THIS WEEK IS WINTER SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK AND OHIO’S LT. GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE DIRECTOR MARY TAYLOR HAS SOME HINTS AND ADVICE. WE WILL BE SHARING THOSE IN A SERIES BEGINNING TODAY! TAYLOR SAYS YOU SHOULD REVIEW YOUR INSURANCE POLICIES…ON YOUR HOUSE AND PROPERTY AS WELL AS ON YOUR VEHICLES…WITH AN AGENT. HERE ARE SOME OF TAYLOR’S TIPS FOR HOME SAFETY PREPARATION FOR THE WINTER MONTHS: CLEAN OUT GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS. LOOK FOR MISSING SHINGLES AND BROKEN, OVERHANGING TREE LIMBS. INSPECT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ROOF FROM THE ATTIC FOR SIGNS OF LEAKS. CHECK WATER PIPE INSULATION TO PREVENT WINTER FREEZES. BE SURE THE DRYER VENT IS UNOBSTRUCTED AND ASSEMBLE EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, INCLUDING NON-PERISHABLE FOOD, WATER, FLASHLIGHTS AND A BATTERY POWERED RADIO. VEHICLE SAFETY TIPS: HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK TO BE SURE ALL VEHICLE SYSTEMS ARE RUNNING PROPERLY AND TIRES HAVE ADEQUATE TREAD AND AIR PRESSURE. FILL WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID AND MAINTAIN AT LEAST A HALF TANK OF GAS. BE SURE TO HAVE A WINDSHIELD SCAPER AND BRUSH. CARRY A SNACK, WATER, BLANKETS AND A FIRST AID KIT IN THE VEHICLE. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AT: 1/800-686-1526 OR GO ON-LINE TO THEIR WEBSITE AT: WWW.INSURANCE.OHIO.GOV .
THE “TIE ONE ON FOR SAFETY” CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE A SAFE AND SOBER HOLIDAY SEASON KICKED OFF THIS MORNING AT THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY ATRIUM IN COLUMBUS. PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES WILL JOIN MADD..MOTHERS AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING…TO ENCOURAGE MOTORISTS TO TIE A RED RIBBON ON THEIR VEHICLE AS A SYMBOL OF THEIR PLEDGE TO DRIVE SAFE AND SOBER!
TECUMSEH LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT LOST THEIR DISTRICT’S TAX LEVY ON ELECTION TUESDAY AND MAY FACE STATE FINANCIAL TAKE OVER IF THE DISTRICT DOES NOT BALANCE PROJECTED BUDGET SHORTFALLS BEFORE NOVEMBER 2013. SUPERINTENDENT JIM GAY SAY THERE IS VERY LITTLE LEFT TO CUT AND THE DISTRICT IS PRETTY CLOSE TO STATE MINIMUMS NOW. HE SAID THEY WILL HAVE TO GO BACK TO VOTERS IN 2013. VOTERS IN THE TECUMSEH DISTRICT HAVE NOT APPROVED A NEW LEVY FOR OPERATING EXPENSES SINCE 1995. THE DISTRICT HAS CUT OR NOT RENEWED AT LEAST 95 POSITIONS SINCE 2003 AND HAS REDUCED STUDENT PROGRAMS, CUTTING $7.5 MILLION, OR 22 PERCENT, FROM THE DISTRICT’S BUDGET, ACCORDING TO A REPORT IN THE NEWS SUN. GAY SAYS RIGHT NOW THEY AREN’T PLANNING TO CUT THE FEW PROGRAMS THAT ARE STILL ABOVE STATE MINIMUM, SAYING, “WE WANT TO PROVIDE OUR KIDS WITH A GOOD PROGRAM, SO RIGHT NOW THOSE AREN’T ON OUR LIST OF THINGS TO CUT, BUT WHEN THE STATE COMES IN, THAT’S A DIFFERENT MATTER.” THE DISTRICT’S PROJECTED DEFICIT WOULD INCREASE TO $4.5 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 2015, WHICH WOULD PUT THE DISTRICT INTO FISCAL EMERGENCY BY LAW. ROGER HARDIN, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FINANCE PROGRAM SERVICES AT THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SAID THE STATE WILL LIKELY INTERVENE BEFORE THIS FISCAL YEAR IS OVER, PLACING THE SCHOOL IN FISCAL CAUTION. SUPERINTENDENT GAY SAID THAT EVERYTHING THE DISTRICT HAS LEFT IS NECESSARY FOR ITS STUDENTS AND THE DISTRICT WORKS HARD TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSBILE.
WITH ALL THE ACCIDENTS HAPPENING ALONG OHIO ROUTE 235 TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS ARE GOING TO INVEST NEARLY $4 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS ALONG A STRETCH OF THE ROAD THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS HIGHLY HAZARDOUS. CLARK COUNTY-SPRINGFIELD TRANSPORTATION COORDINATING COMMITTEE DIRECTOR SCOTT SCHMID SAID HE HOPES THE CHANGES MAKE IT EASIER FOR MOTORISTS TO NAVIGATE ROUTE 235. BETHEL TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE NANCY BROWN IS PLEASED WITH THE PLANS FOR THE BUSY ROUTE WHICH AVERAGES 13,800 CARS PER DAY.
COLLECTION WEEK CONTINUES FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD AT WEEC AND OTHER COLLECTIONS SITES! ON OUR FIRST DAY OF COLLECTION…MONDAY…WE RECEIVED OVER 700 SHOEBOX GIFTS! COLLECTIONS TIMES TODAY ARE 10-2, 10-2 FOR WEDNESDAY AS WELL. THURSDAY’S TIMES WILL BE 10-4 THEN 10-5 ON FRIDAY. ON SATURDAY, SHOEBOXES CAN BE DELIVERED FROM NOON-2PM, THEN ON SUNDAY, 12:30-4PM. THE LAST DAY OF COLLECTION IS ON MONDAY AND WEEC WILL ACCEPT SHOEBOX GIFTS FROM 8AM-NOON. THANKS FOR GIVING SO NEEDY CHILDREN AROUND THE WORLD CAN HAVE A CHRISTMAS…AND HEAR ABOUT OUR CHRIST!
WE’LL HAVE SUNNY SKIES THROUGH SUNDAY ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE! HIGHS ON WEDNESDAY WILL PEAK AT 43, THEN 48 ON THURSDAY. IT WILL BE COLD EACH NIGHT AS OVERNIGHT LOWS GO TO 25 TONIGHT, THEN 28 FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
