WE URGE YOU TO CONTINUE PRAYING FOR THE ELECTIONS AND ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6! WEEC WILL HAVE ELECTION COVERAGE THAT EVENING WITH YOUR WEEC NEWS TEAM AND VETERAN ELECTIONS ANCHOR, KEVIN LANTZ!
CHOOSING THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST DECISIONS BEING VOTED ON TUESDAY. THEY SAY ISSUE 2 IN THE STATE OF OHIO COULD IMPACT THE BALANCE OF POWER IN THE STATE AND IS ONE OF THE MORE DIFFICULT ISSUES TO UNDERSTAND. THE AMENDMENT WOULD CREATE A 12-PERSON CITIZEN COMMISSION TO ESTABLISH THE BOUNDARIES FOR LEGISLATIVE AND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS. ANN HENKENER WITH THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF OHIO SAYS LINES HAVE OFTEN BEEN DRAWN WITH POLITICAL ADVANTAGES, BUT THIS INITIATIVE WOULD REMOVE POLITICIANS FROM THE PROCESS. APPARENTLY ISSUE 2 WOULD PROHIBIT STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICEHOLDERS, POLITICAL EMPLOYEES AND LOBBYISTS FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE PROCESS AND WOULD USE STATE APPEALS-COURT JUDGES IN THE COMISSION SELECTION PROCESS. IF THE PANEL DIDN’T AGREE, THEN THE OHIO SUPREME COURT WOULD HAVE FINAL MAP APPROVAL. THE MAPS CREATED WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN 2014, AND WOULD BE REDRAWN AFTER EVERY CENSUS. THE OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION IS AMONG THE GROUPS OPPOSED TO ISSUE 2, CITING THE USE OF THE JUDICIARY. JONATHAN HOLLINGSWORTH, PRESIDENT-ELECT OF THE OHIO STATE BAR ASSOCIATION SAYS THAT WHILE THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS NEEDS FIXED, TAKING POLITICS OUT OF IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE. ANN HENKENER FEELS THAT THE PANEL OF JUDGES SHOULD ONLY BE USED AS SCREENERS, A ROLE THAT OHIO JUDGES FREQUENTLY PLAY IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. ACCORDING TO THE OHIO NEWS CONNECTION, THE REDISTRICTING PROCESS IS CURRENTLY DICTATED BY WHICHEVER POLITICAL PARTY DOMINATES THE LEGISLATURE AND THE STATE APPORTIONMENT BOARD.
IN NON-ELECTION NEWS…
FIRE HIT THE WALTER G. SELLERS SENIOR APARTMENTS LAST NIGHT IN XENIA. FIVE PEOPLE WERE RESCUED AND 64 RESIDENTS DISPLACED IN A THAT THREE-ALARM FIRE. XENIA FIRE CHIEF KENNETH RIGGSBY SAID FIREFIGHTERS RECEIVED THE FIRST ALARM JUST BEFORE 8PM AND WHEN THEY ARRIVED, THERE WERE HEAVY FLAMES ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE BUILDING. A SECOND ALARM AND THIRD ALARM WERE ALSO SOUNDED WITH RIGGSBY SAYING IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS FROM EVERY DEPARTMENT IN GREENE COUNTY TO HELP FIGHT THAT FIRE. THE STATE FIRE MARSHAL IS INVESTIGATING. RIGGSBY SAID IT TOOK FIREFIGHTERS AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET THE FLAMES UNDER CONTROL. DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE.
TEENS…PLEASE BE CAREFUL WHEN YOU ARE OUT AND DRIVING OR RIDING WITH A NEW DRIVER. IT SEEMS LIKE IN THE PAST MONTH OR SO WE HAVE HAD SO MANY FATAL ACCIDENTS INVOLVING TEENS. IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS KILLING TEENS IN OUR WEEC LISTENING AREA. THREE GREENVILLE TEENS WERE KILLED ON OCTOBER 27TH IN A SINGLE-CAR CRASH AFTER THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL. FIVE DAYS LATER, A SPRINGBORO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT WAS KILLED WHEN HE LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR AND IT STRUCK A UTILITY POLE ON HIS WAY TO SCHOOL.
THE SAD NEWS CONTINUES AS THREE TEEN GIRLS WERE KILLED FROM BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. 14 YEAR OLD JULIANNA HAWK, 17 YEAR OLD SOPHIE KERRIGAN AND SKYLAR KOOKEN, AGE 16, WERE RIDING INSIDE THE EXTENDED CAB OF A DODGE PICKUP JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN THE TRUCK CRASHED INTO A TREE. A 17 YEAR OLD GIRL WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AND LISTED IN CRITICAL CONDITION. THE 17 YEAR OLD DRIVER, A BOY, LOST CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND WAS IN STABLE CONDITION AT THE HOSPITAL. ANOTHER PASSENGER, AN 18 YEAR OLD MALE WAS ALSO LISTED IN STABLE CONDITION. BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL WAS TO HAVE CRISIS COUNSELORS AND A PSYCHOLOGIST AT THE SCHOOL TO HELP STUDENTS. A VIGIL WAS HELD AT THE HIGH SCHOOL SUNDAY NIGHT. BELLBROOK HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL CHRIS BAKER SAID THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HELD THE VIGIL TO GIVE THE STUDENTS A PLACE TO GATHER, GRIEVE AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. MIKE SABIN, PASTOR OF WINGS CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP LED THE VIGIL, WHICH INCLUDED PRINCIPAL BAKER AND REV. STAN GOCKEL, PASTOR OF BELLBROOK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
CAN YOU IMAGINE NOT HAVING A COAT THIS WINTER? YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN JACKSON, LYTLE & LEWIS FUNERAL HOME AND THE SALVATION ARMY IN THE “WARM COATS-WARM HEARTS COAT DRIVE”! YOU CAN DONATE COATS FOR MEN, WOMEN OR CHILDREN BY DROPPING THEM OFF AT JACKSON, LYTLE & LEWIS, 2425 N. LIMESTONE STREET IN SPRINGFIELD. USED COATS ARE ACCEPTABLE AS LONG AS THEY ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. OTHER TYPES OF OUTER WEAR CAN BE SHARED AS WELL, SUCH AS SWEATERS, JACKETS AND SWEATSHIRTS, AS WELL AS GLOVES AND HATS…CLOTHES TO KEEP SOMEONE WARM DURING THIS COLD SEASON. THE “WARM COATS-WARM HEARTS COAT DRIVE” WILL CONTINUE UNTIL NOVEMBER 25TH THEN THE COATS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PEOPLE IN NEED AT NO COST. IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL 937/399-2811.
LOCAL VETERANS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THEIR QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS ADDRESSED THIS WEEK IN SPRINGFIELD AT THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 1031, 1237 E. MAIN STREET. THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. STEVE AUSTRIA WILL HOST A FREE VETERANS’ BENEFITS FORUM ON THURSDAY FROM 3:30-5PM. LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL VETERANS AGENCIES WILL BE BROUGHT TOGETHER TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND TO EXTEND A HELPING HAND. LEE MARTIN, A MILITARY/VETERANS CASEWORKER IN AUSTRIA’S OFFICE SAID A VETERAN TRYING TO NAVIGATE THE CLAIMS SYSTEM ON HIS OR HER OWN CAN FIND THE TASK DAUNTING. AUSTRIA’S OFFICE HAS HOSTED SIMILAR FORUMS IN FAIRBORN AND CIRCLEVILLE.
IT LOOKS LIKE ELECTION DAY WILL BE SUNNY WITH HIGHS REACHING 48 DEGREES. LOWS TONIGHT WILL DROP TO 27. TUESDAY NIGHT’S LOWS WILL BE AT 36 DEGREES AND WE COULD SEE SOME RAIN AND SNOW SHOWERS OVERNIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED. BY THE WEEKEND WE COULD SEE TEMPERATURES ONCE MORE IN THE 60’S.
