Congressman

Ok, so I suck w/ this schedule thing. I blame starting a new job and throwing my weekend outta whack...so now here we are.

Again, I moved recently. So now I'm not represented by the Schmidt woman, who couldn't be farther from my values if she tried. Let's go see who now claims me as a constituent.

Looks like Dave Hobson. District 7 really is Central Ohio, ranging from Lancaster to Dayton. I'm kinda impressed, and thus not at all surprized at the fact it's a GOP district.

It's all small town farm country, or nice suburbs. With a few token urban regions (like my crime-infested economically depressed neighborhood) for show. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that the GOP has had an uninterrupted majority in the state legislature for years?


The guy's page is quite robust actually...go check it out. Doesn't seem bad at all. And he won 61% of the vote in 2006...not too bad, considering the nation's mood at that point.

We'll look into him more at length...so...yep. That's all I got for now. Enjoy your Legislation Wednesday!

...and Now for Some News...

Obama, McCain Winners in "Potomac Primary," from NPR

Roger Clemens Denies Steroid Use, from NPR (Whatever. Sold out Red Sox, used steroids...)

Top Hezbollah Leader Killed by Bomb, from BBC

Spielberg Steps Down from Olympic Committee, from BBC

Columbus Council Approves Budget, from WCBE (you'll have to listen to the story for details)

Hamilton County Adminstrator Gets Passing Grade, from WVXU

Tuesday Stuff!

I'm thankful today for the fact my sisters made it out this week...so just a quick one today.

Now for Some News...

New Stem Cell Research Could End Ethical Worries, from NPR
Rare National Buzz Help Obama Decide to Run, from NPR
Teachers and Civil Servants Join Transport Strikers, from BBC
Pulitzer Winning Photographer Accused of Terror, from BBC
U.C. Won't Get to Host Presidential Debate, from WVXU
County Workers May Not Get Raises, from WVXU

Find Your Elected Folks, Part 4!

Here we're gonna go after the county people. They're a little harder to come by...I had to resort to a Google search for "Hamilton County Ohio" before I found the webpage.



From there, it took a bit of digging. I ended up going to the top right corner and clicking "Departments." That gave me a list of all the departments in Hamilton County. Since I'm concerned with finding out who my county commissioners are, I clicked the "Commissioners" link.



From there, you get the contact info and links to their home pages.



Back track to the Hamilton County page again, and you'll see a box on the right hand side that asks you to input your address called the Local Government Connection, to find your local municipal government. That's pretty cool, let's try it.



Oh yes, it's pretty cool. It would figure something like this would happen on the last day of the "Find the Elected Officials" week. Go take a look and see what I'm talking about!

Now For Some News...

Clinton Improves Debate Performance, from NPR
Barry Bonds Indicted for Perjury, from NPR
Dinosaur "Cow" Found in Sahara, from NPR
Hundreds Dead in Cyclone, from BBC
Victim Given 200 Lashes in Saudi Rape Case, from BBC
Russian Election Will Not be Overseen by International Watchdog, from BBC
Joe Nuxhall Dies at Age 79, from WVXU
Hill Climb Race to Determine Cincinnati Masochist, from WVXU
Contractors to Register in Cincinnati (as if taxes and red tape weren't enough there), from WVXU

2007 General Election Results

I know anyone who cares has already found these results, but there they are (and a couple editorial comments) anyway.

Municipal Court District 1 Judge:

1. Dwane K Mallory, 50.25% ; John H Burlew. 49.75%. 11199 Votes Cast.
2. Fanon A Rucker, 100% (unopposed) 6278 Votes Cast

MCD 2:

1. Nadine Allen, 76.53% ; Rosalind C Florez 23.47%. 21269 VC

MCD 3:

1. Ted Berry, 71.76% ; Kendal M Coes, 28.24%. 24245 VC

MCD 4:

1. Julie Stautberg, 100% (unopposed) 19441 VC

MCD 5:

1. Heather Russel, 66.02% ; Greg Cohen, 33.98% 27807 VC

MCD 5 (Unexpired Term):

1. Brad Greenberg, 100% (unopposed). 22056 VC

MCD 6:

1. Richard Bernat, 68.35% ; Lawrence Lindgren 31.65%. 29819 VC

MCD 6 (Unexpired Term):

1. Bernie Bouchard, 66.97% ; Norma J Davis 33.03%. 30552 VC

MCD 7:

Melissa Powers, 100% (unopposed). 16076 VC

Villiage of Marriemont:

1. Mayor: Dan Policastro, 100% (unopposed). 930 VC
2. Clerk-Treasurer: Paul J Tontillo, 100% (unopposed) 938 VC
3. Council (Vote 2): Kimberly Sullivan, 37.70% ; Dennis Wolter, 31.51% ; James H Ferguson, 30.79%. 2085 VC
4. School Board (Vote 2): Marie C Huenefeld, 51.62% ; Denise Walter, 48.38%. 3557 VC

Tax Issues:

1. Mariemont Operating Levy Renewal: For, 72.88% ; Against, 27.12%. 1239 VC
2. Cincinnati School Levy: Against, 58.11% ; For, 41.89%. 66393 VC
3. Mariemont School Levy: For, 56.21% ; Against, 43.79%. 2907 VC
4. Issue 27 (Referendum on Public Safety Resolution): Against, 56.05% ; For, 43.95%. 191391 VC
5. Issue 28 (Mental Health Levy): For, 55.13% ; Against, 44.87%. VC 190304 VC
6. Issue 29 (Senior Services Levy): For, 69.45% ; Against, 30.55%. VC 190783 VC

All taken from the Hamilton County Board of Election's results page. Don't see your election? Probably because I didn't vote in it. Look here.

As for comments...I'm amazingly, incredibly disappointed the public safety levy didn't pass. Voting against that levy was essentially voting against law enforcement and for criminals. The day after it was shot down, the county is already talking about cutting sheriff patrols in Over the Rhine. That's exactly where we need to pulls cops from. I'm predicting some serious crime upswings and further migration out of the heart of Hamilton County.

I'm similarly disgusted by the short term view taken by voters on the Cincinnati school issue. Yes, the district has it's problems. But it's also falling apart, understaffed, and under funded. While we'd love to be able to give money to only good school districts, witholding it from a bad school does immeasurable damage. Watch the size of the city continue to shrink, because the children who go to the public schools are deprived of an education. When you link the effects of an unsupported school district and an unsupported law enforcement community, you get a slum.

That's all I have...except for we had 34% turnout this time around. I think that number speaks for itself.