SOME PEOPLE IN LOGAN COUNTY ARE THRILLED AND THANKFUL TO A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR WHO WENT TO A BELLEFONTAINE WALMART AND PAID OFF HUNDREDS OF LAYAWAY ACCOUNTS! THAT MAN SPENT ABOUT $30,000. WHIO NEWS SAID SEVERAL OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THAT ACT OF KINDNESS CALLED THEM SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND A WALMART MANAGER ESTIMATED ABOUT 200-300 ACCOUNTS WERE PAID OFF BY THIS ANONYMOUS MAN.
OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE DeWINE HAS RELEASED A REPORT OUTLINING SEVERAL ISSUES SURROUNDING OHIO’S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, SPECIFICALLY THE STATE’S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. THE CHILD SAFETY SUMMIT REPORT OUTLINES MULTIPLE CONCERNS IDENTIFIED AFTER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HELD EIGHT CHILD SAFETY SUMMITS IN CINCINNATI, CLEVELAND, TOLEDO, YOUNGSTOWN, AKRON, DAYTON AND ST. CLAIRSVILLE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID, “WE HELD THE CHILD SAFETY SUMMITS TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM THE MOST: FOSTER PARENTS, FOSTER YOUTH, JUVENILE JUDGES, AND THOSE WHO WORK IN THE CHILD WELFARE COMMUNITY.” DeWINE SAYS, THEY TOLD US ABOUT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEIR STRUGGLES, AND NOW WE HAVE A GOOD FOUNDATION TO BUILD ON TO SUGGEST CHANGES NEEDED TO HELP PROTECT OHIO’S FOSTER CHILDREN.” TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES…SOME OF WHICH INCLUDE RESTRICTIONS IN FOSTER PARENT PARTICIPATION, NOT ENOUGH MENTORS FOR FOSTER YOUTH, STIGMAS SURROUNDING YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE, DECREASING ACCOUNTABILITY AND FUNDING AS WELL AS BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ASSEMBLED A GROUP OF CHILD WELFARE EXPERTS TO FORM A FOSTER CARE ADVISORY GROUP. THE GROUP IS TO HAVE THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL 90 DAYS FROM DECEMBER 10TH.
THE AIR FORCE NOW HAS AN ADVANCED POWER AND THERMAL RESEARCH LAB AS PART OF THE RESEARCH LABORATORY’S AEROSPACE SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE. THE CONVERTED BUILDING AT WRIGHT-PATTERSON COST $24 MILLION TO RENOVATE INTO A HIGH-TECH LAB TO RESOLVE AEROSPACE-RELATED ENERGY, POWER AND THERMAL CHALLENGES. IT WILL RESEARCH A WIDE RANGE OF SCIENTIFIC PROBLEMS SUCH AS POWERING THE GROWING ENERGY DEMANDS OF FUTURE AIR AND SPACECRAFT TO MOUNTING LASERS ON JETS ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS. THE DAYTON DAILY NEWS REPORTS THAT THE LAB HAS PARTNERED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSAL ENERGY SYSTEMS IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROJECTS. THE ARMY, NAVY AND THE DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH AND PROJECTS AGENCY WILL ALSO SEND SCIENTISTS TO THE LAB.
POLICE IN NEW CARLISLE ARE LOOKING FOR A CAR WITH BLUE HEADLIGHTS THAT THEY SAY HIT A UTILITY POLE SATURDAY AT GALEWOOD DRIVE AND KENNISON AVENUE. THAT VEHICLE LEFT THE SCENE BUT BLUE HEADLIGHT GLASS FOUND. THE POLE WITH A STREET LIGHT AT THE TOP WAS BROKEN IN THE MIDDLE AND THERE WAS CONCERN THAT THE LIGHT MIGHT FALL INTO TRAFFIC SO NEW CARLISLE FIRE CAPTAIN DOUG PIERSON SAID THE INTERSECTION WAS CLOSED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF FOR OHIO EDISON CREWS TO CUT THE POLE.
THE MIAMI VALLEY HAS SOME EXCITING NEWS! JOHN LEGEND, SPRINGFIELD NATIVE AND GRAMMY-AWARD SINGER AND SONGWRITER WILL PERFORM AT THE SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL CAFETORIUM ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22ND FROM 7-9 PM FOR HIS BROTHER’S HOLIDAY BASH. VAUGHN ANTHONY IS AN R & B SINGER AS WELL AND WILL PERFORM THAT NIGHT AS WELL AS A DOZEN LOCAL ACTS. WHEN THE BROTHERS DID A CHRISTMAS EVE CONCERT IN 2007 AT THEIR ALMA MATER, NORTH HIGH SCHOOL, IT SOLD OUT IN AN HOUR. 2,200 TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR A PRICE AND ARE ON SALE BEGINNING TODAY AT THE SPRINGFIELD HIGH OFFICE FROM 10:30AM-8:30PM, CENTER COURT AT THE UPPER VALLEY MALL FROM 11AM-6PM AND AT THE SPRINGFIELD FAMILY YMCA FROM 5:30-10PM. PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT THE LOCAL YMCA’S GOAL TO REPLACE THE ROOF ABOVE ITS YOUTH DEPARTMENT. THE MONEY WILL ALSO GO TO CREATING FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL CAMPS FOR THE CITY’S YOUTH, ANTHONY SHARED. VAUGHN SAID HE FELT COMPELLED TO ORGANIZE THE CONCERT AFTER A 2011 GALLUP POLL RANKED SPRINGFIELD AS THE UNHAPPIEST CITY IN THE UNITED STATES. HE SAID, “IT GOT ME HARD. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, I SEE WHAT THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT. I FELT LED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE NEED TO GET TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY AND BUILD IT UP.” HE CONTINUED, “TEAMWORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK.” JOHN LEGEND, THE FORMER JOHN STEPHENS, HAS WON NINE GRAMMYS AND WAS NOMINATED LAST WEEK FOR YET ANOTHER.
ALSO IN THE NEWS…A CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE AND FORMER EMPLOYEE OF CEDARVILLE WILL BE A CONTESTANT ON SEASON 14 OF NBC’S “THE BIGGEST LOSER”. 34 YEAR OLD MICHAEL DORSEY OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, GRADUATED FROM CEDARVILLE IN 2000 WITH A BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE IN COMMUNICATION AND AFTER GRADUATING WORKED AT THE UNIVERSITY FOR SIX YEARS AS THE COORDINATOR OF INTERCULTURAL RECRUITMENT. DORSEY IS THE HEAVIEST CONTESTANT THIS SEASON AT 444 POUNDS. THE PREMIER OF THE SHOW WILL BE IN TWO PARTS FROM 9-11PM SUNDAY, JANUARY 6TH AND MONDAY, JANUARY 7TH FROM 8-10PM ON NBC. DORSEY IS A PROFESSOR AT THREE COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND OWNER AND COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT FOR MLD COMMUNICATIONS IN MARYLAND. HE SAID HIS WIFE GAVE BIRTH TO THEIR FIRST CHILD THIS PAST FEBRUARY AND REALIZED IF HE DIDN’T MAKE A DRASTIC CHANGE…HIS SON MAY GROW UP TO NOT KNOW WHO HIS DAD WAS. MICHAEL SAYS HIS WEIGHT PROBLEM BEGAN IN COLLEGE WHEN HE WOULD RESORT TO FOOD WHEN HOMESICK AS A COPING MECHANISM. AFTER COLLEGE, HIS WEIGHT PROBLEM GOT WORSE. HE HOPES TO LOSE 150-180 POUNDS DURING THE SHOW.
THE OHIO STATE HIGHWAY PATROL AND OHIO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAVE TEAMED UP WITH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO BRING THE FIRST-EVER TRAFFIC INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TRAINING TO OHIO’S FIRST RESPONDERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS. THE STATE’S TRAFFIC INCIDENT MANAGEMENT PROGRAM CALLED OHIO “QUICKCLEAR” INCLUDES FIREFIGHTERS, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL AND TOWING AND RECOVERY SERVICES. THESE FIRST RESPONDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DETECTING, RESPONDING TO AND CLEARING TRAFFIC INCIDENTS TO RESTORE TRAFFIC FLOW AS SAFELY AND QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. COL. JOHN BORN, PATROL SUPERINTENDENT, SAYS “T-I-M PROGRAMS SAVE LIVES AND MONEY BECAUSE THEY HELP SPEED CLEARANCE OF THE INCIDENT WHILE PROTECTING EVERYONE’S SAFETY AS THE TOP PRIORITY.” THEY SAY THERE’S A PART ALL DRIVERS CAN PLAY: WHEN THERE IS AN INCIDENT AND NO INJURIES, MOVE YOUR CAR TO A SAFE PLACE OUT OF THE TRAVEL LANES. WHEN YOU SEE FLASHING LIGHTS…MOVE OVER AND SLOW DOWN…IT’S THE LAW! AND…AVOID FOLLOWING ANOTHER VEHICLE TOO CLOSELY. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE QUICKCLEAR PROGRAM, GO ON-LINE TO: WWW.QUICKCLEAR.OHIO.GOV .
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAYS WE MIGHT SEE SOME SNOW! THERE IS A 20 PERCENT CHANCE TONIGHT WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS DROPPING TO 28 DEGREES. LOOK FOR SUNSHINE ON TUESDAY WITH HIGHS RISING TO 38 DEGREES AND THE LOWS TUESDAY NIGHT AT 26. SUNSHINE IS IN THE FORECAST WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY WITH HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY AROUND 41, GOING UP TO 46 OR 47 FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL BE AROUND 26 WEDNESDAY THEN 31 FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AND 35 OVERNIGHT FRIDAY. WE HAVE A 50 PERCENT CHANCE FOR PRECIPITATION ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH HIGHS COMING IN AT 48 DEGREES.
