAFTA was signed some seven years
ago, we still haven’t seen any change. The time for a new direction... read
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The
Community
Independence Day Parade, That’s My Opinion By
Bob Robinson
I vaguely remember seeing an occasional fireworks display when I was a
kid… they weren’t that big in the 50s. It was usually a neighborhood
project. The celebrations I remember most were in Lincoln, Nebraska
when I was in junior high. We would block off our street for square
dancing (and other “square” stuff, like barbeque and beer; and pop,
sparklers, cherry bombs and snakes for the kids), divide... read
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State Representative Richard Adams... Commemorating Our Independence Day
As June begins to wrap up, it won’t be long before the citizens of the
79th Ohio House District put on red, white and blue attire
and hang stars and stripes from their homes. The patriotic spirit this
time of year is contagious, building up to our nation’s Independence
Day on July 4th. Apple pie, cookouts, firework displays, parades—there
are so many traditions that we associate with the Fourth of July. It
is a time for family, fun and community, and, this year,... read
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State
Representative
Jim Buchy... A Celebration of American Freedom
July 4th has always been a very special day for me personally, and for
all true Americans. It is a day for barbeques, family,
fireworks, and of course, patriotism. It is a day to celebrate the
freedoms we have as Americans and also to look back proudly
over the history of our great nation. On July 4th, 1776, the Second
Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence.
By doing so, The United States of America declared its independence... read
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State Senator Keith Faber... Taking
on the Threat of Human
Trafficking
The spring season was a busy time for the General Assembly as state
lawmakers took up a full slate of bills before entering the
summer. Reforms focused on education, job growth, energy
development and government efficiency took center stage at the
Statehouse in recent months, and I am happy to report that Ohio’s
economic success continues to pick up steam. While a great
deal
of our work is aimed at alleviating... read
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Protecting
the people from their choices, That’s My
Opinion By Bob Robinson
The most controversial issue of the Obama Administration is the
Affordable Care Act that was recently upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court.
There are other regulations coming out of Washington that are equally
destructive, but this one has been in the limelight since ex-House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “I guess we’ll find out what’s in it after we
pass it.” Now we know what’s in it. To set the record straight, I
believe as... read
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown… Hunger
Doesn’t Take a Summer Vacation
More than 840,000 children in Ohio depend on school for more than an
education. For children living well-below the poverty line, schools
also provide a dependable source of food and nutrition. During the
school year, more than 840,000 Ohio children receive nutrition
assistance through free or reduced-price school lunches. So what
happens to these children during the summer months? While critical
lifelines – providing... read
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Commissioners Corner... Darke
County the place to locate and grow
Summer is in full swing in Darke County now. Once again, it
is
hot and humid, the children are out of school, and vacation time is
just around the corner for most people. It is hard to
believe,
but the Great Darke County Fair is less than 2 months away!
Where
has the time gone? Time is moving forward in the
Commissioner’s
Office also. By the time this is printed... read
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So
many talents in so
many areas, That’s My Opinion By Bob Robinson
I’ve been privileged in my personal and professional life. Not many
people can say they have two great families, some good friends, a wide
range of experiences, retired from a job he loved only to replace it
with another “job” he loves and the unique experience of sharing his
knowledge (and the mistakes to avoid) with younger generations.
Recently I attended two graduation parties. I’d had several... read
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Speaker Boehner Press Office... Rep.
Bill Cassidy, M.D. on Jobs
& Repealing ObamaCare
June 22, 2012 - Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Bill
Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) discusses Republicans’ focus on
jobs and fully repealing the president’s health care law, which is
making our economy worse by driving up costs and making
it harder for small businesses to hire new workers. “Unless the Court
throws out the entire law,” Dr. Cassidy says, “we should
repeal what is left and implement common-sense, step-by-step... read
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State Representative Richard Adams... Ohio Pension Reform Requires
Adequate Information
The issue of pension reform is in need of attention in Ohio. As a
recent Time magazine article pointed out, pension liabilities are now
35 percent of the state’s GDP. Ohio’s taxpayers, active members, and
retirees rely on a comprehensive solution. While a quick solution would
be ideal in everyone’s minds, it must also be done right. An actuarial
study is currently being conducted by the Ohio Retirement Council
(ORC)... read
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U.S. Congressman John Boehner... Republicans
Relentlessly Focused on Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At his weekly press briefing, Congressman John
Boehner (R-West Chester) highlighted today’s House vote on the Domestic
Energy & Jobs Act, next month’s vote to stop the small business
tax
hike, and Republicans’ commitment to repeal ObamaCare in its entirety –
all part of the continuing focus on helping the private sector create
jobs. Congressman Boehner also discussed operation Fast
&
Furious... read
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Farm
Policy that’s Better for Farmers, Fairer to Taxpayers
With one in seven Ohio jobs connected to agriculture, it’s obvious just
how vital farming is to our state. That’s one of the reasons I’m
honored to represent our state’s farmers, ranchers, and rural
communities as Ohio’s first senator on the Agriculture Committee in
more than four decades. Over the last year, as part of my “Grown in
Ohio” listening tour, I’ve had the opportunity to hear directly from
farmers, business leaders... read
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Take
the fox from the
henhouse? By Jim Surber
The upcoming November ballot will be so overcrowded that many Ohio
voters may just give up instead of having to make so many choices. This
fall, Ohio voters will choose the President, a U.S. Senator, some State
Senators, every U.S. and state House member, two state Supreme Court
justices, and a long list of county and local officials. If that isn’t
enough, they also will be faced with a growing number of state and... read
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A
Nice Place to Visit,
By Mike Stegall, Darke County Commissioner
Recently, I completed my “Bucket List” golf trip to Scotland and
Ireland with my wife Rosemary and our friends, the Breadens. We all had
a great time, saw some wonderful sights, and tried some new things that
I never thought I would. Have you ever heard of the Scottish national
dish called “haggis?” Haggis is basically the innards of a sheep,
cooked in a sheep’s stomach for about 4 hours. I know it sounds... read
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State
Senator Bill Beagle... Father’s
Day Reflections
My first year and a half as a state senator has been a whirlwind
education on some of the toughest issues facing our state and the
intricacies of the legislative process. This Father’s Day, as I pour
coffee into my “World’s Best Dad” mug and begin breakfast with my wife
and three children, I reflect upon one of the toughest issues
threatening the future: the growing absence of fathers in our
children’s lives. It is important to first recognize the many men who
take the responsibility of being a father... read
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Fighting
for Fair Pay
Ohioans work hard, and I believe their hard work deserves fair pay,
regardless of gender. But today in Ohio, women earn just 85 cents to
every dollar a man makes. According to the Joint Economic Committee,
that earnings gap means over the course of their working lives, women
lose more than $400,000. That’s unconscionable. Nearly fifty years ago,
Congress passed and President John F. Kennedy... read
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State Senator Bill Beagle... A
Special Father’s Day Message
Video - As families across Ohio prepare to celebrate Father’s Day this
Sunday, State Senator Bill Beagle (R - Tipp City) recently took a
moment to discuss how his role on the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood,
and past experience as a stay-at-home Dad, has motivated him to work on
behalf of Ohioans and provide our state’s children with a future filled
with opportunity. Senator Beagle’s Father... read
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U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown... Ensuring
Veterans Get the Care They Need
Last month, our country observed Memorial Day, a day when we take the
time to remember the servicemembers who sacrificed their lives for our
country. In remembering the servicemembers who paid the ultimate price
for their nation, we should also express our gratitude by honoring the
veterans with us today and making sure they have access to good-paying
jobs and are receiving the veterans’ benefits they’ve earned... read
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Communication
requires two, That’s My Opinion By Bob Robinson
In a perfect world, government functions much like a business… a
not-for-profit business. Shareholders or board members (taxpayers) hire
(elect) executives (public officials) to lead the organization
(government entity). They expect full disclosure of all actions and
moneys spent, then determine if those actions are appropriate and in
compliance with their expectations. If they are, all is well. If they
aren’t, the “employers... read
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A Bird in the Hand… Welcome
Trilogy with Open Arms, By Bob Robinson
There’s this tract of land on the north side of Russ Road, sandwiched
between State Hwy 121 and Kitchen Aid Way, that’s been vacant ever
since I can remember and I’ve been here for 11 years. According to
Dustin Leis, Leis Realty, it’s been vacant even longer than that. He’s
been trying to sell it for 15 years. He added that it was on the market
before he took over. No one... read
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State Representative Jim Buchy... BWC
Reform Efforts
Why Getting Ohioans Back to Work Boosts Our Economy? In the past two
years, we have been working in Ohio to lower the costs of doing
business and promote job growth. Thus far, we have
successfully
reduced taxes on family business owners, and turned the job of
attracting new businesses over to the private sector, where less red
tape and bureaucracy will allow Ohio to compete against other states
for companies... read
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